English 100 Communication Arts

Prelim Notes
Listening
It is one of the most important skills we can have. How well we listen has a major impact on our job
effectiveness, and on the quality of our relationships with others.

Listening is the process of receiving, constructing meaning from, and responding to spoken and/or non-
verbal messages. – International Listening Association.
We listen to obtain information.
We listen to understand.
We listen for enjoyment.
We listen to learn.

Given all the listening that we do, you would think we'd be good at it! In fact most of us are not, and research
suggests that we only remember between 25 percent and 50 percent of what we hear. That means that when
you talk to your boss, colleagues, customers, or spouse for 10 minutes, they pay attention to less than half of
the conversation.

Turn it around and it reveals that when you are receiving directions or being presented with information, you
aren't hearing the whole message either. You hope the important parts are captured in your 25-50 percent,
but what if they're not?

Clearly, listening is a skill that we can all benefit from improving. By becoming better listeners, we can improve
our productivity, as well as our ability to influence, persuade, and negotiate. We can also avoid conflict and
misunderstandings. All of these are necessary for workplace success!

Quotable Quotes:

“The word ‘listen’ contains the same letters as the word ‘silent’.”
“Listening is an art that requires attention over talent, spirit over ego, others over self.”
“Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.”
“The biggest communication problem is we do not listen to understand. We listen to reply.”
“Listening is an attitude of the heart, a genuine desire to be with another which both attracts and heals.”
“Close your eyes. Listen. Nothing’s missing.”
“The quieter you become, the more you can hear.”
“One of the sincerest forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say.”
 Active Listening

The way to improve your listening skills is to practice "active listening." This is where you make a conscious
effort to hear not only the words that another person is saying but, more importantly, the complete
message being communicated.
In order to do this, you must pay attention to the other person very carefully.
You cannot allow yourself to become distracted by whatever else may be going on around you, or by forming
counter arguments while the other person is still speaking. Nor can you allow yourself to get bored, and lose
focus on what the other person is saying.
Tip:
If you're finding it particularly difficult to concentrate on what someone is saying, try repeating his or her
words mentally as he says them – this will reinforce his message and help you stay focused.
To enhance your listening skills, you need to let the other person know that you are listening to what she is
saying.
To understand the importance of this, ask yourself if you've ever been engaged in a conversation when you
wondered if the other person was listening to what you were saying. You wonder if your message is getting
across, or if it's even worthwhile continuing to speak. It feels like talking to a brick wall and it's something you
want to avoid.
Acknowledgement can be something as simple as a nod of the head or a simple "uh huh." You aren't
necessarily agreeing with the person, you are simply indicating that you are listening. Using body language and
other signs to acknowledge you are listening can also help you to pay attention.
Try to respond to the speaker in a way that will encourage him to continue speaking, so that you can get the
information that you need. While nodding and "uh huhing" says you're interested, an occasional question or
comment to recap what has been said also communicates that you are listening and understanding his
message.
Be aware that active listening can give others the impression that you agree with them even if you don't. It’s
also important to avoid using active listening as a checklist of actions to follow, rather than really listening. It
may help to practice Mindful Listening  if you find that you lose focus regularly.

The Three Main Types of Listening

Appreciative Listening (Listening for Enjoyment)

Informational Listening (Listening to Learn)

Critical Listening (Listening to Evaluate and Analyze)

Therapeutic or Empathetic Listening (Listening to Understand Feeling and Emotion)

Rapport Listening (Listening to establish Bond or Relationship)

Selective Listening (A Type of Listening that Shows Bias)

