Higher Listening

1. Higher Listening

2. Aims • To understand what you will need to do to pass listening outcomes. • To begin to practice using a TED talk. • There will be an official Listening assessment when you return in August – the date has not yet been set. • Success in this area will result in a pass for 50% of the Analysis and Evaluation Unit.

3. What are the outcomes? • 2 Understand, analyse and evaluate detailed and complex spoken language by: • 2.1 Identifying and explaining the purpose and audience • 2.2 Identifying and explaining the main ideas and supporting details • 2.3 Applying knowledge and understanding of language to explain meaning and effect in depth and detail

4. 2.1 Identifying and explaining the purpose and audience • What might be the purposes of a talk? • Persuade • Inform • Instruct • You must be specific in your answers – e.g. The purpose is to persuade us of the dangers of Global Warming.

5. 2.1 Identifying and explaining the purpose and audience • This is who might be interested in the talk; who might want to listen to it. • You could think of: Teenagers; adults; people interested in a particular subject; gender; social class… • It is not enough to just say adults, however. You need to be specific and explain your choice. • E.g. Adults interested in the environment (environmentalists) would listen to this as much of the content is about the dangers of Global Warming and demonstrated a number of preventative measures.

6. 2.2 Identifying and explaining the main ideas and supporting details • You will probably be asked to list some of the main points made by the presenter. • Listen carefully to what they say and note down the key elements of what is said. • With supporting details you need to give examples from the text. • The presenter states that ice caps are melting at an alarming rate resulting in the deaths of a vast number of polar bears (boo). She makes reference to a figure of 4 bears that were found drowned in the Beaufort Sea. This was blamed on retreating ice.

7. 2.3 Applying knowledge and understanding of language to explain meaning and effect in depth and detail • Essentially, you have to listen out for techniques and the language used and explain the effect. • You should be aware of: • Tone of voice – does it make the speaker more persuasive? • Word-choice • Imagery • Repetition • Questions • Humour • Climax/anti-climax • Triads (triples) • Antithesis • Inversion • Lists • Direct address • Use of stats/quotes/examples • Sound techniques: alliteration, onomatopoeia, sibilance, assonance.

8. 2.3 Applying knowledge and understanding of language to explain meaning and effect in depth and detail • How to analyse these: • Treat in exactly the same way as you would for the BSR or the RUAE paper. • The speaker repeats the word ‘melting’ to illustrate just how far-reaching the problem of shrinking ice caps is. It shows the many areas that are suffering: for example, declining wildlife and rising sea levels which threaten human settlements.

9. http://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_why_good_leaders_make_you_feel_safehttp://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_why_good_leaders_make_you_feel_safe

10. Question 1 • Audience: • Adults interested in nature of leadership and man-management – the psychological qualities of a good leader. • Perhaps people wanting to become greater leaders/more inspiring themselves. • The speaker gives several examples of great leader (Capt. Swenson, for example) which illustrate that great leaders are those who make us feel safe. This advice would be of great benefit to anyone interested in improving leadership skills.

11. Purpose is to persuade us about how important good leaders are and how they can be life-changing for those who follow them. • Evidence: speaker makes consistent use of persuasive techniques, especially repetition (for example, he repeats ‘trust and co-operation’ to emphasise the key qualities a great leader needs to instil) • Also makes use of examples of successful business leaders, such as Bob Chapman who nobly cared for his workers and shared the suffering rather than sacking a number of employees.

12. Question 3 (possible answers) • Powerful intro – use of emotive ‘life or death’ situation engages the audience by showing selfless nature of excellent leaders. Sets the tine for the rest of the talk. • Makes use of contrast when comparing military leaders to business leader, thus clearly showing the difference. Selfishness of many business leaders is clearly highlighted • Repetition of ‘trust and co-operation’ to illustrate quite clearly what outstanding leadership requires. • Repetition of ‘we call them leaders…’ to again illustrate exactly what a great leader is and what they can generate in those who follow them – powerful conclusion. • Listing of dangers that hinder our safety shows quantity and range of threatening forces. Very convincing in that we see why we need an environment in which we feel safe. • Use of analogy comparing leaders to parents. We can all relate to what makes a great parent and this makes us see his viewpoint more clearly. Great leaders are seen to be loving and selfless, just like parents.

13. Question 4 – key points • Humanity/ people are capable of great acts of kindness/selflessness when leading. • We became social animals due to a need for authority. • World is full of threats to our personal safety and we need an environment that makes us feel secure to realise our potential – great leaders can give us this. • The qualities of great leadership are akin to that of a great parent – selfless love and kindness. • It is still possible to be successful financially without sacrificing workers, if leaders are prepared to share the ‘suffering’ and hardship.

14. Questions 5 and 6 • Any valid point with accurate textual justificationj

15. Practice Clip 2 • http://www.ted.com/talks/jackie_savitz_save_the_oceans_feed_the_world