MICRO SKILLS

A. SPEAKING AND ORAL INTERACTION MICRO SKILLS

MICRO SKILLS S1 S2 S3 S4
LEVEL 1
- name common objects
- give personal details such as name, age, and address
- memorise and recite songs and rhymes in chorus
- take part in short, contextualized dialogues
- give simple (single clause) descriptions of common objects
- request goods and objects
- make statements of ability about self and others

LEVEL 2
- describe family and friends (e.g. refer to age, relationship, size, weight, hair and
eye colouring
- recite songs and rhymes in chorus and individually
- ask and make statements about the likes of self and others
- spell out words from core vocabulary list, and say words when they are spelled
out
- answer questions/give details of simple descriptions following an aural
presentation
- request details about the family and friends of others using cue words
- make short (one to two sentence) statements on familiar topics using cue words
- talk about regularly occurring activities
- compute quantities and money in English
- tell the time in hours and half hours
LEVEL 3
- answer questions/give details following an aural presentation
- make short (three to four sentence) statements on familiar topics
- following a model, make a series of linked statements about a picture, map, chart
or diagram
- work in pairs/small groups to share information and solve a problem
- tell the time using fractions of an hour
- describe a short sequence of past events using sentence cues
- make complete statements from sentence cues given appropriate contextual
support
- make comparisons between physical objects and entities
- use conversational formulae for greeting and leavetaking

LEVEL 4
- answer questions, give details of descriptions following an aural presentation
- describe a picture related to a specific topic area
- narrate a linked sequence of past events shown in a picture sequence or cartoon
strip
- work in groups to solve problems which require making inferences and
establishing causality
- give opinions about specified issues and topics
- use conversational and discourse strategies e.g. to change subject, provide
additional information, invite another person to speak
- give a sequence of directions
- make requests and offers
- talk about future events

LEVEL 5
- give a short summary of the main points of an aural presentation
- give a detailed description of a picture relating to a familiar scene
- describe a simple process
- describe a linked sequence of actions
- work in groups to solve problems requiring the integration of information from a
variety of aural and written sources
- give opinions about specified issues and topics
- use conversational and discourse strategies of holding the floor, disagreeing,
qualifying what has been said

LEVEL 6
- give a detailed summary of the main points and supporting details of an aural
presentation
- give a prepared oral presentation on a familiar topic
- give a short aural presentation relating to information presented non-textually (e.g.
as a chart, map, diagram or graph)
- describe complex processes with the aid of a diagram
- describe a sequence of events in a variety of tenses
- work in groups to solve problems requiring the resolution of conflicting
information
- comprehend and convey messages by telephone
- qualify one’s opinion through the use of modality
- use appropriate non-verbal behaviour

LEVEL 7
- give an unprepared oral presentation on a familiar topic
- use a range of conversational styles from formal to informal
- work in groups to solve problems involving hypothesizing and relating to abstract
topics
- initiate and respond to questions of abstract topics
- use a range of conversational and discourse strategies

B. LISTENING

MICRO SKILLS L1 L2 L3 L4
LEVEL 1
1. distinguish between English and other languages
2. listen to short aural texts and indicate (e.g. by putting up hand) when core
vocabulary items are heard
3. identify the number and gender of interlocutors
4. comprehend and carry out the following instructions: point to, touch, stand up,
sit down, go to ______ , pick up, put down
5. comprehend requests for personal details (name, age, address)
6. comprehend requests for the identification of people and thing
7. listen to simple descriptions of common objects (e.g. those found in the classroom
and/or immediate environment) and identify these non-verbally (e.g. by drawing a
picture)
8. identify letters of the alphabet and numbers to fifty including ten/teen contrasts
9. listen to and identify the time

LEVEL 2
- identify core vocabulary items when encountered in a variety of aural texts
- comprehend and carry out a sequence of two or three instructions
- comprehend requests for details about family and friends
- comprehend requests for identification of people and things
- listen to simple descriptions of actions and scenes and identify these non-verbally
(e.g. by finding a picture, numbering pictures in the order in which they are
described)
- given contextual/pictorial support, can comprehend simple descriptions
- identify ordinal numbers 1-10
- listen to and identify days of the week, months and dates

LEVEL 3
- identify core vocabulary items when encountered in a variety of aural texts
- comprehend and carry out a sequence of four to five instructions
- develop factual discrimination skills by listening to a passage and identifying
true/false statements relating to the passage
- comprehend requests for factual information relating to topic areas
- listen to a short aural text and transform the information by presenting it in a
different form (e.g. by completing a table or diagram)

LEVEL 4
- identify core vocabulary items when encountered in a variety of aural texts
- develop inferencing skills by listening to a passage and identifying true/false
inferences relating to the passage
- comprehend requests for factual and attitudinal information relating to a topic
areas
- listen to a short aural text and transform the information by presenting it in a
different form (e.g. by completing a table or diagram)
- comprehend and carry out a linked set of instructions
- grasp the gist of a short narrative
- identify emotional state of speaker from tone and intonation

