ESCP S2 Listening

ComprehensionWith

Khaled M. Al-Abbadi

“Listening for Specific Information/Data”

Discussion and StrategiesWeek 2 Lecture Notes

1. Discuss Listening for Specific Info./Data◦ Definition◦ Types◦ Organization

2. Discuss Listening Strategies for Spec. Info◦ General Listening Strategies Revisited◦ Outlining◦ Practical Strategies for Spec. Info/Data

3. Start Practicing with some Exercises◦ Exercise 1, as a group◦ Exercise 2, (if we have time)

What are we going to do today?

“Listening for Specific Information and Data”

Discussion about Types and Organization

What do we mean by “listening for specific information and data”?

How is it different from listening to narratives?

Are there different types?

Where do I find myself “listening for specific information” in real life?

What is Listening for Specific Info/Data?

Listening for Specific Information- ◦ Listening carefully to find the exact meaning of a

text or part of a text, or to find a specific piece of information. 

(Source: University of Cambridge, ESOL Examinations via: https://www.teachers.cambridgeesol.org/ts/exams/glossary)

Textbook Definition

So which one is it?◦ Understand the whole meaning of a text?◦ Understand part of a text?◦ Find a specific piece of information?

Actually, it’s all of the above:◦ Listen for Gist◦ Listen for Topics and Important Information◦ Listen for Specific Information and details

What is Listening for Specific Info/Data?

Means Listening for the Overall Meaning◦ General Idea of a Listening◦ Usually do it first, to determine if it’s worth

listening closely

When do we Listen for Gist?◦ Main Idea of the Message◦ Title◦ Purpose◦ Function

Listening for Gist

Means Listening for the Topics/Key Issues◦ Understanding the structure of the listening◦ Topics vs. Supporting Information (examples)◦ Facts vs. Opinions

When do we Listen for Topics and Important Info.?◦ Structure (Outline)◦ Major Points/Issues◦ Organize the Info.

Listening for Topics and Important Information

Means Listening for Particular facts◦ Getting discrete data (numbers, dates, values…)◦ Important details (cause and effect…)◦ Opinions and minor information

When do we Listen for Specific Information and Details?◦ Personally Important Info.◦ Fill in specific data◦ Answer a Question

Listening for Specific Information and Details

What type of Listening do you need to master for this?

◦ Inactive, Selective, Active, or Reflective?

What kind of Listening?

What type of Listening do you need to master for this?

◦ Inactive, Selective, Active, or Reflective?

◦ The Answer is…

◦ Selective Listening

What kind of Listening?

Selective Listening

◦ Do you need everything? In each situation, you ignore a portion of the listening

◦ Scanning This type of listening is like “scanning” when you read,

find what you want and throw away the rest…

◦ Focusing your Attention Saves your energy and focus for what is relevant (not

everything you hear matters…)

Why Selective Listening?

Do you remember when we compared “Listening to Narratives” and “Listening for Specific Information”?

Which one do you remember was easier?

How is that different from Narratives?

Narratives

◦ Info is easier to gather because it pertains to one of the elements of a Narrative…

Specific Information/Data

◦ Info is more complicated to gather because it pertains to a topic about the main idea or subject of the listening…(we’ll deal with this next week)

What’s the Difference?

Narratives

◦ Involve active listening as you follow the sequence of events.

◦ You can’t ignore any part of the listening.

Specific Information/Data

◦ Involves selective listening as you scan for the information you need.

◦ You can ignore parts (or even most) of the listening.

However…

This is a key difference between “Listening to Narratives” and “Listening for Specific Information”

◦ In Narratives, you have to listen carefully and find how the characters, setting, and plot relate.

◦ With Specific Information, you have to scan everything you hear for the information you want.

Key Difference

There aren’t exactly types◦ Almost everything you hear that isn’t a story◦ There are different levels of interest…

Expository text…mostly

Types of Information Listenings?

You can hear them anywhere and everywhere, in fact, you do it everyday:

◦ Radio (news and interest pieces)◦ TV (like in Abu Dhabi National Geographic)◦ Lectures (in class and otherwise)◦ Conversations◦ Airports, train stations, etc…

Where can we find Information Listening situations in real life?

