Week+6

= = toc =**//Unit 5: Listening. A Few Considerations about a Neglected Skill//**= **Assignment**: See Activities 2 and 3
 * Key words**: listening skills, listening for gist, listening for detail,

Course Objectives

 * to use Internet resources to develop and practice general and academic listening skills
 * to recognise signals of text structure and use them to follow an academic lecture
 * to take notes while listening to easy to medium listening tasks

Course Outcomes
By the end of this unit, students will
 * be able to tell the difference between general and academic listening skills
 * be able to solve easy to medium listening comprehension tasks
 * be able to use sites such as [|Randall's ESL Cyber Listening Lab] and Andy Gillet's Using English for Academic Purposes, [|Listening] to learn about/ develop general and academic listening skills

Read the following fallacies about listening and discuss them with your teacher/classmates. What is your opinion?

Then read comments on this [|page].
 * Listening is not my problem
 * Listening and hearing are the same
 * Good readers are good listeners
 * Smarter people are better listeners
 * Listening improves with age
 * Listening skills are difficult to learn

**B.** Are you a good listener?
Try the following personality quiz. It's fun! BBC Slink [|Are You a Good Listener?]

**C**. Comment
Now go to your individual page and write about 50 words on your own thoughts related to listening skills.

Activity 2 Practice General Listening Skills

 * Before Listening:**
 * 1) Look up the following words and expressions: [|voluntary]work, [|brownie points], elf, paternalist, libertarian, nudge, financial incentives, legislate, oxymoron, altruistic deeds, the good Samaritan, monetise.
 * 2) Have you ever done voluntary work?
 * 3) When a kid/teenager did you expect a reward after doing household chores?

Listen to the following podcast and choose the best title from the following options. Podcast Source: [|BBC Podcasts. Thought of the Day]
 * Listening for Gist**
 * 1) What's in it for me?
 * 2) Voluntary work doesn't pay.
 * 3) People don't like working without rewards.

Listen again and note down answers to the following questions. Then compare your answers with a classmate's. What is the name of the program? What is the Japanese motivation system called? What is the author's explanation for the expression "brownie points"? What domestic activities did the author pay his son and daughter for? What is the reward if not money?
 * Listening for Detail**

To check your answers, access the [|transcript]of the podcast.

Go to your personal page and write your comment on one of the following quotes (about 150 words).
 * After Listening**
 * “The reward of a thing well done is to have done it.” [|Ralph Waldo Emerson] **
 * “The highest reward for a man's toil is not what he gets for it but what he becomes by it.” [|John Ruskin] **

Resources for General Listening
[|BBC Radio 4 Podcasts] Scroll down the page and choose subjects of interest. Try to listen on a regular basis. [|Randall's ESL Cyber Listening Lab] - one of the most popular ESL (English as a Second Language) listening destination. Take some time to explore! Connect with [|Randall]on Facebook or on his other site, [|English Voices]

Activity 3 Practice Your Academic Reading Skills
Download and study the following document on listening strategies. [|Academic Listening Strategies.doc] • ** Make Listening a priority ** • ** Keep on working at it ** • ** You will improve ** • ** It’s worth it ** • ** Listen! **
 * Tip**: Improve your academic English listening skills by listening regularly!

Further Resources
Academic English from the Student Learning Center at Massey University, Australia: Here you can listen and practice your academic English vocabulary. Great resource for intermediate/higher intermediate students. [|English Listening Lounge] comprises some advanced listening audio clips. Just select your level and enjoy! [|Randall's ESL Cyber Listening Lab] Andy Gillet's Using English for Academic Purposes, [|Listening]


 * 1) ^ Fallacy= A misconception resulting from incorrect reasoning.