Adult ESOL Curriculum - Level 1.pdf

8/14/2019 Adult ESOL Curriculum - Level 1.pdf

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Level 1Level 1

In the first exercise,

you kneel on the floor,

then lean back and

hold your legs just

above the ankles with

each hand, keeping

your arms straight.

Then look up.

The second exercise

involves you puttingyour hands and feet

flat on the floor before

arching your body as

high in the air as

possible.

Shes been w orking in Kingston but studying in H ounslow.

Youre late! Ive been

waiting for hours!

0173984215

Thankyouforyourletterof9thJuly.We

wouldliketoacceptyourestimateforrepair

toourgarageandwouldlikeyoutoproceed

withtheworka.s.a.p.Pleaseringtoarrange

asuitabletimetopickupthekeys.

Estimateforrepairs

Phil Turner

GoranSimcovic

1 21/ 10/ 01


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An asterisk at the end of any skill or activity on these pages denotes an activity that is likely to prove difficult, or very

difficult, for dyslexic learners. For further information on recognising dyslexia or teaching dyslexic learners, readAccess for All(DfES, 2000), Resource Pack for staff teaching basic skills to adults with learning difficulties and/or

disabilities(DfES, 2001), andDyslexia and the Bilingual Learner(LLLU, 1997).

Barometers are instruments

which measure pressure.


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The Adult Basic Skills

Core Curriculum

Component skill and knowledge and

understandingAdults should learn to:

Basic Skills Standards

level descriptor

Example of application and level

Speak to communicate Sc/L1

Speaking(Sc/L1)

use formal language and registerwhere appropriate

be aw are o f the n eed to ada pt reg ist er

according to the formalit y or seriousness of

the situation, or the relationship between

speakers

1c

Oh, sorry about that .

Im really very, very sorry.

Can you give me a hand?

I w onder if you could possibly help me?

be aw are o f the w ay that emot ion can bemore marked in less formal situations, and

of the role of stress and intonation in

signalling emotion

(See also Lr/L1.2b, page 282.)

I felt so angry. I couldnt believe w hat hedid.

(spoken wi th exaggerated intonation)

make requests and askquestions to obtaininformation in familiar andunfamiliar contexts

make requests

be abl e t o:

(a) ask for something Is it OK to use this?

2 2a

(b) ask someone to do something W ould you mind passing me my book?

(c) ask perm ission

using a range of modal verbs, e.g. could,

might and other forms, e.g. w ould you

mind ing?

Could I possibly speak to the Principal?

You dont mind asking her, do you?

be abl e t o i nt rod uce a reques t w it h a pre -

request, choosing an appropriate f orm for

the situation

Im really sorry to bother you , but

I w onder if I could ask you a favour?

be abl e t o vary reg ist er in di ff ere nt

situations and relationships

be abl e t o choo se a ppr opr ia te in tonat ion t o

be, e.g. polite, assertive

An adult w ill be expected to:

See also in the key skills: Communication key skills level 1Part A: In discussions.. .Part B: C1.1


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Level 1

Sample activities

To analyse the importance of adapting register in t he context of social i nteraction, learners begin byw orking in pairs, looking at a list of statements and questions and matching them to possiblesituations, e.g.:

Oops, sorry!

Im so sorry, how clumsy of me, are you all right?

(a) A person steps lightly on a friends toe on the bus.

(b) A person bumps into a stranger and spills his hot coffee all over him.

The whole group discuss their answers and give their reasons, stating how well they think thespeakers know each other. Learners practise a range of intonation f or the questions and statem ents

and discuss w hether this makes a difference to the f ormality and seriousness of the sit uations.Learners role play formal and informal situations, varying the register. Role plays are videoed orrecorded, and feedback is given on how effectively t he learners conveyed formality and i nformality.

Learners look at a range of requests and pick out the more informal ones, e.g.:

I w onder if I could ask you a favour? Im aw ay next w eekend and Im w orried about the cat. Youcouldnt possibly feed her on Saturday and Sunday, could you?

Please could you keep the noise dow n?

Im really sorry to interrupt you, but w ould it be possible to leave half an hour early tomorrow ? Ivebeen asked to see my sons teacher at 4.30.

Can I borrow this?

They identify the modal verbs wouldand couldand the pre-requests, w hich signal a more formal orimportant request. They w ork in pairs and take it in turns to pi ck up prompt cards making requestsand adjusting the register and intonation t o suit the situat ion and type of request. The partner canagree or refuse t he request appropriately, e.g.:

Ask your friend (a) to lend you a pen. (b) to lend you 20.

Ask your neighbour (a) to keep an eye on your (b ) to mend the ir f ence which has(a) house while you are away. (a) blown down.

Ask your teacher (a) to expla in a new w ord. (b) i f you can leave class ten minutes(a) early.

Ask your boss (a) i f you can speak to him or (b) to change your shift for next week.(a) her about a problem.

At this level, adults can:

listen and respondto spoken language, includinginformation and narratives, andfollow explanations andinstructions of varying length,adapting response t o speaker,medium and context

speak to communicateinformation, ideas and opinions,adapting speech and content totake account of the listener(s)

and medium

engage in discussionw ith one or more people infamiliar and unfamiliarsituations, making clear andrelevant contributions thatrespond to what others say andproduce a shared understandingabout different topics

in formal exchangesconnected with education,

training, work and social roles


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Core Curriculum




level descriptor



Speaking(Sc/L1)

ask for information

use accu rat el y verb fo rm s ap pro pri at e t o

this level, e.g. present perfect/ present

perfect continuous, and present simple

passive/past simple passive, in the

question form

fo rm di ff erent types of quest ion, i ncl udi ng

embedded questions and tag questions and

choose w hich type of question best suits

the situation

use in tonat ion approp riat e f or th e ques ti on

type

be abl e t o ask ques ti ons in a r ang e o f

contexts, e.g.:

(a) ask for personal information

2b

Ask for personal information in a formal orinformal context, e.g.:

What have you been up to lately?

W hat have you been doing since July?

You are coming, arent you?

(b) ask for descript ions Ask for a description, e.g.:Do you know what he looks like?

W ould you be able to describe her to me?

Whats it made of?

Ask for an explanation, e.g.:

Would you mind telling us what happened?

(c) ask about processes Ask about a process, e.g.:

How is it organised?

Can you explain how it works?

(d) ask for definit ions Ask for definit ion, e.g.:

How w ould you define X?

W hats the meaning of ... ? (e) ask for comparison

(See also Lr/L1.1b, page 280.)



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Level 1

Sample activities

As a preamble t o asking about and describing processes, learners listen to a tape of a collegelecturer talking about her job, and then answer questions about her duties and responsibilities,e.g. On Tuesday afternoon, after I f inish teaching, I go back to room 12 and run a drop-in sessionfor new students. Its quite a rush because there are normally anything betw een eight andtwenty people waiting to see me, and theyve all got to be given an interview, assessed

Learners answer questions on w hether verbs are in the active or passive and on the use ofsequence markers. Learners are then shown a different w ay of talking about a persons job,using the passive, w hich focuses on the process or procedure rather than on the person. This isintroduced wit h a flow chart diagram

Learners listen t o the procedure being described, using the passive and sequence markers. Theyare then asked questions on t he procedure, e.g. How are new students admitted? How are theyassessed? and practise asking and answering questions about the process in pairs, using theflow chart. Learners are given a copy of t he spoken text as ref erence. They practise or revise theconstruction of questions and statements, using the passive in detail w ith self-checking materialand grammar reference texts, focusing on manipulating the verb be, irregular past participlesand inverting the subject/object.