 Becoming an Active Listener
There are five key active listening techniques you can use to help you become a more effective listener:
1. Pay Attention
Give the speaker your undivided attention, and acknowledge the message. Recognize that non-verbal
communication also "speaks" loudly.
Look at the speaker directly.
Put aside distracting thoughts.
Don't mentally prepare a rebuttal!
Avoid being distracted by environmental factors. For example, side conversations.
"Listen" to the speaker's body language .
2. Show That You're Listening
Use your own body language and gestures to show that you are engaged.
Nod occasionally.
Smile and use other facial expressions.
Make sure that your posture is open and interested.
Encourage the speaker to continue with small verbal comments like yes, and "uh huh."
3. Provide Feedback
Our personal filters, assumptions, judgments, and beliefs can distort what we hear. As a listener, your role is
to understand what is being said. This may require you to reflect on what is being said and to ask questions.
Reflect on what has been said by paraphrasing. "What I'm hearing is... ," and "Sounds like you are saying... ,"
are great ways to reflect back.
Ask questions to clarify certain points. "What do you mean when you say... ." "Is this what you mean?"
Summarize the speaker's comments periodically.
4. Defer Judgment
Interrupting is a waste of time. It frustrates the speaker and limits full understanding of the message.
Allow the speaker to finish each point before asking questions.
Don't interrupt with counter arguments.
5. Respond Appropriately
Active listening is designed to encourage respect and understanding. You are gaining information and
perspective. You add nothing by attacking the speaker or otherwise putting her down.
Be candid, open and honest in your response.
Assert your opinions respectfully.
Treat the other person in a way that you think he or she would want to be treated.

Key Points
It takes a lot of concentration and determination to be an active listener. Old habits are hard to break, and if
your listening skills are as bad as many people's are, then you'll need to do a lot of work to break these bad
habits.
 The Three Basic Listening Models and How to Effectively Use Them
There are three basic listening models, each of which reflects upon the various ways that the person who is
doing the listening may be feeling. You may use all three of these listening models at one point or another,
depending upon whom you are listening to, what the conversation is about, and even what type of mood you
are in.

Here are the three basic listening models:

1. Competitive or combative listening: This is the type of listening that is done when people want to push
their own type of view or opinion rather than listen to someone else's. With this type of listening, we mostly
are waiting to jump in and say something or point out flaws in what the other person is saying. We pretend
that we are listening, when really we are formulating our own ideas and just waiting for the person to break so
we can blurt them out. The downside is that we fail to actually take in what the other person is saying and
have closed our minds, which is a barrier to good listening.

2. Passive, attentive listening: In this type of listening, we are genuinely interested in what the person is
saying. At this point, we are not yet at the point of responding and being involved, but we understand the
points that the speaker is trying to make. We may agree with what is being said, but we are doing so in a
passive manner, rather than in a reflective one.

3. Active, reflective listening: This is the type of listening model that you want to use. In this model, you
actively listen and understand what the other person is saying. Here, we listen to what the other person has to
say before we try to interject what we would like to share. In this model, you restate or share back
information with the speaker, showing that you are paying attention and actively involved.
 Barriers to Listening

By this point, you have been introduced to what listening skills are and the basics of listening models and
skills. In order to really be a good listener, it is important to understand some of the most common barriers to
listening. Once you know these, it makes identifying and addressing them much easier.

Common Listening Barriers

While the following list does not encompass all the possible barriers that may exist, it does include the most
common barriers you are likely to see and identify with. The more you understand the barriers to listening, the
more likely you are to be successful in avoiding them.

Boredom: People find it difficult to concentrate on what is being said when they are not interested in the topic
or they are simply bored.

Internal issues: People often are distracted by what is going on internally, such as having a headache, being
hungry, or not feeling well. All of these issues will make it more difficult to listen.

Knowing it all: If you are listening to someone and you believe you already know what they are going to say or
the answer to what they are speaking about, you are more likely to shut out what they are saying. This is
another example of why it is important to approach listening with an open mind.

Being preoccupied: If you have something else on your mind, it will be more difficult to think about what is
being said around you. What your mind is preoccupied with is likely to keep creeping back into your thoughts,
stealing your focus. Being preoccupied and daydreaming are both issues that that will prevent effective
listening.

Environmental distractions
One of the most common things that prevents people from actually listening is the distractions that are going
on around them. These environmental distractions, whether music, television, telephones, or the sound of a
vacuum down the hallway, can be a big enough distraction that it makes concentration difficult for someone
trying to listen.

