Learning English with CBC

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1 Lesson 72: Self Study Edition Learning English with CBC Listening Lessons for Intermediate Students Based on CBC Manitoba Radio Broadcasts November 16, 2011 Level: Topic: Language Skills and Functions: CLB 6 and up Living in a Fast Speaking World Listening listening to a short interview for main ideas and detail; Speaking asking for clarification/checking for understanding Reading reading a text for main ideas and detail Writing writing a paragraph Language Competencies: Vocabulary, Pronunciation, Listening and Speaking Strategies, Socio-cultural/sociolinguistic Competence Language Tasks: Answer questions about fast speech across cultures Listen for main ideas and detail in a radio interview with a Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders Assess personal use of listening strategies Ask for clarification/check for understanding in a role play Read tips on taking good notes Write a paragraph on why taking notes is a good learning strategy Read a text about President Obama s speaking style and answer detail questions Essential Skills: Reading text, oral communication, writing Appendices: Transcript Tips for Taking Notes Globe and Mail article: Turtle talk wins the race Answers to Worksheets

2 Manitoba Memo Did you know there are over 100 languages spoken in Manitoba? While English is the dominant language of the province, the next most commonly heard languages are German, French, Tagalog, Ukrainian and Cree. Immigrants to the province bring their languages with them, enriching the linguistic make-up of Manitoba. 1 When you listen to a language other than your native language, it often sounds as though it is spoken more quickly than your own language. The words and music of the language sound foreign and unfamiliar. Some languages are spoken at a faster pace than others. For example, Spanish and Japanese sound as though they are spoken at breakneck speed. However, those who study languages say that in fact, languages tend to convey information to listeners at the same rate, even though the speed of the delivery of some languages sounds much faster than others. 2 Scientists studied native language speakers of seven common languages: English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin and Spanish. They also studied a less common language, Vietnamese. One of the main things they discovered was that language speed is determined by how much meaning is packed into each syllable. The more information a language packs into a syllable, the fewer syllables have to be spoken in a second to convey meaning. For example, the single syllable word bliss is full of meaning. On the other hand, the word to is not. And a single syllable in the midst of a longer word, such as the short i in merr-i-ly, has no independent meaning at all. When scientists listened to a minute of speech in all of the languages studied they found that each language conveyed about the same amount of information in that minute. They concluded that while Spaniards sprint and Chinese stroll when they speak, both tell the same story in the same amount of time. In English, there s growing concern that many people are speaking too quickly. Our fastpaced lives mean we try to say more in less time. But is it working? Communications experts fear that fast speech means listeners comprehend less and less of what is said. As language learners, we need to remember that speaking fast is less important than speaking well and that one key to speaking well is listening well. In fact, eighty percent of what we learn comes from listening. That s why we need to learn strategies to help us listen. We need to be prepared to politely ask speakers to slow down, repeat what they ve said or clarify. Above all, we need lots and lots of practice! 1 Source: 2 From Time Magazine, Self Study: Living in a Fast Speaking World Learning English with CBC Page 2 of 18

3 Background 1. Think about the following questions Think about the language you hear around you in Canada. Do you think Canadians speak English faster than people in your country speak their native tongue? If so, why do you think this is the case? How does the music of the English you hear in Canada compare to the music of your language? Are there other things that you think are unique to English speakers or unique to speakers of your language? In English, two or more words are sometimes combined to sound like one word: gonna (going to), whaddaya (what do you) etc. Do people use reductions like these in your language? Do people speaking your language use more or fewer gestures than Canadians speaking English? When people speak English very quickly, do the gestures they use help you understand? What kinds of gestures are helpful? (Ask students to demonstrate!) When Canadians speak to you, do they stand closer or farther away than people in your culture do? 2. Vocabulary definitions Here are some words you need to know to understand the CBC interview. texting Twitter the 24-hour news cycle to be bombarded When you use your cell phone to send someone a written message, it s called texting. Twitter is a social networking service. It allows you to answer the question What are you doing? by sending short text messages of about 140 characters to your friends or to people who follow you on Facebook. These messages are called tweets. The 24-hour news cycle is the news system that makes news available to us at all times, day and night. We often say we are bombarded with information or questions. It means we re hearing too much or too many questions. For example: The students bombarded their professor with questions about the exam. Everyone was speaking at once and no-one could be heard. Self Study: Living in a Fast Speaking World Learning English with CBC Page 3 of 18