Learners practise asking and responding to questions about other common procedures they arefamili ar w ith, e.g. booking a computer in the study centre, borrowing books from the l ibrary,renting videos from a video shop.

As homew ork they are asked to think of, and to prepare a short presentation on, something theircountry is famous for producing (e.g. India is famous for it s mirror-work textiles). At the sametime, t hey are asked to revise, using the passive for asking about processes. In small groups,learners wil l have to talk about something t heir country produces and answer questions on theprocess.




and medium




Procedure for admitting new students

Students are seen on Tuesday a fternoon

Students are assessed in an interview

They are given a written test

Options are discussed


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Core Curriculum




level descriptor



Speaking(Sc/L1)

express clearly statementsof fact, explanations,instructions, accounts anddescriptions

express statements of fact

fo rm sim ple, com pou nd and com plex

sentences, and other shorter f orms

common in spoken language, e.g. minimal

responses

3 3a

use w it h accuracy gra mm at ica l fo rms

suitable for Entry level, and develop use of

forms suitable for this level, e.g.:

Give personal informati on, e.g.:

(a) past perfect

(b) art icles and other determiners

(c) passive voice

Ive been learning English for f our years.

Shes been w orking in Kingston, butstudying in Hounslow.

I w as brought up in the Philipines by myuncle.

(d) reported speech Report another speakers words, e.g.:

She said shed help me.

We told them to come at 5.30.

He asked me if I could type.

make longe r st at ements of fact, w it h

appropriate intonation

be aw are o f the i mport ance o f rhyt hm in

making longer statements comprehensible

(See also Lr/L1.5a, page 286.)




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Level 1

Sample activities

Learners work in tw o groups. Both know that t here w as a burglary at 10.30pm yesterday.Group A are police offi cers, w ho plan a list of questions to ask suspects about w here they w ereand what they were doing at that time. Group B are suspects, who work out their alibi for thetime of the crime.

Each police officer must then interview at least t w o suspects and ask them questions about theiralibi. Suspects reply, using full sentences or shorter forms common in spoken language, e.g.:

W here were you last night, Sir?

A t hom e.

What were you doing? I w as w atching TV all evening.

Police officers compare information and report w hat the suspects told them, e.g.

He said hed been

Suspects also compare notes, e.g.:

She asked me if I had any w itnesses.

Police offi cers then decide w hich suspect is guilty and give reasons, e.g.:

He said hed been wat ching TV, but couldnt say what w as on.




and medium





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Level 1

Sample activities

As a w ay of practising giving definit ions (using a defini ng relative clause) and vocabulary theyhave recently learnt, learners play an information-gap game: in small groups, they take it inturns to give a definition of a person or thing written on a set of cue cards, without saying theactual w ord; the others have to guess w hat is being defined. For example, a learner who picksup a card w ith the w ord archaeologiston it says, This is a person w ho is interested in the past,w ho digs up ancient cities The learner w ho guesses correctly keeps the card. The learnerwith most cards at the end wins the game.




and medium





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Core Curriculum




level descriptor



Speaking(Sc/L1)

narrate events in the past

use a rang e o f nar rat ive tenses, i ncl ud ing

past perfect, to give precise information

about past time

3c

und ers tand that there is a u sua l str uct ure

for an anecdote or narrative (e.g. set the

scene, describe sequence of events,

express ow n reaction) and be able to

organise a narrative accordingly

be abl e t o i ndi cat e cont ras t, rea son,

purpose, consequence and result, using

discourse markers, subordinate clauses,

etc.

It still wasnt cold, even though it hadrained all night.

Im sure hes going to be l ate, so I think w eshould start w ithout him.

be aw are o f the rol e o f pi tch and in tonat ion

in maintaining the i nterest of listeners,

e.g. raised pitch to introduce a new idea,

rising intonation to indicate that the topic is

not finished


be abl e t o express: (a) obligat ion

(b) cause and effect

(c) purpose

reco gn ise w hen an exp lanat ion o r

instruction is required, and be able to

respond with appropriate register

be abl e t o h ighl ight new or im por tant

information, through the use of stress,

intonation and pausing, or through

reiteration


M y train has been cancelled again, becauseof the weather.

give explanations and instructions

reco gn ise w hen an exp lanati on or

instruction is required, and be able to

respond with appropriate register

give m in im al or longer respon ses, w it h

grammatical accuracy

3d

Sorry to bother you, but I mi ssed the classlast w eek. Can you explain what Imsupposed to do?

OK, well, w e have to w rite a report on and then



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Level 1

Sample activities

To establish the sequence of events, learners listen to a short narrative in the past, w hichrecounts an embarrassing incident. They then w ork in pairs wit h a w ritten version of the storycut into sense units, and label t he parts of t he story: setting the scene, describing the sequenceof events, expressing ow n reaction, concluding.

They listen again and notice and try to mark the places w here the speakers intonation rises,indicating that the topic is not f inished, e.g.:

I w as on holiday in Prague and it w as my first day t here. Suddenly, this rather dodgy-looking

man standing by my seat said somet hing to m e in Czech and held out something in his hand.

Learners think of an embarrassing/awkward situation in which they have been involved andw ork individually to plan and sequence the story. In small groups, they tell each ot her theirstories.




and medium




Learners listen to a t aped conversation in w hich someone gives instructions to a friend aboutlooking after their house w hile they are aw ay. In pairs, they predict things that m ay bementioned and tick the ones they hear, e.g. key, cat, w indow s, lights, houseplants, rubbish,central heating, m oney, mail, garden. Learners listen again and note t he instruction given foreach thing m entioned, e.g. feed cat once a day + check w ater. They notice the way key wordsare stressed.

As a class, they practise in chorus, giving instructions f or each thing m entioned, using stressand intonation t o highlight key information, e.g. Feedthe cat oncea day. Check theres waterin the dish. In pairs, they take it in t urns to practise giving instructions from t heir notes.

Learners make notes about how t o look after their ow n house. In pairs, they take it in turns to

give instructions. Their partner repeats the instruction to check that t hey have understoodcorrectly.


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Core Curriculum




level descriptor



Speaking(Sc/L1)

describe and compare

be abl e t o enri ch a noun phr ase w it h bot h

pre-modification and post-modification,

e.g. participle phrases

3e

Describe people, e.g.:

The nicest person in my of fice is J ane, themanage rs PA.

