Upper Intermediate Listening for Students of English as a Second Language

Listening

To follow conversations and discussions, informal reports and talks, and instructions

1. Use pre-listening techniques to prepare for a listening task
2. Identify topic, issues and problems, overall key idea, main ideas and key details
3. Use active listening strategies
4. Recognize conversational gambits
5. Refer to pre-listening and reference materials, and use context clues (e.g., definitions, examples, restatements) to determine meanings of unfamiliar words and phrases
6. Take simple notes

To listen for discrete items including from online course materials and selected internet archives

1. Listen for specific information (e.g., place or company names, categories, statistics)
2. Listen for specific pronunciation elements (final sounds, reductions, voice tone and melody)
3. Write from dictation
4. Transcribe speech
5. Complete graphs from listening tasks.

To use MyDouglas for listening assignments and to communicate with instructor and classmates.

Speaking

To participate in conversations and discussions, and listen and contribute actively.

Reading and Writing

To prepare for, support, and extend listening and speaking

1. Follow written assignment instructions
2. Use pre-reading techniques
3. Recognize purpose and/or issue, overall key idea, main ideas, and key details
4. Follow sequences of information and ideas
5. Use context clues to determine meanings of unfamiliar words
6. Use readings as background material in speaking tasks
7. Write reflectively
8. Write notes, outlines, interview questions and answers, reports and summaries
9. Use written materials in speaking tasks (e.g., informal reports).

Classroom Skills

Take responsibility for the following:

1. attendance and punctuality
2. class work and assignments
3. participation and teamwork