This week, we will deal with longer clips of exposition◦ About 2-4 minutes long (about double the

narrative clips)

Listening for Specific Information/Data requires you to listen selectively◦ The clips are longer but you don’t need

everything you hear.◦ This skill may be a little more difficult for you to

master.

Listening for Specific Information/Data

What are the Elements?◦ There aren’t exactly any basic elements because

of such a great variety…but…

◦ Organization is typical

Main Idea - Topics - Some Examples or Description

Sometimes it’s simpler, List format Description

Elements of Specific Info/Data

Introduction◦ Main Idea◦ Thesis (overall argument or point)

Topic 1◦ Topic is introduced◦ Examples ◦ More Examples◦ Some Description or Data

Topic 2◦ Same as Topic 1 section

Topic 3◦ Same as Topic 1and 2 section

… Conclusion

◦ Restate the Main Idea◦ Prove the thesis

Looks like this…

Is there a difference?

Not, really…

◦ When listening for data…

Numbers Figures Categories (all of which are embedded in the topic sections)

Very discrete information (solid data)

Listening for Data

Very Important Skill◦ Mastering this will help you a lot in English

Listening… Live Conversation News Classroom Lectures

Helps you to know when to focus your listening energy

Listening for Specific Info./Data

Questions

Comments

Ideas

Relax for a bit…quiet time…whatever…

Lecture Break…

“Listening for Specific Information and Data”

Practical Strategies for Listening for Specific Information and Data

2 General Ones◦ Bottom-Up Strategies

You start from words, then phrases, then sentences Word-Segmentation skills

Ability to separate words and sentences Recognizing them to identify meaning

Deals with Speed, Intonation, Pauses…

◦ Top-Down Strategies You start from Main ideas, Context, bigger issues Metacognitive Awareness

Thinking about listening, weaknesses, solutions, the topic Deals with Predicting, Monitoring, Evaluating…

L1 Listening Strategies

Requires us to Listen many times◦ Even slowing down the tape if we have to◦ (This is why you will transcribe your assignments)◦ I advise you to transcribe on your own

Requires us to Listen and Read the transcript◦ To highlight what you didn’t get◦ Identify words, phrases, or situations that are hard

(We’ll do a little of this in class, the assignments should cover it pretty well too…)

Bottom-Up Strategies

Involves different processes◦ Using Prior knowledge◦ Predicting◦ Monitoring◦ Evaluating◦ Reflecting

Practically (how we do these processes)◦ Discuss the topic (before listening)◦ Take notes (while listening)◦ Checking what you heard (with others, after listening)◦ Identifying problems and fixing them

DEFINITELY – LISTEN MORE THAN ONCE

Top-Down Strategies

Key to Listening for Specific Information is knowing what you want…

◦ Do you want just the gist?

◦ Do you want the main ideas or the topics?

◦ Do you want some specific information or data?

Practical Strategies

Organization

How much do you need to listen? Not that much really…

If you want the gist…

Where do you look?

◦ Which part?◦ Beginning◦ Middle◦ End

Introduction◦ Main Idea◦ Thesis (overall argument or point)

Topic 1◦ Topic is introduced◦ Examples ◦ More Examples◦ Some Description or Data

Topic 2◦ Same as Topic 1 section

Topic 3◦ Same as Topic 1and 2 section

… Conclusion

◦ Restate the Main Idea◦ Prove the thesis

Organization

How much do you need to listen?

Probably a little more, but not everything…

If you want the topics…

Where do you look?

◦ Which part?◦ Beginning◦ Middle◦ End

Introduction◦ Main Idea◦ Thesis (overall argument or point)

Topic 1◦ Topic is introduced◦ Examples ◦ More Examples◦ Some Description or Data

Topic 2◦ Same as Topic 1 section

Topic 3◦ Same as Topic 1and 2 section

… Conclusion

◦ Restate the Main Idea◦ Prove the thesis

Organization

How much do you need to listen?

A little more, but only at certain times…

If you want specific information or some data…

Where do you look?