A man w earing dark glasses and trainersran across the road.

present information and ideas in alogical sequence

be aw are o f the f act that ideas and

information can be sequenced in different

w ays, e.g. chronologically or with the most

important idea first

und ers tand that the convent ional w ay t o

sequence information can vary across

cultures

be abl e t o use discou rse markers i ndi cat ing

sequence, and verb forms, such as past

perfect, which help to indicate sequence

4a

be abl e t o m ake com parisons, using regular

and irregular comparative forms, including

fewerand less

Describe and compare places, e.g.:

Kuala Lumpur has grow n enormously in thelast decade.

People here drive much faster and wi th a lotless care than in my country.

be abl e t o i ncorpo rat e d escr ip ti ons in to

various types of discourse, e.g. narrative,

discussion, and to indicate w hat is fact and

what is opinion

Describe things, e.g.:

W ere taking a short break at a spa.

Whats tha t?

Its a place where there is a spring ofmineral water which is supposed to begood for your health.

present information andideas in a logicalsequence and includedetail and develop ideaswhere appropriate

4




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Level 1

Sample activities

In pairs, learners look at tw o estate agents descriptions of houses, and compare them. Theycomplete a chart comparing features: number of rooms, size of rooms, garden, price, neartransport, etc. They then discuss the differences and similarit ies and also give their opinion,e.g.: Theyre both good for public transport. This ones got m ore bedrooms, but the living roomssmaller. This one looks nicer and its got a larger garden.

In pairs, learners compare a variety of house descriptions and choose the most suitable one f ordifferent prospective tenants, e.g. a young couple wit h a new baby and not much money, afamily w ith tw o teenagers and a grandmother living with them, tw o brothers and their w ives.

In small groups, they discuss their choices and give reasons, e.g.:

This ones best for the young couple because its the cheapest; it looks prettier than theothers too.

No, this one w ould be better because its nearer public transport and its got a littl e garden.

This ones best for t he tw o brothers, because its got tw o bathrooms and more bedrooms. Itsmore expensive than the others, but it s the most suitable as its got more space.

As a possible extension activity, learners choose the house or flat they w ould like to rent andgive their reasons.




and medium




As a way of analysing how information can be sequenced in different ways, learners watch twoshort video excerpts, one of a chronologically sequenced narrative (e.g. the new s report of anevent), the ot her of a non-chronological account (e.g a description of a custom or t radition). Keyfeatures of each type are discussed, e.g. events are usually recounted in chronological order,using past tense and adverbial phrases of time, w hereas non-chronological texts w ill set outideas in the order judged to be of greatest i mportance or interest by t he speaker. A checklist iselicited of the key features.

In small groups, learners are asked to prepare a short talk on eit her the lif e of a famous man orw oman they admire or l ife in Britai n in the 21st century. They are encouraged to research theirchosen topic using reference material, the internet, et c. and to interview other learners. Eachgroup prepares their talk, and each mem ber rehearses it. One person is t hen asked to give t heirgroups talk. Learners discuss the presentations.

Learners discuss the cultural conventions that influence the ordering of information, e.g. somecultures may put the most important idea or point at the end, rather than at the beginning,deeming the preamble an important build-up. Learners discuss the practical application of theseobservations, e.g. when asked open questions at an interview, w hen complaining.


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Core Curriculum




level descriptor



Speaking(Sc/L1)

include detail and develop ideaswhere appropriate

be abl e t o e laborat e o n st at ements, e.g . by

giving reasons, contrasting ideas, etc.,

using discourse markers and subordinate

clauses

4b

I w as ill; thats why I didnt come.

I didnt think you w ould miss me ...



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Level 1

Sample activities

Learners w ork in small groups using a snakes and ladders board, a dice, coloured counters, anda set of snakes and ladders cards.

Sample situation cards

There is no milk f or breakfast. Try to persuade someone in t he house to go out and buy some.

You left your bag on the bus this m orning. Telephone to report it missing.

Your 13-year-old son has a t emperature. Phone the school t o say hell be aw ay.

Someones bag is on an empty seat on the bus. You w ant to sit dow n.

The ticket inspector gets on the bus, but you cant fi nd your ticket.You ordered some tow els by mail order, but t hey havent arrived. Phone to enquire w hatshappened.

Your daughters school is closed today. Ask your friend to look after her for t he morning.

You are tw enty minutes lat e for class. Explain w hy.

The first player throw s the dice and moves his or her coloured counter the requisite number ofsquares on the board. If a player lands on a snake or a ladder, he or she picks up a card andreads it to the group. The player must make a response which t he rest of the group thinks isappropriate to t he situation and give reasons or elaborate as necessary. If the response isacceptable to the group, the player can either avoid going dow n a ladder or move up a snake asappropriate. The w inner is the first one to reach the end.

As a variation, learners work w ithout a board and take it in turns to pick up a situation card andrespond. Learners can also writ e their ow n situation cards for ot her groups.*




and medium





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Core Curriculum




level descriptor


Engage in discussion Sd/L1

Speaking(Sd/L1)

follow and contribute todiscussions on a range ofstraightforward topics

take part in social interaction

be aw are o f how reg ist er changes

depending on the relationship between

speakers in social interaction, e.g. w hen:

(a) introducing people

1 1a

(b) taking leave

Introduce people

Id like to introduce you to

Have you been int roduced?

(more formal)

Do you know each other?

Anna, meet Rachid.

Rachid, Anna.

(more informal)

take part in more formal interactions

be abl e t o i ni ti at e a nd fo ll ow th rough a

more stressful kind of interaction, e.g. a

complaint

be abl e t o r espond i n a ran ge of sit ua ti ons,

e.g. by giving a w arning or apology

use in tensi fi ers and appropri at e i nt ona ti on

to increase the impact of a warning or

apology

1b

Sorry Im lat e, but

You must be very, very careful when you usethis machine.

Oh, Im so sorry.

Take l eave, e.g.:

Well, take care.

Hope to see you soon.

(more informal)

It w as very nice to have met you.

(more formal)

(c) invi t ing

(d) accepting or refusing invitations

and be abl e t o choo se t he reg ist er sui table

for the occasion




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Level 1

Sample activities

Learners work in pairs and discuss introductions/ leave takings whi ch w ould be appropriate touse w ith: their boss, their teacher, the dentist, the principal of t he college, the mother of afriend, a new neighbour, their childs teacher, a new student in the class. For example: M ay I introduce you to m y husband? Hi, this i s my sister Samina. Have you been int roduced? Hello,this is m y daughter Sofia. Do you t w o know each other? Bye. Its been nice meet ing you. Takecare. See you soon. It w as lovely to m eet you. Cheerio.

Learners work in small groups and practise accepting/refusing invitat ions in a register suitablefor the occasion. W orking clockwise, they take it in turns to pick up prompt cards and invite. Thenext person must accept/ reject in the same register, e.g.:

Good morning, Mrs Shah. W ould you like to join us for a coffee?

Thank you. Id love to.

Sample prompt cards

(a) Introduce yourself to a new neighbour and invite them in for a cup of tea.

(b) Invite your teacher to a party.

(c) Invite a classmate to go sw imming after class.

(d) Invite a friend to your birthday party.

