1. With
Khaled M. Al-Abbadi

2. Week 2 Lecture Notes

3.  1. Discuss Listening for Specific Info./Data
◦ Definition
◦ Types
◦ Organization
 2. Discuss Listening Strategies for Spec. Info
◦ General Listening Strategies Revisited
◦ Outlining
◦ Practical Strategies for Spec. Info/Data
 3. Start Practicing with some Exercises
◦ Exercise 1, as a group
◦ Exercise 2, (if we have time)

4. Discussion about
Types and Organization

5.  What do we mean by “listening for specific
information and data”?
 How is it different from listening to
narratives?
 Are there different types?
 Where do I find myself “listening for specific
information” in real life?

6.  Listening for Specific Information-
◦ Listening carefully to find the exact meaning of a
text or part of a text, or to find a specific piece of
information.
 (Source: University of Cambridge, ESOL
Examinations via:
https://www.teachers.cambridgeesol.org/ts/
exams/glossary)

7.  So which one is it?
◦ Understand the whole meaning of a text?
◦ Understand part of a text?
◦ Find a specific piece of information?
 Actually, it‟s all of the above:
◦ Listen for Gist
◦ Listen for Topics and Important Information
◦ Listen for Specific Information and details

8.  Means Listening for the Overall Meaning
◦ General Idea of a Listening
◦ Usually do it first, to determine if it‟s worth
listening closely
 When do we Listen for Gist?
◦ Main Idea of the Message
◦ Title
◦ Purpose
◦ Function

9.  Means Listening for the Topics/Key Issues
◦ Understanding the structure of the listening
◦ Topics vs. Supporting Information (examples)
◦ Facts vs. Opinions
 When do we Listen for Topics and Important
Info.?
◦ Structure (Outline)
◦ Major Points/Issues
◦ Organize the Info.

10.  Means Listening for Particular facts
◦ Getting discrete data (numbers, dates, values…)
◦ Important details (cause and effect…)
◦ Opinions and minor information
 When do we Listen for Specific Information
and Details?
◦ Personally Important Info.
◦ Fill in specific data
◦ Answer a Question

11.  What type of Listening do you need to master
for this?
◦ Inactive, Selective, Active, or Reflective?

12.  What type of Listening do you need to master
for this?
◦ Inactive, Selective, Active, or Reflective?
◦ The Answer is…
◦ Selective Listening

13.  Selective Listening
◦ Do you need everything?
 In each situation, you ignore a portion of the listening
◦ Scanning
 This type of listening is like “scanning” when you
read, find what you want and throw away the rest…
◦ Focusing your Attention
 Saves your energy and focus for what is relevant (not
everything you hear matters…)

14.  Do you remember when we compared
“Listening to Narratives” and “Listening for
Specific Information”?
 Which one do you remember was easier?

15.  Narratives  Specific
Information/Data
◦ Info is easier to ◦ Info is more
gather because it complicated to
pertains to one of the gather because it
elements of a pertains to a topic
Narrative… about the main idea
or subject of the
listening…(we‟ll deal
with this next week)

16.  Narratives  Specific
Information/Data
◦ Involve active ◦ Involves selective
listening as you listening as you scan
follow the sequence for the information
of events. you need.
◦ You can‟t ignore any ◦ You can ignore parts
part of the listening. (or even most) of the
listening.

17.  This is a key difference between “Listening to
Narratives” and “Listening for Specific
Information”
◦ In Narratives, you have to listen carefully and find
how the characters, setting, and plot relate.
◦ With Specific Information, you have to scan
everything you hear for the information you want.

18.  There aren‟t exactly types
◦ Almost everything you hear that isn‟t a story
◦ There are different levels of interest…
 Expository text…mostly

19.  You can hear them anywhere and
everywhere, in fact, you do it everyday:
◦ Radio (news and interest pieces)
◦ TV (like in Abu Dhabi National Geographic)
◦ Lectures (in class and otherwise)
◦ Conversations
◦ Airports, train stations, etc…

20.  This week, we will deal with longer clips of
exposition
◦ About 2-4 minutes long (about double the narrative
clips)
 Listening for Specific Information/Data
requires you to listen selectively
◦ The clips are longer but you don‟t need everything
you hear.
◦ This skill may be a little more difficult for you to
master.

