Speaking — Learning Resource Network Other General Qualification Foundations for Learning Revision

    This subtopic focuses on developing learners' ability to comprehend and respond appropriately to simple, everyday directional instructions, such as "turn l

    Topic Synopsis

    This subtopic focuses on developing learners' ability to comprehend and respond appropriately to simple, everyday directional instructions, such as "turn left at the end of the road". It equips ESOL Entry 1 learners with essential listening and processing skills needed to navigate real-world environments and follow basic spoken guidance. Mastery of this skill supports confident interaction in community contexts, including travel, shopping, and accessing services.

    Key Concepts & Core Principles

    Exam Tips & Revision Strategies

    Common Misconceptions & Mistakes to Avoid

    Examiner Marking Points

    Speaking

    LEARNING RESOURCE NETWORK
    vocational

    This subtopic focuses on developing learners' ability to comprehend and respond appropriately to simple, everyday directional instructions, such as "turn left at the end of the road". It equips ESOL Entry 1 learners with essential listening and processing skills needed to navigate real-world environments and follow basic spoken guidance. Mastery of this skill supports confident interaction in community contexts, including travel, shopping, and accessing services.

    2
    Learning Outcomes
    6
    Assessment Guidance
    6
    Key Skills
    2
    Key Terms
    6
    Assessment Criteria

    Assessment criteria

    LRN Entry Level Certificate in ESOL International (Entry 1) (CEF A1)
    LRN Entry Level Certificate in ESOL International (Entry 2) (CEF A2)

    Topic Overview

    The LRN Entry Level Certificate in ESOL International (Entry 1) (CEF A1) is designed for learners who are beginning their journey in English as a Second or Other Language. At this level, students develop basic communication skills to understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very simple phrases. The course covers essential topics such as greetings, personal information, numbers, time, and simple directions, enabling learners to interact in a basic way when the other person speaks slowly and clearly.

    This qualification is crucial for building a strong foundation in English, as it prepares students for real-life situations like introducing themselves, shopping, or asking for help. It aligns with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) at A1 level, ensuring international recognition. Mastery of this level allows learners to progress to Entry 2 (A2), where they can handle more complex conversations and written texts.

    In the wider subject of ESOL, Entry 1 is the first step towards functional English proficiency. It focuses on listening, speaking, reading, and writing in simple contexts. Students learn to recognize common words, fill in basic forms, and follow short, simple instructions. This foundation is essential for academic success, employment opportunities, and social integration in English-speaking environments.

    Key Concepts

    Core ideas you must understand for this topic

    • →Basic greetings and introductions: Use phrases like 'Hello', 'Goodbye', 'My name is...', and 'How are you?' to start and end conversations.
    • →Personal information: Understand and provide details such as name, age, address, and nationality using simple sentences.
    • →Numbers and time: Recognize numbers 1-100, tell the time (e.g., 'It's three o'clock'), and use days of the week and months.
    • →Simple directions and locations: Understand and give basic directions (e.g., 'Turn left', 'Go straight') and describe locations using prepositions like 'in', 'on', 'under'.
    • →Everyday vocabulary: Know common words for food, clothing, family, and objects to describe needs and surroundings.

    Learning Objectives

    What you need to know and understand

    • CAN understand simple directions, e.g. 'turn left at the end of the road
    • CAN ask for simple post office services (e.g. 'I want to send this to Oman','One first class stamp, please'). CAN ask to change money at a bank(e.g.'Can I change these here?').

    Assessment Criteria

    Key criteria assessors look for in your portfolio

    • Award credit for correctly identifying key directional vocabulary (e.g., left, right, straight on, end of the road) when heard in context.
    • Award credit for accurately following a sequence of one or two simple instructions without repetition.
    • Award credit for demonstrating understanding through non-verbal response (e.g., pointing, drawing, or physically moving) that matches the given direction.
    • Award credit for demonstrating the use of appropriate polite request structures such as 'Can I...' or 'I want to...' with correct intonation.
    • Look for clear, intelligible pronunciation of key vocabulary (e.g., 'stamp', 'change', 'send') to ensure the message is understood.
    • Assess the ability to respond appropriately to simple service-related follow-up questions, such as 'Where to?' or 'How would you like that?'.

    Assessment Guidance

    Guidance for achieving higher grades

    • 💡During the assessment, listen for the key action word (e.g., turn, go, stop) first, then the detail (left, right, ahead) to quickly grasp the instruction.
    • 💡Practice with audio recordings of directions and physically trace the route on a simple map to build automaticity.
    • 💡If allowed, ask for repetition of the direction once, using the phrase "Can you say that again, please?" to confirm understanding without penalty.
    • 💡Memorise and practise full transactional phrases: 'I want to send this to...', 'Can I change these pounds into euros?'
    • 💡In role-plays, actively listen for the interlocutor's response cues—such as 'That's £1.50' or 'Small notes?'—and reply naturally.
    • 💡Speak clearly and at a moderate pace, and don't be afraid to ask for clarification if you don't understand: 'Sorry, could you repeat that, please?'
    • 💡Listen carefully to instructions: In the listening and speaking sections, the examiner will speak slowly and repeat if needed. Focus on key words like names, numbers, and times to answer correctly.
    • 💡Use simple, correct sentences: In speaking tasks, avoid long or complex answers. Stick to short, accurate phrases like 'I live in London' or 'I have one brother'. This shows control of basic grammar.
    • 💡Read questions fully: In reading and writing, underline key words in the question (e.g., 'name', 'age') to ensure you provide the exact information requested. Check spelling of common words.

    Common Mistakes

    Common errors to avoid in your coursework

    • Confusing similar-sounding direction words, such as "left" and "right", or "straight" and "turn".
    • Attempting to process the entire instruction at once rather than breaking it into key parts (e.g., focusing on "end of the road" but missing "turn left").
    • Misinterpreting prepositions of place (e.g., "at the", "on the", "next to") in the context of directions.
    • Confusing the verb and noun forms of 'change', leading to errors like 'I want change money' instead of 'I want to change money'.
    • Omitting prepositions or articles, e.g., 'I want send this Oman' rather than 'I want to send this to Oman'.
    • Using direct imperative forms such as 'Give me stamp' without softening, instead of polite requests like 'Can I have a stamp, please?'.
    • Misunderstanding verb 'to be': Students often confuse 'am', 'is', 'are' (e.g., 'I is happy' instead of 'I am happy'). Practice subject-verb agreement with simple sentences.
    • Overusing literal translations: Learners may directly translate from their first language, leading to errors like 'I have 20 years' instead of 'I am 20 years old'. Emphasize English phrasing for age, feelings, and possession.
    • Ignoring word order in questions: Beginners might say 'You are from where?' instead of 'Where are you from?'. Teach question words (what, where, when) and inversion of subject and verb.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions students ask about this topic

    Before You Start

    Prior knowledge that will help with this topic

    • •No formal prerequisites are required for Entry 1, but learners should be familiar with the Roman alphabet and basic literacy skills in their first language. Some exposure to English through media or daily life can be helpful.

    Key Terminology

    Essential terms to know

    • CAN understand simple directions, e.g. 'turn left at the end of the road
    • CAN ask for simple post office services (e.g. 'I want to send this to Oman','One first class stamp, please'). CAN ask to change money at a bank(e.g.'Can I change these here?').

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