3.2: listening strategies: context guessing

• Engels
• MBO
• Studiejaar 2

English teachers

Our names are: 

Anta Zamira

Gerbrich van Dekken

Carla van der Kooi

Nynke Cnossen

Introduction

Ms Gerbrich van Dekken

What to expect at the exams?

Hier vertellen dat we de komende twintig weken deze vaardigheden gaan trainen gericht op de verschillende examens.

Period 3

Tweede examen: datum volgt maar staat gepland vanaf P4 week 6.

Period 4

Eerste examen:

Datums volgen maar staat gepland vanaf P3 week 6.

English levels (ERK)

A2/B1 Spreken, Gesprekken voeren & Schrijven

- actieve beheersing van het Engels

- zinnen kunnen uitspreken en schrijven

- grammatica toepassen

B1/B2 Lezen & Luisteren

- passieve beheersing van het Engels

- woordenschat

- grammaticale structuren herkennen

Our goal today

Starter:

Listening warm up!

Main course:

Context guessing

Dessert

Period 3

Tweede examen: datum volgt maar staat gepland vanaf P4 week 6.

First exam

Your first exam CE Reading and Listening B1 will take place on:

May 15th 2025

13.45 - 15.30

Listening warm up!

Now "take your car for a spin"

When I was in London I did not drive a van but rented a motorbike. I usually drive very carefully but now I almost caused an accident when I ignored the red traffic light. I almost got run over by a bus. I switched lanes on purpose so I could go to the M5 motorway.

Listen to the audio fragment and write down the 

7 words in this text that are different from what you hear.

When I was in London I did not drive a van but rented a motorbike. I usually drive very carefully but now I almost caused an accident when I ignored the red traffic light. I almost got run over by a bus. I switched lanes on purpose so I could go to the M5 motorway.

Listen to the audio fragment.

Now "take your car for a spin"

In red you see the different words.

"When I was in London I did not drive a van but rented a motorbike. I usually drive very carefully but now I almost caused an accident when I ignored the red traffic light. I almost got run over by a bus I switched lanes on purpose so I could go to the M5 motorway.

"When I was in London I did not drive a van (car) but rented a motorbike. I usually drive (cycle) very carefully (casual) but now I almost caused an accident when I ignored the red traffic light (sign). I almost got run over by a bus (lorry). I switched lanes on purpose (surprise) so I could go to the M5 motorway (highway)."

In red you see the 7 words in the original text.

In blue you see the 7 words that you heard.

Context guessing

Context guessing

Goal of this class: students know that they can use context to understand what is being said.

 

• Why is context important?

• How about if I say: "It's okay to make mistakes". 

What is context?

Elicit: what is context?

What if I say?

"It's okay to make mistakes"

"It's okay to make mistakes"

"It's okay to make mistakes"

"It's okay to make mistakes"

Context guessing can help you!

Listening can be difficult!

Use your eyes!

The context of the story can help you 

to understand what is going on.

Watch this video from Romania.

Use the context (your eyes) to guess what happened.

Discuss with a partner in English

What do you think has happened?

A personal train, in which there were 30 passengers, crashed into an agricultural combine. Apparently, the vehicle is right on an unmarked railroad crossing.

Paradoxical is the fact that less than 20 meters away there is a level crossing with a signalized and equipped railway, but the only access road to the agricultural fields in the area intersects with another railway. Thus, people are forced to put their lives in danger, every day.

Listening exercise

Listening: 5 questions The people's Supermarket.

Listening 5 questions

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ql5Wb_ACacc&t=2s

What is Kevin's reason for making this video?

1. He want to give beginners tips to get a good start.
2. He wants to share his own bad experiences as a beginner.
3. He wants to tell beginners how to impress their mates.

A 0.30 - 0.42 LINKING WORD + SYNONYM

"....,so I kinda came up with 5 things .. make that beginner stage of snowboarding go a lot smoother".

What should you take into account when setting your goals,
according to Kevin?

1. How you feel on a particular day.
2. The lowest skill level you want to achieve.
3. Your experience with other sports.

C 0.57-1.03 

LINKING WORD + SYNONYM

"... so if you're somebody who's really into skateboarding and surfing then you're probably gonna pick-up snowboarding quick ..."

What should you do when your friends are more experienced snowboarders?

1. Ask them to wait for you as often as possible.
2. Get them to teach you some new techniques.
3. Join them at first and then go board on your own.

C 1.39 - 1.48 SYNONYM

"... maybe do one or two runs with them in the morning and then let them go off and do their own thing ..."

What is the best way to learn
all the differrent techniques,
according to Kevin?

1. Focus on one technique until you feel you have mastered it.
2. Get through the basic techniques as quickly as possible.
3. Practice those techniques first that take very little effort.

A 3.17 - 3.31

LINKING WORD + SYNONYM

"... there's like 10 or 15 things you learn as a beginner, and it's something to try to rush through all those things as fast as you can, but mileage is really the key ..."

Which safety gear is absolutely essential, according to Kevin?

1. Helmet
2. Gloves
3. Kneecaps

A 4.25 -  4.35

LINKING WORD + SYNOYM

"... wearing my helmet defenitely helps .., so for a beginner you defenitely want to make sure you're wearing a helmet ...."

Intonation

Context guessing can help you!

Listening can be difficult!

Focus on intonation!

The way things are said can help you 

to understand what is going on.

Listen to this audio fragment.

Focus on how things are said.

This is the audio tape from a YouTube video. 

Use the context (focus on intonation) to guess what happened.

https://youtu.be/IlaP-Kbkrps

Now watch the video.

https://youtu.be/IlaP-Kbkrps

Did you get it right?

American Kids Try Dutch Food. Your favorite kiddos survey the world one surprising plate at a time in our first season of Kids Try.

Discuss with a partner in English

What do you think has happened?

A personal train, in which there were 30 passengers, crashed into an agricultural combine. Apparently, the vehicle is right on an unmarked railroad crossing.

Paradoxical is the fact that less than 20 meters away there is a level crossing with a signalized and equipped railway, but the only access road to the agricultural fields in the area intersects with another railway. Thus, people are forced to put their lives in danger, every day.

You know more than you think!

Most new information is built on old information. Context can help you remember the information that is already in your head. And that will help you understand the new information.

So don't say: "ik kan geen Engels" and then shut your ears and eyes. The information you already have in your head, in your own language, helps you to understand what is said in English.

Listening exercise

2 students will leave the classroom.

Activeren voorkennis.

Je ziet de titel. heb je al een idee waar het verhaal over zal gaan?

Listen

We need 2 volunteers to leave the classroom.

How to call the police

2 students leave the classroom.

Audio afspelen OF geprint exemplaar gebruiken om verhaal te vertellen. Doel: globaal luisteren.

Student 1 comes back in class.

A student will tell the story to student 1.

Student 2 comes back in class.

Student 1 tells the story to student 2.

Student 2 tells the story to class.

Listen again

1. Where was Mr. Walker when he noticed

 that there were people in his shed?

2. How many times did Mr. Walker call the police?

3. How long did it take before 

the police arrived at Mr. Walker's house?

How to call the police

Audio afspelen OF geprint exemplaar gebruiken om verhaal te vertellen.

Je weet nu al de vragen, dus je gaat zoekend luisteren om de antwoorden te vinden.

1. in the garden "on the gardenpath".

2. twice "after 30 seconds he called again"

3. less then 5 minutes "within 5 minutes".

Listening strategies

Geoefend met luisterstrategiën:

• Globaal luisteren
• Zoekend luisteren
• Intensief luisteren