E-06.02 Settle Into Aural / Oral Story-Telling Techniques with Characters Who Are Learning Skills & Strategies

English in Everyday Life: An Immigration Story

WorkLife English: Competency-Based Listening/Speaking, Book 3; Chapter 2, Housing + Transcript

13 + 4 = 17 pp

Who It’s For: American-English (Teachers & Helpers of) Intermediate Students Getting Into Refurbishing of Comprehension & Information-Sharing Strategies

Why It’s Useful: Like Chapter 1 (E-06.01) of WorkLife English: A Competency-Based Listening/Speaking Book 3: An Immigration Story, Chapter 2 tells the stories of four (typical) newcomers getting into everyday life. Based on prerecorded Conversations (the texts of which appear in attached AudioScript segments), Part One has the “Principal Protagonists” answer questions about (the challenges of) their Housing Situations.  After assimilating relevant Vocabulary, Grammar, & Content, listeners practice speaking by summarizing the stories.  Part Two, focused on Stressed (Complex) Vowel Sounds, reinforces participants’ sentence Rhythm & Intonation.  Conversational phrasing in Part Three gets them to “Ask for & Give Information” related to the Chapter Theme—as well as to “Express Interest or Disinterest.” Part Four Listening Tasks has them file a police report, identify a suspect, describe a stolen purse & its contents.  

What You’ll Do: 

[1]  Practice the skill of Anticipation or Prediction by noting the housing-related Competencies, info-related Notions & Functions, & Grammar Focus listed in the Chapter 2 Opener.  In Part One Exercises A-*D, take steps to understand the four characters’ explanations regarding their recently acquired Housing. Summarize them.  Pronunciation features addressed in Part Two Exercises A-G are “Complex Vowel Sounds,” “Pitch of Stressed Syllables in Sentences,” “Rising Intonation at the End of Yes / No Questions vs. “Falling Intonation of Wh– Questions.”  These include “Tags.” 

[2]  In Part Three, acquire and use three kinds of question + short-answer patterns common in “Asking for & Giving Information.” “Express Interest or Disinterest” with “Conversational Gambits” meant to accomplish speakers’ objectives without offending. Interact with others in reference to imitations of or real Housing Ads.

[3]  Part Four Listening Tasks are simulations of exchanges that might occur after a minor crime has been committed. Show you understand by reacting to these.

[4] Attached to each Download E-06.01 through E-06.10 are corresponding Audioscript pages from the WorkLife English: A Competency-Based Listening/Speaking Book 3: An Immigration Story Instructor’s Edition. Relevant portions are highlighted.  Also available is E-06.11, a  7-page Answer Key for Text Exercises.