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EFS 693B - STANFORD UNIVERSITY
Listening and Communication

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EFS 693B

Notes: Week 4

 

 

I.  Another interesting website, www.lingual.net: video clips with subtitles, transcripts, and comprehension quizzes (Note, sometimes the videos load slowly, so be prepared with something to do while you're waiting, like pre-listening). Note their "method"--it's a good procedure to consider

 

II. Quiz on "No Time to Think"

 

III. The English sound system - an overview

            A. Basic sounds (phonemes): http://www.uiowa.edu/~acadtech/phonetics/#

            B. Rhythm: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stress_timing

            C. Stress: www.englishclub.com/pronunciation/word-stress.htm

            D. Intonation: www.americanaccent.com/intonation.html

            E. Linking: www.englishclub.com/pronunciation/linking.htm

            F. Reduced forms: www3.telus.net/linguisticsissues/ReducedForms.html

        

IV. Go to the Online News Hour: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/. We'll look at both today's shows and the archive.

 

V. Technical training: how to get more control of the media player (in a PC).

  1. Load  the video using the Windows Media Player option

  2. Right click on the video screen and select "properties" (if available)

  3. Copy the URL into a new browser

  4. Hit enter, and it should load into the regular Windows Media Player, giving you the full playbar (if expanded) and allowing access to speed control and the graphic equalizer (set to speech). Note that these are accessible by right-clicking on the top bar and selecting View > Enhancements

 

VI. Using the VLC media player: go to www.videolan.org/vlc/ to download player or use the machines in the Meyer Lab (second floor): See detailed instructions here

  1. Load  the video into the VLC Player, using the Media menu. Use "Open Network Stream" if you have a URL for it.

  2. If you don't have the URL handy, right click on the video screen and select "properties" to find it; alternatively, for Flash videos you may be able to get it by using View > source and searching for "flv". Sometimes, you just can't find it.

  3. Note that the speed control is on top: you can also jump back two seconds using Shift- <-- and one minute using Ctrl - <-- (use the same with forward-arrow to jump forward)

 

 

 

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Homework: Unless otherwise stated (e.g., the independent project) you should complete this material in time to discuss it in the following class. Be sure to bring notes if requested.
 
1) Continue working on your independent project. Remember to incorporate any suggestions made in the individual meetings. Plan to do some combination of 3-6 sessions for a total of at least three hours. Try to have a mixture of objectives that includes not only comprehension, but also building language knowledge and improving processing. Be sure you are doing something about reviewing your vocabulary. Get the report form here
 
2) Go to the Online News Hour: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/. You can either pick the current program or look at the archives under "recent programs" and find one there. Follow a standard listening lesson procedure through at least one story: (note, if you're already using this for your independent study, do this anyway--it shouldn't count as part of your three hours)

    A. Pre-listening: Read about the story
    B. While listening: Pause occasionally (more often if you're having trouble) and try to recall what you know up to that point; jot down a note of the time for interesting or difficult parts
    C. Post-listening: What do you remember? What should you do next? Try at least two of the following
        - Listen again to the full story for comprehension
        - Listen to selected parts for comprehension
        - Look at the transcript for comprehension help
        - Look at the transcript to focus on vocabulary building


3) PBS Online News Hour: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/science/jan-june03/dna_04-25.html.

Pre-listening--The title is DNA's 50th Anniversary: What is DNA?  What do you know about its discovery? Be sure to think about this before you begin listening.

Follow the instructions in V and/or VI and listen to at least 3 minutes of one of the stories at slow speed (70 or 80%) and then again at normal speed. Did slowing it down seem to help your comprehension? Were you able to notice new words, reductions and linking, more easily? Did you follow the pre-listening, while listening, and post-listening recommendations? If you have trouble loading the material into the VLC player (or Windows media player for older videos like this one be), let me know.
 
4) Prepare to discuss your individual project with other students in the class (bring a copy of your report to help you remember)
       1) What material are you using?
       2) Why did you pick that? What are your objectives?
       3) Give an example of an effective procedure you're using. Why do you think it's effective?
       4) What is the most useful thing you've learned so far from the project?
       5) What is your main problem in doing the project?

 

Last modified: January 25, 2010, by Phil Hubbard