Graduate English Practical Listening and Speaking Course (Includes 5 Audio Cassettes) (Includes 5 Audio Cassettes)

Author: He Fusheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-02-01
Features: "A Practical Listening and Speaking Course for Graduate Students" is an advanced English listening and speaking course. The course is designed around various common language topics to cultivate students' practical abilities in listening and speaking. The book is divided into 16 units, each containing at least 4 listening exercises and 6 oral communication tasks, generally requiring more than 2 class periods. Teachers can adjust the class duration based on students' specific needs and selectively use the content of this course. In terms of layout, the audio materials and answers to listening exercises are included in the book to facilitate students' self-study and mastery of common English oral expressions. The main features of this textbook are as follows:
1. Rich Listening Materials: Each unit includes more than 4 authentic English dialogues or short passages, especially academic lectures. The materials are up-to-date, with most topics dating from the 1990s onwards. Most recordings are ( means "recorded on-site" in English), with natural pacing and strong practicality, covering various English accents. The listening exercises are designed to highlight their practicality while also training students to master the common language expressions related to specific functions and topics.
2. Practical Oral Exercises: Each unit's oral exercises emphasize practicality, aligning with China's context and students' actual situations, giving them opportunities to express their thoughts. The oral exercises also address the common vocabulary and expressions needed for listening and speaking practice on specific language functions and topics. Additionally, the oral exercises are diverse, ranging from controlled (guided) to free (open) formats. For example, some tasks involve completing a communicative activity using a survey sheet, while others are open-topic discussions.
3. Integration of Listening and Speaking Training: The course adheres to the principle of combining and reinforcing listening and speaking training. The variety of oral exercises, which are engaging and fun, help guide students to understand the listening materials, while the listening materials provide language expressions for subsequent oral activities, significantly improving students' learning efficiency.
4. Communication-Based English Teaching Approach: The course offers teachers extensive pedagogical guidance. Each exercise is designed to be user-friendly, engaging, and motivating, ensuring students have ample opportunities for English practice in every class to enhance their communicative competence.
5. Diverse English Communication Activities: The textbook includes English communication activities across various settings, covering daily life, customs, and cultural backgrounds in countries like the UK and the US, helping students use English appropriately when interacting with international individuals. The course also features a significant number of academic lectures and discussion topics, greatly improving students' ability to engage in high-level academic exchanges in English.
6. Adaptability to Different English Proficiency Levels: Considering the varying English proficiency levels in Chinese colleges and universities, the book provides exercises ranging from easy to challenging, suitable for advanced English teaching in higher education institutions. Teachers can select and use the content based on students' specific needs and class schedules.
Each unit in this course can be taught in three stages: Warm-up Activities – Listening Activities – Speaking Activities.
- Warm-up Activities: These are diverse, including listening exercises, oral practice, and simple Q&A, designed to guide students toward the unit's theme. They also cover key vocabulary from the listening materials, helping students understand their meanings before listening.
- Listening Activities: These involve playing audio, discussing answers, replaying segments, and checking responses.
- Speaking Activities: These are a natural extension of the listening activities, requiring active student participation and teacher guidance. Before concluding, a few students can demonstrate their skills to add fun to the activity.