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Everyday English 2
Everyday English 2

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3.1 Preparation

In a Functional Skills English Level 2 discussion, you gain marks by showing the assessor you are well prepared. One of the ways you can do this is by making notes before the discussion.

In an Essential Skills Wales Communication Level 2 discussion, you gain marks for producing written prepared notes before the discussion. This is therefore an essential part of your preparation.

You can approach the preparation stage by asking yourself a series of questions. This enables you to do a considerable amount of thinking in advance and to think of some of the points that others in the discussion might make. This means you are less likely to be surprised by something unexpected.

Activity 10 Initial questions

Timing: Allow about 10 minutes

Imagine you have worked as a sales assistant in a clothing store for six months and you want to do work that has more variety. You want to discuss this with your manager.

Write a list of questions that you could ask yourself in preparation, related to the purpose of the discussion and what you want out of it.

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Discussion

Here is a list of questions that you could ask yourself during the preparation stage:

  1. What is the discussion about?
  2. What is its purpose?
  3. What do I want?
  4. What might others in the discussion want?
  5. What are the differences between what I and others want?
  6. Are there any other ways I can achieve what I want?
  7. What don’t I want and why don’t I want it?
  8. What would be a good outcome?
  9. What would be a satisfactory outcome?

Here are the questions again, with an explanation as to why each is useful.

Question Why is it useful?

1. What is the discussion about?

2. What is its purpose?

3. What do I want?

Q1, 2 and 3 help you to clarify your thoughts and be clear about what you want to say.

4. What might others in the discussion want?

Helps you to start thinking about what other people want. As you cannot be sure at this stage, you may have to consider more than one idea. You should then think about your response to these ideas. This helps you to be flexible during the discussion.

5. What are the differences between what I and others want?

Helps you to consider in advance what problems or differences there might be. This helps you to generate ideas on how to solve the problems and make progress.

6. Are there any other ways I can achieve what I want?

Helps you to be creative in your thinking. Have you thought enough about the issue?

7. What don’t I want and why don’t I want it?

Helps you to be certain about your own thinking.

8. What would be a good outcome?

9. What would be a satisfactory outcome?

Q8 and 9 help you to think about possible proposals and solutions that could come from the discussion.

Answering these questions in advance is good preparation for any discussion. You can prepare a range of information that helps you to be flexible and creative in keeping the discussion moving.

Activity 11 Answering those initial questions

Timing: Allow about 10 minutes

Again imagining yourself as a sales assistant, and in further preparation for the discussion with your manager about doing more varied work, try answering the nine questions to help you plan your response.

1. What is the discussion about?

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2. What is its purpose?

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3. What do I want?

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4. What might the other person or people in the discussion want?

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5. What are the differences between what I and the other person/people want?

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6. Are there any other ways I can achieve what I want?

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7. What don’t I want and why don’t I want it?

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8. What would be a good outcome?

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9. What would be a satisfactory outcome?

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Discussion

Below are some suggestions for each of the questions that could help you with your discussion. You may have your own ideas.

  1. What is the discussion about?

    Discussion with manager about more variety in the job role.

  2. What is its purpose?

    To negotiate more variety.

  3. What do I want?

    More variety in the job role.

  4. What might the other person or people in the discussion want?

    Manager may want me to stay in current role.

  5. What are the differences between what I and the other person/people want?

    Different overall goals.

  6. Are there any other ways I can achieve what I want?

    Apply for a different job or promotion.

  7. What don’t I want and why don’t I want it?

    Don’t want to lose my job because I like what I do.

  8. What would be a good outcome?

    More responsibility and a promotion.

  9. What would be a satisfactory outcome?

    Unpaid work experience.