Perception: If listeners have any bias or prejudice regarding the speaker or subject matter, it is likely that they
will be focusing on their disapproval rather than what is actually being said. This is why it is important to
approach listening with an open mind and relaxed attitude. Listeners' emotions play a big role in how they
perceive what they are listening to, as well as the speaker.

Red flag words: There are particular words that are hot-button issues with most people. If someone is
listening to someone else speak and hears particular words that the listener may be sensitive to, it could put
the focus on that and become a distraction. If someone is emotional, he or she will have a more difficult time
listening.

Language barriers: If there are language barriers, such as someone not being a native English-speaker or
having a speech problem, it can create difficulty in how the listener takes in what is being said. Language
barriers also can make it challenging for the listener to stay interested in the speaker and resist daydreaming.

Attention span issues: As previously mentioned, if someone suffers from a medical condition that prevents or
makes it difficult for the person to pay attention, she or he most likely will not be able to listen very well.
People with attention span challenges can work on trying to improve and also see a doctor for Attention
Deficit Disorder (ADD) testing if they feel there may be a medical reason for their difficulties.

Addressing the Barriers

The common barriers to listening listed above can be addressed to improve your skills. Here are some tips:

· Keep an open attitude so that you are free of bias, prejudice, or emotions that may complicate your
experience.

· Approach speakers by giving them the same respect that you would hope someone gives you.

Adhere to the old saying that we should treat others how we would want to be treated. If you would find it
offensive for people to snap their gum and look at their shoes as you are explaining something, then be
sure not to engage in such activity yourself. Putting yourself in the other person's shoes is a sure way to
focus on the way in which you should listen.

· Eliminate environmental distractions, including background noise. If you have the ability to reduce or
eliminate the distractions, you should make the effort.

· Be patient, especially if someone is having difficulty getting his or her point across or there is a language
barrier. If you allow people the time to work through what they are trying to say, they will be more
successful.
· Work on ways to focus your attention and improve your attention span. Being able to pay attention, even if
it is a topic that does not interest you, will make your listening experience more beneficial.
 Good Listening Habits
 
There are many bad listening habits that are very common. You can also use the habit pattern to cultivate
listening behaviors that will help the other person (and yourself at the same time).
Give full attention
The first habit of listening is to pay attention to the person who is speaking. Give them your full attention --
and visibly so. Attend not only with your ears but with your whole body. Turn to face them. Gaze intently at
them.
The trick to full attention is to do it from inside your head, not just by moving your body. If you can be truly
interested (which is often just a matter of attitude) then your body will happily follow your mind.
Help them speak
Sometimes the speaker is having difficulty getting their point across. Maybe they are not that good at
speaking or are seeking to explain a complex concept. You can help them and yourself by positive
encouragement.
If they lack confidence, encourage them with nods, smiles and positive noises. Show that you are interested
in them and don't mind that they are not particularly erudite. If they are struggling with a concept, try to
paraphrase what they are saying.
Asking positive questions is a generally good approach, both to test your own understanding and also to
demonstrate interest.
Support the person
Good listening also includes acting in a way that is considerate of the other person. As a part of listening,
you should seek to help the person feel good about themselves. Having someone pay close attention to you
and show interest is very flattering and usually feels good.
A fundamental attitude to support this is to value and accept all people, even if you do not agree with what
they have to say or how they say it. Thus, if you disagree, disagree with the argument and not with the
person. Show your acceptance of their right to differ with you, whilst stating your opposition to what they
say.
Manage your reactions
Finally, be careful with how you react to what the other person says.
It is easy to be put off by listeners who show a marked lack of interest, who do not seem to understand
what you are saying or who seem more concerned with criticizing you and showing how they do not need to
listen to you.

