LISTENING SKILLS

May 9, 2014

Today

Listening strategy: central vs. peripheral information.

Central vs. Peripheral Info-Not every single word that is spoken is central to understanding the purpose or main point.

i.e., “My work? Well, yesterday, it was raining and cool outside, but I couldn’t finish my work because my parents visited.”

Central information: the speaker couldn’t finish her work (b/c her parents visited).

“It was raining and cool outside” is not central to the point.

This is called “peripheral information”

Central vs. Peripheral InfoPeripheral information often has a purpose:

- background information

- supplemental information

- adding detail

to make a story more interesting

to make a description more complete

- can help the listener better understand

However, peripheral information is not central to understanding the main or important information.

Central vs. Peripheral Info

In short utterances, the peripheral information is easy to notice from the important information.

i.e.,

- I’m hungry, let’s go get some pizza. By the way, Tony owes me $10. Anyways, let’s get to Pizza Hut. I’m starving.

Central vs. Peripheral Info

In short utterances, the peripheral information is easy to notice from the important information.

However, in longer utterances, or in longer dialogs (i.e., lectures, news programs), separating the most important details from the peripheral details takes some effort.

Central vs. Peripheral Info

In a lecture:

What are some clues to determine important information?

-Now, I’m telling you…-The purpose of ___ is..-“This is important”…-Now, we’re going to look at…-The topic of today’s lecture is…

Central vs. Peripheral Info

In other forms of speech, there are not always obvious clues, such as “This will be on the test”, or “I want to stress this…”

What are some other ways to separate central from peripheral information?

Central vs. Peripheral Info

Other ways to separate central from peripheral information:

Listen for words/ideas related to the theme or title

- What is the title or theme of what you are listening to?

i.e., Baskin Robbins ice cream is a growing problem.

What ideas might be connected to this?

Central vs. Peripheral Info

Other ways to separate central from peripheral information:

Listen for stressed or repeated words/ideas.

- Often, a speaker will put stress on certain words or repeat ideas important to the dialog.

- May rephrase the important information.

- May repeat the important information.

- May summarize the information.

Central vs. Peripheral Info

Other ways to separate central from peripheral information:

Use your own knowledge and experience.

- Try to make connections between what you are hearing and your own knowledge/experience.

i.e., If someone is talking about baseball, and baseball is your hobby, you can use your existing knowledge to help you understand.

Central vs. Peripheral Info - Example

Story: High school students in the U.S. are not getting enough sleep.

Place: Minneapolis (a city in northern U.S.)

a. The reporter’s name is Michelle Trudeau.

b. There are 12,000 high school students in Minneapolis.

c. There was a letter from doctors in 1994 suggesting that high schools

eliminate early start times because teenagers don’t get enough sleep.

d. The researcher’s office is ironically located in an old high school

building.

e. Because of early start times, it was difficult for students to pay

attention in morning classes.

f. There is a sleep research center in Rhode Island that is located

underground.

g. Research has found that teenagers do not need less sleep than

young children.

a. The reporter’s name is Michelle Trudeau. N

b. There are 12,000 high school students in Minneapolis. N

c. There was a letter from doctors in 1994 suggesting that high schools

eliminate early start times because teenagers don’t get enough sleep. I

d. The researcher’s office is ironically located in an old high school

building. N

e. Because of early start times, it was difficult for students to pay

attention in morning classes. I

f. There is a sleep research center in Rhode Island that is located

underground. N

g. Research has found that teenagers do not need less sleep than young

children. I

Central vs. Peripheral info - practice

Story: China’s Economy Overtakes Japan

http://www.englishcentral.com/video/11197/chinas-economy-overtakes-japan

Central vs. Peripheral info - practicea) Japan has been a financial powerhouse for more than four decades.

b) China has emerged as an economic superpower.

c) China has become the world’s largest consumer of energy.

d) Lewis Cowles is senior economist of the China office of the World Bank.

e) Beijing residents expected that this day would come.

f) China’s growth is having an impact on many other regions of the world.

Central vs. Peripheral info - practicea) Japan has been a financial powerhouse for more than four decades.

b) China has emerged as an economic superpower.

c) China has become the world’s largest consumer of energy.

d) Lewis Cowles is senior economist of the China office of the World Bank.

e) Beijing residents expected that this day would come.

f) China’s growth is having an impact on many other regions of the world.

Central vs. Peripheral info - practice

Story: Alaska is Melting

http://www.englishcentral.com/video/11101/alaska-is-melting

Central vs. Peripheral info - practice

a) As much as 15% of Alaska’s land area has disappeared.

b) Alaska has more than 100,000 glaciers.

c) One terrible storm could destroy an entire community.

d) 99% of Alaska’s glaciers are either retreating or diminishing.

e) Insects are appearing sooner.

f) Rising temperatures affect Alaska for the worse.

Central vs. Peripheral info - practice

a) As much as 15% of Alaska’s land area has disappeared.

b) Alaska has more than 100,000 glaciers.

c) One terrible storm could destroy an entire community.

d) 99% of Alaska’s glaciers are either retreating or diminishing.

e) Insects are appearing sooner.

f) Rising temperatures affect Alaska for the worse.

Central vs. Peripheral Info - Example

Story: High school students in the U.S. are not getting enough sleep.

Place: Minneapolis (a city in northern U.S.)

a. The reporter’s name is Michelle Trudeau.

b. There are 12,000 high school students in Minneapolis.

c. There was a letter from doctors in 1994 suggesting that high schools

eliminate early start times because teenagers don’t get enough sleep.

d. The researcher’s office is ironically located in an old high school

building.

e. Because of early start times, it was difficult for students to pay

attention in morning classes.

f. There is a sleep research center in Rhode Island that is located

underground.

g. Research has found that teenagers do not need less sleep than

young children.

Homework

Next Thursday’s homework will be available on MONDAY.

- Check the website.