(e) Invite a neighbour to come to a meeting about public transport in the area.




and medium




Learners w ork from sample prompt cards, e.g. introduce yourself t o the doctors receptionist orto your childs teacher:

Good morning. Im M rs Hassan, Asifs mother.

Good morning, M rs Hassan. Im M iss Gibson, his teacher. Do sit dow n, please.


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Core Curriculum




level descriptor



Speaking(Sd/L1)

express likes, dislikes, feelings,hopes, etc.

know a w ide rang e o f voca bul ary fo r

expressing feelings, and be able to express

feelings with register appropriate to the

relationship betw een speakers

1c

I feel very annoyed with them.

Im really fed up w ith them.

be abl e t o i ndi cat e degree of fe el ing, l iki ng

or disliking, through the use of intonation

and pitch

I cant stand it.

be abl e t o express pos it ive feel ings,

e.g. when praising and complimenting

others

I really enjoyed that talk.

You must be very proud of him .

be abl e t o use exaggera ti on as app rop riat e

in informal situationsIt took ages.

make contributionsrelevant to the situationand the subject

express views and opinions

be able to use a range of w ays o f i ntr o-

ducing an opinion and be able to express a

range of ideas within an opinion, e.g.:

(a) obligat ion

2 2a

Express obligation, e.g.:

I really feel that he ought to see a doctor.

(b) possibili ty and probabil i ty Express possibility, e.g.:

I do think that, if you ring him, hell be OKabout it.

(c) hypothetical meaning

usi ng gra mm ar sui table f or the l eve l

Express hypothetical meaning, e.g.:

I honestly believe that, if they had enoughmoney, theyd go.

be abl e t o e laborat e o n and justi fy an

opinion, wit h examples as appropriate

(See also Lr/L1.6c, page 290.)




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Level 1

Sample activities

Learners w ork in small groups and sort a set of feelings cards into positive and negative andaccording to intensity, e.g. love, loathe, dislike, enjoy, cant stand, enjoy, disappointed, furious,like, annoyed, adore, delighted, irritated, det est, pleased.

Negative Positive

Detest/ loathe/ cant stand enjoy/ love/ delighted/ adore

Learners listen to t he teacher say one thing, but indicate t he opposite using pitch andintonation, e.g. Im delightedwith falling intonation rather than rising on the stressed syllable orI hated itwith rising intonation on the stressed syllable rather than falling.

Learners practise in chorus and individually, indicating intensity of feeling t hrough the use ofpitch and intonat ion, e.g.:

How do you feel?

Im furious/delighted/disappointed.

Learners discuss how t o intensify the expression of feelings and list a variety of int ensifiers,e.g. very/a bit/rather/really/quite. They work in pairs to match them with words to expressfeelings, e.g. really love/loathe/dislike/enjoy/cant stand/like/adore/detest; quite + ratherlike/enjoy; very annoyed/pleased/fed up; a bit fed up/annoyed/irritated/disappointed.

Learners practise in chorus and exaggerate the int onation to make the degree of i ntensity veryclear using pitch and intonation.

W orking in threes, learners take it in turns t o pick up a prompt card and ask about f eelings. Thethird learner must express the opposite feeling.




and medium




In pairs, learners look at a problem page f rom a magazine and list the problems mentioned andsolutions suggested, e.g.:

Problem Suggested solution

Feelsvery tired all the time. Dont do everything yourself.

In small groups, they discuss the suggested solutions and give their view s and opinions aboutw hat the person should do in each case, e.g. I think she should see her doctor. She ought to gether husband to help with the housework.

Learners then comm ent on the possible consequences of each suggestion, e.g. If she sees herdoctor, hell check theres nothing w rong w ith her. If she asks her husband to help, hell besympathetic. I dont agree, I think hed be angry.

Still w orking in small groups, the learners take it in t urns to pick up a prompt card and describethe problem to t he group. Each learner gives their view about the best w ay to tackle theproblem. The group discuss the probable consequences of each suggestion.

As a possible extension, learners writ e their ow n problems and pass them to the next group todiscuss.*


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Core Curriculum




level descriptor



Speaking(Sd/L1)

give advice, persuade, warn, etc.

und ers tand the concern s expre ssed by

another person and be able to:

(a) make suggestions

(b) make recommendations

2b

M ake recommendations, e.g.:

Id buy the other gloves; theyre w armer.

(c) give advice Give advice, e.g.:

You ought to go to t he dentist. Itd help yourtoothache.

(d) persuade Persuade, e.g.:

Oh, go on.(informal)

W ould it be possible for you to reconsider?(formal)

(a) accepting w il l ingly Yes, thats a good idea.

(b) accepting reluctantly M m, I suppose youre right.

(c) reject ing politely Well, its an idea, but I dont think itll work.

(d) expressing doubt or surprise Really? Do you think so?

be abl e t o choo se t he app rop riat e r egi ste r

for the situation

(e) warn

as a ppr opr ia te , using g ram mati cal fo rms

suitable for the level

Give a w arning, e.g.:

If you dont pay for a ticket, you might get afine.

be abl e t o express concepts such as

obligation and negative obligati on, using

verb forms such as need and have to

You ought t o go.

You dont have to go.

You neednt worry.

und ers tand that it is very comm on to fo ll ow

up advice or recommendations, e.g. by a

reason or explanation

be abl e t o r espond w hen g iven advi ce, by: If I w ere you, Id



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Level 1

Sample activities

Learners read or listen to a range of comments and decide if the speaker isadvising/warning/recommending/persuading. They try to identify the context, e.g.:

Take these tw ice a day after m eals and try to rest as m uch as you can. (doctor to patient )

If you do that again, youre going straight to your room. (parent to child)

Try to guess w hat the w ord means before you look it up in your dictionary. (teacher to st udent)

Oh lets see this f ilm. It looks really funny. (friend to friend)

Learners work in small groups and take it in turns to pick up a prompt card and outline theproblem. The other learners make suggestions/m ake recommendations/give advice and fol low

up w ith a reason or explanation. The first learner must choose one suggestion and reject t heothers, giving reasons.




and medium





25/71


Core Curriculum




level descriptor



Speaking(Sd/L1)

plan action with other people

be abl e t o negot ia te a p lan w it h o ther

speakers

use app rop ria te languag e t o:

(a) contrast ideas

(b) summarise

2c

W e could , but, on the other hand,maybe its a good idea to

(c) make suggestions

So, Ali w ants to And Jo thinks weshould

Shal l we ?

respect the turn-takingrights of others duringdiscussions

involve other people in a discussion

be able to invo lve other speakers in a

discussion by asking about f eelings,opinions, interests, wi shes, hopes

3 3a

W here do you stand on ?

be able to ask f or advice and suggesti ons W hats your honest opinion?

What do you think is the right thing to do?

be able to use non-verbal signal li ng, as w ell

as suitable phrases, to invite another person

to speak




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Level 1

Sample activities

Learners w ork together to negoti ate and plan a class trip or end-of-term outing. They firstdiscuss different w ays of making suggestions, e.g.:

We could

M aybe/perhaps we could

We should definitely

We must

We ought to

They establish w hich are tentati ve and w hich are very strong suggestions and practise in

chorus, changing the position of the stress and discussing the effect of this, e.g.:We could go to the zoo/M aybe w e could go to the zoo.

