TED Listening Activity – Notice YOUR Mistakes

 The purpose of this listening activity is to help you to become active learners.
 Listening takes a lot of practice. You are training your brain to process information and you are looking for your listening mistakes.
 Repetition is important, and testing yourself is important. You will do both in this activity.
 It should take you more than an hour to complete this assignment (plus the write-up) if you do it properly. Make time for it.
Part I – Listening
Choose a recommended talk from www.ted.com that contains an interactive transcript in your native language.
STEP 1: Watch the video once. Just watch! Don’t pause or write anything down.
STEP 2: Write a summary of what you think the speaker was talking about and some key words/ideas that you heard. Write as much as you can remember. You may write in a combination of your native language and English if you want.
STEP 3: Watch again, taking notes on what you hear / what you think you hear. Leave many blank lines in your notes because you will be adding information to the notes. Consider using different color pen/pencil so you can see what you added from each listening.
If you hear new words, write them down, too! Don’t worry about the spelling right now. (It’s ok to pause the video when you do this.). You can repeat until you feel you have a good idea of the talk.
STEP 4: Open the English Transcript for the video. Watch the video while you read the transcript. (It’s ok to pause the video when you do this. It’s also ok to play a segment a few times to listen for important details or important words.) Compare your notes to the transcript. Did you miss any major ideas? Check the spelling of new words.
STEP 5: Last, test yourself! Open the transcript in your native language. Watch the video and read the transcript. Compare it to your notes/overall understanding.
 
Part II – Notice mistakes / Reflection
1. Write a 1-2 page (Times New Roman, 12 point font, 1” margins) reflection of your listening experience, thoughts, ideas, concerns, self-learnings, etc. This is not a summary of the talk, but your reflection of learning (see below).

• The top of your paper should include the following (in addition to your name, etc.):
Name of speaker:
Name of presentation:
URL:

• How did your understanding change from the first listening to the last? When you read the transcript in your native language did you notice any important new ideas or understanding? How might this activity help you with future listening?
• What were 5+ mistakes you made in your listening or understanding? Why you think you made those mistakes? This should take up about two-thirds to one page.
o Note: You can only use one of these reasons and only once per TED talk – “The speaker spoke too fast.” or “The speaker didn’t speak clearly.” or “I couldn’t understand it because of my English.” Etc.
• What is the speaker’s main message and purpose in this talk? Inform, entertain, persuade or a combination of those. What did the speaker hope the audience would learn? What behaviors or attitudes does the speaker try to share? Etc.
o Be specific – What did the speaker want to persuade people to do? How did the speaker try to be entertaining? Etc. Don’t say “the speaker was informing us how to xx.” Is there a reason the speaker wants us to learn about the topic?

2. Write 6+ new vocabulary words you learned and their meanings (as used in the TED Talk). Use definitions you or another student would understand.
3. Scan or take a photo of your notes
4. Post this to Blackboard before the due date/time.

Other ideas:
• How might this activity help you prepare for academic classes / becoming a better listener?
• Who is the audience? (the type of listener, not the real audience sitting and listening)
• How does what they’re saying relate to the audience’s reaction?
• How does what the speaker is saying relate to any images shown?
• Was there something the audience laughed at that you didn’t think was funny/you didn’t understand why they laughed? Why do you think this happened?
• Words – Write down words you recognize. How did your spelling compare to the correct spelling in the transcript? Guess at new words – how are they spelled? Guess at new words – what do they mean (based on context) Note: Spelling corrections are for your learning and spelling errors should not be considered a listening mistake.
• Idioms and metaphors
• What questions do you have for the speaker?
• 3 point BONUS: Make an outline of the speech (recognize organization) that you could use to retell the speech (not part of the 1-2 pages)
Do not include:
• Your spelling errors (unless it directly affects meaning)
• A summary of the talk (but do include the message/purpose)
• Your opinion of the topic or speaker
• If you think the speaker had unclear pronunciation (unless it is relevant, such as if they are not a native-English speaker. However, remember, you can use this reason for a listening error only one time.)
• If you think the speaker spoke to quickly.
Due dates – See Blackboard/syllabus for specific dates and times. Reflections are due approximately every two weeks.

Thank you to Carolyn K. Elk, University of Kansas, for this assignment idea.
 
