EAL/ESL Report Comments: Listening, Secondary
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 Secondary (ages 11-18): 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
- During debates, [Name] listens for the weak points in an opposing argument and answers them directly.
- Beyond the literal words, [Name] understands hints, suggestions and polite requests that speakers do not say directly.
Next step
- [He/She/They] could listen to debates or speeches on history or science topics and note how each speaker uses evidence to persuade.
Developing competence C
Strengths
- When subject teachers explain abstract ideas, [Name] follows best with a diagram or worked example and asks for clarification when an important point remains unclear.
- When the teacher asks a question in class, [Name] usually understands it and gives an answer that matches.
Next step
- During longer spoken explanations, [Name] could group notes under simple headings to show how the main points connect.
Early acquisition B
Strengths
- [Name] manages the daily timetable and room changes using spoken reminders and the written schedule.
- More and more of the everyday talk between classmates makes sense to [Name], especially talk about games, food and the school day.
Next step
- [Name] could ask subject teachers for a written copy of homework instructions to check against what was said.
New to English A
Strengths
- With a bilingual dictionary, [Name] is matching subject words heard in lessons to [his/her/their] home language.
- By pointing to the right picture or object when the teacher says its name, [Name] shows that [he/she/they] can understand more words each week.
Next step
- After a short subject explanation, [Name] could choose one of two diagrams to show which idea was discussed.
Support at home
- A free visit to your local library for a story session or to borrow audiobooks gives your child extra time hearing English.
How to write listening comments for Secondary (ages 11-18)
- Name a subject setting, such as lab instructions in science, a demonstration in PE or an explanation in history, and note what helps the student follow it: slides, modelling or key words on the board.
- Distinguish following the gist from catching detail. A stage C student may follow most lessons but miss homework instructions given at the end, so a next step could be writing the task down from the board.
- At stage D, comment on longer or faster talk, such as assemblies, class debates, videos or a visiting speaker, and whether the student picks up humour, implied meaning or a speaker's point of view.
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, Primary (ages 5-11)
- Speaking, Secondary (ages 11-18)
- Reading, Secondary (ages 11-18)
- Writing, Secondary (ages 11-18)
- Vocabulary and Grammar, Secondary (ages 11-18)
- Language-Learning Behaviours, Secondary (ages 11-18)
- 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.