W e should definit ely have a party/Perhaps w e could have a party.

Learners discuss different w ays of agreeing, half-agreeing and disagreeing. They practise thesein chorus, e.g.:

Its a good idea, but

It sounds nice, but ..

Thats a good idea.

That sounds lovely.

Im not sure about that.

In small groups, learners decide on a plan. They then regroup and each person outlines t heir

original groups plan to t he new group. The plans are discussed again in t he new group andlearners make suggestions. They choose a spokesperson to summarise their view s to the w holeclass.




and medium




Learners suggest w ays of inviting someone else t o contribute to a discussion, e.g.:

What do you think?

W hats your view/ opinion?How do you see it?

They also discuss how body language can be used (e.g. make eye contact t o invite someone tospeak, nod at someone t o invite a contribution) and which of these are cross-cultural.

In small groups, learners play the Desert Island Survivalgame. They have to discuss and agreeten things they w ould need to help them survive. Each group then reports back to the w holeclass, which continues to di scuss and has to decide ten items as a group.

As a possible variation, learners are given a list of things they can take from w hich they have tochoose 10, e.g. needle and thread, knife, sheet, compass, axe, plastic boxes, cigarette lighter,fishing rod, parachute, pen and paper, watch, salt, spade, etc.*

The game can also be played w ith learners having to discuss and agree the three mostimportant things in l ife, e.g. health, money, family, God, love, friends, fame, w ork. They choose,regroup and report back to the w hole class for further discussion.*


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Core Curriculum




level descriptor



Speaking(Sd/L1)

use appropriate phrases forinterruption

know w hen it may be co nsi dered

acceptable t o interrupt, and understand

that the acceptability of interrupting can

vary across cultures

4a

Can I come in here?

Sorry to interrupt, but

und ers tand that the w ay i nt errupti ng can

be done w ill depend on the size of the

gathering as well as on the formality of t he

situation have st rat eg ies f or dea li ng w it h

unwelcome interruptions

Anyw ay, as I was saying

use appropriate phrasesfor interruption

4




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Level 1

Sample activities

Learners work in small groups and discuss how easy and or acceptable it w ould be to interruptin the following contexts:

(a) Tw o people are talking at a bus stop. You w ant to know t he time of the next bus.

(b) Your teacher is explaining something, but you dont understand.

(c) You are at a public meeting and the mayor is talking. You w ant to ask a question.

(d) Your friend is telling you a story and it reminds you of something similar that happened toyou.

(e) You are working in a small group in class and you dont agree w ith w hat someone says.

Learners discuss cross-cultural variations in the acceptability of int errupting.They then work as a class and suggest different w ays of interrupting and discuss theirappropriateness in different contexts. They practise repeating in chorus and individually usingstress and intonation to sound polite, e.g.:

Excuse me .

Can I come in/ interrupt here?

Im sorry to interrupt, but

Could I possibly int errupt here?

I hope you dont mind me i nterrupting, but

Could I make a point here?

Learners w ork in small groups w ith a set of topic cards, e.g. public transport, tatt oos, smoking inrestaurants, the best w ay to l earn English. Each learner has five int erruption cards specifyingcontexts w ith dif ferent levels of formal ity, e.g. a public meeting, your friend at home, your childsheadmistress at a parents meet ing, your teacher in class. The w inner is the fi rst person to useall their i nterruption cards.

The first person picks up a topic card and begins talking. Other learners must int errupt byputting down one of their interruption cards and matching their choice of language to thecontext on the interruption card. The rest of t he group can challenge if t hey feel the interruptionis rude or inappropriate. If there is no challenge, the learner must conti nue talking on t he sametopic until int errupted. They can pick up a new topic card w hen a topic is exhausted.




and medium





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Core Curriculum




level descriptor


Listen and respond Lr/L1

Listening(Lr/L1)

listen for and identifyrelevant information fromexplanations andpresentations on a rangeof straightforward topics

extract information from texts ofvarying length, e.g. on radio, TV orpresentations

be abl e t o i den ti fy key w ord s an d phra ses

w ithin a given context

Identify key words in the context of law andorder (e.g. capital punishment, accused, bail,get off lightly, prosecutions):

In my presentation t oday I am going todescribe and compare the system of lawand order in this country with the system in

my country, Thailand. In particular, I w ill lookat the different attitudes to capitalpunishment, drug-trafficking, terrorism, andhow the accused are treated before they areprosecuted.

1 1a

extract relevant information from anarrative or explanation face-to-faceor on the telephone, and respond

und ers tand that rel evance of in fo rm at ion

w ill depend on listening purpose, context or

task

be aw are t hat key in fo rmat ion ca n be

expressed in a variety of w ays

be abl e t o use a rang e o f markers to

indicate that they are listening, (e.g. I see,

oh) as w ell as more positive response

markers, (e.g. absolutely, exactly)

(See also Sc/L1.2b, page 258.)

1b

be abl e t o guess t he meani ng of unknow n

w ords by understanding the gist of t he

context as a whole and by understanding

the meaning of adjacent words

be abl e t o i den ti fy the m ain i deas i n a

given text

Guess the meaning of unknown w ords in atext, e.g.:

Youre a percussionist, so what do you play?

Percussion actually covers 600 and over 650instruments and um I actually try toplay as many as I can but I think even in my

lifetime ... erm I dont think I would beable to come across them all, because thereare so many and they come from diff erentparts of the world um but basically Iplay w hat is called tuned percussion andthat really entails xylophone, marimba w hich is like a xylophone except low er inpitch um and then youve got thetimpani or kettle drums and a vast amountof other drums.




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Level 1

Sample activities

Learners discuss courtroom scenes they have seen in t elevision dramas and in w hich countriesthey took place. They then examine a picture of a courtroom and list three w ays in whi ch it issimilar and three ways in which it is different from their countries, in order to identify key wordsand phrases w ith the context. Learners feed back to the w hole group. Then, before listening to atalk focusing on similarities and differences in the systems of law and order in two countries,learners predict what those differences might be. Comprehension questions while listening willdirect learners attention to key w ords, e.g. Listen to the tape and note four aspects of the l egalsystems w hich the speaker compares. Later learners listen for the m arkers which led up to t hekey w ords, e.g. In particular, I will look at when the tape is replayed.

In order to guess the meaning of unknow n w ords in a tape about musical instruments, groups oflearners study pictures of various musical instruments and put them into categories. They thenexplain and try to nam e the categories. Next t hey look at a picture of Evelyn Glennie, the personspeaking about her profession in the example opposite. Learners listen for the name of theprofession and the description of w hat instruments she plays. When learners have found thenew word, they listen again to focus attention on the markers which lead up to the definition,basically I play

Learners consider the overall topic of the spoken text they are about to hear and in pairs discussfour to six points that might be covered in the recording, in order to practise identifying t he mainideas in a text about a new s broadcast, personal narrative or a discussion. W hile listening,learners note down the main points as they hear them and compare notes with other learnersabout their predictions. Learners then fill in a t able identifying t he main points.




and medium




Learners listen to three people talking about a young man who is in trouble with the police forjoy r id ing: a p arent , a teacher, a probat ion o ff ice r. Al l th ree give thei r v iew s of th e youn g m an his behaviour, his att itude t o authority, his sense of responsibility. Learners are asked to listenfor these specific points and not e how each person expresses their views. Learners compare thedifferences and similarities and give reasons for them.


