BASIC COMPETENCIES FOR ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE -UDENAR-

levels, descriptors, functions, and contents

Since the level a student from high school education is supposed to have at the end of his/her studies,
according to the Ministry of Education at least B1 according to the CEFR, there is no reason to start with
the lowest level of English in the program of Basic Competencies. Considering the variability of the
results of the students at the end of this cycle of education, levels A1, A2 (Primary education), B1
(Secondary or High School), it would not be appropriate to start with the levels of primary education at
the University. Taking into account he regulations on this matter by the Ministry of Education three
levels will be considered for this program (A2, B1 and B2) and its sub divisions. The aims (scale) for each
of these levels are to:

GLOBAL SCALE: A2
 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).
 Communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of
information on familiar and routine matters.
 Describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background, immediate environment, and
matters in areas of immediate need.

GLOBAL SCALE: B1
 Understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly
encountered in work, school, leisure, etc.
 Deal with most situations likely to arise while travelling in an area where the language is
spoken. Produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal
interest.
 Describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes and ambitions and briefly give reasons
and explanations for opinions and plans.

GLOBAL SCALE: B2
 Understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics,
including technical discussions in his/her field of specialization.
 Interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with
native speakers quite possible without strain for either party.
 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.

Descriptors, functions, and contents

The following listings of descriptors, functions, contents (grammatical, discursive, lexical, and
topical) integrate the initial core inventory for the Basic Competencies Program at Universidad
de Nariño for all programs that require the courses offered by the Linguistics and Languages
Department. The inventory can be used by learners as a guide to essential language content for
self-directed study.

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However, it has been provisionally designed for teachers to construct and develop their
programs. Each language point appears at the level(s) at which it is considered of most
relevance to the learner in the classroom. The relevant descriptors by the CEFR has been taken
into consideration for which teachers need to design, develop, and apply the appropriate
materials and activities (see listings below).

The organization of the broad competencies of UNDERSTANDING and SPEAKING comprises

(Listening & reading) and (oral interacting & producing), respectively.

LEVEL 1: A2

UNDERSTANDING. The students will be able to:

Listening:
1. Understand phrases and the highest frequency vocabulary related to areas of most
immediate personal relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping,
local area, employment).

Reading:
2. Read very short, simple texts.

SPEAKING. The students will be able to:

Interacting:
1. Communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of
information on familiar topics and activities.

Producing:
2. Use a series of phrases and sentences to describe in simple terms themselves and their
classmates, other people physically and psychologically.

WRITING. The students will be able to:

1. Write short, simple notes and messages relating to matters in areas of immediate needs.

Functions: Describing habits and routines

Describing past experiences
Describing people
Describing places

Grammar: Adjectives – comparative, – use of than and definite article

Adjectives – superlative – use of definite article
Adverbial phrases of time, place and frequency – including word order
Adverbs of frequency
Articles – with countable and uncountable nouns
Countable and Uncountable: much/many
Future Time (will and going to)
Gerunds
Going to
Imperatives

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 Modals – can/could
Modals – have to
Modals – should

Discourse Linkers, connectors: sequential – past time

Markers:

Vocabulary: Personality (adjectives),

Description
Feelings
food and drink
Things in the town
shops and shopping
travel and services

Topics: Education
Hobbies and pastimes
Holidays
Leisure activities
Shopping
Work and jobs

LEVEL 2: A2+

UNDERSTANDING. The students will be able to:

Listening:
1. Catch the main point in short, clear, simple messages and announcements.

Reading:
2. Find specific, predictable information in simple everyday material such as advertisements,
prospectuses, menus and timetables
3. Understand short simple personal letters.

SPEAKING. The students will be able to:

Interacting:
1. Handle very short social exchanges, even though they can't usually understand enough to
keep the conversation going.

Producing:
2. Use a series of phrases and sentences to describe in simple terms their family, friends and
other people, living conditions, their educational background and their present or most
recent job.