21.  What are the Elements?
◦ There aren‟t exactly any basic elements because of
such a great variety…but…
◦ Organization is typical
 Main Idea - Topics - Some Examples or Description
 Sometimes it‟s simpler,
 List format
 Description

22.  Introduction
◦ Main Idea
◦ Thesis (overall argument or point)
 Topic 1
◦ Topic is introduced
◦ Examples
◦ More Examples
◦ Some Description or Data
 Topic 2
◦ Same as Topic 1 section
 Topic 3
◦ Same as Topic 1and 2 section
 …
 Conclusion
◦ Restate the Main Idea
◦ Prove the thesis

23.  Is there a difference?
 Not, really…
◦ When listening for data…
 Numbers
 Figures
 Categories
 (all of which are embedded in the topic sections)
Very discrete information (solid data)

24.  Very Important Skill
◦ Mastering this will help you a lot in English
Listening…
 Live Conversation
 News
 Classroom Lectures
Helps you to know when to focus your listening energy

25.  Questions
 Comments
 Ideas
 Relax for a bit…quiet time…whatever…

26. Practical Strategies for
Listening for Specific Information and Data

27.  2 General Ones
◦ Bottom-Up Strategies
 You start from words, then phrases, then sentences
 Word-Segmentation skills
 Ability to separate words and sentences
 Recognizing them to identify meaning
 Deals with Speed, Intonation, Pauses…
◦ Top-Down Strategies
 You start from Main ideas, Context, bigger issues
 Metacognitive Awareness
 Thinking about listening, weaknesses, solutions, the topic
 Deals with Predicting, Monitoring, Evaluating…

28.  Requires us to Listen many times
◦ Even slowing down the tape if we have to
◦ (This is why you will transcribe your assignments)
◦ I advise you to transcribe on your own
 Requires us to Listen and Read the transcript
◦ To highlight what you didn‟t get
◦ Identify words, phrases, or situations that are hard
(We‟ll do a little of this in class, the
assignments should cover it pretty well too…)

29.  Involves different processes
◦ Using Prior knowledge
◦ Predicting
◦ Monitoring
◦ Evaluating
◦ Reflecting
 Practically (how we do these processes)
◦ Discuss the topic (before listening)
◦ Take notes (while listening)
◦ Checking what you heard (with others, after listening)
◦ Identifying problems and fixing them
DEFINITELY – LISTEN MORE THAN ONCE

30.  Key to Listening for Specific Information is
knowing what you want…
◦ Do you want just the gist?
◦ Do you want the main ideas or the topics?
◦ Do you want some specific information or data?

31. Introduction
 If you want the gist… 
◦ Main Idea
◦ Thesis (overall argument or point)
 Topic 1
 Where do you look? ◦
◦
Topic is introduced
Examples
◦ More Examples
◦ Some Description or Data
◦ Which part?  Topic 2
◦ Same as Topic 1 section
◦ Beginning  Topic 3
◦ Same as Topic 1and 2 section
◦ Middle  …
◦ End  Conclusion
◦ Restate the Main Idea
◦ Prove the thesis
How much do you need to
listen?
Not that much really…

32. Introduction
 If you want the 
◦ Main Idea
topics… 
◦ Thesis (overall argument or point)
Topic 1
◦ Topic is introduced
◦ Examples
 Where do you look? ◦ More Examples
◦ Some Description or Data
 Topic 2
◦ Same as Topic 1 section
◦ Which part?  Topic 3
◦ Same as Topic 1and 2 section
◦ Beginning  …
◦ Middle  Conclusion
◦ Restate the Main Idea
◦ End ◦ Prove the thesis
How much do you need to Probably a little more,
listen? but not everything…

33. Introduction
 If you want specific 
◦ Main Idea
information or some 
◦ Thesis (overall argument or point)
Topic 1
data… ◦ Topic is introduced
◦ Examples
◦ More Examples
◦ Some Description or Data
 Where do you look?  Topic 2
◦ Same as Topic 1 section
 Topic 3
◦ Same as Topic 1and 2 section
◦ Which part?  …
◦ Beginning  Conclusion
◦ Restate the Main Idea
◦ Middle ◦ Prove the thesis
◦ End
How much do you need to A little more, but only at
listen? certain times…