4 to have a thought cross your mind This idiom refers to times when you have a sudden or passing thought or idea. For example: It crossed my mind that the store was closing early today and that I needed to hurry if I was going to get there on time. a decade to cram communications science communication disorders clarity words per minute typically the central nervous system A decade is a ten year time period. You are cramming something in when you try to force, press, or squeeze it into an insufficient space or time. For example: Maria had one exam Tuesday and another on Wednesday. She had to cram a week s worth of studying into twenty-four hours. Communications science explores how people use messages to inform, persuade and entertain others. Communication disorders are when someone has problems in speech, language, and/or hearing. Examples of disorders range from saying sounds incorrectly to being completely unable to speak or be understood. Speech-language pathologists and audiologists provide services to evaluate, diagnose, and treat communication disorders. If you speak with clarity, it means you speak clearly and it is easier for listeners to hear what you are saying. Words per minute describes the rate at which someone speaks, writes or types. The rate is actually a calculation. Typically is another word for usually. It means that something happens or takes place in the usual way or the way you would expect it to happen. For example: Typically, our classes run from nine to noon. The main part of the body s nervous system is called the central nervous system. It consists of the brain and the spinal cord. The central nervous system controls how the body feels pain, heat etc. and it controls movement. to comprehend something an elongated vowel If you are able to comprehend something, it means that you understand it. Elongate means to lengthen or make longer. An elongated vowel takes longer to pronounce. Self Study: Living in a Fast Speaking World Learning English with CBC Page 4 of 18

5 to advocate for something television news broadcasters to take a hint constant feedback to pause between phrases to mark something down If you say publicly that you think something should happen or should be done, you are advocating for it. For example: Gudrun believes that Canada should let in more immigrants. She met with her Member of Parliament to advocate for an increase in Canadian immigration quotas. The people who deliver the news or current events on TV are known as news broadcasters. This idiom describes situations when you suggest something to someone and they behave as you suggested. Often the original suggestion is subtle or indirect. For example: The day before Mother s Day Mom told me lilies were her favourite flower. I can take a hint! I went out and bought her a bouquet of lilies for Mother s Day. When you continuously give someone advice, criticism and/or praise on something they have done, you are providing constant feedback. If you stop speaking between thoughts or groups of words (phrases) and then start again, you are pausing. For example, you may pause to take a breath, collect your thoughts or look at the audience. When you mark something down, you write it down, often to help you keep track. For example: The week before she started her low sodium diet, Gina marked down and kept track of the sodium content of everything she ate. Self Study: Living in a Fast Speaking World Learning English with CBC Page 5 of 18

6 3. Vocabulary Match Learning new vocabulary before you listen makes it easier for you to understand the story. After you have read the vocabulary definitions, see if you can you match the following vocabulary words or phrases with their meaning. The first one is completed for you as an example. Vocabulary Word Meaning 1. _c clarity a) continuous praise, advice or criticism 2. to be bombarded b) to write down; to keep track 3. a decade c) clearness, intelligibility 4. to cram d) to try to fit or squeeze something into a small space or period of time 5. typically e) lengthened; longer 6. the central nervous system 7. a communication disorder f) a problem with speech, language or hearing g) to understand a suggestion and behave accordingly 8. elongated h) to be confronted by too much of something 9. constant feedback i) to send a written message using your cell phone 10. to pause j) to publicly say what you think should happen; to speak on behalf of a cause or organization 11. to mark down k) a social networking service used to send short text messages to tell people what you re doing/thinking 12. to advocate l) to stop; to take a short break 13. to take a hint m) the system that tells the body when it feel pain, heat etc. and which controls movement 14. to text someone n) a ten year period 15. Twitter o) usually Self Study: Living in a Fast Speaking World Learning English with CBC Page 6 of 18

7 4. Predict what the podcast is about In this interview, Colleen Ross interviews Professor Ray Hull. He teaches in a University Department called Communication Sciences and Disorders. Can you predict the kinds of things that Professor Hull might teach or study in his Department? Here are some examples. He might teach people how to speak clearly. Maybe he teaches...people with speech impediments or problems. Another thing he might study is how people learn to speak a language. I have no idea what he might teach or study. Beats me what he might teach or study. (informal) 5. Get ready to listen In this podcast, you will hear three speakers. You will hear: Marcy Markusa host Colleen Ross interviewer Ray Hull Professor in the Department of Communications Sciences and Disorders, University of Wichita, Kansas. Self Study: Living in a Fast Speaking World Learning English with CBC Page 7 of 18