◦ Which part?◦ Beginning◦ Middle◦ End

Introduction◦ Main Idea◦ Thesis (overall argument or point)

Topic 1◦ Topic is introduced◦ Examples ◦ More Examples◦ Some Description or Data

Topic 2◦ Same as Topic 1 section

Topic 3◦ Same as Topic 1and 2 section

… Conclusion

◦ Restate the Main Idea◦ Prove the thesis

Organization is Very Important

Outlining – helps a lot

◦ Structure of the listening◦ Separates the Main Idea, Topics, and Examples◦ Focus on certain parts (know where to look)◦ Organizes discrete information and data

Outlining

Problems with Outlines

◦ Doesn’t always follow a “nice” structure◦ Sometimes examples, sometimes description◦ Some topics take longer than others◦ Not always easy to separate topics and ideas

We’re going to work on creating useful outlines, or at least taking effective notes while listening…

Outlining

Before Listening◦ Think about the Main Idea/Topic

Title Anything you know about it? **VERY IMPORTANT** Ask yourself, what do I want (or need)

to know?

◦ Think about some issues you may have Listening weaknesses (speed, pronunciation, etc…) Words, phrases, situations

◦ Think about some solutions What are you going to focus on What are you going to try this time

Practical Strategies

You have to know what you want first…◦ the gist?◦ the topics?◦ some specific information/data?

For example,Listening◦ the gist? Kingdom of Morocco◦ the topics? history, cities, people…

◦ spec. info? population in 2010 was nearly 32 million

What do I want/need to know?

Then you need to know where to look…◦ the gist?◦ the topics?◦ some specific information/data?

For example,Listening◦ the gist? In the Beginning, first 30

seconds

◦ the topics? In the Body, each discussed for some time

◦ spec. info? In the Body, mentioned within a topic

What do I want/need to know?

The Gist?◦ Listen carefully at the beginning, very selective

The Topics?◦ Listen to the whole thing, very selectively just for

the structure

Specific Info./Data?◦ Listen to the whole thing, pay close attention to

the examples, facts, and descriptions (if you know the topic beforehand, it helps a lot)

What do I want/need to know?

While Listening◦ Identify the Questions

Make Headings on paper (Main Idea?

◦ Take Notes of Information Write down topics and ideas Write down any specific information or data

◦ Make an Outline Organize the info you write into a structure Follow the format we used as an example Try to visualize it (in your head or on paper)

Practical Strategies

After Listening◦ Review the Information

Look at your notes Remember what you heard (and thought about)

◦ Check with Others around you Did they get the same information? Where did you guys differ?

◦ Identify Areas Areas of Confusion or Disagreement Any gaps in your Outline? Areas where you didn’t get anything…

◦ Reflect What was my problem? What can I do different next time?

Practical Strategies

That’s why I said you need a Notebook◦ Get used to writing while you listen

Don’t forget, LISTEN AGAIN AND AGAIN…

Any Questions, Comments…

Lets Practice…

Practical Strategies

Title: NO TITLE

◦ First, let’s practice listening for gist…

◦ Listen to the first 30 seconds,

◦ Figure out the title and main idea

Ready?

Exercise 1

Title: “Horror Films”

◦ Now, listen for topics and main ideas

◦ Listen to the whole clip, what are the topics?

◦ Try to make an outline

◦ What different things about horror films does she talk about?

Ready?

Exercise 1

Title: “Horror Films”

◦ Now, listen for specific information and data

◦ Answer these questions: How old was she when her mother caught her watching a scary

movie? What was the name of the movie? What movies are considered “slasher movies”? What happens if a zombie bites you, in “Dawn of the Dead”? What’s the name of the movie from New Zealand? What do they call a “hurricane” in the UK? What was in the mist, in the movie, “The Mist’?

Ready?

Exercise 1

“Horror Films”I want to talk about horror films and why I like them and what my

favourite types are. When I was young, I watched the classic horror films like

'Nightmare On Elms Street' and 'Friday The 13th'. My mum told me that when I was about six, she came downstairs in the middle of the night because there was a noise, and it was me watching 'The Omen' on TV in the dark on my own. So I guess I've always liked horror films. 

I really like what I called 'slasher films' - the really gory, bloody, violent films like 'Final Destination' and 'The Hills Have Eyes'. I just find them quite funny and I like the special effects. I don't really find them scary at all. I think the scariest sort of films are the ones that are very tense, like Hitchcock films.  

