Levels 5 and 6

Achievement Objectives

Oral language: Speaking

	Students should:
Level 5	speak confidently and clearly in small and large groups to recount experiences and events, and communicate information, ideas, and opinions, respecting and responding to others	Interpersonal Speaking
Level 6	speak confidently and effectively in a variety of situations to recount experiences and events, and communicate information, ideas, and opinions, consulting with and responding to others
Level 5	using a range of texts, narrate, recite, read aloud, present, orperform, individually or in groups, arranging material coherently and using appropriate speech and delivery to clarify and explore meaning	Using Texts
Level 6	using a wide range of texts, narrate, recite, read aloud, present, or perform, individually or in groups, arranging material effectively and using different techniques of speech and delivery to interpret possible meanings
	In achieving the objectives of understanding and using oral language, students should:
Levels 5 and 6	identify language features and their effects in a range of texts, and describe and analyse their relationship to meaning, purpose, and audience, adapting these features for different situations	Exploring Language
Levels 5 and 6	discuss, interpret, and analyse spoken texts, identifying some attitudes and beliefs and relating them to personal experience and knowledge of other texts	Thinking Critically
Levels 5 and 6	assemble information from a range of sources, and select and present it clearly and coherently, using appropriate technology	Processing Information

Teaching, Learning, and Assessment Examples

Example 1

Achievement Objectives
Interpersonal speaking: thinking critically; processing information

Teaching and Learning
Context: preparing for a class or school radio programme or debate

Students choose a controversial national or international issue of current concern.
In groups, students discuss the issue, decide on a group position, and develop arguments to support their views. Records are kept in note form.
The teacher provides examples of a range of public or formal text types in which opinions are aired, such as a radio or television current affairs interview, commentary, or documentary programme, a presentation of a paper to a meeting, or a contribution to a public forum or debate. The students explore verbal and non-verbal language features in relation to the context of each text type.
Each group organises their original material according to a context or text type chosen from the range, rehearses a presentation, using models they have discussed, and presents it to the class.
The class selects presentations from different points of view to compile their radio programme or other presentation.

Assessment

Group presentations are assessed by the teacher and peers for use of language and delivery appropriate to the topic, purpose, and audience.

Links With Other Strands
Listening, Writing, Presenting

Example 2

Achievement Objectives
Interpersonal speaking; using texts: exploring language; processing information; thinking critically

Teaching and Learning
Context: a class investigation of ways in which language varies according to situation

Students work in groups to collect advertisements for a type of product, such as chocolates, footwear, or carpeting, from a range of sources, such as different magazines or newspapers, radio, or television. These could include examples from historical sources. Each member of the group records the steps of the process of choosing the product, developing the group's approach, and identifying and gathering material.
Working as a group, students prepare and present a seminar in which all members of the group speak, comparing and contrasting advertisements from different spoken, written, and visual media. They identify verbal and non-verbal elements of the text and consider their impact on the intended audience.
Using the texts to illustrate their points, students report on the differences between spoken (scripted) and written language. The teacher provides specialised terminology for aspects of language identified by the group.
Each student records the process of selecting texts for the seminar, making decisions to ensure that the presentation is clear and coherent, and using appropriate media or technology for retrieving, recording, and presenting material. ./ul>
Assessment
- The teacher and individual students assess the findings and processes used.
Links With Other Strands
Listening, Writing, Presenting

Example 3

Achievement Objectives
Interpersonal speaking; using texts: thinking critically

Teaching and Learning
Context: a study of characterisation in a literature unit

Students form groups, and select a major character from a text they have read. One student assumes the role of that character.
The group prepares the student who is taking the role of interviewer, by considering possible questions that may be asked, referring closely to the text.
The student taking the role of the major character is introduced by the rest of the group. The group explains the character's part in the text and gives some context for questions.
The class questions the character about the person's part in the action in the text, and their relationships, feelings, and responses.

Assessment

Each presentation is assessed, in terms of how well the character and text are understood.
The teacher assesses the participation of class members in terms of the quality of their questions and the way they contributed to sustaining the discussion constructively.

Links With Other Strands
Listening, Reading, Presenting
Related example from another strand at the same level: Presenting, Example 4.

Example 4

Achievement Objectives
Interpersonal speaking: exploring language; processing information

Teaching and Learning
Context: a unit on radio news

Students study tapes of radio news from several different types of station, identifying language features and conventions which are appropriate for that station's audience.
In groups, and with the teacher's guidance, students select a target audience for whom they will make a radio news bulletin or short documentary, focusing on factual information.
Students devise questions which they could ask of either a classmate or staff member, to gain information about a special interest, achievement, or issue relevant to the target audience.
Students interview the selected person, using either a tape-recorder or notebook. They process the interview data, and shape it into a news bulletin or segment of a news backgrounder.
Students record their programme, using taped segments of their interview.

Assessment

Students and the teacher assess the productions against the criteria of presenting factual information in ways suited to the audience.
Students assess the effects of specific language features which they selected in order to meet the purpose.

Extension Option