The document provides guidelines for effective summarization during listening activities, emphasizing the organization of key information based on the type of content, such as news reports, research studies, announcements, and fiction. It highlights the importance of identifying main arguments, memorizing key points, and organizing content by presenting essential information first. An example is given about a controversial vote by the board of education in Newton regarding budget cuts to the arts in favor of sports funding, illustrating the summarization techniques discussed.

1. Listening: Level 7

2. Summarizing

3. Summarizing
How to:
• Listen to speech
• Understand given information in
correct order
• Better understand the passage

4. Summarizing After Listening
Organize information first!
News reports
1. The most important information given at the beginning
(who did what, when, where, why and how)
2. More details of the story to follow (what is being done
NOW in response to what happened - after all news
reports are supposed to tell us things “new” to us)

5. Summarizing After Listening
Organize information first!
Reports on research studies
1. The most important finding(s) of the research given at
the beginning
2. Details of the research (supporting evidence)
3. What can be concluded from the research

6. Summarizing After Listening
Organize information first!
Announcements
1. The most important information given at the beginning
2. Reasons explaining the details of the information given
at the beginning
3. What action needs to be taken

7. Summarizing After Listening
Organize information first!
Stories (fiction)
There are many types of fiction
• Characters and settings
• Actions being taken
• Words being spoken

8. Summarizing While Listening
• Identify the purpose and main argument
in each listening
• Memorize key points

9. Summarizing While Listening
Let’s listen!

10. Summarizing While Listening
• Who - the Board of Education of Newton
• What - voted on a controversial topic
• Where - Newton
• When - last Friday
• Why - to settle an issue that has been argued for years
• Outcome - the result has yet to be released
Example: Last Friday, the Board of Education of Newton voted,
but has not released the result on the long-time controversial
topic of decreasing the budget for arts in exchange for more
funding for sports to finally settle the issue.

11. Summarizing While Listening
Last Friday, members of the Board of Education of Newton
voted on the controversial topic of decreasing funding for the arts in
public high schools. While the argument has been gathering steam over
the last few years, it was not until February that the council took the
matter into careful consideration. With the consent of a majority of
board voters, a budget reform will take place that will effectively wipe
out the funds provided to the arts, while relocating the amount to the
sports department. Proponents of the reform emphasize the need to
promote exercise and healthy habits, while those supporting the arts
hope to develop a more cultured society. The result of the voting has
yet to be announced to the public, but we anticipate its arrival shortly.

12. Importance of Summarizing
• Identifying information is a skill
required in many situations
• Arguing or convincing others
• Applies to every aspect of
communication

13. Summarizing

14. Listening: Level 7