8 6. Listen for Main Ideas and Detail Read the questions before you listen to the podcast. When you listen to the podcast the first time, listen for the main ideas. When you listen a second time, listen for the details to answer the questions below. Use point form to keep your answers brief. 1. What has changed about the way people speak in the last decade? they re speaking faster 2. What does Professor Hull help people do? 3. How many words a minute do people typically speak today? 4. What groups have difficulty when people speak very quickly? 5. Why does Professor Hull think television news broadcasters need to slow down their speaking rate? 6. What strategies can someone use if they want to speak more slowly? After you Listen a) Review your pre-listening predictions Were you able to predict some of the things Professor Hull teaches or studies? b) Assess your language learning listening skills In the podcast, Colleen Ross talks about strategies people can use to learn to speak more slowly. A strategy is a technique or tool we use to help us learn. Strategies are particularly helpful when we are learning a new language. Think about what listening learning strategies you used when you listened to today s podcast. For example, one strategy you used was to first activate your own knowledge about the topic. Self Study: Living in a Fast Speaking World Learning English with CBC Page 8 of 18

9 Do you use some of the following strategies or techniques to help you understand spoken language better? Think about these strategies. Which are most helpful to you? Are there some strategies you don t use now but think you might use in the future? Listening Strategies When I listen to someone, I try to focus on the overall meaning and not just the details. Yes, usually No, never Sometimes I focus on the person who is speaking. I watch for non-verbal communication such as gestures or facial expressions. I repeat points I have heard to confirm they are correct. When I am introduced to a new word, I try to connect the sound of the word with an image or picture. If I know the topic or the title of a lesson or presentation, I try to activate my own background knowledge. I think about what the speaker may talk about so I can better understand the content. If I m listening to the radio, I try to visualize the setting/ subject. I pay special attention when teachers/speakers repeat or stress a particular point. These are often the most important points. I listen for intonation and tone of voice to better understand meaning and feeling. I listen for stressed words or phrases as they carry the most meaning. I regularly listen to English outside the classroom. Another listening strategy I use is Self Study: Living in a Fast Speaking World Learning English with CBC Page 9 of 18

10 c) Can you ask for clarification? Check for understanding? Do you have the language you need to let someone know that you need further explanation or clarification? What about when you want to check to see if someone understands what you are saying? Here are some expressions you can use: If you don t understand or hear what someone says, you say: Pardon me? (more formal) I m sorry. I m not following you. Could you please repeat that? Sorry, I didn t catch what you said. I m sorry, I didn t get that. Come again? (informal) If you want to check to see if someone understands you, you can say: Do you understand? Is that clear? Did you get that? Are you following me? Okay so far? Got that? (informal) Ask another student to do this role play with you. Ask them to explain a topic from the idea list below. When they speak too quickly or what they say is unclear, ask for clarification. As they speak, they can also check to see if you are following the explanation. Then reverse roles. You can change topics too! Topic Ideas 1) Explain the directions for getting from school to your home 2) Describe in detail how to make your favourite meal/dish/dessert 3) Explain the many features on your cell phone Here is an example of how you could begin: Student A: To get to my house from here, you take Elgin to Sherbrook and turn right. Student B: I m sorry, I didn t quite catch that. Did you say turn right? Student A: Yes, turn right. Then you go one block to William and turn left. Got that? Student B: Yes, thanks. Student A: And then Etc. Self Study: Living in a Fast Speaking World Learning English with CBC Page 10 of 18

11 d) Taking Notes Most of us are familiar with the importance of taking notes when we re listening. But taking notes can also be very helpful when we read a text especially a long or difficult text! Taking notes on what we read can improve our understanding of the content. It also helps us recall the information. Our notes provide a summary of what we have read. People have different ways of taking notes when they read. Sometimes the notes are kept on a separate sheet of paper. Sometimes, they re written in the margins of the page. Or they may be written on post-it notes and stuck to the page. Read Appendix 2. Which of the tips on this list do you use when you take notes? Can you summarize the information you have read in a paragraph? What do you think are the main benefits of taking notes while you listen or when you read a text? Use the outline below to help you. Begin with a topic sentence. The topic sentence introduces what you want to talk about. It makes the reader want to know more. I think taking notes is an important learning strategy that all students should know. Add two or three supporting sentences. The supporting sentences will tell the reader why you think taking notes helps someone learn English. The main benefits of taking notes are and. In addition, taking notes helps students. Personally, I find taking notes very helpful when I. Write a concluding sentence. It summarizes what has been said. I think everyone should learn how to take good notes because. Self Study: Living in a Fast Speaking World Learning English with CBC Page 11 of 18

