L1-Asking questions-week10vs1
Functional Skills
English
The UK’s Number One Functional Skills Service
Speaking, Listening and Communicating: Asking
Lesson duration is: 120 minItems in this lesson
Functional Skills
English
The UK’s Number One Functional Skills Service
Speaking, Listening and Communicating: Asking
Lesson Overview
Learning Objectives:
After this lesson students will be able to:
Identify what makes a good question
Ask appropriate questions in the SLC exam
Specification points covered:
L1.1 - Identify relevant information and lines of argument in explanations or presentations
L1.2 - Make requests and ask relevant questions to obtain specific information in different contexts
Starter
I have emailed all of you the starter this morning
open the link on the emails
have a go of the fact vs opinion quiz!
Remember
Opinions are subjective statements that cannot be proven to be true or false. Facts, on the other hand, can be proven true or false and are objective statements.
Asking Questions
During your SLC exam, you will be expected to ask questions to the other group members based on information you have heard.
Do:
Ask for information that may not have been considered before
Ask a wide range of questions to find out other people’s opinions
Be respectful and polite
Ask for specific information that is relevant to the topic of conversation
Don’t:
Ask for information that has already been given
Only ask one or two questions
Ask generic questions that do not request specific information
Examples of Good Questions
What are the reasons behind your opinion on…?
How did you become interested in hiking?
What other options are available for people who cannot partake?
These questions help to progress the conversation – they request new information which can lead to new areas of discussion.
These questions encourage detailed responses and maintain the natural flow of the conversation, as they cannot be answered with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
These questions show the examiner that you are taking an interest in the discussion, and that you are engaged.
Examples of Bad Questions
Can you elaborate more please?
Do you know what I mean?
That’s an awful suggestion, what made you think of that?
This is a generic question – make sure your questions are specific.
This question is too vague and doesn’t show that you can obtain relevant information.
This is too rude for the context of the exam – make sure that you remain polite throughout.
Other examples of bad questions include those that are irrelevant to the topic. For example, if someone gave a presentation on a holiday destination, asking, ‘What’s your main hobby?’ would not be appropriate.
Have a Go!
Read the following paragraph and then think of some good questions that you can ask.
Last week, I spent a fantastic day at the beach with friends and family. We arrived early to find a perfect spot, laying out our towels and umbrellas. The sun was shining, and the ocean breeze was amazing. We spent the morning playing beach cricket and swimming in the crystal-clear water. For lunch, we had a picnic with sandwiches, crisps and cold drinks. After that, we took a leisurely stroll along the shore, whilst enjoying the sound of the waves. How relaxing! As the sun began to set, we gathered around a bonfire, roasting marshmallows and sharing stories. It was a perfect day, filled with laughter, relaxation, and good company.
In a group, think of as many relevant questions as you can.
Read the following paragraph and then think of some good questions that you can ask
Read the following paragraph and then think of some good questions that you can ask
Example Answers
Read the following paragraph and then think of some good questions that you can ask.
Last week, I spent a fantastic day at the beach with friends and family. We arrived early to find a perfect spot, laying out our towels and umbrellas. The sun was shining, and the ocean breeze was amazing. We spent the morning playing beach cricket and swimming in the crystal-clear water. For lunch, we had a picnic with sandwiches, crisps and cold drinks. After that, we took a leisurely stroll along the shore, whilst enjoying the sound of the waves. How relaxing! As the sun began to set, we gathered around a bonfire, roasting marshmallows and sharing stories. It was a perfect day, filled with laughter, relaxation, and good company.
Example questions:
Have you always enjoyed going to the beach?
What activities did you enjoy the most?
What would you recommend to someone who plans on going to the beach soon?
What tips would you give someone to make their beach day more enjoyable?
What safety advice would you give to someone planning to swim in the sea?
Exam-Style Question
In an exam, one of the group members, James, said this:
Advertising the discounts will help to attract customers.
What would be the best question to ask James? Explain why this is the best question to ask him.
Questions:
a) What is advertising?
b) How and where will you advertise the discounts?
c) Customers are very beneficial, do you agree?
d) From a business perspective, what is the purpose of discounts?
Advertising the discounts will help to attract customers.
What would be the best question to ask James?
.
What is advertising?
How and where will you advertise the discounts?
What would be the best question to ask James? Explain why this is the best question to ask him.
How and where will you advertise the discounts?
Customers are very benefical, dont you agree?
From a business perspective, what is the purpose of discounts?
Answer
Did you get…
b) How and where will you advertise the discounts?
= This question is specific to the topic of conversation and encourages a detailed response. It cannot be answered with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’, which would abruptly end conversations and limit the depth of the response. Additionally, the information being requested has not already been addressed in the original statement.
The UK’s Number One Functional Skills Service
Functional Skills
English
Speaking, Listening and Communicating: Adapting
Lesson Overview
Learning Objectives:
After this lesson students will be able to:
Understand how to adapt contributions in various discussions
Confidently apply this in the SLC exam
Specification points covered:
L1.3 - Respond effectively to detailed questions
L1.7 - Use appropriate phrases, registers and adapt contributions to take account of audience, purpose and medium
Adapting in Discussions
Adapting just means changing what you say and how you say things depending on the situation. You need to listen carefully to key points and think about how you can add to the conversation.
In your SLC exam, you need to:
Make contributions by sharing your thoughts, ideas and opinions.
Take part in discussions by listening and responding to others.
But how do you adapt to suit the audience, purpose and setting (formal)?
Let’s break this down…
Adapting in Discussions
1. Audience: Who are you speaking to?
In your exam, this will be the other people taking part.
