Skills for Life: International Language: Social Activities (Spoken)
International language (spoken): social activities is a 10 hour Skills for Life unit, from Entry 1 to Level 2, offered in French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin and Spanish. It is one unit that learners combine with other 10 or 20 hour units into a Skills for Life, or Skills for Life and Work, Award, Certificate or Diploma. The whole unit is listening and speaking about leisure, places, transport, food and drink, from recognising and pronouncing familiar words at Entry Level to open questions and a short conversation at Level 2. Numeracy is light: numbers, times and prices heard and said in the language.
- Awarding body
- WJEC
- Level
- Entry Level 1 to Level 2
- Guided learning hours
- 10
- First taught
- September 2027
- Amount of literacy work
- High
- Amount of numeracy work
- Low
How this unit is assessed
- Entry Level (Entry 1, Entry 2, Entry 3): Two learning outcomes (understand basic spoken information relating to social activities, give basic information orally about social activities), with separate assessment criteria at Entry 1, Entry 2 and Entry 3, including clear pronunciation. Evidence goes in a portfolio, internally assessed by the centre and externally quality assured by WJEC. 10 guided learning hours.
- Level 1 and Level 2: Two learning outcomes (understand spoken information relating to social activities, engage in a conversation relating to social activities), with separate assessment criteria at Level 1 and Level 2. Evidence goes in a portfolio, internally assessed by the centre and externally quality assured by WJEC. 10 guided learning hours.
Skills that use Developing vocabulary
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Recognising familiar words and phrases when listening
At Entry 1 learners identify familiar words about social activities in basic spoken communication, at Entry 2 they recognise short phrases, and at Entry 3 they extract basic information. This is required by the Entry Level assessment criteria for learning outcome 1, and multiple-choice or matching tasks are suggested to support Entry 1 and Entry 2 learners.
Literacy: Developing vocabulary, Listening for meaning
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils listen to the teacher say ten leisure words in the target language and hold up the matching picture card, such as cinema, park or swimming pool.
- Year 8
- Pupils listen to short recorded phrases such as "I play football at the park" and tick the activity and the place on a grid.
- Year 9
- Pupils listen to a short recorded announcement about a sports centre and note in English or Welsh the activity, the day and the opening time.
Show the specification wording and the LNF statements
Where it is in the specification: Entry Level, learning outcome 1, assessment criteria E1 1.1, E2 1.1 and E3 1.1, page 5; suggested activities, page 12
“Identify familiar words relating to social activities in basic spoken communication.”
Progression step 3
I can listen to, identify and use key words to understand the general meaning and ideas which are implied.
I can listen to, understand, infer, interpret and recall the general meaning of what I have heard.
Progression step 4
I can listen to build my vocabulary and sentence structure, and use these in my own communication.
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Giving basic information orally about social activities
At Entry 1 learners use familiar words to express simple needs or wishes, at Entry 2 they use short phrases, and at Entry 3 they use simple sentences to respond orally. This is required by the Entry Level assessment criteria, and the amplification adds likes and dislikes, prices, times and where activities take place.
Literacy: Developing vocabulary, Purpose, Clarity and vocabulary
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils answer "What would you like?" with one word for a drink or snack, using picture prompts.
- Year 8
- Pupils answer questions about their hobbies with short phrases such as "I like swimming" and "I don't like football".
- Year 9
- Pupils say three simple sentences about an activity they do, giving where they do it, when it starts and why they like it.
Show the specification wording and the LNF statements
Where it is in the specification: Entry Level, learning outcome 2, assessment criteria E1 2.1, E2 2.1 and E3 2.1, page 5; amplification, pages 8 and 9
“Use short phrases to express needs, wishes or basic information relating to social activities.”
Progression step 3
I can listen to build my vocabulary, develop my pronunciation, intonation/accents and sentence structure, and use these in my own communication.
I can share, talk and write about my thoughts, feelings and opinions using a range of techniques to show impact.
Progression step 4
I have experienced a range of area of learning and experience/discipline-specific and general academic vocabulary, and can use them in my own communication.
I can share, talk and write about my thoughts, feelings and opinions showing empathy and respect.