12 e) Read a text about speaking styles and answer detail questions Sometimes, when we read a text, we are looking primarily for details. Read the adapted Globe and Mail newspaper article in Appendix 3. 3 Can you find the information you need to fill in the details on this reading chart? Use your note-taking skills to keep your answers short. The first question is completed as an example. Question 1 How does the article describe President Obama s speaking style? Answer - inspiring - slow - formal - careful - deliberate 2 How many words per minute did President Obama speak in New Hampshire? 3 What is the average number of words per minute for a politician? 4 What is the average number of words per minute for regular conversation? 5 What advice do speechwriters give political clients? 6 Why do speechwriters advise politicians to slow down? 7 Pausing is described as a powerful speaking tool. Why? How would you answer the following questions? 1. The title of the article is Turtle talk wins the race. What do you think the title means? Do you think it is a good title for the article? Why or why not? 2. Watch/listen to the first three to four minutes of the clip of President Obama speaking. It can be found at: Take notes on his speaking style as you listen. What do you think? Is his speaking style effective? Why or why not? 3 This article was written when Senator Barack Obama was running for President. Since he is currently President, and that s how we know him, he s referred to as President Obama in this lesson. Self Study: Living in a Fast Speaking World Learning English with CBC Page 12 of 18

13 Want to know more The scientific information in the Manitoba memo is from: Students can practice their listening skills on the Learning English with CBC site at: or by listening to other CBC podcasts at: The short document Effective Listening and Note-Taking is intended for college students but is a good summary: CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external websites Self Study: Living in a Fast Speaking World Learning English with CBC Page 13 of 18

14 Appendix 1: Transcript October 31, 2011(broadcast date) Speaker Podcast Line Marcy Hi I'm Marcy Markusa and you're listening to Learning English with CBC. Well things like texting, Twitter and the 24 hour news cycle continually bombard us with information in our fast paced world. But do you sometimes wonder if people are also talking faster than they used to? Well, if that thought has crossed your mind, you re absolutely right. We are speaking faster than we did a decade ago. So how does cramming more words into every minute affect our ability to understand what we re saying to each other? Well that s one of the questions CBC reporter Colleen Ross put to communications expert Ray 5 10 Hull in this interview. Colleen Ray Hull is a Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Wichita State University in Kansas. People seek his help to talk slower and with greater clarity. To get back to where we used to be. 15 Ray A decade ago I measured the speed of speech of teachers, family members and those out in society at a rate of about 145 words per minute. That is certainly not what we re finding today. People are speaking at a rate of typically of around 160 to 180 words per minute. 20 Colleen Hull says the central nervous system is best able to comprehend speech at around 124 to 130 words per minute. That s about how fast he just spoke. When we talk slowly, the central nervous system has the time to fill in the gaps of speech with elongated vowels and consonants. 25 Self Study: Living in a Fast Speaking World Learning English with CBC Page 14 of 18

15 Colleen (continued) Ray Colleen Teachers or parents who think that kids don t hear them, (they) actually might not understand them. And it s not just kids. The ever growing number of new immigrants, and especially seniors, can have a hard time with fast talkers. Hull says we all need to advocate for slower speech. 30 When I work with television news broadcasters who I time speaking at 200 words per minute, and people call in and complain that they cannot understand, then it would seem as though people would begin to take the hint that they need to slow down. 35 There s a few ways to do that. Look people in the eye to get constant feedback and pause between phrases. And time yourself. Mark 130 words on a page and clock how fast you read it. If you re done in less than a minute, try slowing down a little and see what it feels like. Then again, I ve been speaking 40 at around 170 words per minute and hopefully you ve understood me. Self Study: Living in a Fast Speaking World Learning English with CBC Page 15 of 18