Rubric
Exemplary Satisfactory Needs Improvement
Reflection of listening. (Depth and thoughtfulness)
___/20 Student identifies how multiple listening aided him/her. Speaker’s purpose and message probable. Developed writing which is reflective and analytical. Thoughtful. A bit of reflection and analysis evident, but needs more. Speaker’s purpose and message stated but uncertain. Very superficial writing. Does not reflect or go beyond basic ideas. Student unable to explain if/how listening was beneficial or any learnings he/she had. Speaker’s purpose and message missing or doubtful.
Identified 5+ listening mistakes
___/20
Contained 5+ mistakes and why the student thought they made them. Contained 4 or 5+ mistakes but limited information as to why student thought they made them. Contained less than 4 mistakes and/or little helpful information as to why student thought they made them.
Identified 6+ new vocabulary words
___/10
Contained 6+ words and their meanings as used in the talk. Contained 5 or 6+ words but with
limited definition or misspelling. Contained less than 5 words but with inaccurate definition or definition not related to talk.
Scan/submit listening notes from assignment.
___/5
Complete notes Approximately 75% or more relevant information Less than approx. 75% of relevant information or wrote sentences (not notes).
Length and formatting
___/5
1-2 pages of relevant information. Properly formatted. 1 page of relevant information. Minor errors in formatting. Less than 1 page of relevant information. Significant errors in formatting (e.g. font or margins too large)
Writing: Grammar, mechanics, structure
___/5
Level- appropriate (or higher) paragraphs with few errors that do not interfere with meaning. Variety of sentence structure (compound, complex, etc.). Level appropriate writing; minor errors causing some difficulty for reader. Paragraphs contain single topic information but may be slightly unorganized. Problems interfere with meaning, cause reader much difficulty, or are numerous. Written below level-appropriate, such as mostly bullet point phrases or incomplete sentences, paragraphs. Little sentence variety.
Optional: +3 points Submit an outline of the speech that could be used to retell it.

Reminder: Late work is reduced 10% each 24-hours late, up to 72 hours. If an assignment is due at 12:00pm, it is considered late at 12:01pm. Do not wait until the last minute – Labs can be full, internet can go down or be slow, passwords may be forgotten, etc.

TED Talks!
For your weekly TED listening assignment, choose from this list of lectures. If you wish to watch a different talk, email me with the link and wait for approval.
FOOD

Britta Riley: “A Garden in My Apartment” 7:53

Christien Meindertsma: “How Pig Parts Make the World Turn” 8:54 http://www.ted.com/talks/christien_meindertsma_on_pig_05049.html
Graham Hill: “Why I’m a Weekday Vegetarian” 4:04 http://www.ted.com/talks/graham_hill_weekday_vegetarian.html
ENERGY / ENVIRONMENT

Richard Sears: “Planning for the End of Oil” 6:52 http://www.ted.com/talks/richard_sears_planning_for_the_end_of_oil.html
Lucianne Walkowicz: “Let’s not use Mars as a back-up planet” 5:50 https://www.ted.com/talks/lucianne_walkowicz_let_s_not_use_mars_as_a_backup_planet

Steven Cowley: “Fusion is Energy’s Future” 9:55 http://www.ted.com/talks/steven_cowley_fusion_is_energy_s_future.html

Al Gore: “What comes after an Inconvenient Truth” 7:48 http://www.ted.com/talks/al_gore_warns_on_latest_climate_trends.html
Saul Griffith: “High-Altitude Wind Energy from Kites” 5:22 http://www.ted.com/talks/saul_griffith_on_kites_as_the_future_of_renewable_energy.html
Larry Burns: “The Future of Cars” 9:09

William Kamkwamba: “How I Built a Windmill” 4:15 http://www.ted.com/talks/william_kamkwamba_on_building_a_windmill.html (Notice: The main speaker is not a native English speaker. He is being interviewed by a native English speaker.)

