9 - Initial Competence in Advanced Oral Communication

General description:

Learner can communicate fairly effectively in some unpredictable contexts and can function independently in most familiar situations. Follows most conversations on a variety of topics to a significant degree but sometimes misses transition signals in discourse and is temporarily lost. Participates in discourse on abstract but universal topics at a normal rate of speech.
Able to determine and express, mood, attitudes, feelings.
Clarifies meaning by re-wording, rephrasing.
Understands and uses sufficient concrete and abstract vocabulary, idioms and colloquial expressions to follow and relate stories of general popular interest or personal interest, such as customs, educational systems, family values, social problems, work ethic.
Linguistic form errors do not interfere in communication. Able to self-correct to a high degree. Prepared discourse is relatively correct, although may be quite rigid in form and organization. In spontaneous discourse, question forms may sometimes be incorrect, occasional false cognates and "translations" of phrases and expressions may appear, likely as "transfers" from first language.
In social interaction functions, learner demonstrates awareness and sensitivity to "register".
Discourse is of moderate to extended length, with complex and detailed information content, needed for analysis, comparison and decision-making.
Uses the phone on unfamiliar matters, able to clarify details with moderate success.