16 Taking Good Notes Can Help Us Learn Appendix 2: Tips for Taking Notes 4 Taking good notes is a valuable skill. Taking notes when we are listening or when we read a document can help us learn, identify important points and recall what we have heard or read. Good notes are brief and clear. Less is more in the world of taking notes! Some Situations Where We Might Take Notes Tips for Taking Notes listening or reading in class; studying at home or with friends; at the workplace; at a parent-teacher interview at a doctor s office; at a presentation, information session or meeting; when we re on the phone; when we see information in a newspaper, on the internet, on a bulletin board or in a magazine that we want to remember. 1. Be concise. Write down main points, key words and important details. Do more listening/reading than writing. 2. Be neat. Do it right the first time. Don t assume you will re-write your notes later. 3. Don t crowd your notes. Leave some white space so you can add more notes later. 4. Use pen. Pencil is easily erased or smudged and can be hard to read. 5. Only use familiar short forms or abbreviations. It s risky to make up short forms. There s nothing worse then re-reading your notes and realizing you have no idea what word your short form stands for! 6. Draw or illustrate a point if that makes sense. Sometimes an illustration or symbol works well. For example, if you are listening to an interview and want to remember the speaker sounded very sad, you might draw a sad face Try to put your notes in your own words. The exceptions to this rule are if you are taking down formulas, definitions, words, specific facts or names. 8. Don t worry if you miss something. You ll never catch all the important points. Do your best and keep going. 9. Read your notes over. When you finish, read your notes over. Add additional detail, clarify or correct if needed. 10. Decide what note-taking style works best for you. What works for you? Bullets or point form? Short phrases or full sentences? One or two word points? Lots of illustrations or symbols? 4 Adapted from: Self Study: Living in a Fast Speaking World Learning English with CBC Page 16 of 18

17 Appendix 3: Turtle talk wins the race 5 An inspiring orator such as Barack Obama pulls people in by slowing it down, speech experts say By Jane Taber Globe and Mail, Friday, Feb. 22, 2008 Barack Obama speaks at turtle speed. In various one-minute chunks of his now famous "Yes we can" New Hampshire speech, Mr. Obama speaks as few as 110 words a minute. The 46 year-old-senator speaks slowly and formally. He chooses his words carefully and deliberately, allowing his audience to savour every syllable, conjunction, vowel and pause. Speechwriters say the average speaking speed for politicians making public presentations is between 120 and 125 words a minute. This compares with between 170 and 180 words a minute in regular conversation. They will tell you, too, that they advise their clients to slow down, way down, and deliver their speech at between 110 and 120 words a minute. "To be below 100 is rather quite dramatic," says a former speechwriter for former U.S. president George H. W. Bush. And to be above 125, 130 is breakneck." At that speed, he says, you lose people - or worse, you could create questions in the minds of listeners "as if to say you don't want us to listen closely." But in addition to speaking slowly and with cadence and rhythm, good speakers emphasize the power of the pause. A well-timed pause can focus the listener's interest and attention as they lean in, wanting more. The rate of delivery "tends to reinforce the message," says another expert. "There isn't a set rule," she says. "More rapid speech creates a sense of urgency. Visionary rhetoric tends to be delivered thoughtfully... slowly." Grammar Note: In English, important words in a title are capitalized. For example in the title of this lesson, Living in a Fast-Speaking World, all of the important words are capitalized. But that s not the case in the world of news headlines. In Turtle talk wins the race only the first word is capitalized. If you look in the newspaper or at news stories on line, you will find that only the first word in a headline is capitalized (unless it s a proper noun, e.g. the name of a person, country or organization). 5 An excerpt/adaptation from the Globe and Mail, Self Study: Living in a Fast Speaking World Learning English with CBC Page 17 of 18

18 Vocabulary Match Answers to Worksheets 1. c 2. h 3. n 4. d 5. o 6. m 7. f 8. e 9. a 10. l 11. b 12. j 13. g 14. i 15. k Listen for Main Ideas and Detail Answers will vary 1. they re speaking faster 2. speak slowly and clearly words per minute 4. kids, new immigrants, seniors 5. listeners can t understand them 6. check to see if they re being understood; use pauses; use a clock to time how fast they re speaking Read a Text about Speaking Styles for Detail Answers will vary 1. inspiring; slow; formal; careful; deliberate 2. as few as 110 words per minute slow down 6. you lose your audience or they stop paying attention 7. people become more interested; they want to hear more Self Study: Living in a Fast Speaking World Learning English with CBC Page 18 of 18