Teaching Aural Comprehension to Inexperienced Listeners

Listening comprehension,a long-neglected area in English language teaching,was not taught as a separate course in our schools until the early 1980s.“Yet ithas been estimated that of the time adults spend in communication activities 45per cent is devoted to listening,only 30 per cent to speaking,16 per cent to read-ing,and a mere 9 per cent to writing.”Listening can and ought to be taughtapart from speaking;it has its peculiar problems.There’s just as much activity

The Intelligibility of Thai Speakers’ Pronunciation from Chinese Listeners’ Perspective

The intelligibility of Thai speakers’English pronunciation from Chinese listeners’perspectives have not been analyzed deeply in current researches.As is known to all,the interconnection between China and Thailand is greatly developed with the sup⁃port of‘One Belt and One Road initiative’.However,it is inevitable for non-native English speakers to encounter some pronuncia⁃tion problems,which would affect them to communicate with each other.As for Chinese English learners,Thai accent to some ex⁃tent would be a great challenge during the conversation with Thai speakers.In order to promote a better communication,it is neces⁃sary to analyze the origin of Thai speakers’English pronunciation problems.Therefore,this research based on the previous studies to categorize the common pronunciation problems among Thai speakers.However,there are numerous English learners in Thailand that have various language proficiency.In this respect,two Thai speakers with different IELTS scores have been selected for com⁃parison,and six postgraduate students in the Education University of Hong Kong are invited to serve as a listener.As a result,this research will base on the listeners’feedback to highlight some suggestions to enhance the intelligibility of Thai speakers’pronun⁃ciation.

Auditory Narrative in Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon

This article primarily explores the centrality of sound and listening in Toni Morrison’s literary text.Drawing on theories on sound cultural studies,narratology,and cultural identity,this essay analyzes Morrison’s representation of sound and its significance on characterization,plot,and theme in Song of Solomon.Morrison’s literary sounds-voices of oral storytelling,the sound of music,and the protagonist Milkman Dead’s listening experiences are deeply rooted in African American sound culture.A close analysis of her sound writing in Song of Solomon helps to give the reader a glimpse of the soundscape of African American culture as well as the vital role listening plays in African American survival,endurance,and cultural identification.

Pets are good listeners(第1课时)

本节课是一节阅读课,教学活动围绕两条主线展开。第一条主线是对学生阅读能力的培养,通过不同层次的阅读活动,来培养学生获取、理解信息的能力,和批判性思维能力。第二条主线是对学生口头表达能力的培养,通过设置不同的问题,引导学生进行从基于文本的口头表达到结合自身生活经验的真实表达。此外,老师还注重学生情感教育的渗透。引导学生关注宠物特征在宠物疗法中所起的重要作用,以此来提升学生在人际交往中学会倾诉和倾听的意识。

高中英语翻转课堂在Listening and Speaking的应用

随着全球化的不断深入,英语作为国际交流的主要语言,其重要性不言而喻。在高中阶段,培养学生的英语听说能力,不仅是语言学习的基本目标,更是他们未来融入社会、实现个人价值的关键。然而,传统的英语听说教学往往存在诸多弊端,如教学模式单一、学生参与度低、缺乏实践机会等。翻转课堂作为一种新兴的教学模式,为高中英语听说教学提供了新的可能。

Analysis of Young Learners’Listening Skills

The importance of listening as one of the communication skills cannot be overstated.However,in many areas,listening is neglected.For young learners,learning to listen is even more beneficial for their future studies,therefore,listening skills should be given due importance.

Research on Learner Needs Analysis and Listening Activities

Listening is the primary method to access language information.It is an essential part of L2(second language)teaching but also the most difficult skill to master for L2 learners.Based on this,it is necessary to analyze learners’needs in listening.This article aims to conduct a needs analysis of a selected learner from Iraq and describe course material selection and design.Methods including questionnaires,interviews,and observation were used to collect data.Additionally,targeted 60-minute online listening activities were designed.It was found that listening activities can improve both listening and speaking skills.Thus,language teaching should be student-oriented,and subsequent course materials and activity design should be selected based on the analysis of students’needs.

