New Vocabulary

Listening Strategy

What do you do when you hear an unfamiliar word? Do you stop everything to try to understand it? Do you ignore it? Do you have strategies in mind for these situations? When you first started learning English, this was frequent experience for you and your reaction was hopefully different than it is now. In this lesson, we will talk about strategies you can use when you hear new vocabulary.

Objectives

  1. Use context to guess the meaning of unfamiliar words
  2. Ask clarifying questions

Using Context

Context means the everything surrounding the thing you are focused on. Think back on when we talked about background. We talked about how the background is all of the details that add to the story. This is the same as context. So why is context important for understanding vocabulary?

Recognizing Important Words

The first thing you learn by paying attention to context is whether or not a word is important. By listening to the information around the word, you will know if it is a word that is necessary for you to know in order to understand the main idea and major details of the speaker.

  • Is the word frequently used? If you hear the word multiple times when listening, it is likely a word that is important to your overall understanding of the main idea and major details.
  • Does the word seem to be topic specific? If it is unfamiliar, it is possible that it is used more frequently when you talk about certain ideas. Think about the main idea and try to notice if it is used with main ideas or major details. 
  • Does the speaker provide a definition in the context? Depending on the speaking situation, the speaker may provide a definition of uncommon or frequently used vocabulary. However, it depends on the audience the speaker has in mind when preparing to speak and whether or not you are listening in-person or to a recording.
  • Does a familiar word seem to be used in a different way? Words can be used differently when you are talking about a different topic. Additionally, a word might have a different or more specific meaning when used in combination with another word or phrase, meaning that your current word knowledge is not enough to understand this use of the word.

If the word is frequent, important, and a definition is not provided, this is the time to stop and find the meaning of the word. If you are listening to a recording, pause it and look up the meaning. Think about the context of the word when you look at the possible meanings. Look at the example below for the word discipline and the possible definitions on the Oxford Learner Dictionary site. Notice how the meaning would change based on context and the grammar of the sentence:

    So in the context of education, the word may refer to the management of the classroom and the behavior of students, but it could also mean the material that they are studying. It is important to be aware of the context to know which meaning is used.

    Exercise 1

    Here is an example of a speaker talking about modern education. Listen for words that you think are important. The transcript is provided below with some marked words that are frequently used, or used differently in this context. 

     

    Marked Transcript

    Some frequently used vocabulary has been marked for your reference. Notice how these words would be important to understand in order to get the major details in those sections. Some words have slightly different meanings in this context, like the word 

    honor

    . 

    "Get comfortable with being uncomfortable." T

    he phrase is not my design, but I use it a lot, and if I knew who to give credit to I would. Students often come to me to have discussions about things like whether or not they should go for a district leadership position or apply for transfer to an Ivy League school. They know me well enough to know what my silent smiling nod means, and they say, "Get comfortable with being uncomfortable." I am fortunate to work with honors students, so I do get to say this phrase a lot. And honor students are here for educational experiences that are more than just transactional exchanges of information. When they repeat the phrase, I feel such pride, and I feel immense joy when I see them participating within it.
     

    it's interesting working in higher

     education in the 21st century. The rhetoric is often on a debt versus reward ratio. On whether or not students are workforce ready when they cross that graduation stage. Those are valid discussions. However, so is the value of exploration in education. So as educators, should we be discussing a balance of the workforce readiness and create an educational exploration? Absolutely! And to approach this justly, let's start by dismissing some fallacies about the liberal arts. My students have been reading Fareed Zakaria's In Defense of a Liberal Education the past few spring semesters. Zakaria quickly dispels a myth, one that's even perpetuated by people who have careers in education: the basic definition of liberal arts. The liberal in liberal arts does not refer to the opposite of conservative. It refers to the concept of freedom. In its Latin origins liberal means of or pertaining to freemen, worthy of a free man. Another myth is that the liberal arts starts ends with arts and humanities. Rather, it includes arts and humanities but also mathematics political science economics social and physical sciences.
     
