Untitled Quiz

Communicative English

• This topic is about Communicative English Listening and Speaking.
• The slides cover the importance of listening and speaking skills in communication.
• Listening is not the same as hearing. Hearing is the initial stage of picking up sound waves, which gets transported to the brain. Listening, on the other hand, actively processes and evaluates the message.
• Active listening requires attentiveness, meaning and evaluation of a message, and response to the speaker.
• Thought speed is faster than speech speed. This allows a listener to actively process information while the speaker is talking.
• Imagination and active listening skills aid in a meaningful exchange.
• Listening is a crucial skill.
• Effective listening is a thorough process that involves analyzing, organizing, interpreting, patterns, and understanding the meaning.
• Communication skills - Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing.
• Order of skills learned: Listening (first), Speaking (second), Reading (third), Writing (fourth).
• Fallacies about listening: Listening is not a problem. Good readers are good listeners. Smart people are better listeners.
• Listening improves with age. Listening skills are difficult to learn (false).
• Objectives of Listening: Learn, increase understanding, advise, counsel, and relieve boredom.
• Active listening process: Hearing, Filtering, Comprehending, Remembering, Responding.
• Different types of listening include Discriminative, Comprehension, Evaluative, Attentive, Pretence, Selective, Intuitive, and Appreciative Listening.
• Barriers to effective listening include physical (noise, poor acoustics, defective devices, interruptions, uncomfortable seating/environment, message overload), physiological (state of health, disability, wandering attention), and psychological (uncertain ability, anxiety, know-it-all attitude, impatience).
• Tips to be a good listener: Give full attention, focus your mind, let the speaker finish, listen for main ideas, ask questions, and give feedback.

Listening Exercises

• Websites for exercises including: https://agendaweb.org/listening/basic-intermediate-advanced.html
• https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/skills/listening/b2-listening/business-interview
• https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/skills/listening/b2-listening/digital-detox-podcast
• Vocabulary matching exercise for listening practice (page 42).
• Listening exercises for choosing correct answers (page 44).
• Matching verbs and nouns from interviews (page 46).
• Creating groups of related words for a listening exercise (page 47).

Appreciative Listening

• Different scenarios to listen to like, an art exhibition (page 58). Questions for this listening exercise include:
  • Number of rooms.
  • Location of the first exhibit.
  • Artist's name.
  • Name of the art work.
  • Medium used in painting.
  • Size of the canvas.
  • How is the frame described.
  • Overall atmosphere.
  • Comment on artist's technique.
  • What does the middle portion of the painting consist of?

Demonstrative Listening

• Instructions for completing detailed notes based on instructions.
• Video link for demonstrative listening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ma-yCW3ZKno

Empathetic Listening

• Listening to a story. Video link for empathetic listening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj7Bujadj40&list=PL0gml3Zg1wRmisOu6iL2YhxUEpmivWpfs&index=7
• Questions about this listening exercise include:
  • Character names in the story.
  • Annual household income.
  • Who buys the lottery ticket?
  • Yvonne's attitude toward the lottery.
  • How much does the couple think they have won?
  • How much money does Yvonne want to spend on real estate?
  • What is the theme of the story?
  • The key takeaway from the story

Speaking

• Sentence stress: Emphasis on specific words to convey meaning. Examples include: "I didn't say he stole the money".
• Word stress: Emphasis on specific syllables in words. Examples include sentences with words such as, "quaint" and "villages".
• Intonation: Rise and fall of pitch to convey emotions, attitudes, and shades of meaning. Examples include: Yesterday, I saw a cat on the street as a neutral statement, where intonation can completely change the meaning.
• Formal situations: Effective communication in formal situations is crucial to convey professionalism and clarity. Examples of Formal Situations
• Articulating clearly: Don't say "I dunno"; say instead, "I do not know".
• Speaking at a moderate pace: Avoid rapid speech by saying, "Let me take a moment to gather my thoughts before responding"
• Using formal language. Examples include, Instead of "kids", use "children" or "youth".
• Mind your tone. Example: Use a neutral and respectful tone, by saying "I appreciate your input", rather than saying it dismissively.
• Avoid fillers. Instead of using "um" or "uh", pause briefly.
• Employ appropriate vocabulary: Use professional terms like "collaboration" instead of casual phrases like "working together".
• Practice active listening: Respond thoughtfully to ideas. Example: "I understand your perspective, and I believe we can integrate that into our strategy."
• Structure your speech logically. Begin with an introduction, follow through with main points, and conclude with a concise summary. Be mindful of nonverbal cues. Maintain eye contact, good posture, and appropriate gestures.
• Adapt to your audience: Tailor language and level of formality depending on the audience (executives, colleagues, clients).
• Types of Speaking activities (pages 106 - 113).
• Giving Instructions, and examples
• Brainstorming key parts of a formal/informal self-introduction
• Writing and giving directions for a task, including an obstacle course.

