On Listening Skills

III. Can’t remember so much? – Learn to select, learn to simplify
• The inability to produce an
item should not be taken to mean that the learner cannot comprehend it.
On Listening Skills
I. Thinking ahead of the speaker – Anticipation helps
• Listening is a temporally
extended activity in which the listener continuously develops more or less specific readiness for what will come next.
V. Don’t attempt to write too much
• Note-taking is essential in
listening. It helps us organize facts and retain concepts for later use.
V. Don’t attempt to write too much
V. Don’t attempt to write too much
Some useful abbreviations and symbols : From Latin: • cf. compare (with) • e.g. for example • etc. and so on • et al. and others • ibid. in the same place (in a book or article) • i.e. that is • N.B. note well (something important) • Viz. namely (naming someone or something you have just referred to)
The difficulties with listening: • the listener cannot control how quickly a speaker speaks • the listener is not always in a position to get the speaker to repeat what has been said • the choice of vocabulary is in the hands of the speaker
V. Don’t attempt to write too much
Symbols:
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ∴ ∵ = ≠ + － > < » « ≥ → ← ↑ ↓ ～ therefore, thus, so because is equal to, the same as is not equal to, not the same as plus, and, more minus, less greater than less than much greater than much less than equal to, or greater than leads to, causes, results in comes from, results from, develops from growth, increase, rising decrease, reduction, dropping, declining variation
II. Letting things go – Speed and vocabulary
• The good language learner
is the one who can tolerate vagueness and incompleteness of knowledge.
II. Letting things go – Speed and vocabulary
I. Thinking ahead of the speaker – Anticipation helps
Training focus: pre-listening preparation • discuss the topic • read related materials • do some vocabulary work
V. Don’t attempt to write too much
Abbreviations: • apt – apartment • acc – accountant • acpt – accept • ad – advertisement • adv – adsible • amt – amount • apv – approve • asap – as soon as possible
III. Can’t remember so much? –
Learn to select, learn to simplify
Two perspectives: • differences between comprehension & production
• 3 communication states: one-way, partial two-way and full two-way • 1st goal: to comprehend what is being said to us
• possible traps on effective listening
• Are we paying equal attention to every element in each utterance? • Are we attempting to memorize and repeat and write down all the details in a passage?
II. Letting things go – Speed and vocabulary
Train focus: keeping up with the speaker • let things that have passed go • do not dwell upon half-missed points • wait for the second, or even third chance to fill the gap in the message
I. Thinking ahead of the speaker – Anticipation helps
The skill to anticipate depends on: • the listener’s familiarity with the theme of the message • the listener’s knowledge of the speaker as well as the setting
III. Can’t remember so much? – Learn to select, learn to simplify
One common unpleasant / frustrating experience with listening: • while listening, you seem to understand everything that you hear, but as soon as the voice stops, all is gone!
I. Thinking ahead of the speaker – Anticipation helps
An effective listener: • constantly setting up hypothesis in his mind • constantly testing his hypothesis by matching it with what he has heard
V. Don’t attempt to write too much
Training focus: note-taking • use abbreviations and symbols • write down different speakers’ words in separate spaces, e.g. separate columns or lines
Two requirements: • recognize the main topics • write down the important details and supporting examples
V. Don’t attempt to write too much
The general principle for note-taking: • reduce the language by shortening the words and sentences • write the minimum to give sufficient meaning • choose an appropriate time to write • lay them out clearly
III. Can’t remember so much? –
Learn to select, learn to simplify
Training focus: learning to select and simplify • listen with a purpose • grasp the key words and the main points • turn the complicated sentence structures into simple ones, interrogative into affirmative, passive into active