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Level 1

Sample activities

To develop aw areness of predictable patt erns in explanations, narratives and instructions,groups of three learners study slips w ith a w ritten version of one type of oral int eraction, ananecdote. The learners put the conversation into a logical order, then compare their order w ithanother group. The class then suggest possible headings for the stages of t he discourse, in thiscase an anecdote, then decide whet her these stages are typical in all anecdotes. Learners thenlisten to t he recorded anecdote and compare the stages wi th their predictions.

Learners are asked to imagine that a friend is going to tell them a story about w inning acompetition. How might the story start? What is he likely to include? How might he end? Whatfurther questions might t here be from listeners and how might he respond? Suggestions are put

on the board. Learners then listen t o the t ape and check their predictions.




and medium




In order to develop understanding of how formality and/or the relationship between speakerscan affect language, learners consider tw o contrasting utt erances side by side on the board andanswer Are the speakers friends or strangers? W hy do you think this? Learners then listen t oanother utterance and decide whi ch column it should go in on the board. After a number ofutterances have been put up, learners discuss w hat is similar about t he informal utt erances, interms of choice of vocabulary, sentence structure, etc., e.g.:

I dont w ant to go tomorrow. How about next w eek?

Id rather not go tomorrow. Would next week be more convenient?

To practise understanding sequence markers, learners listen t o a set of instructions f or yoga

exercises, identifying the sequence markers in the instructions, by completing a gap-fill.Learners listen again and look at f ive pictures illustrating each of the exercises and number theexercises.


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Core Curriculum




level descriptor



Listening(Lr/L1)

listen for grammatical detail

ident if y key gram mati cal feat ure s

appropriate for t he level, e.g. continuous

forms (such as present perfect continuous),

conditional forms

Note t he use of passives and relativepronouns in a TV news item , e.g.:

The future of the M illennium Dome w asthrown into chaos again last night afterministers abandoned plans to turn it int o abusiness park and invited new bids for thesite. Downi ng Street said 70 companies hadexpressed interest in buying the Dome.Among new bidders wi ll be Pierre-YvesGerbeau, who wants to re-open it as avisitor centre.

2d

listen for phonological detail*

und ers tand that Engl ish has a s tress- ti med

rhythm and that there are a number of

w ays in which an unstressed vowel can beindicated, e.g. the schwa, elision

und ers tand that identi fy ing s tress w it hin a

w ord can aid recognition of the w ord, and

know t hat stress can vary in w ords of the

same family

Will you take our photograph?

M eet M ike, hes a photographer

Have they received their contracts?

W hen glass cools, it contracts.

2e

be aw are o f how str ess can vary i n

sentences and how this can change

meaning

Where do you live?

In Leeds. W here do you live?

John cant come on Tuesday.(perhaps someone else can)

John cant come on Tuesday.(perhaps another day)

reco gn ise how in tonati on , pi tch and str ess

can indicate attitude

und ers tand that li ste ning fo r i nt ona ti on and

pitch can help to follow t he structure of

oral discourse, e.g. in signalling a change

of topic

und ers tand that in tonati on has a

grammatical function, e.g. in distinguishing

betw een a question and a statement

und ers tand that individ ual sounds can

change significantly in connected speech,

as a result of assimilation and elision

be aw are t hat no ti cing g ram mati cal

features can help in identifying register,

e.g. a more formal text m ay have more

passive constructions or relative pronouns

be aw are o f how gramm ar af fects meani ng,e.g. use of passive indicates emphasis is on

the action rather than the person

performing the act

und ers tand that li ste ning to and focusi ng

on grammar can help them to be more

accurate in their ow n speech



34/71

Level 1

Sample activities

Before examining how grammar aff ects meaning, learners listen to a tape about the M illenniumDome, discussing the content and ideas by focusing on gist, mai n ideas and vocabulary.Learners then look at a gapped version of part of the tapescript w hile they listen t o the tapeagain. The gaps could initially f ocus on verbs. As the answ ers are discussed, the t eacher canelicit reasons, for example for the use of the passive.




and medium




In small groups, learners match a range of multi-syllable w ords (these could be linked by topicor they could be a mixt ure of w ords that have been recently introduced in class) to domino cardsshowing their stress pattern.

Learners listen to people expressing a number of dif ferent f eelings through their language andintonation, mainly through their i ntonation. In pairs, learners say w ho feels w hat by playing amatching game; they explain how they can tell. Learners identify rising/ falling int onation, stressand pitch, discussing how these relate to t he emotions. Finally learners practise w ith their ow nexamples.


35/71


Core Curriculum




level descriptor



Listening(Lr/L1)

use strategies to clarifyand confirmunderstanding, e.g. facialexpressions, bodylanguage and verbalprompts

use strategies to clarify and confirmunderstanding

und ers tand that a l ist ene r ca n use visual

and verbal signals to confirm or query

understanding

What?

What I dont understand is

Say that again.

(informal)Sorry, could you explain that again?

Im afraid I didnt catch that.

Could you just t ake me through that again?(more formal)

So you mean that ...?

3 3a

provide feedback and

confirmation whenlistening to others

provide feedback and confirmation

when listening to others be abl e t o use a rang e o f w ays of gi ving

feedback and confirming understanding,

appropriate for formal and informal

interactions

4 4a

respond to questions on arange of topics

respond to questions on a range oftopics

reco gn ise a r ang e o f que sti on typ es,

including embedded questions and

alternative questions

reco gn ise the t ype and am oun t of

information required, and give a short or

longer answer as appropriate

reco gn ise the regi ste r used by the sp eaker

and be able to match the register in t he

response

(See also Sc/L1.3a, page 260;Sc/L1.3b, page 262; Sc/L1.3c, page 264;Sc/L1.3d, page 264.)

5 5a

be abl e t o use a rang e o f w ays of aski ng

for clarification or repetiti on, appropriate

for formal and informal interactions






36/71

Level 1

Sample activities

To raise aw areness of how a listener can use visual signals, learners watch a series of m imesof diff erent w ays to ask for clarification or confirm understanding, e.g. frow ning, nodding,putting t he head to one side. Learners identify w hat the message is. Learners then worktogether in small groups to make a list of w ays of indicating these things in other languages. Inpairs, one learner gives directions or instructions of how to do something, w hile the othersilently indicates understanding or lack of understanding. Learners discuss what they havelearned and whet her it is easy to adopt new body language and facial expressions.




and medium




To practise using a range of w ays of giving feedback, pairs of learners make lists of dif ferent

w ays of confirming understanding. Pairs exchange their li sts and label each utterance as formalor informal, saying when i t w ould be appropriate. After discussion, learners role play, w ith onelearner giving directions or instructions, whil e the ot her confirms understanding or gives otherfeedback.

