Review 1: Listening
Objectives
- Using background knowledge to connect with listening
- Understand main ideas
- Identify major details that support the main idea
Background Knowledge
Whenever we listen or read, our brains make connections between the new information and the information we already have. We can use these connections as a listening strategy by preparing ourselves for new information. Before you begin listening to something, you can give yourself some time to think about the topic and the information you already know. If there is information that you only know in your first language, you can use this time to look up new vocabulary in a translator.
By using this background knowledge, you can be more prepared to fully understand and participate. While the strategy of using background knowledge is most useful in formal listening or when you know the topic before, it can also be used in conversations. As a conversation naturally moves from one topic to the next, you can prepare while you listen to the other speaker(s). Notice new vocabulary. Start forming your ideas into English before you speak. If there is a word you don't know in English, you can think of how to ask the listener(s) for help with that word.
Exercise 1: Background knowledge
Before you watch the video, make a list of the background knowledge you have about these topics: Coco Chanel and fashion.
Main Ideas
Remember that a main idea is a complete thought. It is the most important information that the speaker wants you to understand. Because it is so important, all of the information around it supports the main idea.
One of the common errors with main idea questions is confusing it with a topic. A topic is one or two words that explain the focus of the conversation or speech. For example, you could say that Coco Chanel is the topic of the previous video. However, this is not a main idea.
To make a topic into a main idea, you need to take that general idea and focus it more. You can often do this by thinking about what the speaker's purpose is.
Coco Chanel (topic) + talking about her life (focus) + her influence (focus) + explaining (purpose)
= Coco Chanel lived an interesting life and made an impact on women's fashion. (main idea)
Exercise 2: Main ideas
Go to the Speaking Review to the list of videos about other famous people. Choose one and write a main idea sentence for the video. Click below to compare your sentences with the answer key. Your sentence does not have to be exactly the same, but it should be focused and complete.
Answer Key
Judge: Ruth Bader Ginsburg is an inspiring woman who became a US Supreme Court Justice.
Astronaut: Jessica Muir's interest in science lead her to become an astronaut.
Artist: Monet is a famous artist who helped start impressionist art.
Computer Scientist: Bill Gates created a powerful computer company and continues to do amazing things.
Wonder Movie Clip: It is important to choose to be kind.
Marie Curie: Marie Curie was a very intelligent scientist who made great discoveries.
Major Details
Major details are the pieces of information that are most important to understand to understand the main idea.
Let's compare ideas to this tree. The trunk of the tree gives the tree a strong base.This is like the main idea. Without this part of the tree, we don't really have a tree at all. Without a main idea, we don't really have a reason to be speaking.
The major details are like the branches that come from the trunk. These branches are strong and give the tree a shape. Depending on the type of tree, that shape will be very different. Similarly, the major details help us understand the main idea more clearly.
The smaller branches and leaves are what we call minor details. Leaves are beautiful and important for the tree in many ways, but when the tree loses them in the fall, you still know it is a tree. Minor details might be interesting, but they only serve a purpose if there is main idea with major details.
Choose one of your main idea sentences from the main idea practice. Choose three details that you think are most important to support the main idea. Be prepared to share your choices.
Exercise 3: Combined listening strategies
You will now practice combining all of these listening skills using one video.
Background Knowledge
Here is a list of key words from this video. Make a list of everything you know about these topics that might help you to understand the video better.
Poetry
Pablo Neruda
Revolution
Romance
Video
Watch the video. You can take notes as you watch it. Be prepared to answer questions about the main idea and major details.
Main Idea & Major Detail Questions
Answer Key
- Love, small and simple details around us, politics, revolution, history
- Chile
- Civil War in Spain, revolution in Spain, evacuated with refugees
- Pablo used everyday ideas to show why romance and revolution are so important to fight for.
Review
In the first part of the semester, we focused on the big picture of listening. Using what you already know about a topic in your native language is the best place to start. Using background knowledge to prepare your brain to understand new vocabulary and organization of ideas is the first step. Next, you need to listen for the most important information. Ask yourself what the speaker wants you to understand about the topic. What additional information is the most essential to support their main idea. Some situations will require you to understand smaller, more specific points, but these global ideas are usually enough for you to participate in the conversation.
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