Before you comment about what the other person has said, pause before you dive into a response. Notice
your own internal inferences and biases. Think about what you would say and the effect that it would have.
Consider if this is what you want to achieve.
 Bad Listening Habits
  
There are many ways to listen badly, sometimes affected by the listener and sometimes by the
environment.
Common habits
Bad listening is common, but is seldom really intended. The way that it effectively works is that we fall into
the thoughtless repeating patterns of habits.
Here are some of the bad habits as suggested by several authors. It is scary how many of these may be
recognized in oneself...
Nichols and Stevens (1957) offer the following list as poor listening habits.
1. Calling the subject uninteresting
2. Criticizing the speaker &/or delivery
3. Getting over-stimulated
4. Listening only for facts (bottom line)
5. Not taking notes or outlining everything
6. Faking attention
7. Tolerating or creating distractions
8. Tuning out difficult material
9. Letting emotional words block the message
10. Wasting the time difference between speed of speech and speed of thought
Robertson (1994) describes the following list as the ten most common bad listening habits.
1. Lack of interest in the subject
2. Focus on the person, not on the content
3. Interrupting
4. Focus on the detail, missing the big picture
5. Force-fitting their ideas into your mental models
6. Body language that signals disinterest
7. Creating or allowing distractions
8. Ignoring what you do not understand
9. Letting emotions block the subject
10. Daydreaming
Barker and Watson (2000) suggest the following as irritating listening habits:
1. Interrupting the speaker.
2. Not looking at the speaker.
3. Rushing the speaker and making him feel that he's wasting the listener's time.
4. Showing interest in something other than the conversation.
5. Getting ahead of the speaker and finishing her thoughts.
6. Not responding to the speaker's requests.
7. Saying, "Yes, but . . .," as if the listener has made up his or her mind.
8. Topping the speaker's story with "That reminds me. . ." or "That's nothing, let me tell you about. . ."
9. Forgetting what was talked about previously.
10. Asking too many questions about details.
 Listening and Critical Thinking
Adults listen 50% or less.
Teenagers listen 25% or less.
Listening is a voluntary active process, it is psychological.
 Hearing is physiological.
You can learn to listen.
 Studies show that those who practice listening skills are less likely to develop memory loss in any
form.
Studies show that those who practice listening skills get better grades, higher pay and achieve their
goals more often than those who do not.
Critical thinking requires active listening.
Critical thinking involves being able to access the strengths and weaknesses of an argument.
Critical thinking involves being able to distinguish between the fact, theory and opinions of an
argument.
Critical thinking allows for thinking outside of the box.
 Critical thinking allows for compromise and growth.
 Critical thinking involves being able to judge the credibility of sources.
 Critical thinking requires accessing the quality of evidence.
Critical thinking involves discerning relationships between ideas.
Critical thinking involves priorities on what to remember and in what context.
Critical thinking allows for fewer mistakes and reduces trial and error in everyday life.
 Critical thinking DOES NOT MEAN NEGATIVE THINKING!
Critical thinking is a normal process that requires practice and reinforcement.
Critical thinking is an active process.
Critical thinking requires an open mind and the ability to consider and
understand all sides in an issue.
Critical thinking means replacing name calling and slogans with reason,
compromise and the ability to persuade instead of attack.