LEVEL 5
- identify core vocabulary items when encountered in a variety of aural texts
- develop inferencing skills by listening to a passage and identifying true/false
inferences relating to the passage
- comprehend requests for factual and attitudinal information relating to topic areas
- listen to a short aural text and transform the information by presenting it in a
different form (e.g. by completing a table or diagram)

LEVEL 6
- identify core vocabulary items when encountered in a variety of aural texts
- develop inferencing skills by listening to a passage and suggesting an appropriate
conclusion
- comprehend requests for factual and attitudinal information relating to topic areas
- listen to a short aural text and transform the information by presenting it in a
different form (e.g. by completing a table or diagram)
- comprehend a short narrative when events are reported out of sequence

LEVEL 7
- extract detailed information from a text
- grasp the gist of an extended text
- follow an extended set of instructions
- differentiate between fact and opinion
- identify the genre and register of a text
- recognize differences in intonation
- identify relationships between participants in aural interactions
- identify the emotional tone of an utterance
- comprehend the details of short conversations on unfamiliar topics

C. READING

MICRO SKILLS R1 R2 R3 R4
LEVEL 1
- sight read all the words in the core vocabulary list when encountered in context
- read the names of class members
- read the written equivalent of numbers 1-60
- read short contextualized lists e.g. shopping lists
- decode regular sound symbol correspondences
- read single sentence descriptions of familiar objects

LEVEL 2
- sight read all the words in the core vocabulary list when encountered in and out of
context
- read short (two to three sentence) passages on familiar topics and answer yes/no
and true/false questions relating to factual details
- read written equivalent of numbers 1-100
- read prices and quantities
- decode consonant clusters
- read sentences which have been mastered orally

LEVEL 3
- read short (three to five sentence) passages and answer yes/no and wh-questions
relating to factual detail
- read short (three to five sentence) passages and identify correct inferential
statements relating to the passage
- read and interpret information presented as a chart or timetable
- dictate a story to the teacher and then read it

LEVEL 4
- read two to three paragraph story on familiar topic and select main idea from a list
of alternatives
- arrange scrambled sentence and paragraphs into the correct order
- develop dictionary skills (alphabetical order and indexes)
- follow linked series of written instructions
- read a short passage and predict what will happen next by selecting from a list of
alternatives
- scan a three to five paragraph text for given key words
- identify the antecedents of anaphoric reference items

LEVEL 5
- read three to five paragraph text and state the main idea
- scan a five to ten paragraph text for given key words
- identify logical relationships marked by conjunctions in three to five paragraph
texts on familiar topics
- scan large texts (e.g. dictionary; telephone book) for specific information
- read a short story on a familiar topic and give a short oral summary

LEVEL 6
- read five to ten paragraph text on a familiar topic and state the main ideas
- read a five to ten paragraph text and present the key information in a non-textual
form (e.g. by completing a table or graph)
- identify logical relationships marked by conjunctions in five to ten paragraph texts
on familiar topics
- follow a narrative or description when the ideas and events are presented in
sequence
- differentiate between fact and opinion

LEVEL 7
- read a five to ten paragraph text on an unfamiliar topic and state the main ideas
and supporting details
- identify unmarked logical relationships in five to ten paragraph texts on
unfamiliar topics
 - follow a narrative or description when the ideas and events are presented out of
sequence
- identify instances of bias in a written text
- understand underlying purpose/function of a text
- differentiate between relevant and irrelevant information

D. WRITING

MICRO SKILLS W1 W2 W3 W4
LEVEL 1
- write letters of the alphabet in upper and lower case
- write numbers 1-60
- write own name and names of other students and family members
- copy legibly words in core vocabulary list
- copy legibly short messages and lists (e.g. shopping lists)
- complete short contextualized description of person or object

LEVEL 2
- write figure 1-100
- use capital letters and periods appropriately
- write legibly and accurately words in core vocabulary list
- write short, familiar sentences when dictated

LEVEL 3
- complete short contextualized description of person or object
- write short, familiar sentences when dictated
- write words and clauses in legible cursive script
- rewrite scrambled sentences as coherent paragraph
LEVEL 4
- write short, personal note on familiar topic to a friend (e.g. on post card)
- write short (one sentence) answer to comprehension questions
- take short (single paragraph) dictation from familiar text
- create paragraph from individual sentences using cohesion to link sentences

LEVEL 5
- write a sort description of a familiar object or scene
- write short (two to three sentence) answers to comprehension questions
- write single paragraph conclusion to a narrative
- take short (single paragraph) dictation from an unfamiliar text
- develop fluency through free writing activities

LEVEL 6
- write summary in point form/précis of a short aural or written text
- produce a text from data provided in non-text form (e.g. as table, graph, or chart)
- write a single paragraph conclusion to a passage presenting an argument
- take a three to five paragraph dictation from a familiar text

LEVEL 7
- use appropriate punctuation conventions
- write a short essay using paragraphs to indicate main information units
- write quickly without pausing, erasing or correcting as part of the process of
drafting or composing
- use pre-writing strategies as a preparation for writing
- use revision strategies to polish one’s initial efforts