34.  Organization is Very Important
 Outlining – helps a lot
◦ Structure of the listening
◦ Separates the Main Idea, Topics, and Examples
◦ Focus on certain parts (know where to look)
◦ Organizes discrete information and data

35.  Problems with Outlines
◦ Doesn‟t always follow a “nice” structure
◦ Sometimes examples, sometimes description
◦ Some topics take longer than others
◦ Not always easy to separate topics and ideas
We‟re going to work on creating useful outlines, or at
least taking effective notes while listening…

36.  Before Listening
◦ Think about the Main Idea/Topic
 Title
 Anything you know about it?
 **VERY IMPORTANT** Ask yourself, what do I want (or
need) to know?
◦ Think about some issues you may have
 Listening weaknesses (speed, pronunciation, etc…)
 Words, phrases, situations
◦ Think about some solutions
 What are you going to focus on
 What are you going to try this time

37.  You have to know what you want first…
◦ the gist?
◦ the topics?
◦ some specific information/data?
 For example,
Listening
◦ the gist?  Kingdom of Morocco
◦ the topics?  history, cities, people…
◦ spec. info?  population in 2010 was
nearly 32 million

38.  Then you need to know where to look…
◦ the gist?
◦ the topics?
◦ some specific information/data?
 For example,
Listening
◦ the gist?  In the Beginning, first 30
seconds
◦ the topics?  In the Body, each
discussed for some time
◦ spec. info?  In the Body, mentioned
within a topic

39.  The Gist?
◦ Listen carefully at the beginning, very selective
 The Topics?
◦ Listen to the whole thing, very selectively just for
the structure
 Specific Info./Data?
◦ Listen to the whole thing, pay close attention to the
examples, facts, and descriptions (if you know the
topic beforehand, it helps a lot)

40.  While Listening
◦ Identify the Questions
 Make Headings on paper (Main Idea?
◦ Take Notes of Information
 Write down topics and ideas
 Write down any specific information or data
◦ Make an Outline
 Organize the info you write into a structure
 Follow the format we used as an example
 Try to visualize it (in your head or on paper)

41.  After Listening
◦ Review the Information
 Look at your notes
 Remember what you heard (and thought about)
◦ Check with Others around you
 Did they get the same information?
 Where did you guys differ?
◦ Identify Areas
 Areas of Confusion or Disagreement
 Any gaps in your Outline? Areas where you didn‟t get anything…
◦ Reflect
 What was my problem?
 What can I do different next time?

42.  That‟s why I said you need a Notebook
◦ Get used to writing while you listen
 Don‟t forget, LISTEN AGAIN AND AGAIN…
 Any Questions, Comments…
 Lets Practice…

43.  Title: NO TITLE
◦ First, let‟s practice listening for gist…
◦ Listen to the first 30 seconds,
◦ Figure out the title and main idea
Ready?

44.  Title: “Horror Films”
◦ Now, listen for topics and main ideas
◦ Listen to the whole clip, what are the topics?
◦ Try to make an outline
◦ What different things about horror films does she
talk about?
Ready?

45.  Title: “Horror Films”
◦ Now, listen for specific information and data
◦ Answer these questions:
 How old was she when her mother caught her watching a scary
movie?
 What was the name of the movie?
 What movies are considered “slasher movies”?
 What happens if a zombie bites you, in “Dawn of the Dead”?
 What‟s the name of the movie from New Zealand?
 What do they call a “hurricane” in the UK?
 What was in the mist, in the movie, “The Mist‟?
Ready?

46.  “Horror Films”
I want to talk about horror films and why I like them and
what my favourite types are.
When I was young, I watched the classic horror films like
'Nightmare On Elms Street' and 'Friday The 13th'. My mum told
me that when I was about six, she came downstairs in the middle
of the night because there was a noise, and it was me watching
'The Omen' on TV in the dark on my own. So I guess I've always
liked horror films.
I really like what I called 'slasher films' - the
really gory, bloody, violent films like 'Final Destination' and 'The
Hills Have Eyes'. I just find them quite funny and I like the special
effects. I don't really find them scary at all. I think the scariest
sort of films are the ones that are very tense, like Hitchcock
films.
I think the scariest one for me is 'The Birds' because it's just
very sinister the way that the birds come and sit and look at the
people. And you know that it's going to be really bad very soon.

