Skillful Reading&Writing Foundation level CEFR A1

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1 Series overview: What is Macmillan Skillful? Skillful is a five-level, academic series, spanning from CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) levels A1 to C1. Each level is split into two books, one for Reading & Writing and the other for Listening & Speaking. Skillful offers a skills syllabus, covering listening, speaking, reading, and writing, with vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and study skills. This CEFR mapping against Skillful is correlated with the following publicly available documents (last accessed June 15, 2015). Descriptors have been modified from the descriptors given in these sources. 1. EAQUALS/British Council Core Inventory for General English: BROCHURErevised6.pdf 2. EAQUALS Bank of Descriptors as checklists: 3. The Council of Europe Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment: What is CEFR? The CEFR was designed to provide a transparent, coherent, and comprehensive basis for the elaboration of language syllabuses and curriculum guidelines, the design of teaching and learning materials, and the assessment of foreign language proficiency. It is used in Europe but also in other continents and is now available in 39 languages. See for further information. Overview chart of Skillful level correlations to other level/grade systems: LEVEL TOEFL ibt TOEIC IELTS UCLES ALTE CEFR Foundation A Level 1 A2 1 KET Level 2 B1 2 PET Level 3 B2 3 FCE Level 4 C1 4 CAE PTE PHOTOCOPIABLE Skillful Foundation. This page is photocopiable, but all copies must be complete pages. Copyright Macmillan Publishers Limited

2 Overview of global competencies of CEFR level users: The CEFR was designed to level general English competencies rather than academic English skills, so there are some limitations in mapping Skillful against the CEFR. There is no CEFR mapping for Pronunciation or Study Skills. However, we can still find many matches for the more general language competencies between Skillful and the CEFR that form the base for developing the necessary academic skills and language knowledge more appropriate for a tertiary context. The general summaries of competencies at each level are: Skillful Foundation, A1: Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type. Can introduce him/herself and others and can ask and answer questions about personal details such as where he/she lives, people he/she knows and things he/she has. Can interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help. Skillful Level 1, A2: Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment). Can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters. Can describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background, immediate environment, and matters in areas of immediate need. Skillful Level 2, B1: Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. Can deal with most situations likely to arise whilst traveling in an area where the language is spoken. Can produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest. Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes, and ambitions, and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans. Skillful Level 3, B2: Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialization. Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party. Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options. Skillful Level 4, C1: Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognize implicit meaning. Can express him/herself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. Can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic, and professional purposes. Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organizational patterns, connectors, and cohesive devices. (taken from copyright Council of Europe 2001) PHOTOCOPIABLE Skillful Foundation. This page is photocopiable, but all copies must be complete pages. Copyright Macmillan Publishers Limited

3 Reading & Writing Foundation Level UNIT 1: Self ( topic Hobbies and pastimes) CEFR Descriptor CEFR Level Skimming; student profiles (p8) I can understand key information about people in a text. A1+ Making simple sentences (p14) I can write about personal information, using short, simple sentences. A1 Present tense of be (p13) I can understand and use the present tense of the verb to be (including questions and negatives). A1 Organizing words by topic; common interests (p12) I can organize words according to the following topics: family life, hobbies and pastimes, holidays, work and jobs, shopping, and leisure activities. UNIT 2: Family ( topic Family life) CEFR Descriptor CEFR Level Scanning; times and routines (p19) I can find key, basic information in a range of media and text types if the language used is simple. A1+ Using pronouns to avoid repetition (p24) I can use simple personal pronouns. A1 Subject and object pronouns (p23) I can use subject pronouns. (Object pronouns are not explicitly listed in the CEFR.) Finding words quickly in a dictionary (p22) N/A N/A UNIT 3: Stuff CEFR Descriptor CEFR Level Previewing; description of things (p29) Description of places (p31) I can find key, basic information in a range of media and text types if the language used is simple and there are images to provide clues to help my understanding. A1 A1 A1+ PHOTOCOPIABLE Skillful Foundation. This page is photocopiable, but all copies must be complete pages. Copyright Macmillan Publishers Limited

4 Writing paragraphs (p34) I can write a simple, short paragraph using simple sentences about personal topics that are familiar to me. Articles (p33) I can use definite and indefinite articles. A1 Using context to understand new words (p32) N/A N/A UNIT 4: Money CEFR Descriptor CEFR Level Identify topic sentences; descriptions of behavior (p39) N/A N/A Using commas with adjectives (p44) N/A N/A Adjective word order (p43) N/A N/A Learning antonyms (p42) N/A N/A UNIT 5: Taste CEFR Descriptor CEFR Level Highlighting text; information about jobs (p49) N/A N/A Using commas (p54) N/A N/A Simple present tense (p53) I can use the simple present tense. A1 Writing true, factually correct sentences (p52) I can write grammatically correct simple sentences that express true facts about other people. A2 A1+ PHOTOCOPIABLE Skillful Foundation. This page is photocopiable, but all copies must be complete pages. Copyright Macmillan Publishers Limited

5 UNIT 6: Play ( topic Leisure activities) CEFR Descriptor CEFR Level Annotating; a survey (p59) N/A N/A Combining sentences with and and but (p64) I can connect phrases with and and but to form more complex sentences. A1+ Expressing frequency; adverbs of frequency (p63) I can use adverbs of frequency to talk about habits and routines. A1 Finding the correct definition of a word (p62) N/A N/A UNIT 7: Places CEFR Descriptor CEFR Level Completing a chart as a way of organizing information (p68) N/A N/A Capitalizing letters (p74) N/A N/A Prepositions of place (p73) I can use prepositions of place to talk about where things are. A1 Labeling (p72) N/A N/A UNIT 8: Fun ( topic Holidays) CEFR Descriptor CEFR Level Identifying text types (p78) N/A N/A Using transition words to add ideas: too, also, and, in I can insert expressions such as and, also, and too to make my ideas sound more natural. A1+ addition (p83) Both and neither (p84) N/A N/A PHOTOCOPIABLE Skillful Foundation. This page is photocopiable, but all copies must be complete pages. Copyright Macmillan Publishers Limited

6 , Collocations with go (p82) I can connect words at the level to make new phrases, e.g., go + shopping = go shopping N/A UNIT 9: Plans ( topic Work and jobs) CEFR Descriptor CEFR Level Identifying examples; job descriptions (p91) N/A N/A Supporting your writing by giving reasons (p93) I can connect phrases with so and because. A1 Like, would like, be like (p94) I can use like and would like, e.g., I d like a cup of coffee. A1 Adding the suffix -er or -or (p92) N/A N/A UNIT 10: Celebration ( topic Holidays) CEFR Descriptor CEFR Level Taking notes (p98) N/A N/A Using transition words to contrast ideas: but, though, I can use connecting words to express a contrast of ideas. B1 however (p104) Subject-verb agreement (p103) I can form grammatically correct simple sentences that have accurate subject and verb agreement. A1 Forming nouns from verbs by adding -tion (p102) N/A N/A PHOTOCOPIABLE Skillful Foundation. This page is photocopiable, but all copies must be complete pages. Copyright Macmillan Publishers Limited