To practise recognising a range of question types, learners listen to a radio int erview, takingnotes on t he various questions. Learners use prompt cards and ask each other questions,

employing as many indirect/ embedded questions as possible.


37/71


Core Curriculum




level descriptor



Listening(Lr/L1)

follow and contribute todiscussions on a range ofstraightforward topics

listen for gist in a discussion

be aw are t hat it is not alw ays necessa ry t o

understand all of the interaction to get the

gist

Identify the sit uation and speakersrelationship in the following listening text:

so you gotta w atch out, l ike, cause itsquite spooky if youre here on your ow n atnight

Yeah, mm, I bet it is

So t hen, like, if it happens, you phone thepolice straight away

Yeah.

Thereve been so many cases round herelately; sometimes the same driver morethan once

M m, so then

So then, you try n see w hat he looks like,the driver, but try and get the registration

number, thats most important really.

Yeah, course.

Dont whatever you do go out into theforecourt.

Naa, you must be kidding !(laughter)

6 6a

follow a discussion withoutparticipating, e.g. on TV*

ident if y w here sta tement s i ncl ude opi nion

and/or factual information

be aw are t hat op in ions are not alw ays

stated overtly, and that inference has a

cultural context and often depends on

shared knowledge and experience

I read the paper yesterday and there wasthis article about the earthquake in ElSalvador.

Yes, I read it t oo. I wi sh I hadnt.

X was a w onderful fi lm. It w as set in M exico.

6b

reco gn ise reg ist er and use th is to he lp

identify the spoken genre, situation and

relationship betw een speakers

be aw are t hat di scuss ions of ten f ol low

predictable patterns, and be able to predict

and follow the interactive nature of the

discussion




38/71


39/71


Core Curriculum




level descriptor



Listening(Lr/L1)

follow and participate in adiscussion*

reco gn ise w here a speaker i s st at ing a fact

or expressing an opinion and be able to

respond appropriately

Ive got two possible flats for rent at themoment in t he area you are looking in.

Oh, yes?

Yes, well, the firsts a very nice flat, athree-bedroom conversion situated quiteconveniently near the tube and the shops.Its just been redecorated and its been

beautifully done. Fitted carpets throughout.Quite a reasonable rent for the area, really.

Did you like the dress she was wearing?

I li ked the one she w ore yesterday.

6c

reco gn ise in fe ren ce a nd be abl e t o r espond

appropriately

I was really annoyed.

Tell me about it.

reco gn ise the l eve l of fo rmal it y i n a

discussion, and be able to m atch ow n use

of register to that of other speakers

This is amazing.(using intonation t o convey disbelief)

reco gn ise feel ings expressed th rou gh

vocabulary and structures or mainly through

intonation and pitch, and be able to

respond appropriately

Itll cause loads of problems.

W eve acres of time.

Hell l iterally die w hen he hears.

reco gn ise w here spea kers use

exaggeration, w ith exaggerated intonation

patterns

(See also Sd/L1.2a, page 272.)


recognise features of spokenlanguage

be aw are t hat speech di ff ers considera bly

from w ritten language, not only in English,

but in other languages, e.g. w ith

incomplete utt erances, false starts,

repetition, ellipsis and use of markers suchas likeand you know

be aw are t hat speakers f rom di ff ere nt

backgrounds or age groups may use

different expressions in speech

So, please welcome the fabulousDestinys Child! (applause, screams)

Hi, hi

W ell, its just great to see you guys here.(screams, audience calls out)

Yeah yeah, its like totally amazing to behere

LONDON, we love you! (screams)

M m, wi ld.

So, w hats brought the three of you over?

OK, w ell its like, we gotta t our cominup soon an w ere recording ournext album in London, which were reallypleased about

Uhu

Yeah, its really cool. So whens that starting?

W hat, the tour? Thats in

No, no, the album.

Oh, pretty soon.

6d


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41/71


Core Curriculum




level descriptor


Reading comprehension Rt/L1Text focus

Reading(Rt/L1)

trace and understand themain events of continuousdescriptive, explanatoryand persuasive texts

understand and identify the differentways in which meaning is built up in arange of paragraphed texts

und ers tand that meani ng is devel ope d

through a text, and that it is necessary to

relate the parts of a t ext to each other to

get an overall sense of w hat the text is

about, as well as of the main events

reco gn ise that know ledge of con text,

grammar and vocabulary all contribute to

determining overall sense

Read and understand writ ten descriptionfrom straightforward magazine ornew spaper article, short story,autobiographical narrative, and identifypeople, places, objects and events.

Extract main information from report, web

site, or formal letter, simple essay, ortextbook.

1 1a

recognise how languageand other textual featuresare used to achievedifferent purposes, e.g. toinstruct, explain, describe,

persuade

distinguish how language and othertextual features are used to achievedifferent purposes

und ers tand that cho ice of langu age ,

structural and presentational features

reflect the purpose of a text, and that thesefeatures can help a reader distinguish

betw een, for example, objective versus

persuasive accounts, explanatory versus

instructional texts, e.g. in ads, the use of

you and informal register, superlatives,

graphics to convey mood and desirability,

different size/boldness of print to

emphasise particular points

und ers tand that rea ders can choo se

different sorts of texts to read for pleasure,

and interact with texts in different ways

2 2a

und ers tand that meani ng in texts can be

implied as w ell as explicitly stated

in te rac t w it h t ext s, recogni sing t hat it is

possible to react to texts in different w ays

and that texts may be wrong or

inconsistent

use know ledge o f di ff ere nt fo rms o f

paragraph structure and a variety of w ays

in w hich paragraphs link together to aid

both global understanding and

comprehension of t he main points, ideas

and events, e.g. the use of connectives

such as In the last paragraph we

discussed to establish links betw een

paragraphs

Read and understand a review or brochureand decide which programme or film towatch.

und ers tand that use of passives andadverbials such as apparently, supposedly

distance the writer from t he fact or opinion

expressed

The governments position on immi-gration has apparently been greeted

with dismay by its backbenchers.



See also in the key skills: Communication key skills level 1Part A: In reading and obtaining information . . .Part B: C1.2


42/71

Level 1

Sample activities

Learners identify discourse markers in different texts, and say what pronouns, etc. refer to in atext, and then prepare texts w ith discourse markers deleted, for their peers to complete.

Learners take part in a discussion to activate previous knowledge on a particular topic or self-question: W hat do I already know about this subject? They then identify key phrases andvocabulary (e.g. for job applications: permanent, temporary, sessional staff).

Using a computer, learners have to put in order jumbled paragraphs of a discursive text (e.g. anessay) and then check against the original text.

Learners navigate the w eb sites of various national new spapers, downloading articles on the

same subject from different papers and comparing the coverage given. They look at images,headlines, content, language used. Is the article biased? Is it emotive? Is it logical and/orconsistent?