47. But I think my favourite ... favourite sort of horror films are zombie movies. I've
watched loads of zombie movies and I really like them. Again I don't really think they are
very scary. 'Dawn Of The Dead' is my absolute favourite horror film I think. It's a film
where people just wake up one morning and there are zombies everywhere. If a zombie
bites you, you turn into a zombie. And the survivors end up in a shopping mall in a
shopping centre and they are surrounded by zombies. And it does not have a happy
ending.
There is a British comedy horror film called 'Shaun Of The Dead' which is a bit of a
joke on the idea of the 'Dawn Of The Dead' which is also really great. The most recent
one I watched was a New Zealand film called 'Black Sheep' which is about zombie sheep.
That was pretty funny as well.
The most recent horror film I watched was on a plane last time I went back to the
UK. It was a Stephen King film based on a Stephen King book - I think a short story. And
it was called 'The Mist'. It was about people who lived in a small town in America and
there was a hurricane, or typhoon as we call them here. And after the typhoon, they
wanted to go into town to get some supplies to fix up the house. And it started to get
misty or foggy. It was quite a strange mist - it didn't look normal. And these people
ended up in a hardware store in the town all trapped together because there were sort of
monsters in the mist - these unrealistic giant creatures that were in the mist that were
killing people. There was quite a lot of blood and guts and people died in horrible ways
which is what I like about horror films. I would recommend it if you like horror films as
much as I do.

48.  Title: NO TITLE
◦ First, let‟s practice listening for gist…
◦ Listen to the first 30 seconds,
◦ Figure out the title and main idea
Ready?

49.  Title: “Interview Techniques”
◦ Now, listen for topics and main ideas
◦ Listen to the whole clip, what are the topics?
◦ Try to make an outline
◦ How does he organize the talk?
Ready?

50.  Title: “Interview Techniques”
◦ Now, listen for specific information and data
◦ Answer these questions:
 As a rule of thumb, which questions should you ask first?
 Where should you interview a person?
 What should you do when you start the interview?
 How should you be during the interview?
 Should you ask leading questions?
 What should you do when ending an interview?
 What is the “last task”?
Ready?

51.  “Interview Techniques”
I know it sounds obvious, but you really must prepare before the
interview. Find out as much as you can about the person you‟re going to
interview, and the subject matter of the interview. Prepare your
questions in advance. Think about the order you will ask them. A rule of
thumb is to ask questions about facts first, leaving opinion questions
until later. Most people find questions about facts much easier to
answer, so they start to feel more at ease. Spend a little time imagining
how you hope the interview will go. Visualise yourself in the
situation, introducing yourself, asking the first question.
Think about where the interview will take place. Try to interview the
person in a place which is appropriate to the interview – their place of
work, for example. Interviewing a person on their territory can put them
at ease, and also provide you with colour for your story.
How you start the interview can influence how successful it will
be. Be confident and courteous. Start by introducing yourself, and
stating the reason for the interview. Set your ground rules. For
example, you may want to insist that the interviewee says in advance if
they want what they say to be off the record.

52. During the interview, you should be polite but firm. Ask your
questions in a confident manner, and listen carefully to the
answers. Very often an inexperienced interviewer will simply go through
their list of questions, not realising that some of them have already been
answered. Use your list of questions as a base for the interview, not a
rigid script. Ask follow-up questions. Ask for evidence to support any
claims made by the interviewee. Don‟t be afraid to ask „How do you
know that?‟ But never ask leading questions. Let the person say what
they want to say, not what you want them to say.
When ending the interview, you should go back over the main
things that have been said. This gives you a chance to review your
notes. You should then ask the interviewee if they want to add anything
else. And finally, ask if you can contact them again should you need to.
OK, so the interview is over, but you have one last task. As soon as
possible, sit down and look at your notes. Are they clear? Is there
anything else you can add to them? Do this while you can still remember
what was said. And write down all the colour you can remember – about
the person and the place.