    Another myth is that the liberal arts is irrelevant for the 21st century. I challenge that and counter that it is the best avenue to prepare individuals for lives within and outside of their careers in free and just societies. A liberal arts education confronts students with contradictions, in-depth analysis of theories and ideas, distillation of data, and forums to debate respectfully and scholastically. A liberal arts education instills curiosity, and curiosity is a disposition that students should be engaged in and all their experiences. It is the prerequisite for lifelong learning. And a disposition that once cultivated, lets students be brave enough to get out of their comfort zones to get comfortable being uncomfortable. A liberal arts education confronts blind certainty. It allows for one interest to lead to another. Liberal arts provides a place for students to work within the tension of problems that need solutions. It allows for the value of exploration, to pursue multiple passions at the same time. And these are the skills of empowerment. And there is nothing more freeing for an individual than the acquisition of something that cannot be taken.
     
    Studies have shown that most business leaders are looking for employees with skills that transcend. Capitalistic societies like ours produce things, meaning innovation is a must. Career trajectories in the 21st century will be varied in long-term, and industries are going to change in ways that we cannot even imagine. So what's our obligation to our 21st century students? Critical thinking, problem solving, creative entrepreneurialship, tolerance for ambiguity. These are 21st century skills. The problems that we are facing as a 21st century society are complex and long-term. They require a multitude of subjects to address any issue. These issues today include the rise of hate groups, climate change, immigration, increased polarization. This requires students to be able to unpack the complexities, to research the complexities. People have to be able to understand the complexities through multiple subject areas. These problems that we are facing that require a myriad of expertise to solve also require that individuals can understand and work with other points of view. It's not enough to just interject one area of expertise or anecdotes from personal lives. Individuals have to be able to understand the lenses through which others see the world and identify the areas where interests can converge for the benefit of many. Civic leaders have to be able to grapple with horrors but also plan for lovely sustainable communities and environments.
     
    A liberal arts education can mean that students leave colleges and universities with the ability to put those issues into historical, political, and social context. An education that prepares students to deconstruct ideas and make thoughtful decisions will mean that students leave us with the ability to tackle anything from space exploration to social justice. And justice and democracy are intrinsically linked. Our traditional-age student is part of a generation who will earn less than their parents. Does that give us the responsibility as educators to ensure that they are prepared for any career opportunity that comes their way? Does that give us a responsibility of educators to ensure that they can civically engage so that their reality will not be a cultural reproduction for their children? Does that give us the responsibility as educators to fuel the flames of passion for education and life?
     
    Recently, I attended a conference for honors students. The honors college who hosted this incredible event emboldened interdisciplinary endeavors and extracurricular activities as an avenue for a meaningful life. The commitment to these experiences by this college and university was so apparent by the students, the faculty, and the administration. During this conference, I listened to a Chemical Engineering student recite his haiku on Frankenstein. And I listened to a Fish and Wildlife major play the cello with the Dean of the Honors College and two other students in a musical. A performance that merged multiple pieces of music and culminated with Jimi Hendrix. This conference encouraged, challenged, and championed students to pursue their passions for their majors and for life, and not one at the expense of another. It is the 21st century. Are we ready to fight for an emancipatory pedagogy with a radically interdisciplinary approach in preparation for free and full lives? Are we ready to get comfortable being uncomfortable? Thank you.

     Here is another speaker talking about the same topic. You will only watch the first part of her speech. Notice how she provides a definition of an essential vocabulary word that she wants to be sure here audience understands.