10 Steps to Effective Listening

1. Face the speaker and maintain eye contact.

2. Be attentive, but relaxed.

3. Keep an open mind.

4. Listen to the words and try to picture what the speaker is saying.

5. Don't interrupt and don't impose your "solutions."

6. Wait for the speaker to pause to ask clarifying questions.

7. Ask questions only to ensure understanding.

8. Try to feel what the speaker is feeling.

9. Give the speaker regular feedback.

10. Pay attention to what isn't said—to nonverbal cues.

---Internet Sources---
Midterm Notes

Taking effective notes in lectures and tutorials is an essential skill for university study. Good note-taking
allows a permanent record of key information that you can integrate with your own writing, and use for exam
revision. Taking reliable, accurate notes also reduces the risk of plagiarizing. It helps you distinguish where
your ideas came from and how and what you think about those ideas.
Six good reasons to take notes
 Notes are a useful record of key information, and the sources of that information.
 Notes inscribe information kinesthetically and help you remember what you heard.
 Taking notes helps you concentrate and listen effectively.
 Selecting what to note down increases your understanding.
 Notes create a resource for exam preparation.
 Notes taken in classes often contain information that can’t be found elsewhere.
Taking notes vs listening: which is more important?
You’ll get most out of lectures if you do both, but don’t focus on getting everything down to the extent that
you miss what the lecturer is saying—remember that actively listening and thinking are what is important.
Lecture slides are usually an outline of the lecture content. They guide your listening and help you identify the
key topics and concepts. Take note of what appears on them, but don’t confine your note-taking to simply
copying it. The information is usually very limited compared to what the lecturer says, so it’s more effective to
listen to the lecture and take notes from that. Most lecturers make their slides available before class, so print
them out and take additional notes in the lecture.
You can think about four times FASTER than a lecturer can speak. Effective LISTENING requires the
expenditure of energy; to compensate for the rate of presentation, you have to actively intend to listen. The
key is active not passive; get involved in the process. NOTETAKING is one way to enhance listening, and using a
systematic approach to the taking and reviewing of your notes can add immeasurably to your understanding
and remembering of the content of lectures. 
Before Class: 
 Develop a mind-set geared toward listening.
 Test yourself over the previous lecture while waiting for the next one to begin.
 Read assigned material (SQ3R) or at least S (skim) and Q (question) to acquaint yourself with main
ideas, new terms, etc.
 Do what you can to improve physical and mental alertness (fatigue, hunger, time of day, where you sit
in the classroom, all affect motivation).
 Choose notebooks that will enhance your systematic note-taking: a separate notebook with full-sized
pages is recommended for each course. You might wish to mark off the pages in a particular format
such as that of the Cornell System of Note-taking.
During Class: SIT CLOSE TO SPEAKER 
 Listen for the structure and information in the lecture. Use signal words such as: 
“Today I want to cover...”  Introduction and/or Title 
“Four points...” “Three causes...” Organizational cues 
“Next I want to discuss...” Change of topic
“I emphasize...” “To repeat...”  Cues regarding importance 
  Pay attention to the speaker for verbal (louder or higher pitched inflections) and body language cues of
what’s important.

 Be consistent in your use of form, abbreviations, etc. (key your abbreviations).

 Make a conscious effort to concentrate on what the speaker is saying. Don’t get sidetracked by:
a. the speaker’s appearance or mannerisms.
b. your emotional reaction to the subject matter.
 Label important points and organizational clues: main points, examples.
 When possible, translate the lecture into your own words, but if you can’t, don’t let it worry you into
inattention!
 Ask questions if you don’t understand.
 Instead of closing your notebook early and getting ready to leave, listen carefully to information given
toward the end of class; summary statements may be of particular value in highlighting main points,
there may be possible quiz questions, etc. 

After Class: SAME DAY AS LECTURE (Reduce, Recite, Reflect) 

 Clear up any questions raised by the lecture by asking either the teacher or classmates.
 Fill in missing points or misunderstood terms from text or other sources.
 Edit your notes, labeling main points, adding recall clues and questions to be answered. Key points in
the notes can be highlighted with different colors of ink.
 Make note of your ideas and reflections, keeping them separate from those of the speaker.
 A checklist for editing your notes:
 Did you state the main topic of the lecture?
 Are all words intelligible?
 Are symbols and abbreviations keyed?
 Is the structure clear? If not, you may need to rewrite.
 Did you write cue words in the left margin for self-testing?
 Did you miss any points? You may need to compare notes with a classmate. 
 Periodically (Review)
 Review your notes: glance at your recall clues and see how much you can remember before rereading
the notes.
 Look for the emergence of themes, main concepts, methods of presentation over the course of several
lectures.
 Make up and answer possible test questions. 

