ABSTRACT

National Curriculum Programmes of Study and level descriptions for Speaking and Listening are rather generalised. We have to develop a range of strategies for listening to children talking, taking into account a number of features which might not relate to their oral ability. These will include:

• who the child is speaking to • what sort of task is involved • previous experience of the talk task • the child’s fluency in a home language as well as English • the gender of the child and other group members.