Speaking Skill Focus: Participating Actively in Discussions (B2 Level)

At B2 level, you should be able to do more than just answer questions; you can actively participate in discussions on a variety of topics, both familiar and those you may not know much about beforehand. This involves initiating conversation, expressing opinions, responding to others, and helping the conversation move forward.

Key Abilities for B2 Discussion Participation:

1. Initiating and Contributing:

• Starting a discussion or introducing a new point/topic.
• Expressing your opinion clearly (Ik vind dat..., Mijn mening is dat..., Volgens mij...).
• Providing reasons and examples to support your viewpoint.
• Adding relevant information or personal experiences.

1. Responding to Others:

• Showing you understand what others have said (Dus je bedoelt dat...?, Als ik het goed begrijp, zeg je dat...).
• Agreeing (Dat ben ik (helemaal) met je eens., Dat vind ik ook., Precies!).
• Disagreeing politely (Daar ben ik het niet (helemaal) mee eens., Ik zie dat anders., Ja, maar..., Aan de ene kant..., aan de andere kant...).
• Asking for clarification (Wat bedoel je precies?, Kun je dat uitleggen?).
• Building on others' points (Ja, en bovendien..., Dat doet me denken aan...).

1. Managing the Conversation:

• Taking turns effectively (knowing when to speak and when to listen).
• Interrupting politely if necessary (Mag ik even iets vragen/zeggen?, Sorry dat ik je onderbreek, maar...).
• Bringing the discussion back on topic if it strays.
• Inviting others to speak (Wat vind jij ervan, [naam]?, Heeft iemand anders nog een idee?).
• Summarizing points (Dus samenvattend..., De belangrijkste punten zijn...).

1. Handling Unfamiliar Topics:

• Asking clarifying questions to understand the topic better.
• Relating the topic to something you do know.
• Expressing tentative opinions (Ik weet er niet veel van, maar ik denk dat..., Misschien is het zo dat...).
• Acknowledging limitations (Dat is een moeilijk onderwerp., Daar heb ik nog niet echt over nagedacht.).

1. Fluency and Cohesion:

• Speaking with a reasonable degree of fluency, although some hesitation or searching for words is acceptable.
• Using appropriate discourse markers to connect ideas (ook, maar, dus, omdat, ten eerste, vervolgens, echter, daarom).
• Using a range of vocabulary appropriate for the topic.
• Generally good grammatical control, though errors that don't hinder understanding are acceptable.

Importance for B2:

• Essential for social interaction, making friends, and participating in group activities.
• Crucial for work meetings or study group discussions.
• Allows you to engage more deeply with Dutch speakers and culture.

Learning Strategy:

• Practice! Join conversation groups, language exchanges, or classes where discussion is encouraged.
• Prepare: For planned discussions, think about relevant vocabulary and potential arguments beforehand.
• Listen Actively: Pay attention to how native speakers structure arguments, agree/disagree, and manage conversations.
• Learn Set Phrases: Memorize useful phrases for expressing opinions, agreeing, disagreeing, interrupting, and asking for clarification.
• Record Yourself: Listen back to identify areas for improvement in fluency or structure.
• Don't Be Afraid: It's okay to make mistakes. Focus on getting your message across.