Table for ES Oral Communication / CLB Listening

LISTENING

Baseline: ES Level 1

ES: GLOBAL DESCRIPTION CLB: GLOBAL DESCRIPTION ES: ORAL COMMUNICATION TASKS CLB: LISTENING TASKS

LEVEL 1 FUNCTIONS

  • Limited oral communication demands in a basic work-related social interaction.
  • Responds to daily inquiries.
  • Obtains specific information.
  • Follows and gives simple instructions.
  • Gives a simple greeting.
  • Leaves and receives short routine recorded messages.
  • Attends routine meetings.
  • Coordinates work with one or two other individuals.

INFORMATION

  • Narrow range of subject matter, familiar topic, one main issue.
  • Language is factual, literal, concrete; narrow range of content and context specific or technical vocabulary.
  • Information content is simple; limited number of details.

CONTEXT

  • Highly predictable context.
  • Interacting with one person at a time, face to face, on a familiar matter. If communicating on the phone, the exchange follows a routine scenario. Role of the speaker is singular and clearly defined. Common situation, familiar setting and process, established format and style to provide and obtain information. Physical context may be used to support verbal communication. Exchange is brief (10 minutes or less.).

RISK

  • Low resulting in: unsuccessful interaction where any particular failure is of minor significance, minor inefficiency, temporary confusion of the listener, or discomfort or embarrassment of the speaker.

BENCHMARKS 5-7 FUNCTIONS

  • Follows contextualized discourse related to common experience and general knowledge. (6)
  • Understands conceptualized short sets of instructions and directions. (5)
  • Demonstrates comprehension of details and speaker’s purpose in directive requests, reminders, orders and pleas. (7)
  • Follows simple short predictable phone messages, but has limited ability to understand phone conversations. (5)
  • Understands routine work-related information. (7)

INFORMATION

  • Understands simple exchanges: direct questions about personal experience and familiar topics; routine (simple, repetitive, predictable) media announcements. (5)
  • Topic is concrete and familiar. (PC 6Footnote 4).
  • Understands a range of common vocabulary, and a very limited number of idioms. (5)

CONTEXT

  • Follows the main ideas and identifies key words and important details in oral discourse in moderately demanding contexts of language use (face to face formal and informal conversations, audio tapes and radio broadcasts) on relevant topics and at a slower to normal rate of speech. (6)
  • The length of discourse is up to 10 minutes. (PC 6)
  • Pictures and visuals are used. (PC 6)
  • Setting and context are concrete and familiar. (PC 6)
  • Learner is adequately briefed for focused listening. (PC 6)

LIMITATIONS

  • Often requests repetition. (5)

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4 PC refers to Performance Conditions found in each skill area of the Canadian Language Benchmarks 2000: English as a Second Language – for Adults.

LEVEL 1

  • Listens to two-way radios to receive messages, addresses and directions from dispatchers and supervisors.
  • Listens to supervisors to receive assignments and priorities.
  • Greets and talks to patrons to answer questions about the business and help patrons find products.
  • Listens to announcements over loudspeakers to follow emergency protocol.
  • Interacts with suppliers in person or over the phone to place a typical order for supplies.
  • Takes orders from customers for food or drinks to place an order.
  • Listens for instructions or warnings shouted by the captain or crew members, such as “Anchor’s over!” which indicates it is time to drop the lines.
  • Receives instructions and updates on daily activities from supervisors and asks opinions regarding procedures and materials to purchase.
  • Interacts with suppliers or manufacturers to seek clarification on the characteristics of products or to verify their availability.

BENCHMARK 5

  • Takes a simple phone message.
  • Understands a range of spoken everyday instructions on step-by-step procedures.
  • Identifies specific factual details and inferred meanings in simple advice and suggestions, announcements and commercials.
  • Demonstrates comprehension of the gist, factual details and some inferred meanings by listening to descriptive or narrative text.

BENCHMARK 6

  • Listens to a customer work order and writes it down in point form.
  • Understands a set of instructions not presented completely in point form: the sequence/order must be inferred from text.
  • Listens to a 2-3 minute report or news item and recalls 7-10 important points.

BENCHMARK 7

  • Listens to conversations between individuals; identifies stated and unspecified details about the situation, relationships, intent and moods of participants; answers questions. (7)
  • Listens to information about services (e.g., transit, library, travel reservations, renting accommodation); completes a related task (e.g., retell, respond to questions, complete a chart, table or diagram).