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Pronouncing words clearly
At Entry 1 learners pronounce familiar words clearly enough to be understood in a familiar context, at Entry 2 some words within phrases clearly and accurately, and at Entry 3 most words within sentences. This is required by the Entry Level assessment criteria for learning outcome 2, and repetition, games and spotting deliberately mispronounced words are suggested ways to practise.
Literacy: Developing vocabulary, Clarity and vocabulary
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils repeat new hobby words after the teacher in a call and response game, focusing on sounds that differ from English or Welsh.
- Year 8
- Pupils read a short phrase aloud in pairs, and their partner gives a thumbs up for each word that is clear.
- Year 9
- Pupils record three sentences about their free time, compare them with a model recording and re-record the words they found hardest.
Show the specification wording and the LNF statements
Where it is in the specification: Entry Level, learning outcome 2, assessment criteria E1 2.2, E2 2.2 and E3 2.2, page 5; suggested activities, pages 11 and 12
“Pronounce familiar words clearly enough to be understood in a familiar context.”
Progression step 3
I can listen to build my vocabulary, develop my pronunciation, intonation/accents and sentence structure, and use these in my own communication.
I can speak clearly, recognising the appropriate language for different audiences and purposes, and varying my expression, vocabulary, tone and gestures to engage the audience.
Progression step 4
I can speak clearly, selecting and adapting my language appropriately for a range of audiences and purposes, conveying meaning effectively to the audience.
I can reflect on my use of strategies to improve the quality, accuracy and effects of my spoken communication, including in formal situations.
Good to know
- There is no test. The unit "is centre assessed and externally quality assured by WJEC", and evidence "may be verbal, written, practical, or visual", with "extended written work" not required unless appropriate (Sources of evidence, page 14).
- Speaking evidence is usually recorded or observed: sources include "audio recording of candidate", "video recording of role-play" and "teacher observation notes" (Sources of evidence, page 14).
- The levels follow the CEFR: Entry Level criteria reflect "pre-A1 to A1" and Level 1 and 2 criteria reflect "A2 to B1" (Relationship to the CEFR, page 8). The criteria "assume that learners have no previous experience of the language being learnt" (Planning courses, page 7).
- Plural wording sets a minimum: "a plural reference within assessment criterion refers to a minimum of two" (pages 5 and 6), and Level 1 learning outcome 1 asks for "three details" (page 6).
- Support depends on level: "Entry 1 Learners will require a high level of support, including verbal, visual and practical assistance" (Specification, Section 4.2, page 19).
- Suggested activities and tasks are optional: "These tasks are not mandatory." (Specification, Section 4.1, page 18).
- AI tools: misuse includes "Using AI to complete parts of the assessment so that the work does not reflect the learner's own work" and "Failing to acknowledge use of AI tools when they have been used as a source of information" (Specification, Section 4.6, page 21).
- The unit is offered in six languages: "This unit is available in French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin and Spanish." (Unit overview, page 3). The unit page gives no code and refers to the specification, which lists the codes as "TBC" (Section 3.1, page 13).
- The unit overview places the literacy in talk: learners develop literacy "with an emphasis on speaking and listening" (Unit overview, page 3).
Links with other qualifications
The listening and speaking skills match those in GCSE French, GCSE German and GCSE Spanish, though the pack says learners already taking one of those GCSEs "may not benefit" from this unit in the same language and may prefer a new one, such as Italian, Japanese or Mandarin. The pack names VCSE Travel and Tourism and GCSE Business as qualifications it could complement, and ordering food, menus, restaurant bookings and car hire also suit VCSE Hospitality and Catering. Noting what is heard in English or Cymraeg draws on the English and Welsh that learners also study in GCSE English Language and Literature, GCSE Core Cymraeg or GCSE Cymraeg Language and Literature. Within the Skills Suite it pairs with International language (written): social activities and the communicating personal information and education and employment language units. The numeracy is limited to times and Euro prices.
Source: WJEC International language (spoken) - social activities unit delivery and assessment pack, read with the WJEC Entry 1 to Level 2 Skills for Life and Skills for Work specification, approved by Qualifications Wales, teaching from September 2027 (© WJEC CBAC Ltd 2026).