Skills for Life Speaking & Listening Levels 1 and 2 – Phase 2a
Task Description
How long does Phase 2a last?
This Phase lasts five minutes.
What is the purpose of Phase 2a?
Candidates listen to two short recordings or two extracts from a longer recording in order to answer questions which test a selection of the following: genre, context, purpose of discussion, words and phrases, main ideas, facts, opinions, reasons, attitudes and feelings.
What skills are being assessed?
Candidates are assessed according to the Listen and Respond strand of the Adult ESOL Core Curriculum. A breakdown of the assessment criteria can be found in Focus on Assessment.
What do the candidates have to do?
Candidates both listen to two recordings in order to answer two questions on each recording. They are told what they are going to listen to and are able to make notes if they wish. Candidates will hear each recording once only.
There are two different questions for each candidate on each recording. They are presented orally by the interlocutor before each recording begins. The questions are then repeated after the recordings and the candidates are expected to respond straightaway.
Understanding the Task
To understand better how candidates need to approach this task, it may help you to look at and analyse some tasks.
Look at the sample Phase 2a tasks from Skills for Life Speaking & Listening Level 1 and 2 sample papers, and think about what candidates have to do.
Sample speaking and listening Tasks
Sample Phase 2a Task Level 1 Recording (Audio File)
Sample speaking and listening Tasks
Sample Phase 2a Task Level 2 Recording (Audio File)
Things to consider
Now look at these questions about the nature of the task and consider your answers.
- Are the two recordings always related to each other?
- Can candidates ask for the questions to be repeated before the recording begins?
- Is only one answer needed for each question?