EAL/ESL Report Comments: Listening, Primary
Listening is understanding spoken English: classroom instructions and routines, everyday talk, explanations, stories and discussions. Evidence includes acting on what is heard, picking out key words and asking for repetition, often helped by visuals, gestures, modelling and repetition.
Below are 13 sample sentences for Primary (ages 5-11): two strengths and one next step for each of the 4 comment levels (Competent / fluent / Developing competence / Early acquisition / New to English), plus a tip for families. They are a small selection from the 178 listening sentences in the full pack. Copy one, then add a detail only you know about the student.
Jump to: Competent / fluent · Developing competence · Early acquisition · New to English · Writing tips
Fills in the name and pronouns on this page. Nothing is sent anywhere.
Competent / fluent D
Strengths
- [Name] enjoys jokes and riddles told in class, including ones that depend on a word having two meanings.
- From the surrounding spoken explanation, [Name] understands the meaning of a new word without needing a translation.
Next step
- [Name] could listen to two classmates explain the same idea and identify where their explanations agree or differ.
Developing competence C
Strengths
- When asked, [Name] can repeat back the main point of what a talk partner has just said.
- More often now, [Name] picks out the important words in an explanation, especially when they are also written on the board.
Next step
- At story time, [Name] could listen for five events and place picture cards in order after the story ends.
Early acquisition B
Strengths
- [Name] knows the spoken reminders for lining up, tidying away and getting ready for lunch, and follows them with the class.
- [Name] recognises familiar words in spoken English and is beginning to pick out new words that are repeated in lessons.
Next step
- In a listening game, [Name] could hear a short phrase such as "the red ball" and choose the matching picture from two options.
New to English A
Strengths
- During story time, [Name] looks at the pictures and points to characters when the teacher names them.
- When the teacher points or demonstrates, [Name] understands what to do and starts the task.
Next step
- Hearing short songs and rhymes with actions many times over will help [Name] link words to their meanings.
Support at home
- Listen together to a song, story or something on the radio in your home language, then ask your child to tell you its main idea.
How to write listening comments for Primary (ages 5-11)
- Cite a routine the child acts on, such as lining up, tidying away or getting the reading book out, and say whether they follow the spoken instruction itself or watch classmates first.
- Use story time and carpet time as evidence: pointing to characters when they are named, joining in with a repeated line, or answering a simple who or where question about the picture book.
- For a next step, name a phrase the child can use to ask for help, such as 'Can you say that again, please?', and suggest families practise asking for help in both languages.
Watch out: Avoid reading a quiet student as not understanding. Many students understand far more than they can say, so judge listening by actions and responses, such as starting the task correctly, not by spoken answers.
Rate each skill separately, since many students understand more than they can say. At stage D, write about precision and range; at C, growing independence with errors still showing; at B, short phrases and visual support; at A, what the student does now and the support that helps. Show the stage through evidence rather than naming it.
What Listening covers
In these comments, listening covers these behaviours:
- understands classroom instructions, routines and everyday talk
- follows spoken explanations, stories and discussions, with visual support where needed
- picks out key information and new words when listening
- shows understanding by responding, acting on what is heard or asking for repetition or clarification
More EAL/ESL comments
- Listening, Secondary (ages 11-18)
- Speaking, Primary (ages 5-11)
- Reading, Primary (ages 5-11)
- Writing, Primary (ages 5-11)
- Vocabulary and Grammar, Primary (ages 5-11)
- Language-Learning Behaviours, Primary (ages 5-11)
- Opening and closing sentences
- All EAL/ESL skills and grade bands
- For the same report: Subject Report Comments for Cambridge Primary and Lower Secondary, Stages 1-9
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How these sentences were made, and what has been checked: About these comments.