Sample answers for unassessed listening task

Hi all, today we went over the answers to the unassessed listening task on the 'Word of Mouth' transmission. You had some very detailed responses and I'm sure you won't have any problems dealing with the 'text' tomorrow. Just to remind you all, we will be in the Learning Centre on the second floor for the assessment so please be there for 9 sharp (take note LRT bus company!!)

Well done and I'll see you all tomorrow.

Mark

Top judge says young can't listen!

According to the BBC, a top English judge recently claimed that young people may not be reliable jurors as they don't have the same level of listening skills as older generations.

Here's a link to a quick test based on that BBC story (although, I agree with one of the comments at the end that the test's a bit flawed): http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7715868.stm

I find it a bit ironic that a top judge accuses young people of poor listening skills. Top judges are just the kind of folk who end up in the House of Lords - a place full of, amongst others, retired judges popping off to sleep during other people's speeches.!

Thoughts?

Thinking about listening skills

Today we moved away from presentations and started to look at another aspect of communication: listening.

Although we are looking at something different, the same features of communication analysis arise. We've talked a lot about structure, purpose, audience, point-of-view in relation to essays and presentations. Then, you were the producers of communication "texts". Now, you are not producing texts - you are "receiving" information. In this case you are receiving information aurally (ie. via your ears) in the form of radio and television programmes.

We are now interested in how other people structure a piece of communication. We're interested in working out their purpose, intended audience and point of view. When we analyse these aspects we are in a position to judge the quality of the piece.

And hopefully we learn from what is good (and not so good) about the way they've put the piece together. We should be able to apply the principles that make a good piece of oral communication (like a presentation or programme) to a piece of written communication (like an essay or report).

Students in university and college spend a lot of time listening (or should). It is one of the main, and most traditional, ways of communicating information and ideas to students. That's not to say that it's always a good way to learn. One lecturer transmitting information to a lecture theatre of 150 students may be cost-effective for a university, but does it make sense educationally? Maybe pod-casts are the way ahead?

The point is that students will do a lot of listening and we need to spend a bit of time practising that skill.

So we have now listened to the documentary on BBC Radio 4's Word of Mouth series (see link at the right hand side of the blog) on "borrowing" in language.

If you weren't at the class today or haven't had a chance to finish answering the questions, please do so for the class on Monday (at 9) where we will discuss the responses that you have come up with and I will give you a set of sample answers.

All the best, Mark

Yearbook feedback!

Hi all,

You now have the Access to Languages Yearbook, so I thought I would pop a post on our blog to see what you think of it. Please post your comments below. I am very pleased with it personally and I have contacted Lorna, one of our resident DTP experts with some positive feedback already. Over to you...

Schedule of work until the end of term - this is subject to change!

OK, so we still have quite a few assessments to do, but here is a rough plan of how we might roll out the Comm 4 and Oral Presentation Skills Units. Remember, I am planning for 5 months or so here, so will do my best to keep to it, no mean feat with two Units to work to. Oh, and there are lots of Mondays that we miss due to holidays!

As a reminder there are 13 assessments you do for me. For Comm 4 (2x reading, 2x listening, 2x talking and 2x writing) and for Oral Presentation Skills (2x presentation analysis, 1x presentation plan, 2x presentations to deliver).

Many of you have already completed 4 assessments - Comm 4 reading (digital books), OPS speaking (how to do), OPS plan (how to do) and OPS analysis 1 (Jamie Oliver). In the next couple of weeks you will also have completed (for Comm 4) 1 writing outcome (an essay you did for Evan) and 1 listening outcome (another Radio 4 Word of Mouth transmission). Phew...so, lets see if we can follow the plan below!

31st Jan - listen to Word of Mouth radio transmission on "language borrowing" again.
1st and 7th Feb - work in groups, discuss the programme, answer some questions.
8th and 14th Feb - listening assessment for Comm 4 and hand in any history essay of your choosing that has passed for Evan - this will be credited as a pass for one of the writing outcomes for Comm 4.
15th Feb - hand back listening assessments for remediation (if necessary) and watch film 1 (of 2).
21st Feb - discuss film that was watched on the 15th and look at how to write a film review.
22nd Feb - watch film 2 (of) 2.
28th and 29th Feb - write up review for one of the films we watched in class.
7th March - give out brief for oral presentation (this will double up for Comm 4 and OPS outcomes - one presentation, two passes!)
8th, 14th and 15th March - prep for presentation.
21st, 22nd, 28th, 29th March and 4th April - presentation delivery (no plan needed).
5th April - Any remediation for assessments as necessary.

11th April until 26th April - EASTER VACATION

26th April - assemble into groups for group discussions. Research on topics.
2nd May - HOLIDAY!
3rd May - assessed group discussions (timeslots to be agreed in previous session).
9th May - at this stage we will have three assessments to complete - one listening, one reading and one analysis of an oral presentation. I suggest that we negotiate what is best re assessments at this stage. The last day of classes will be TUESDAY 14TH JUNE.

I hope this will work out well for us. I am satisfied that it will be.

We can move things around if we feel we need to, but this is the proposal anyway!

Cheers, Mark

Word of Mouth radio programme

Hi all, I hope you enjoyed the Word of Mouth radio programme we listened to this morning. I really liked the observations and discussion that ensued afterwards. I think we learned a new word today - 'Ponglais' or was it 'Ponglish'?! Anyway, for those members of the class who were unable to make the session, we listened to a Radio 4 transmission on the process of "borrowing" in English and other languages and heard from a variety of different sources.

If you want to hear the show again, I will play it on Monday, in our new venue, ROOM 120 at 9am. If you haven't heard the show yet, please ensure that you are in class on Monday.

The Tuesday slot remains the same for semester two and on Tuesday we will work in groups and answer some questions and have some discussion about the analysis of the programme. Meanwhile, I am off to listen to Desert Island Discs, as I have heard it is wonderful (cue shamed face, ruddy complexion, think before engagement etc etc)!

Have a great weekend all and I will see some, if not all of you, on Monday. Remember, for those who were at the class today, you will be authorised if you don't wish to hear the broadcast again.

All the best, Mark

Analysis

Jamie Oliver at the TED!

Hi all, just a quick word to say well done to those of you who have successfully completed the Jamie Oliver TED presentation analysis. I have been impressed with the level of critique in the papers I have seen so far. Don't forget, there is plenty of time to complete this as the deadline is Tuesday 25th January. We will be back in the normal room on the 4th floor on the 27th and as of the week beginning 31st January we will have a new venue. The Tuesday slot will remain the same but the hour slot will now be on Monday at 9. Room to be clarified, but when I have been told where we've been given, I will let you all know!

Have a great weekend,

Mark