Canadian Language Benchmark 6

Listening: Moderate Level

Global Performance Descriptor

• Learner can follow the main idea and identify key words and important details in oral discourse in moderately demanding contexts of language use (e.g., face-to-face formal and informal conversations, audiotapes and radio broadcasts) on relevant topics and at a slow to normal rate of speed.
• Can understand a range of common vocabulary and a limited number of idioms.
• Can follow conceptualized discourse related to common experiences and general knowledge.
• Can understand conceptualized short sets of instructions and directions.
• May still frequently request repetition.
• Can follow simple, short, predictable phone calls.

Performance Conditions

• Learner is adequately briefed for focused listening.
• Communication is live, or video- and audio-mediated (e.g., tape).
• Speech is clear and at a slow to normal rate.
• Instructions are clear and explicit, used with some visual clues, but not always presented in a step-by-step form.
• Listening texts are moderately short (five to eight exchange turns, each turn three to five sentences long, or two to five minutes), on familiar topics.
• Some tasks require oral or physical response; some tasks are in a “guided” writing format (e.g., circle or match items, fill in the blanks, complete a chart, answer questions, etc.).
• Learner may need one to two repetitions.
• Presentation or interaction is live, informal or semi-formal.
• Topic is concrete and familiar.
• Setting and context are familiar.
• Pictures and visuals are used.
• Length of discourse is up to 10 minutes.

Competency Outcomes and Standards

I. Social Interaction

What the person can do

• Identify specific factual details and inferred meanings in dialogues containing openings and closings, making and canceling of appointments, apologies, regrets, excuses, problems in reception and communication.
• Identify mood/attitude of participants.

Examples of tasks and tests

• Community, Study, Work: Listen to videotaped casual dialogues, audiotaped/phone conversations.
• Identify specific factual details and inferred meanings. Respond to questions as required in the task.
• Take phone/voice-mail messages.
• Listen to short routine conversations. Identify the preclosing, closing, and leave-taking expression in each dialogue.

Performance Indicators

• Identifies specific factual details and inferred meanings in video- and audio-mediated listening texts/discourse as required.
• Identifies mood/attitude of participants.

II. Instructions

What the person can do

• Understand a set of instructions when not presented completely in point form: sequence/order must be inferred from the text.

Examples of tasks and texts

Before depositing the slip in the deposit box, check if it is signed. The appliance must be disconnected prior to opening the cover.

• Write down customer work order in point form (e.g., photo process, picture framing).

Performance Indicators

• Understands clear spoken instructions as required.
• Follows sequence markers and other linguistic clues in the text to comprehend the order of steps.
• Completes task.

III. Suasion (getting things done)

What the person can do

• Demonstrate comprehension of details and speaker’s purpose in suggestions, advice, encouragements and requests.

Examples of tasks and texts

Public announcements, commercials, infomercials.

• Community, Study, Workplace: Listen to a two- to three-minute talk quiz house renovations suggestions.
• Recall seven out of 10 important tips.

Performance Indicators

• Identifies factual details, words and expressions, and inferred meanings in suasion oral texts as required.
• Identifies functional value of utterances as suggestions, advice, encouragements and requests.

IV. Information

What the person can do

• Identify main ideas, supporting details, statements and examples in a descriptive or narrative presentation, or in a group interaction (e.g., meeting, discussion).
• Suggest an appropriate conclusion to a story based on inference.

Examples of tasks and texts

• Community, Study, Workplace: Listen to a two- to three-minute conversation, report, TV/radio news item. Recall 70% of the information: identify seven to 10 important points.
• Listen to a two- to three-minute explanation of why certain food supplement products are more appropriate than others in a specific situation. Identify main statements and supporting examples, according to task format.
• Listen to a story that includes explanations and examples. Number a set of pictures in sequence.

Performance Indicators

• Identifies factual details and inferred meanings in a listening text as required.
• Gets main ideas, supporting details, statements and examples as required.
• Suggests an appropriate conclusion based on inference: predicts what will happen next in a narration.