Where's the answer?

Aim:

To help students to distinguish relevant and irrelevant words and information

Target Audience:

Students

Relevance to ICFE Listening:

Part 3

Organisation:

Individuals, then pairs

Materials needed:

Part 3 Task, recording and tapescript

  1. Explain that students are going to do a short activity on distinguishing key information from distracting, irrelevant information.

  2. Give students a copy of the sample task.

  3. Ask them to look at questions 19 and 20 and to establish the context of this section of the text. Ask students to quickly try to predict possible answers. Play the appropriate section of the tape.

  4. Ask students to compare answers in pairs and then check as a whole class.

  5. Give students a copy of the tapescript, and ask them to mark words and expressions in the text which lead them to the correct answer, and also any which could distract them.

  6. Check as a whole class. Relevant sections of the tapescript could be copied for display on an OHP and marked up in front of the class.
NB: Students should also note that the words they write will be what they hear on the tape; they do not need to paraphrase. However, the rest of what they hear may be a paraphrase of what appears in their notes (e.g. Question 19: students read: 'was improved ', but they hear: 'to enhance .’ In Question 20: students read: 'Efforts were made' but they hear: 'Measures were also taken '). Point out to students that these can also act as distractors, if they write information in the gap which is already on the page. Encourage students to go through the text and spot any further paraphrases of this kind.