Tip: speak clearly and use appropriate language that everyone can follow. Not everyone will know about your specific job/interests, so avoid using acronyms or extremely specialist vocabulary unless you define them clearly.
2. Purpose: Why are you speaking?
One of your main goals is to express your ideas and share opinions.
Tip: stay on topic and make sure your contributions are relevant.
3. Medium: What setting are you in?
Since this is an exam, it’s a formal situation.
Tip: use polite, respectful language and keep your tone professional.
How can you adapt to the audiance, the setting, and the purpose in conversation
In a formal meeting with colleagues, how to adapt?
Use professional language and tone.
Ignore others' contributions.
Use slang and informal phrases.
Speak casually about personal topics.
During a presentation to clients, how to adapt?
Focus on their needs and interests.
Discuss unrelated hobbies.
Speak in technical jargon.
Be overly casual and relaxed.
In a classroom setting with students, how to adapt?
Lecture without interaction.
Avoid eye contact.
Encourage questions and participation.
Use complex vocabulary only.
While networking at an event, how to adapt?
Stay silent throughout.
Engage in small talk and listen.
Only talk about your achievements.
Dismiss others' opinions.
In a debate with peers, how to adapt?
Ignore opposing arguments.
Use personal attacks.
Respect differing viewpoints and argue logically.
Shout over others.
Agreeing and Disagreeing
Expressing agreement or disagreement can also show your ability to adapt.
Agreeing: ‘I agree that Daniel’s tech class idea would help people. I think that it would be especially helpful for elderly people, as they may not be familiar with new technology’
Disagreeing: ‘I understand your point of view, but I don’t agree that Farhana’s idea to plant trees is the most helpful for the community. I think that Farhana’s idea would help to tackle climate change, but Angela’s idea to help the homeless would be better, as it deals with a much more pressing problem.
When you are disagreeing with someone, make sure that you remain polite! If you are rude, you are likely to fail some criteria points.
You should be specific about what you are agreeing or disagreeing with, and you should expand on your ideas by giving the reasons why you agree or disagree.
Adapting Through Responses
You can also show that you can adapt through responses to questions.
When someone asks you a question, you need to make sure that your responses are:
Relevant: your answer should directly address the question being asked.
Clear: use understandable language so that your points are easy to follow.
Appropriate: match your tone to the situation.
Polite: remain respectful to your peers, e.g. ‘Thank you for your question. I think the main reason is...’.
For example:
Question: ‘How do you plan on advertising this event?’
Good answer: ‘We could advertise the event through social media and create posters to put around the local community. This will help us to reach more people.’
Bad answer: ‘All kinds of people will be welcome to attend, but they will have to book in advance.’
Asking Questions
Asking questions about a point that someone else has mentioned is a great way to adapt to what others are saying. This will show that you have understood the information that another person has given.
Here’s some examples of how you could ask someone a question about something they have just said:
‘You just mentioned that you liked Daniel’s tech class idea because it would help people to improve their IT skills. Who do you think would benefit from Daniel’s idea?’
‘I remember you mentioned earlier that you really enjoy skiing. Could you please explain what it is you like about the sport?’
‘You said that the garden welcomes people of all ages. Is it also suitable for people who have physical and mental disabilities?’
What questions could you ask to the following... I Really enjoy football and support a premier league team.
What questions could you ask to the following... I Really enjoy football and support a premier league team
Exam-Style Question
Listen to the audio clip.
Q1) Which of the following options would be a suitable response to agree with Jemma and Megan? (1 mark)
a) You’re both right. Most teenagers waste precious time that could be spent learning new skills or bonding with their families like Megan touched on.
b) Jem, Meg, I get you. The whole world has gone absolutely mental with technology. Have you seen those 5G towers that caused Covid? It’s insane.
c) I completely agree. I think that spending time on phones can be very helpful for communication and education.
d) You both have interesting ideas.
Q1 Answer
Listen to the audio clip.
Q1) Which of the following options would be a suitable response to agree with Jemma and Megan? (1 mark)
a) You’re both right. Most teenagers waste precious time that could be spent learning new skills or bonding with their families like Megan touched on.
= This shows a clear understanding of the points that Jemma and Megan have made (that teenagers spend too long on their phones, and that this can lead to them not speaking with their families). The agreement is polite, and moves the discussion forward by introducing a new idea about skills development.
Exam-Style Question
Listen to the audio clip.
Q2) Which of the following questions could you ask Megan? (1 mark)
a) What is your favourite social media platform?
b) How old is your daughter?
c) Why do you think that being on their phone’s rots young peoples’ brains?
d) Have you tried to limit the hours that your daughter spends on her phone?
Exam-Style Question
Listen to the audio clip.
Q2) Which of the following questions could you ask Megan? (1 mark)
d) Have you tried to limit the hours that your daughter spends on her phone?
= This shows that you have understood what Megan said about her daughter’s time on her phone. It is a great way to move the discussion along as it suggests a possible solution to the problem. Asking for the age of Megan’s daughter, for example, would lead to a one-word response that would not be completely relevant or move the conversation along.
Task
1-2 minute Mini presentations
On your laptops research anything you want and create a mini presentation-follow the discussion structure we used last week...
Introduction-introduce your topic
Main point- What you think of the topic, your reasoning ,include facts/opinions
Conclusion-summarise your presentation and QnA and discussion
You will then present yours to your groups (it wont be presented to the whole class) The audience will then ask 1-3 questions each
Rate how you found todays lesson
Name one way you can adapt in a conversation
Name three styles of questions
