Level 19 - Key Communication Goals
Communication Goal You will be able to… Try it
• clarify misunderstanding You are at a party. You and some
• rephrase ideas for clarifying other people are discussing a social
Ask for & give • ask about an acronym or issue (e.g. homelessness). One
clarification abbreviation person is speaking very quickly and not
• ask for clarification by using very clearly, so you are not always sure
other word forms you understand what he is saying.
• understand points in an
argument or debate
A friend is thinking about starting
• summarize points in an
her own business. You are not sure
Develop & follow an argument or debate
that she has enough experience to
argument • can present a clear
do this. Tell him/her your opinion and
argument
reasons why.
• weigh the pros and cons of
an argument
• clearly express ideas and
opinions
You and a friend saw a TV show
• can hedge your opinion
about language learning. One of
when necessary
you thinks that adults can never learn
• use idiomatic language,
a language well. The other believes
Give & understand colloquialisms, and
that age isn’t important as long as
opinions proverbial language to
the learner is motivated. Express
express an attitude, opinion,
your opinion using your experiences
or idea
learning English and other languages
• recognize the use of indirect,
you have learned.
casual language to express
attitudes or opinions
• present and respond
convincingly to complex
lines of reasoning
• recognize intended attitude
(e.g. arrogant, snobbish,
presumptive, etc.) from the You are in a meeting where people
use of timing and intonation are discussing building a shared
• understand when an living community. Some people are
acronym or abbreviation insisting that the community should be
Take part in a • participate effectively and a for-profit organization, while others
conversation appropriately in emotionally think it should be non-profit. Offer your
charged conversations ideas to highlight problems with both
• recognize the use of indirect, ideas.
casual language to express
attitudes or opinions
• highlight problems and
suggest solutions
• recognize an inferred
conclusion
• describe conclusions
Level 19 Key Communication Goals_V1 1
You and a friend are talking about
the decision each of you made when
• use a variety of forms in
you graduated from high school
descriptions of the past
to go to college or go to work. Talk
Talk about the past • use a range of idiomatic
about your decision and why you made
language in the past tense
it. Speculate how your life would have
• speculate about the past
been different if you had made the
other choice.
Your company wants to sponsor a
5km race for charity (or other activity
• highlight problems for charity). You are on the planning
Discuss a problem
• suggest solutions committee. Discuss problems that
you see which the idea. Suggest some
possible solutions.
• explain a complex process
You are training a new employee.
• describe the sequence of
Talk about a process Describe how to operate a piece of
steps in a complex process
equipment.
using technical language
Your friend wants to work in IT, but
• talk about potential
her IT skills are weak. Suggest some
Talk about the future consequences of a series of
things he/she can do and tell him/her
actions or events
the consequences of doing them.
2 Level 19 Key Communication Goals_V1
Level 19 - WSE Learning Objectives
Ask for & give clarification
Unit 73 Lesson 2
• Can recognize misunderstanding and appropriately clarify without explicit prompting from an
audience. (I think there’s a misunderstanding.)
Unit 74 Lesson 1
• Can rephrase as clarifying questions ideas presented in an extended conversation. (Am I right to
think that you can’t afford this apartment by the question you just asked?)
• Can ask for clarification when an acronym or abbreviation is used to describe an organization,
process or thing. (What’s a sap?)
Unit 75 Lesson 3
• Can explore and clarify a word’s meaning through the creative use of the root word and alternate
affixes, prepositions, etc. (Non-profit? As in, without profit?) (ENC)
Develop & follow an argument
Unit 73 Lesson 1
• Can confidently argue a case in writing, specifying needs and objectives precisely and justifying them
as necessary. (We want to argue that your work is a parody of the original, that is, it makes fun of the
middle-class family values that are evident in these photographs.)
Unit 73 Lesson 2
• Can present and respond convincingly to complex lines of reasoning in conversations with two
or more native speakers. (Sure, the writing system can be a factor. That is probably the reason that
Japanese is in the most difficult category.)
Unit 75 Lesson 3
• Can signpost using complex fixed multiword expressions when summarizing points from a
conversation or presentation. (To make a long story short: I think you need to go back to the drawing
board.) (ENC)
Unit 76 Lesson 1
• Can recognize the use of multiword expressions to defer in an argument or debate. (I agree we need
to tone down the fanfare a bit.)
• Can use multiword expressions to defer in an argument or debate. (I see what you mean, but all
publicity is good publicity.) (ENC)
Unit 76 Lesson 3
• Can summarize clearly and precisely the arguments and event descriptions from a complex text.
(There are many arguments in the article and it points out that having an intelligence agency is a
complex issue.)
• Can use informal language related to weighing the pros and cons of an argument. (advantage;
against; benefit; con; for; disadvantage; downside; drawback; upside; pro) (ENC)
• Can understand complex arguments in newspaper articles. (It is tough being a woman in Hollywood.)