EFFECTS OF SYLLABLE STRUCTURES ON THE PERCEPTION OF L2 ENGLISH LEXICAL STRESS AMONG TEENAGE MANDARIN LISTENERS

This study explores the effects of syllable structures on the perception of L2 English lexical stress among Chinese junior ELF learners.Specifically,it focuses on to what extent syllable numbers and syllable patterns differentiate the subjects’perception of target English lexical stress.The subjects were 93 junior middle-school students from two natural classes in Grade 7.The target lexical stress was the primarily stress placed on the 1;and 2;syllables respectively,which were embedded in two kinds of carrier words(nonsense&real English words)with three types of syllabic patterns(CVC.V,CVC.VC&CVC.CVC).The subjects first listened to the stimuli read by a British RP phonetician in falling tone and then did the perception tests in the pen-and-paper manner.Their correct perception ratios(CPRs)of the target English lexical stress were calculated and compared according to syllable numbers and syllable patterns.The results reveal that the CPRs of L2 English lexical stress in disyllabic words significantly outperformed those in trisyllabic words,and that among the disyllabic words,the CPRs ranked top,second,and bottom with the disyllabic patterns of CVC.V,CVC.CVC,and CVC.VC,respectively.The findings provide considerable evidence for the impact of syllabic structures on teenage Mandarin listeners’perception of L2 English lexical stress.

The relationship between age,acceptable noise level,and listening effort in middle-aged and older-aged individuals

Objective:The purpose of the study was to evaluate listening effort in adults who experience varied annoyance towards noise.Materials and methods:Fifty native Kannada-speaking adults aged 41e68 years participated.We evaluated the participant's acceptable noise level while listening to speech.Further,a sentence-final wordidentification and recall test at 0 dB SNR(less favorable condition)and 4 dB SNR(relatively favorable condition)was used to assess listening effort.The repeat and recall scores were obtained for each condition.Results:The regression model revealed that the listening effort increased by 0.6%at 0 dB SNR and by 0.5%at 4 dB SNR with every one-year advancement in age.Listening effort increased by 0.9%at 0 dB SNR and by 0.7%at 4 dB SNR with every one dB change in the value of Acceptable Noise Level(ANL).At 0 dB SNR and 4 dB SNR,a moderate and mild negative correlation was noted respectively between listening effort and annoyance towards noise when the factor age was controlled.Conclusion:Listening effort increases with age,and its effect is more in less favorable than in relatively favorable conditions.However,if the annoyance towards noise was controlled,the impact of age on listening effort was reduced.Listening effort correlated with the level of annoyance once the age effect was controlled.Furthermore,the listening effort was predicted from the ANL to a moderate degree.

Development, and validation of non-speech dichotic listening test

Background:Classic dichotic listening tests using speech stimuli result in right ear advantage,due to the dominant crossed pathway for speech and language.It is presumed that similar crossed dominance could exist for non-speech stimuli too.Hence,this is an attempt to develop and validate the dichotic nonspeech test using environmental stimuli and explore the effect of focused attention on this test.Materials and method:Three lists of dichotic stimuli were created using these sounds with fifteen tokens in each list.Four professionals and non-professionals validated these materials.Normative estimation was obtained by administering the newly developed test on 70 adults and 70 children using a free-recall and forced-recall condition.Result:The results showed a significant difference between the left ear and right scores where the left ear score was better than the right,depicting left ear advantage(LEA)for free recall condition in both groups.In the forced recall condition,LEA was not seen;rather the mean score was significantly higher in the attended ear,irrespective of the stimuli presented to the right or left ear.The test-retest reliability in free recall was good in both the ears and moderate for forced right ear conditions.Conclusion:The novel test consistently showed LEA with good reliability and can be used to assess the hemispheric asymmetry in normal subjects and also in test batteries for the clinical population.

Remarks by Marinko Cavara,Chairman of the House of Representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina

I feel so honoured to be in the beautiful and great country China to experience its ancient culture and listen to President Xi Jinping's visionary proposals for a better world and a brighter future for humankind.I look forward to the opportunities to exchange views with all of you,to listen to your insights on the future and on the ways to make our aspirations true for a shared future.

College English Listening and Speaking Teaching Guided by Memetics

Memetics confirms the importance of recitation and imitation in college English teaching.Starting with the explanation of the replication cycle of language memes,this paper discusses how to use the memetic perspective in college English listening and speaking teaching,effectively transform the input language information into language output,and improve the classroom effect of college English listening and speaking teaching.

