Chapter 4 Listening in Formal / Academic Contexts

Learning Outcomes
1. Explain the different purposes of listening in academic
setting.
2. Determine the logical sequence of ideas in a
complete discourse.
3. Describe specific language cues to understand facts
and opinions.
4. Identify meaning from intonation through the
activities provided.
5. Recall with comprehension to complete texts rather
than isolated words.
Introduction

Formal or academic situations

– knowledge of specific skills and purposes
- purposes

4.1 Different Purposes of Listening

i. Ability to listen to content delivered in the

classroom.
ii. Ability to identify relationships between major ideas
and supporting information
iii. Make interpretations or inferences about
relationships between ideas eg cause and effect in
conclusions.
3 main problems

1. Decoding or recognizing what has been said.

2. Comprehending
3. Taking notes quickly , briefly, clearly

Lecturer’s Presentation Style

1. Reading Style
- reading from the notes and speech is characterized
by intonation and use of falling tone.
2. Conversational Style
- lecturer speaks informally using notes or without
notes
3. Rhetorical Style
- lecturer as performer using wide intonation range
Important Aspects of Lectures
1. Giving information
2. Developing an argument, discussion of ideas and
problem-solving

Cues/Devices
a) stress, intonation, pauses
eg. Falling or rising intonation, long pauses, etc
b) Use of relative clauses or other supporting clauses
eg The original painting, found in 1780, was the
most beautiful of …….
c) Logical connectors, numbers and other phrases
eg and, so, however
d) Vocal underlining eg varying the pace, pitch and
volume of speech to emphasize certain points
Use of Body Language
2 basic markers

1. Macro-markers
- higher-order discourse markers signaling major
changes and emphases in lectures (p.56)
eg. Well, Ok, Now, At that time, And,
Eventually

2. Micro-markers
- lower-order markers of segmentation and inter-
sentence connections ( pp.56-57)
eg. We’ll see that ……
The next thing was ……
One of the problems was ……..
( Activity p.57-8)
4.2 Listening for Sequence in Ideas
- Sequencing of ideas using cues ( Activity p.60)

4.3 Listening for Specific Language Cues to

Understand Facts And Opinions

i. Facts
- something that has objective reality
- not a matter of perception or opinion
- is true and can be verified with data, reports, real
events, etc

ii. Opinions
- based on what one believes to be true
- how a person feels about something
( Activity pp 63-66)
4.4 Listening for Meaning from intonation

Intonation
- Refers to the use of melody and the rise and fall of
voice while speaking
- Musical sound of language
- Grammatical meaning, emotions and reactions

i. Falling Intonation ↓ ( Activity 4.9 p.68)

- accompanies positive statement or at the end of
declarative sentences
- signaled by a slightly higher level of pitch with a slight
fall
- falling tone- signals confidence and authority
- used to gain attention, make statements in answers,
comments and some types of questions.
ii. Rising Intonation ↑ ( Activity 4.10 pp. 69-74)

- expressing doubt
eg yes/no ques
- indicates uncertainty and sometimes politeness
- used in polite requests and in information-seeking
questions

Types of Questions
Question Type 1 : Yes /No Questions
-Is the train on time? ↑
-Can I telephone from here? ↑
-Is the phone working? ↑
-Do you agree with me? ↑
Question Type 2: Echo Question( request for repetition )

- Ten minutes late? ↑

- It stops at every station? ↑
- What did he say? ↑

Question Type 3 : Information Tag Question

( Seeking for assurance or information)

-Its tops at Bandar Selatan, doesn’t it? ↑

-I got an A? ↑
-There’ll be plenty of taxis at the next station, won’t there? ↑
4.5 Listening for Comprehension From Complete
Discourse rather than from Isolated Words :How to
take Notes

-listening for main ideas and important supporting

details
- recognize logical connections between sentences
- determine flow of ideas
- flow closely complete talks
- concentrate on what the speaker is saying

general principle – write a summary for later

reference or revision.
General Guidelines

1.To take quick notes, you must :-

- omit completely unnecessary sentences
- concentrate on important sentences which has
important information and words
- write in short phrases
-use common symbols

2. Show connections between ideas

- space – manner (how) notes are presented
- numbers and letters
- underlining
- common symbols and signs ( refer to pp.75-76)
( Activity pp 75-81)
Summary
-Listening activities in formal and academic contexts.
-Different purposes of listening.
-Listening for sequence of ideas and listening for specific
cues to understand facts and opinions.
-Listening for meaning from intonation.
-Listening for comprehension in long sketches of
discourse.