I think the scariest one for me is 'The Birds' because it's just very sinister the way that the birds come and sit and look at the people. And you know that it's going to be really bad very soon. 

Exercise 1 - Transcript

But I think my favourite ... favourite sort of horror films are zombie movies. I've watched loads of zombie movies and I really like them. Again I don't really think they are very scary. 'Dawn Of The Dead' is my absolute favourite horror film I think. It's a film where people just wake up one morning and there are zombies everywhere. If a zombie bites you, you turn into a zombie. And the survivors end up in a shopping mall in a shopping centre and they are surrounded by zombies. And it does not have a happy ending. 

There is a British comedy horror film called 'Shaun Of The Dead' which is a bit of a joke on the idea of the 'Dawn Of The Dead' which is also really great. The most recent one I watched was a New Zealand film called 'Black Sheep' which is about zombie sheep. That was pretty funny as well. 

The most recent horror film I watched was on a plane last time I went back to the UK. It was a Stephen King film based on a Stephen King book - I think a short story. And it was called 'The Mist'. It was about people who lived in a small town in America and there was a hurricane, or typhoon as we call them here. And after the typhoon, they wanted to go into town to get some supplies to fix up the house. And it started to get misty or foggy. It was quite a strange mist - it didn't look normal. And these people ended up in a hardware store in the town all trapped together because there were sort of monsters in the mist - these unrealistic giant creatures that were in the mist that were killing people. There was quite a lot of blood and guts and people died in horrible ways which is what I like about horror films. I would recommend it if you like horror films as much as I do.

Exercise 1 – Transcript Part 2

Title: NO TITLE

◦ First, let’s practice listening for gist…

◦ Listen to the first 30 seconds,

◦ Figure out the title and main idea

Ready?

Exercise 2

Title: “Interview Techniques”

◦ Now, listen for topics and main ideas

◦ Listen to the whole clip, what are the topics?

◦ Try to make an outline

◦ How does he organize the talk?

Ready?

Exercise 2

Title: “Interview Techniques”

◦ Now, listen for specific information and data

◦ Answer these questions: As a rule of thumb, which questions should you ask first? Where should you interview a person? What should you do when you start the interview? How should you be during the interview? Should you ask leading questions? What should you do when ending an interview? What is the “last task”?

Ready?

Exercise 2

“Interview Techniques”I know it sounds obvious, but you really must prepare before the interview. Find out as much as you can about the person you’re going to interview, and the subject matter of the interview. Prepare your questions in advance. Think about the order you will ask them. A rule of thumb is to ask questions about facts first, leaving opinion questions until later. Most people find questions about facts much easier to answer, so they start to feel more at ease.  Spend a little time imagining how you hope the interview will go. Visualise yourself in the situation, introducing yourself, asking the first question.Think about where the interview will take place. Try to interview the person in a place which is appropriate to the interview – their place of work, for example. Interviewing a person on their territory can put them at ease, and also provide you with colour for your story.How you start the interview can influence how successful it will be. Be confident and courteous. Start by introducing yourself, and stating the reason for the interview. Set your ground rules. For example, you may want to insist that the interviewee says in advance if they want what they say to be off the record.

Exercise 2 - Transcript

During the interview, you should be polite but firm. Ask your questions in a confident manner, and listen carefully to the answers. Very often an inexperienced interviewer will simply go through their list of questions, not realising that some of them have already been answered. Use your list of questions as a base for the interview, not a rigid script. Ask follow-up questions. Ask for evidence to support any claims made by the interviewee. Don’t be afraid to ask ‘How do you know that?’ But never ask leading questions. Let the person say what they want to say, not what you want them to say.When ending the interview, you should go back over the main things that have been said. This gives you a chance to review your notes. You should then ask the interviewee if they want to add anything else. And finally, ask if you can contact them again should you need to.OK, so the interview is over, but you have one last task. As soon as possible, sit down and look at your notes. Are they clear? Is there anything else you can add to them? Do this while you can still remember what was said. And write down all the colour you can remember – about the person and the place.

Exercise 2 – Transcript Part 2