Efficiency in Teaching Speaker and Listener Repertoires:Comparing Three Instructional Sequences in Autistic Children

Previous studies have investigated the efficiency in teaching listener and speaker repertoires in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder(ASD).Some investigations focused on listener responding by function,feature,and class(LRFFC)and intraverbal by function,feature,and class(FFC).For some children,teaching intraverbal FFC was more efficient because it resulted in a better emergence effect of a related untaught repertoire(LRFFC).For other children,teaching LRFFC along with tacting pictures was more efficient,resulting in a better emergence effect of a related untaught repertoire(intraverbal FFC).In these cases,it is not clear whether the tact increased the efficiency of LRFFC training because a comparison with a condition in which tacts were not required was not conducted.This investigation consisted of a replication with two children diagnosed with ASD.Three instructional sequences were compared:teaching LRFFC-probing intraverbal;teaching LRFFC+tacts-probing intraverbal;teaching intraverbal-probing LRFFC.For a child,all sequences were equally efficient because all related untaught repertoires emerged without errors.However,the acquisition of intraverbals during training occurred with variability.In the case of the second child,the most efficient sequence consisted of teaching intraverbals,resulting in the emergence of LRFFC without errors.In both cases of teaching LRFFC,the emergence of related intraverbals was partial and acquisition of the trained repertoires occurred with variability.The case that did not demand tact responses was slightly more efficient.Data were discussed in the sense that the best instructional sequence may vary from learner to learner.

A Study of the Application of Lexical Chunks Approach to College English Listening Teaching

Listening is an important input way of language learning,and is closely related to language learning.Now,listening is still a weakness for English learners in colleges.In recent years,many experts and scholars have explored the application of lexical chunks in teaching,trying to solve the problem of students’vocabulary acquisition.However,there are relatively few researches between lexical chunks and listening achievement.Based on the lexical chunks theory,the research finds that lexical chunks teaching can relieve students’anxiety in English listening,improve their English listening scores,and stimulate students’chunk consciousness.

A Study on the Application of Indirect Speech Act Theory in CET-6 Listening

In recent years,the CET-6(College English Test,Band 6)has become an important standard to measure the English language ability of Chinese college students,and listening is a challenging task for many students.The application of indirect speech act theory in CET-6 listening is seldom studied.Therefore,it is crucial to study on it.Based on the two observation points of indirect speech act theory in CET-6 listening,this study analyzes the specific embodiment of conventional indirect speech acts and non-conventional indirect speech acts in listening,and discusses the effective teaching methods of CET-6 listening.

Let Your Listening Fly

Today I read an article about an emperor penguin.Without food and cave,he kept his babies safe and warm for two months.The penguin never gave up his children!All of us should learn his persistence.And now I know most of us are not good at English listening.Here is some advice for you.

On Promoting Listening Comprehension of English Majors through Original English Movies

In recent years,with the reform of College English Teaching in China,listening has occupied a great proportion of both the examination content and classroom teaching.When everyone is seeking a high-efficiency,fast teaching method,the use of English original film teaching methods arises spontaneously.Its authentic speaking style,real language environment and rich cultural connotation not only improve the listening comprehension ability of English majors,but also enable students to intuitively understand the culture of Western countries.In this study,by referring to a large number of books and documents,this paper puts forward corresponding strategies for various problems arising from the use of English original film teaching in colleges and universities.English original film teaching can not only create a better learning environment,and stimulate students’interest in learning,but also enable students to actively participate in class discussions.

Filter与Listener机制在Java Web编程中的应用

主要叙述了Servlet 2.3、2.4规范中扩展的Filter和Listener机制,详细介绍了其工作流程及在Java Web编程中的应用。最后在tomcat环境下给出了Filter和Listener在科研业务管理系统中的应用实例。

肯明斯第63首诗“(listen)”的文体赏析

美国诗人E.E.Cummings(1894～1962)是20世纪初英美意像派诗歌的重要诗人之一,他的诗以"奇特"著称。他的诗行参差不齐,在语法和用词上别出心裁,词语任意分裂,标点符号异乎寻常。他的著名诗篇"(listen)"正是集这些奇特形式于一身的典范,在奇特的形式外壳之下,显示了肯明斯卓越的抒情才能和艺术敏感。文章在Leech的偏离理论观照下,对"(listen)"的词汇、语法、语相等特征进行文体学分析,旨在揭示诗歌中的偏离与连贯,展示该诗的创作价值及美学意义。

Java定时任务及其在工作流系统中的应用

以基于J2EE平台的工作流软件系统为背景,以在系统中自动定时的通过查询数据库来发送工作到期提醒邮件为目的,在Java的定时器类和监听器类基础上,创新性的采用将两者相结合的方法,实现了能够定时执行任务的监听类,并将此类放入工程的配置文件中,当Web容器启动时自动加载来运行指定的任务。从系统应用的实际效果来看,能将所有提醒邮件按时准确的发送到每一个工作流的参与者手中,所以此方案能够方便有效的解决该类需求,同时对于基于J2EE的其他类型软件系统也有很好的参考价值。