Yesterday, besides various customer service emails about ebooks and online lessons, I had a couple of interesting ones about listening.
Philip wanted to share his approach, which seems very considered, so I’m sure he won’t mind if I copy and paste what he wrote. He’s talking about how he uses the easy readers:
One thing I do each session (apart from the first chapter) is listen to the previous chapter first to attune my ear to the speaker – I’ll be familiar with the content from the previous time, and it gives me a bit more confidence. I have a look at the vocabulary list, then the exercise – sometimes it can be attempted before listening, and can give some phrases that might crop up in the text, Next I listen to the dialogue 2 or 3 times, depending how quickly I get it, still not having seen the text. The third pass might just be listening for the exercise answers.
Then I’ll check the exercise answers, and finally read the text (including looking for the exercise answers). Because the texts are at my level (B1), I usually have a fair idea of what it is about, and any lack of understanding is usually down to missing vocabulary on my part. Like you do, I write down such vocab, which is producing an ever expanding list, so I’ve modified it to judge what are ‘everyday’ words and phrases, and note just them. I still need to get round to learning them!
I listen to the dialogue again (without the text – I can usually recall the bits I didn’t get before). Before I’ve done, I have a peek at the next chapter’s vocabulary, it some times gives a hint about the upcoming topic.
Later in the day, Judy also wrote about listenings, this time the free ones on our site:
Please could you clarify for me how the exercises work. Are any of them interactive? Should I be able to answer the questions on screen and check my answers? For example, I have just tried a couple of the listening comprehension exercises but I can’t see any way of entering my answers or checking the correct solution afterwards. I’m assuming that this functionality isn’t available as it is a free resource, but just want to make sure
My reply:
Sure Judy, I’d be happy to clarify. The listening exercises are not interactive. Think of them as being like a book. There’s the audio, then either a transcript or an exercise with the answers, often both. As teachers and learners, we think that’s just fine. Coding in interactive checking is just a waste of time.
However, there ARE interactive exercises on the grammar page. You’ll find that here: https://onlineitalianclub.com/index-of-free-italian-exercises-and-grammar-lessons/
All the resources on our site are free (except the ebooks in the shop). It’s not that we are keeping any of the good stuff from you!
So, a typical day at OnlineItalianClub.com HQ: answering questions, sending off ebooks, while trying to squeeze in the day job (teaching English) and my own studies of beginner-level Swedish!
Feel free to write in. The email is at the bottom of every page on our website, or just reply to an emailed article like this one.
I almost always reply, usually politely. Sometimes I can answer your questions at length, sometimes not. It depends a lot on how hectic things are!
I almost forgot..
Talking about listenings, here are a couple of older ones, now with added comprehension tasks (I love writing that – it sounds just like a detergent ad.)
They’re intermediate level, so should be more or less OK for anyone to use so as to try out Philip’s advice:
P.S.
A final reminder re. this week’s Book of the Week, which has been selling well.
Get it by Sunday and you’ll pay just half the usual price!