Level 19 Key Communication Goals_V1 3
Give & understand opinions
Unit 73 Lesson 1
• Can express ideas and opinions clearly and precisely without hesitation using linguistically complex
language. (In six months you could be the most recognizable person on the planet and Professor
Whom will be the biggest show in history.) (ENC)
Unit 74 Lesson 1
• Can express opinions tentatively, hedging. (I’ll assume you weren’t serious when you said $15,000
dollars a month?)
Unit 74 Lesson 2
• Can recognize the use of indirect, casual language to express attitudes or opinions in conversations
between native speakers. (Well, I’m no Mother Teresa, but it’s good to help out.)
Unit 75 Lesson 2
• Can naturally use idiomatic language. (e.g. keep our minds open) to express an attitude, opinion, or
idea. (It’s a piece of cake. I can’t have you be on the fence about this.) (ENC)
• Can use a wide range of idiomatic expressions to emphasize a thought, opinion, or idea in a
conversation with one or more native speakers. (You hit the nail on the head.) (ENC)
Unit 75 Lessons 2 & 3
• Can use a wide range of colloquialisms to emphasize a thought, opinion, or idea in a conversation
with one or more native speakers. (Ok, then cut to the chase. Did I mess things up by not being here?)
Unit 75 Lesson 3
• Can use a wide range of proverbial language to emphasize a thought, opinion, or idea in a
conversation with one or more native speakers. (You’re putting the cart before the horse right now.)
Take part in a conversation
Unit 73 Lesson 1
• Can recognize the illocutionary force. (e.g., speaker’s intention to hint, warn, disagree, etc.) behind
shifts in tone and register in conversations between two or more native speakers. (But surely one still
needs to take into account that we’re giving you the opportunity to make even more money with these
new products.)
Unit 73 Lesson 2
• Can present and respond convincingly to complex lines of reasoning in conversations with two
or more native speakers. (Sure, the writing system can be a factor. That is probably the reason that
Japanese is in the most difficult category.)
• Can recognize intended attitude (e.g. arrogant, snobbish, presumptive, etc.) from the use of timing
and intonation. (Are people supposed to live here?)
Unit 74 Lesson 1
• Can understand when an acronym or abbreviation is used to describe an organization, process, or
thing in a conversation. (It’s called HOMES.com – Homes Of Most Every Sort.)
4 Level 19 Key Communication Goals_V1
Unit 74 Lesson 2
• Can continue to participate effectively and appropriately in emotionally charged conversations with
one or more native speakers. (I didn’t mean to upset him, but you know how busy I was. I’m always
nervous when I have people over.) (ENC)
• Can recognize the use of indirect, casual language to express attitudes or opinions in conversations
between native speakers. (Well, I’m no Mother Teresa, but it’s good to help out.)
Unit 74 Lesson 3
• Can highlight problems and suggest solutions without hesitation in a conversation with one or more
native speakers. (In my country, people destroyed the forests for years by cutting down trees and not
replanting so much as a seedling.) (ENC)
Unit 76 Lesson 2
• Can recognize a conclusion inferred in a complex discussion between two or more native speakers.
(That makes sense, so he can hear the audio better.)
• Can describe conclusions drawn from information presented in a complex conversation between two
or more native speakers. (I guess some people just don’t like to read!) (ENC)
Talk about the past
Unit 76 Lessons 1, 2, & 3
• Can use a variety of forms in descriptions of the past with native-like accuracy. (This history of cause
marketing began about thirty years ago. I actually grew up in Florida. He told her he was looking for
an actress who would have “good chemistry” with him.) (ENC)
Unit 76 Lesson 2
• Can use a range of idiomatic language in the past tense. (Wow, I was such a rookie.)
Unit 76 Lesson 3
• Can speculate about the past using modal verb + have + past participle. (You not being here may
have been for the best.) (ENC)
Discuss a problem
Unit 74 Lesson 3
• Can highlight problems and suggest solutions without hesitation in a conversation with one or more
native speakers. (In my country, people destroyed the forests for years by cutting down trees and not
replanting so much as a seedling.) (ENC)
Talk about a process
Unit 73 Lesson 3
• Can explain a complex process. (The motion of the scrubber and the movement of the potatoes will
create enough friction to peel the potatoes.)
• Can describe the sequence of steps in a complex process using technical language. (There are steps
that you need to take to protect it and market it.)
Level 19 Key Communication Goals_V1 5
Talk about the future
Unit 73 Lesson 3
• Can express potential consequences of a series of actions or events with native-like fluency. (The
homeless families here today are in for a treat. I feel bad for the ones who miss it.) (ENC)
6 Level 19 Key Communication Goals_V1