     

    Marked Transcript

    So I'm here to talk about what is liberal arts, but in order to do that I think we all need to have a common definition of what it is. So Webster's Dictionary defines liberal arts as: college or university studies as language philosophy and literature intended to provide chiefly general knowledge and to develop general intellectual capacities as reason and judgment as opposed to professional or vocational skills. So that's a really big definition. That's a really big mouthful, but there are two things I want you to remember from that. The first is when it says intended to provide chiefly general knowledge, and the second was when it said to develop general intellectual capacities. So why liberal arts? Why am I up here speaking to 1200 of my closest friends about liberal arts? I always go home for holidays and breaks, and my family and colleagues even ask me what are you going to do with that? And a lot of people get that question. A lot of college students will get that question, but the follow-up question is the one that really differentiates. They always ask why not pick something more technical, like nursing or engineering, something that is definitely going to get you a job. And I never know how to react to that question, but my response is that I love what I'm learning.I love going to class and then reading the headlines in the newspaper the next day, and what I've learned in class is right there in the headlines. I love learning more about our shared humanity, and I love learning more about what governs our everyday lives.


    Exercise 2

    In some situations, you have the opportunity to pause the conversation if you need to ask for a definition. Below are some examples of ways to ask clarifying questions to help you understand new vocabulary without stopping the conversation completely.

    • I haven't heard of ___ before. Can you explain that for me?
    • What do you mean when you say ____?
    • I'm not familiar with (this topic). What does ___ mean?
    • Can you repeat that word? I didn't understand it.
    • Is ____ a technical term?
    • Can you give me an example of ____?
    • Does ___ mean ____? (If you have an idea and want to confirm)
    • Is ___ similar to _____? (If you think you know a synonym)

     

    Notice how the man uses these strategies to try to understand the unfamiliar words the reporters are using.

    In the lesson on Speaking Strategy: Circumlocution, we will talk about a strategy that can also help in these situations.


    Exercise 3

    Here is a video about culture in a sociology class. Watch the video thinking about these vocabulary strategies. 

     

    1. What words are frequently repeated or important for the the topic?
    2. Did she provide any definitions for vocabulary words during the explanation?
    3. Write a few example clarifying questions you could use if this was an in-person conversation and she used a word you had never heard before.

    Exercise 4

    Individual Activity: Listen for Vocabulary

    1. Choose a video from TED-ELinks to an external site. on a topic that is unfamiliar to you.
    2. As you listen, use the vocabulary strategies to identify three types of vocabulary words for the video:
      • Frequently used
      • Important to understand content
      • Defined in the video
    3. Be prepared to give a short (30 second) summary of the video and explain the strategy you used to identify one of the new vocabulary words for this video.

    Partner Activity: Can you eplain that?

    1. Your teacher will assign you a partner and give you each a list of vocabulary words.
    2. Take some time to learn the definitions of the words if you are unfamiliar with them. Ask your teacher questions if you are unsure how to use the word.
    3. After preparing, you will have a conversation with your partner. Use the vocabulary words from the list in your conversation.
    4. If your partner uses a word that is new for you, ask a clarifying question.

    Group Activity: Find it

    For this game, you will include an unfamiliar vocabulary word as you talk about a topic or tell a story. You will include the definition of the unfamiliar word naturally in your speaking and your group will show that they understood what the word means. There are two ways to play. The first is for conversational English practice and the second for topic specific language practice.

    Conversational

    1. Choose an object or verb common to homes that you don't think you group knows the names of, like spatula, plunger, mince etc.
    2. Start your turn by telling a story to your partners. Use the vocabulary word in your story. After you use the word, give a definition of the word.
    3. Your group should be listening carefully. When they hear the definition, they should hurry to find the object in their home and bring it to the computer or to act out the action. If someone does not have the object, they can send a private chat to you to say the name of the object. The first person to bring the object to the computer wins.

    Topic Specific

    1. Choose an object or verb common to a topic you are interested in that you don't think your group knows, like overdraft, mortgage, vault etc
    2. Find a picture to represent that vocabulary word and 4 additional pictures of topic related vocabulary. Put a number next to each picture.
    3. Screen share with your group and begin to talk about your topic. Use your vocabulary word. After you use it, provide a definition of the word.
    4. Your group should be listening carefully. When they hear the definition, they should hurry to find the the picture that represents the vocabulary word. You can have them use the private chat or say the number of the correct picture.  The first person to choose the correct picture wins.


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