Miranda Wang & Jeanny Yao: “Two Young Scientists Break Down Plastics with Bacteria” 9:21 http://www.ted.com/talks/two_young_scientists_break_down_plastics_with_bacteria.html (Note: these 2 speakers have memorized their speech)
Charles Moore: “Seas of Plastic” 7:23 http://www.ted.com/talks/capt_charles_moore_on_the_seas_of_plastic.html (Note: this speaker is reading his speech from paper)
PSYCHOLOGY, EDUCATION and MORE
Rita Pierson: “Every Kid Needs a Champion” 7:48 http://www.ted.com/talks/rita_pierson_every_kid_needs_a_champion.html
Alex Laskey: “How Behavioral Science Can Lower your Energy Bill” 8:11 http://www.ted.com/talks/alex_laskey_how_behavioral_science_can_lower_your_energy_bill .html
Angela Lee Duckworth: “The Key to Success? Grit” 6:13 http://www.ted.com/talks/angela_lee_duckworth_the_key_to_success_grit.html
Pearl Arredondo: “My Story, from Gangland Daughter to Star Teacher” 8:04 http://www.ted.com/talks/pearl_arredondo_my_story_from_gangland_daughter_to_star_teach er.html
Nilofer Merchant – “Got a Meeting? Take a Walk” 3:29 http://www.ted.com/talks/nilofer_merchant_got_a_meeting_take_a_walk.html
Ramsey Musallam: “3 Rules to Spark Learning” 6:30 http://www.ted.com/talks/ramsey_musallam_3_rules_to_spark_learning.html
TECHNOLOGY
Juliana Rotich: “Meet BRCK, Internet Access Built for Africa” 9:34 http://www.ted.com/talks/juliana_rotich_meet_brck_internet_access_built_for_africa.html
Sergey Brin: “Why Google Glass” 7:15 http://www.ted.com/talks/sergey_brin_why_google_glass.html (Note: Sergey Brin is the co-inventor of Google)
Jinha Lee: “Reach Into the Computer and Grab a Pixel” http://www.ted.com/talks/jinha_lee_a_tool_that_lets_you_touch_pixels.html
Margaret Gould Stewart: How YouTube thinks about copyright 5:54

Renny Gleeson: 404: Page Not Found” 4:07

Rodney Brooks: “Why We Will Rely on Robots” 9:56 http://www.ted.com/talks/rodney_brooks_why_we_will_rely_on_robots.html
Liisa Bu: “How Books Can Open Your Mind” 6:17 http://www.ted.com/talks/lisa_bu_how_books_can_open_your_mind.html
Juan Enriquez: “Your Online Life, Permanent as a Tattoo” 5:58 http://www.ted.com/talks/juan_enriquez_how_to_think_about_digital_tattoos.html
PHILOSOPHY
Judy MacDonald Johnston: “Prepare for a Good End of Life” 6:04 http://www.ted.com/talks/judy_macdonald_johnston_prepare_for_a_good_end_of_life.html
Peter Norvig: “The 100,000-student classroom” 6:04

Maria Bezaitis: “The Surprising Need for Strangeness” 8:00 http://www.ted.com/talks/maria_bezaitis_the_surprising_need_for_strangeness.html
Joachim de Posada:” Don’t eat the marshmallow!” 5:58

LANGUAGE:
Terry Moore: “Why is ‘x’ the unknown?” 3:50

Jill Shargaa: “Please, please, people. Let’s put the ‘awe’ back in ‘awesome’ “ 6:14

Examples of student’s mistake reflections:
• “I noticed a new idea. I thought tattoos could only be on your skin, but he had a new idea of staying forever.”
• “I heard him say ‘anonymous’ and I thought he said unfamous because Andy said ‘every body will be world famous’ which is the opposite of famous.”
• “I did not know what is the meaning of mosquitos and I guessed the meaning because it is an important word in the subject, so I guessed it that is the name of the insect that causes the malaria.”
• “The word ‘peak’ I believe it means less and less. But it means the highest point.”
• “I didn’t recognize the word outcome. I wrote ‘or come’ but this did not make sense to me in the sentence.”
• “I couldn’t figure out negative word like ‘weren’t.’ I always thought it is ‘were’ so it was unclear what she was unhappy about”
• “I heard ‘concepts’ but it was ‘contact.’ I think the vowel sounded same to me.”
• “I thought he was saying ‘steal’ so I thought he was talking about people stealing. This confused me. But I saw that it was ‘still.’ He was not talking about stealing at all. These words sound similar to me so I had a problem understanding the meaning.”
Examples of student’s reflections:
• “I thought the first time was okay and I understood the words, but when I read the English transcript, the words I heard weren’t what he said.”
• “I had trouble understanding the idea. When I saw the Chinese transcript, I could understand it. I listened again in English and I could understand it better since I knew the idea. It’s important to have an idea of the topic first.”