EFS 693B - STANFORD UNIVERSITY

Listening and Communication

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EFS 693B

Notes: 1 -1

I. Introductions

II. Sample video. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4294999797759269911 What did you learn?

        Pre-listening strategy: view all or part of a video silently and try to figure out what's going on before you begin listening

III. Video 2: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5031375692606487930: Introduction to listening to informational videos (history, culture, science, technology...)

    Discuss: What do you know now about this man?

IV. Video 3: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=448493458864593229

    Take notes: What are the most important points of this? How well did you understand it?

V. Importance of vocabulary - How many words do you know? How many words do native English speakers know? What do you know when you know a word?

                        1. General service list; Academic word list (also called University Word List)

                        2. www.er.uqam.ca/nobel/r21270/levels/: a set of tests at various levels

                        3. Babylon: www.babylon.com; Google definitions;
                            Note that for listening, you need to connect to the sound

                        4. Keeping a list and reviewing it:
                            a) note unknown words that 1) you've seen before, 2) that seem important: decide whether to take time to learn them (check frequencies)
                            b) get the word, its definition, and a sentence from the context you saw it in if possible
                            c) collect in groups of 10-20 and review regularly (till you know them)
                            d) try actively to notice these words in other contexts, and use Google to find more examples

To find word frequencies, go to http://www.lextutor.ca/vp/bnc/ and paste in a transcript (up to 2000 words): this will help you determine which words to learn. The lower the frequency, the less likely you are to see the word again soon. In general focus on words at the 9000 level or below.

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Homework: come prepared to discuss your experience on Monday--please bring notes to class
1. Listen to http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=448493458864593229 again. Try to find as many new words or phrases as you can (at least 5). If you are unable to hear/spell the word clearly enough to look it up, write down the phrase or sentence it occurs in.

2. Listen to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_fdyA24BdU. Who are the three main characters? How well do you understand what's going on?

3. Watch the first few minutes of http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3211083609505219709&ei=MGfQSdB1oNqoA8uf2PoD. How easy was it to understand after watching the previous videos? Watch more of later if you liked it.