Reading

• Benefits of reading - Mental Stimulation, Stress Reduction, Vocabulary Expansion, Improved Focus and Concentration, Tranquility, Stimulates Great Conversations, Learning, Happy, Improved Creativity.
• Read as a daily habit; maintain a reading journal.
• Reading as a goal for the year (set goals and create plan).
• Tips for effective reading: Skimming and scanning; Mind Mapping; Note-Taking.
• What kinds of books should you choose?
• Tips to cultivate a reading habit.
• Accessing good books

Reading Comprehension

• Definition: Understanding the meaning of written words.
• Strategies: Preview, Question, Read, Reflect, Review (PQ3R)
• Explanation: Engaging actively with text for understanding.
• Use of techniques such as annotation, highlighting, and summarizing.
• Reading for leisure, for personal enjoyment. Benefits: Stress reduction, enhanced empathy, increased creativity. Examples include novels, short stories, poetry.
• Reading for business - A specific purpose for professional growth. Benefits: Improved communication, enhanced knowledge and critical decision making.
• Tips for effective reading.
• Cultivating a reading habit.

Journal Writing

• Definition: Regularly recording thoughts, feelings, experiences, and reflections.
• Self-expression & introspection: Explore innermost thoughts and feelings.
• Different forms of journal writing: Free writing, structured prompts, creative expression (art or poetry), gratitude and dream journaling.
• Purpose of journal writing: Self-discovery, emotional processing, goal setting, problem-solving, personal growth.
• Tips for journal writing:
  • Set expectations (frequency, length, privacy).
  • Explore different journaling methods (techniques).
  • Dedicate time to the process.
  • Reflect and share (optional).
• Journal writing practice exercise: Reflect on a recent challenge.

Report Writing

• Definition: Systematically organizing and presenting information in a structured format to convey findings, analysis, or recommendations on a particular topic, issue, or event.
• Aims: To inform, persuade, and influence.
• Key elements include:
  • Introduction: Background, purpose, scope, main findings.
  • Methodology (if applicable): Methods/procedures of data gathering.
  • Findings/Results: Main findings presented clearly.
  • Analysis and Interpretation: Interpret results and draw conclusions.
  • Discussion: Deeper analysis of the findings, including implications and limitations.
  • Recommendations (if applicable): Suggestions, solutions for addressed issues.
  • Conclusion: Summarizes main points.
  • References/Citations: List of sources used, following a specific citation style (e.g., APA, Chicago).
• Practical applications include academic, scientific, business, government, and technical contexts.
• Report writing exercise: Write a report about Sygnite (an event) for someone who did not attend the event.

Self-Editing

• Crucial part of the writing process: Polishes and refines work for others or publication.
• Steps for effective self-editing:
  • Take a break: Step away for a while to get some distance from writing.
  • Read aloud: Read your writing aloud to identify errors and improve flow.
  • Check overall structure and organization: Ensure logical ideas flowing from paragraph to paragraph.
  • Focus on clarity and conciseness: Clarify and simplify your writing and eliminate unnecessary words.
  • Review grammar and punctuation: Check for errors in grammar, punctuation and other minor errors.
  • Check for consistent style and tone: Maintain consistent voice throughout your writing, whether it be formal or informal.
  • Verify facts and sources: Check for accuracy if factual information is included.
  • Seek feedback from others: Ask for constructive criticism from others (peers, mentors, writing groups).
  • Revise and rewrite as needed: make necessary changes to improve the quality and effectiveness of your writing.
  • Proofread carefully: Correct any remaining errors before submission.
• Self-editing exercise: write an essay arguing for/against Chat GPT in education (300 words).