Learners read an example of a descriptive, explanatory and persuasive text, each with a numberof paragraphs. They try to identify and underline the key sentence and discourse markers used ineach paragraph and think of an appropriate sub-heading for each paragraph.


read and understandstraightforward texts of varyinglengths on a variety of topicsaccurately and independently

read and obtain informationfrom different sources

in reports, instructional,explanatory and persuasivetexts

W orking from examples of different t ypes of short, paragraphed texts w ith a range of registersthat they have brought in (a recipe, a newspaper article, an extract from a short story, a memo, anote to a friend, an article or information previously downloaded from the w eb), learners work insmall groups (a) to identify the authors purpose and (b) to state the authors desired outcome.They say how they feel reading t he examples of t exts and explore reasons for feelings,

e.g. neutral/ emotive language; grammar passive; lack of contractions; in/formalit y.

Learners choose tw o texts on the same topic one w ritten as an impassioned attempt topersuade and the other a more measured objective approach. They identify and compare features(e.g. adverbials; passive) which create distance and relative objectivity.


43/71


Core Curriculum




level descriptor



Reading(Rt/L1)

identify the main pointsand specific detail, andinfer meaning from imageswhich is not explicit in thetext

understand how main points andspecific detail are presented andlinked, and how images are used toinfer meaning that is not explicit in thetext

und ers tand that som e t ext s ar e st ruct ure d

around main points w hich are expanded or

illustrated by specific detail

und ers tand that in som e t ext s an d

situations only the main points are

essential to gett ing the meaning, whereas

in others every detail requires careful

reading

use know ledge o f a r ange of feat ure s o f

organisational structure, format, layout to

aid understanding

und ers tand that im ages a nd in fo rmat ion i n

graphical form can be used to convey

additional information to that in the printed

text, e.g. icons on a computer

be aw are o f how im age s are used t o

persuade or to convey the force and

emotion of a situati on or event

Read a short report or article f rom a

newspaper and distinguish main points fromexamples.

3 3a

use organisational andstructural features tolocate information, e.g.contents, index, menus,subheadings, paragraphs

use organisational and structuralfeatures to locate information(e.g. contents, index, menus,subheadings, paragraphs)

be aw are t hat texts of the sa me typ e (e.g.

CV, message, mem o, poster, advertiseme nt,poem, e-mail, text message, application

form) share common structural f eatures,

and understand how t his helps readers find

information

und ers tand that di ff ere nt kinds o f text

require different methods of navigation,

e.g. encyclopaedia in book form, links in

hypertext

Find specific information from a timetable,

menu or web site.

4 4a





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Level 1

Sample activities

Using brief writ ten guidelines in bullet points on different w ays of organising texts, and a rangeof examples illustrating different w ays of structuring texts, learners match text examples toappropriate bullet-point guidelines.

Learners discuss how illustrations in a newspaper article contribute t o the understanding andinterpretation of the written word.

Learners look quickly at a variety of simple charts and graphs and say what the overall messageis. They then search for the same information in the accompanying texts. They then discuss howaccessible the inf ormation is in both sources, and how its quality compares.

Learners highlight main points in a text, t hen compare w ith another learners main points. Theythen transfer key information from text to another format, e.g. table, flow chart, mind-map.





As part of planning a trip into the city centre, learners use electronic and paper-based sources ofinformation, e.g. guide books, AZ street maps, yellow pages, telephone directories. Learnerscompare the w ay that diff erent sources of information are organised.


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Core Curriculum




level descriptor



Reading(Rt/L1)

use different readingstrategies to find andobtain information

use skimming, scanning and detailedreading in different ways for differentpurposes*

reco gn ise that di ff erent st rat egi es are

useful for different purposes

und ers tand that skim mi ng is fo r get ti ng

general gist and overall impression, and for

quickly getting to know t he subject, tone or

intention of the w riter

read t op ic sentences, and make p red ict ionsbased on recognition of a range of textual

features

und ers tand that scanning is fo r l oca ti ng

and retrieving information relevant to

purpose and does not necessarily involve

following the linearity of text

be abl e t o j udg e w hen det ai led read ing i s

necessary

develop aw are ness t ha t in skimm ing w e

use discourse markers to help us predict

what sentences are likely to follow and

signal links wi th previous sentences andparagraphs, e.g. This essay wil l look at ,

In addition, , However, First and

most important , both and ,

Finally, , In short,

Skim through a book of short stories t odecide whether to take it out of the library,using the title, the illustration on the frontcover, the contents page, and the f irst storyto guide t heir decision.*

Skim through a text and summarise the

main points to a classmate as part of acourse assignment.*

Scan a mail-order brochure to f ind thecorrect price for something they want tobuy.*

5 5a

use reference material to findinformation

be aw are o f a r ange of key sources o f

reference and be able to chooseappropriate reference tools for purpose of

task

use a rang e o f ref ere nce ma te rial including

bilingual and EnglishEnglish dictionaries,

thesaurus, encyclopaed ias (book and CD),

atlases, grammar books, internet, etc.

Use a range of reference sources such as

Encarta, w eb sites, text and referencebooks, to obtain specific inform ation for acourse assignment.

5b




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Level 1

Sample activities

Learners discuss w hen it is helpful t o use different strategies. They test and develop their speedin skimming and scanning by, for example, using a retail w eb site to answer questions on prices,sizes, reference numbers, etc., to be completed within a set time. They then read a longer textand test comprehension and extraction of informati on by undertaking a variety of t imedexercises, e.g. questions, multiple choice, filling in a table, cloze.

Using a range of texts (e.g. a book of short stories, a contents page, an index, a piece of proseoutlining a position, a dictionary definition) learners discuss w hich texts require skimming for gist,scanning for specific it ems and reading in detail.





Learners identify t opics that they w ould like to research for an extended piece of w riting or shortreport. They pool ideas about where relevant information can be found. In pairs, they visit theseplaces and select appropriate reference material. They should aim to produce a page of notes

from at least tw o sources.

Learners are given a text w ith the repetitious use of certain w ords, e.g. thing, get, nice, quite.In groups, they have to think of and look up (using a thesaurus or dictionary) as many possiblesynonyms for those w ords, to fit the particular context. Learners discuss their findings togetherand choose the best examples.


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Core Curriculum




level descriptor


Grammar and punctuation Rs/L1Sentence focus

Reading(Rs/L1)

use implicit and explicit grammaticalknowledge, along with ownknowledge and experience to predictmeaning, try out plausible meaningsand to read and check for sense

understand that grammat ical and syntact ic

clues can be used alongside w hole-text and

w ord-level clues to get meaning, including

clues related to sentence structure, word

order and word type

understand that w ords can act as dif ferent

word classes, depending on the context, e.g.

as verb, noun or adjective to record, a record,

a record level of

use know ledge of sentence st ructure (sim ple,

compound and complex) and word order to

w ork out meaning, e.g. that in the sentence

The Dome was closed to visitors by the

M inister last year, the person responsible for

closing it was the M inister, not the visitors

be aw are o f l ingu isti c features that

characterise particular text types and use

them to predict meaning w hen reading thosetypes of t ext, e.g. verb grammar, key

discourse markers

Read and understan

Documents

Adult ESOL Curriculum - Level 1.pdf