WRITING. The students will be able to:

1. Write a very simple personal letter, for example thanking someone for something.

Functions: Describing things

Obligation and necessity
Requests
Suggestions

Grammar: Past continuous

Past simple

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 Phrasal verbs – common
Possessives – use of ‘s, s’
Prepositional phrases (place, time and movement)
Prepositions of time: on/in/at
Present continuous
Present continuous for future
Present perfect
Questions
Verb + ing/infinitive: like/ want-would like
Wh-questions in past
Zero and 1st conditional

Discourse Linkers, connectors: sequential – past time

Markers:

Vocabulary: Personality (adjectives),

Description
Feelings
food and drink
things in the town
shops and shopping
travel and services

Topics: Education
Hobbies and pastimes
Holidays
Leisure activities
Shopping
Work and jobs

LEVEL 3: B1

UNDERSTANDING. The students will be able to:

Listening:
1. Understand the main point of clear standard speech on familiar matters regularly
encountered in work, school, leisure, etc.

Reading:
2. Understand texts that consist mainly of high frequency everyday or job-related language.

SPEAKING. The students will be able to:

Interacting:
1. Deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where the language is
spoken.

Producing:
2. Connect phrases in a simple way in order to describe experiences and events, my dreams,
hopes and ambitions.

WRITING. The students will be able to:

1. Write simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest.

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 Functions: Checking understanding
Describing experiences and events
Describing feelings and emotion
Describing places

Grammar: Adverbs vs Adjectives

Broader range of intensifiers such as too, enough
Comparatives and superlatives (as…as / by far… / way…)
Will / going to / might for prediction
Future continuous (+/-/?)
Modals - must/can’t for deduction
Modals - might, may, will, probably
Modals – should have/might have/etc.
Modals: must/have to

Discourse Connecting words expressing cause and effect, contrast etc.

Markers: Linkers: sequential past time

Vocabulary: Collocations
Colloquial language
Things in the town
shops and shopping
Travel and services

Topics: Books and literature

Education
Film
Leisure activities
Media
News, lifestyles and current affairs

LEVEL 4: B1+

UNDERSTANDING. The students will be able to:

Listening:
1. Understand the main point of many radio and TV programs on current affairs or topics of
personal or professional interest when the delivery is relatively slow and clear.

Reading:
2. Understand the description of events, feelings and wishes in personal letters.

SPEAKING. The students will be able to:

Interacting:
1. Enter unprepared into conversation on topics that are familiar, of personal interest or
pertinent to everyday life (e.g. family, hobbies, work, travel and current events).

Producing:
2. Briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.
3. Narrate a story or relate the plot of a book or film and describe my reactions.

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WRITING. The students will be able to:
1. Write personal letters describing experiences and impressions.

Functions: Expressing opinions; language of agreeing and disagreeing

Initiating and closing conversation
Managing interaction (interrupting, changing topic, resuming or continuing)

Grammar: Past continuous

Past perfect
Pasto simple
Phrasal verbs, extended
Present perfect continuous
Present perfect/past simple
Reported speech (range of tenses)
Simple passive
Wh- questions in the past
Will and going to, for prediction
PET practice

Discourse Connecting words expressing cause and effect, contrast etc.

Markers: Linkers: sequential past time

Vocabulary: Collocations
Colloquial language
Things in the town
shops and shopping
Travel and services

Topics: Books and literature

Education
Film
Leisure activities
Media
News, lifestyles and current affairs

LEVEL 5: B2

UNDERSTANDING. The students will be able to:

Listening:
1. Understand extended speech and lectures and follow even complex lines of argument
provided the topic is reasonable familiar.

Reading:
2. Read articles and reports concerned with contemporary problems in which the writers adopt
particular attitudes or viewpoints.

SPEAKING. The students will be able to:

Interacting:
1. Interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that make regular interactions with native
speakers quite possible.

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 Producing:
2. Present clear, detailed descriptions on a wide range of subjects related to my field of interest.

WRITING. The students will be able to:

1. Write clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects related to my interests.

Functions: Critiquing and reviewing

Describing experiences
Describing feelings and emotions
Describing hopes and plans
Developing and argument
Expressing abstract ideas
Expressing agreement and disagreement
Expressing opinions
Expressing justifications for opinions

Grammar: Adjectives and adverbs

Future continuous
Future perfect
Future perfect continuous
Mixed conditionals
Passives
Past perfect
PET practice

Discourse Connecting words expressing cause and effect, contrast etc.

Markers: Discourse markers to structure formal speech
Linkers: although, in spite of, despite
Linkers: sequential – past time – subsequently

Vocabulary: Collocations
Colloquial language

Topics: Arts
Books and literature
Education
Film
Leisure activities
Media
News, lifestyles and current affairs