The notes you take in class are your primary tool for learning class material yet most College students take
notes on a daily basis but fail to utilize them until a week before a scheduled exam. In order to be an effective
learner you must learn note-taking techniques that enhance the material presented to you both in your text
and in class. Effective note taking is an essential component to improving your study habits and enhancing
your ability to remember thus truly learning course material.
 Note Taking Strategy Techniques
1. Cornell Method 

The Cornell Method has been and remains one of the most popular note-taking strategies amongst students
today. The technique can be seen above and in the accompanying diagram. You simply divide up your notes
into 3 sections. The right column is home to the general area. This is where you keep your most important
ideas that the teacher has covered during class. It is important that you try to summarize as much as possible
and to be smart when note taking (see #4). The left area serves to compliment the general area. Writing notes
in the margins helps us understand and relate each part of our notes. This section may develop during the
class itself or at the end of it. The last section labelled ‘summary’ should be left blank during class as it is
intended for use when you are reviewing/ studying the class notes. This lessens the need to keep up with the
teacher’s delivery and write fast. You should try to develop a short summary of key points in this section for
greater reflection of the class notes.

2. Split Page Method

This type of Note Taking Methods have similarities with the Cornell Method however it is still a principle unto
itself. The idea is that you divide the page vertically into two sections. A main idea and secondary ideas.
The idea is that, while you are taking notes, you are organizing everything simultaneously. This method may
require some adjustment at first but in the long run, it will help you to better optimize your study time when
using our notes.

3. Visual Aids
This method is based on the use of visual aids to improve how the brain processes information. It involves
using pictures, graphs, diagrams, etc. Rather than writing long paragraphs of information, our brain follows the
information sequentially. The use of colors and other visual elements such as different sized letters, also
known as supernotes, favors the user. Because of this, Mind Maps are becoming one of the most widespread
and effective Note Taking methods. These resources make it possible to develop ideas and connections easily
in a visual environment. Our Mind Map tool includes a function that allows you to “Convert to Note“. This
allows you to move all the information on your Mind Map to a digital Note with a single click. Not sure how to
create a Mind Map, take a few short minutes and check out this handy article on how to create your first Mind
Map.

4. Symbols and Abbreviations

No matter which Note Taking Methods you use to take notes, there will be times when you cannot keep pace
with the class and your wrist will begin to hurt you from writing. Therefore it is important that you
develop your own language of symbols so that you can write more with little effort. Once the class is over, you
can always “translate” your notes that you took during class. This will leave you with your own ‘language’ of
notes.

5. Underline Key Points

It’s advisable to underline the most important learning concepts of the lesson, as they will  stand out more
clearly and you’ll be more inclined to memorize them. In addition, the notes will be less monotonous and you
can review them more quickly, since you can use the underline parts as a guide and won’t need to read the
entire text every time you go to study.
 Why Are Effective Note Taking Skills Important?

Better notes will help you remember concepts, develop meaningful learning skills, and gain a better
understanding of a topic. Effective notes will even lead to less stress when test time comes around!
Learning how to take better study notes in class helps improve recall and understanding of what you are
learning because it:
ensures you are actively listening to what the teacher is saying;
requires you to think about what you are writing;
helps you make connections between topics; and
serves as quality review material for after class.
Using different note taking strategies is important, especially as you progress through high school and
transition to college or university. There are several note taking techniques you can use to start taking
better notes in class.

