Speaking and listening involves more than analysing your ability to talk and hear other people. It is about adapting language to suit the situation and linking your listening and speaking skills to be able to respond to any argument.

Speaking is about presenting information and ideas, backing them up with non-verbal (unspoken) techniques. It also shows how you can adapt from writing texts to presenting them in spoken form. There are three types of speaking assessments in this unit. You will be assessed on one task in each category: Presenting, Listening and Speaking and Role-playing.

This unit is about how you communicate with others. You will have to think about how you present information and use persuasive techniques and body language when you talk. As well as this, you will be assessed on how you listen and respond to other people in your class.

Things to consider during speaking and listening

• How you use spoken language
• How you use your voice
• How you use body language
• Listening to others
• How to react to the language and tone of other people
• Exploring questions and responding to problems through developing your ideas
• Context – real life talk situations and target audiences beyond the classroom

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Non-verbal Communication

Delivering the Speaking and Listening task

Pay attention at all times. With speaking and listening, it is all about delivering your information and opinions with the right tone and movement. You may pause and think for a few moments; in fact, this is often a good idea if you become nervous or forget your point. However, unlike exams, the audience is constantly watching and assessing your performance. Therefore, you must always be aware of your body language and how they might perceive you.

Remember, spoken language is not just about the words! To deliver a speaking and listening controlled assessment, think ABC (Articulation, Body Language and Content).

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Articulation

Articulation is about controlling your voice. This involves being aware of your pitch and volume, tone, accent and clarity.

How much you control your articulation depends on the situation. Talking to friends is a more relaxed situation than if you were giving a speech in front of an entire classroom. It depends on your normal standard of articulation but, generally, people have to control their speaking more when giving speeches and having a discussion with people you do not know. Think about the following characteristics of an audience:

How much you control your articulation does not just depend on your audience. It is also affected by how important the phrase you are uttering is, as well as its length.