Listening in and Speaking Out

Listening In and Speaking Out focuses on spontaneous spoken English with the aim of bridging the gap between "classroom English" an the English that students are likey to encounter on their own. The activities are based on two kinds of recordings meke by native speakers of English from various regions of the United States. The first recording in each unit is an unscripted, unrehearsed Monolog wich lasts approximately on minute. Each speaker describes a past experience or relates an anecdore in an informal manner, as if speaking to friends. The second recording in each unit is an unrehearsed Dramatization, also unscripted to ensure spontaneity wich lasts approximately a minute and a half. It incorporates some element of conflict or disagreement in order to expose students to expressions of strong feelings and to provide them with an opportunity to discuss a variety of emotional responses.Because the language on the recording was unrehearsed and the interactions were spontaneous the learners will hear many instances of natural hesitations, interruptions, parenthetical expressions, unfinished sentences and awkward or "incorrect" grammatical construcions.Sometimes they will hear very rapid speech an at other times slower rates of delivery. Through exposeure to the ordinary phenomena of spoken English in LISO, learner are given the opportunity to develop the skill of understanding real conversations in English spoken at normal speed.

In addition, the material provides:

1) An opportunity for students to speak informally.

2) A learning environment that is student-centered and.

3) Activities that help students develop the confidence, motivation and ideas for on-going