Stanford

EFS 693B - STANFORD UNIVERSITY

Listening and Communication

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EFS 693B
Week 8 Notes
 

CLASS OBJECTIVES

I. Opening: discuss what was seen on Groundhog Day.

II. Vocabulary--small group discussion

    A.  A note on vocabulary learning: words per week; common phrases

    C. Discuss vocabulary experience in groups

        1) What did you think of the www.flashcarddb.com site? Did it help you learn your words?

        2) How are you selecting the words you are currently studying? Do you think that's an effective procedure?

        3) How are you studying and reviewing those words?  Do you think that's an effective procedure?

        4) How many words and phrases do you think you should learn in the next year? How many words a week is that?

        5) What can you do to make it possible to reach that goal?

III. Discussion of FlashACE: www.stanford.edu/dept/lc/efs/FlashACE/: provides processing practice through rapid, intensive comprehension and optional dictation.

IV. Listening to TV Dramas

Dramas are a very popular form of entertainment on television (which these days means not only broadcast and cable TV but also watching new episodes or even reruns online and older ones on DVDs).  As a means of being exposed to language, particularly conversational language, dramas are probably better than comedies. This is because the language in general is more real, since the goal is to tell a story and develop characters, rather than to tell jokes. Note, however, that each type of drama has its own specialized vocabulary that you will need to become familiar with. 

During the daytime, the primary dramas are the so-called soap operas. These shows, such as General Hospital, are on every day. There are four main types of “prime time” (evening) dramas. Family/friends dramas like Brothers and Sisters build on interpersonal relationships, particularly among young adults. They are basically evening soap operas. Another type is the crime drama. Here, the streets and the courts provide the dramatic setting: examples include Law and Order and Numb3rs. Then we have the hospital shows, like Grey’s Anatomy or House. These bring in the stories of life and death as doctors and nurses help save (or fail to save) the sick and wounded. Finally, there are science fiction dramas, where humans and alien races meet in interstellar space (e.g., Stargate), people have super powers (Heroes) or strange events occur on Earth (e.g., Lost). There are a few shows which mix comedy and drama, sometimes in rather strange ways. An example of this type of show is Desperate Housewives, about a group of suburban women and their lives, families, and relationships. It is interesting to note that two of  the most popular drama types from the earlier days of television in the 1950s and 60s have largely disappeared. These are westerns and war shows. They have been replaced by crime and medical dramas and science fiction shows.

Contemporary dramas can offer some insight into American culture, particularly urban culture. However, they tend to distort everyday life by focusing on the sensational, and many have a high degree of violence. If you want to watch dramas for listening practice, they are a good source of conversational English patterns, slang, and idioms. As noted above, in many ways the language is more realistic than in comedies, where the characters’ speech is often full of double meanings for the sake of humor. It is best to find a show and watch it consistently so that you get used to the characters and locations.

V. Groundhog Day continued

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Homework:

1) This week you make the choice. You may do your minimum three hours in any form you like: every day, three or four times a week, or even just once for a three-hour block (especially useful if you want to do a movie). You should pick the one that works best for you. Note that your reports will be due once again by Monday, May 24 at 8:00 PM (Tuesday class) or Tuesday, May 25 at 8:00 PM (Wednesday class). Get the report form here.

2) Listening to a TV drama. Go to http://www.hulu.com. Watch a full episode of one of the following, using captions as needed. If you are already familiar with one of these, you should try another. Consult the Wikipedia link to find out about the characters and the story before you watch. then, watch the show semi-intensively, using whatever procedure you think is appropriate to a) keep you interested and b) improve your comprehension, knowledge, and processing. Be sure to use the captions as effectively as you can.

When you get to the end, answer the following questions--turn the answers in with your weekly report and bring a copy to class for discussion next week:

  1. How well were you able to understand the show?

  2. Describe the procedure you used to watch it.

  3. How often did you use the captions? Were they helpful?

  4. Do you think the show would be helpful for vocabulary development? Why or why not?

  5. Did you like the show? Why or why not? Do you think you will watch it again?

3) Go to www.stanford.edu/dept/lc/efs/FlashACE/. Go through FlashACE Advanced Lessons 1 and 2. Try to come up with an answer as quickly as possible. Then listen again to verify it. Do dictation on a few items if desired.

Last modified May 18, 2010, by Phil Hubbard