Getting the learners Getting the learners to ask the questionsto ask the questions

Tony LynchTony LynchEnglish Language Teaching CentreEnglish Language Teaching Centre

University of EdinburghUniversity of Edinburgh

A.J.Lynch@ed.ac.uk

ComprehensionComprehension

is is activeactive exploits linguistic exploits linguistic inputinput, , contextcontext and the and the

listener’s listener’s background knowledgebackground knowledge involves search for involves search for reasonable reasonable

interpretations interpretations is is selectiveselective, influenced by , influenced by salience of salience of

input featuresinput features and and strength of strength of expectations expectations

(Izumi 2003)(Izumi 2003)

The The individual’s individual’s contributioncontribution

is is activeactive exploits linguistic exploits linguistic inputinput, , contextcontext and the and the

listener’s listener’s background knowledgebackground knowledge involves search for involves search for reasonable reasonable

interpretations interpretations is is selectiveselective, influenced by , influenced by salience of salience of

input featuresinput features and and strength of strength of expectations expectations

(Izumi 2003)(Izumi 2003)

A real-life encounterA real-life encounter

A: Can you tell me where the gravy is?A: Can you tell me where the gravy is?

B: I’m sorry + I’m a cyclistB: I’m sorry + I’m a cyclist

Sources of knowledgeSources of knowledge

SCHEMATICSCHEMATIC “TOP”“TOP”

background background

procedural procedural CONTEXTUALCONTEXTUAL

situation situation

co-text co-text SYSTEMICSYSTEMIC

“BOTTOM”“BOTTOM”

phonological, semantic, syntacticphonological, semantic, syntactic

Listening text 1: The Listening text 1: The SystemSystem

[I read this text aloud at the Glasgow [I read this text aloud at the Glasgow talk]talk]

The first time went into the System, I had to The first time went into the System, I had to queue for ages. At first the woman didn’t queue for ages. At first the woman didn’t understand what I had asked for, but understand what I had asked for, but eventually she found the bottles I wanted. eventually she found the bottles I wanted. Just as I was about to pay, the red light Just as I was about to pay, the red light went on. It was a good thing I had my went on. It was a good thing I had my passport with me. passport with me. (Lynch 2009: 56)(Lynch 2009: 56)

Types of comprehension question

Literal Reorganisation Inference Evaluation (whether speaker’s aim was

achieved) Response (personal reaction to what was

said) Metalinguistic

(Nuttall 1996)

HandoutHandout

Extract from learner material “Types of Extract from learner material “Types of comprehension question”comprehension question”

(EAP reading class) (EAP reading class)

ProcedureProcedure

Learners listen and take notesLearners listen and take notes Individually, devise questions Individually, devise questions Work in pairs/trios and try out their Work in pairs/trios and try out their

QsQs Teacher elicits Qs that others Teacher elicits Qs that others

couldn’t answercouldn’t answer Ls listen again and answer those QsLs listen again and answer those Qs

Handout, page 2Handout, page 2

Three question episodes from class Three question episodes from class working with text on “The System”working with text on “The System”

The System text (again)The System text (again)

The first time went into the System, I had to The first time went into the System, I had to queue for ages. At first the woman didn’t queue for ages. At first the woman didn’t understand what I had asked for, but understand what I had asked for, but eventually she found the bottles I wanted. eventually she found the bottles I wanted. Just as I was about to pay, the red light Just as I was about to pay, the red light went on. It was a good thing I had my went on. It was a good thing I had my passport with me. passport with me. (Lynch 2009: 56)(Lynch 2009: 56)

Listening text 2Listening text 2

I don’t go up there at all + I hate seeing I don’t go up there at all + I hate seeing that restaurant up there + + it’s got no that restaurant up there + + it’s got no place being there it just disgusts meplace being there it just disgusts me

there’s a particular birthing tree where my great-grandmother and the women in her clan had their babies + and there are dreaming tracks around King’s Park + the troopers and the soldiers came in and started shooting and uh + massacring the people and my great-grandmother and her family managed to + uh flee from there and down to the south-west + + I don’t go up there at all + I hate seeing that restaurant up there + + it’s got no place being there it just disgusts me

Some listeners’ interpretations

Lynch (2009)

Japanese listenerJapanese listener

A Scot whose great-grandmother’s folks A Scot whose great-grandmother’s folks suffered in the massacre in the glen. (I suffered in the massacre in the glen. (I forget the name of the place).forget the name of the place).

Spanish listenerSpanish listener

I’m not sure. A famous historian? I think the I’m not sure. A famous historian? I think the interview took place in England but the interview took place in England but the events she talks about happened in events she talks about happened in Scotland (“up there”).Scotland (“up there”).

German listenerGerman listener

An Australian aboriginal (woman?) talking An Australian aboriginal (woman?) talking about a place of spiritual importance to her about a place of spiritual importance to her ancestors (“dreaming tracks”).ancestors (“dreaming tracks”).

Scottish listenerScottish listener

““Clan” – my first thoughts were Laos, Clan” – my first thoughts were Laos, Burma, areas of China. Could refer to any Burma, areas of China. Could refer to any currently threatened indigenous group.currently threatened indigenous group.

Solution

Speaker: female Australian aboriginal BBC Radio 4 interview, January 2008 King’s Park = public park in Perth “up there” = site of 19th century

massacre by British soldiers cultural clues: “clan”, “birthing tree”,

and “dreaming tracks”

Why learners’ own Why learners’ own questions?questions?

draws on ideas from Sociocultural Theorydraws on ideas from Sociocultural Theory supported by research into collaborative supported by research into collaborative

L2 listening (Jones 2006) L2 listening (Jones 2006) questioning requires active listening questioning requires active listening discussion requires output and negotiationdiscussion requires output and negotiation disagreements create natural focus on disagreements create natural focus on

input (form) in second and later listeningsinput (form) in second and later listenings answers highlight individual answers highlight individual

interpretationsinterpretations

References

Izumi, S. (2003). Comprehension and production processes in L2 learning: In search of the psycholinguistic rationale of the Output Hypothesis. Applied Linguistics 24/2: 168-96.

Jones, L. (2006). Effects of collaboration and multimedia annotations on vocabulary learning and listening comprehension. CALICO 24/1: 33-58.

Lynch, T. (2009). Teaching Second Language Listening. Oxford University Press.

Nuttall, C. (1996). Teaching Foreign Language Reading Skills. Heinemann.