Following Instructions

Think for a moment about the importance of instructions. Teachers give instructions. Managers and
supervisors give instructions. Architects give instructions for making buildings, and playwrights give
instructions for staging a play. Lawyers and accountants, coaches and therapists, parents and priests--all give
instructions. Even friends and lovers give each other instructions on how they want to be treated. You could
argue, as author Richard Saul Wurman does, that "the motivation of all communication is the giving and
receiving of instructions."1 Many students assume that they're experts in following instructions. Soon after
entering higher education, they discover that this assumption is misguided. Following instructions is often far
more complicated than it appears. And the costs of misunderstanding instructions can range from missing a
few points on a test to missing out on acceptance from the university where you want to transfer.
Your experience in higher education hinges on your skill in following instructions. Admission
applications have detailed instructions and timelines. Registering for courses requires following instructions
carefully to get the classes you want. Campus policies, classroom procedures, homework assignments, and
exams all come with instructions that need close attention.
The steps below can help you follow directions successfully.
1. Prepare to follow instructions. Begin by gathering all relevant materials. When filling out an application for
financial aid, for example, you might need detailed income and expense records along with last year's income
tax return.
2. Focus your attention. If the directions are written, read slowly. If the directions are verbal, listen carefully.
One quick way to focus your attention is to remind yourself that following instructions usually helps you get
something you want.
3. Distinguish between outcomes and tasks. At work, your supervisor might ask you to increase sales of a
certain product by 20 percent. Her statement of a desired outcome might be the sum total of her instruction.
Or she might give you a detailed list of tasks designed to produce that 20 percent increase.
These two scenarios pose quite different implications for you as an instruction follower. When your focus is on
the outcome, you might have the freedom to choose from several different paths to achieve that result. If
your instruction is to follow a sequence of tasks, you might have less flexibility. Skilled instruction followers
look for this difference and clarify what's expected before they move into action.
4. Distinguish between sequential instructions and lists of options. In many cases, you'll benefit by seeing
instructions as a series of steps to perform in a certain order. These are called sequential instructions, and
they often apply to tasks such as following a recipe, assembling furniture, or troubleshooting a computer
problem.
In other cases, instructions consist of a list of options that you can apply in almost any order. Becoming a
Master Student frequently gives this kind of instruction. Teachers can assign chapters, journal entries, and
exercises in a number of different sequences. And when reading an article such as this one, you can choose
one suggestion to apply now and come back for more later. The suggestion you start with does not have to
appear first in the list.
5. Make sure that you understand all of the instructions. Take notes on the directions, or, if written, highlight
key points. Reread for clarification. If the directions are numerous or complex, make a checklist to ensure that
you don't miss a step. Ask questions when you are unsure about what to do. Anticipate possible problems and
plan what you'll do to solve them.
On the other hand, don't make instructions any harder than they need to be. When following instructions,
estimate the time you'll take to complete a task. If a one-hour project starts looking like a full day's enterprise,
it's time to adjust your estimate--or review the instructions and weed out unnecessary steps.
6. Look for instructions everywhere. Use the above suggestions to boost your opportunities in everything from
petitioning a closed class to getting the grade you want on a final exam. Remember that these suggestions can
also be used outside of school. Job applications, loan applications, and contracts all come with instructions. As
you master the art of following instructions, you maximize your chances for success in every area of life.
Source: 1 Richard Saul Wurman, Loring Leifer, and David Sume, Information Anxiety 2 (Indianapolis: QUE, 2001), 199.

Seven Types of Activities for Listening with a Purpose

1. Listening for the Main Idea
The purpose of this type of listening is to train students to grasp the main points or general information presented in the
audio. Students often get stuck on a detail, a word or phrase they don’t understand and fail to see the bigger picture. So,
this is a great exercise for this type of student.

Listening Exercise: Choose a short audio track that presents information that may be easily summarized, like a news
report. Have students summarize the main points in one or two sentences. It is important to clarify that students aren’t
expected to deliver details, like numbers, names or statistics but rather express the main point in a concise manner.

2. Listening for Detail

Here, the purpose is to train students to grasp specific information, details that are relevant, important or necessary.
The goal is to help students obtain the detailed information they may need like hours, dates, names, etc…

Listening Exercise: Biographies tend to have lots of great details. Choose an interesting one – ManyThings.org has
several in their People page, as well as cool Places to learn about. Prepare a short list of questions they must read before
listening, of the what, when, where, how type. Students listen for these details, then report their answers after the
listening.

3. Listening for a Sequence

Quite often, students receive instructions in English, information they will need to act on or orders they will need to
follow. It is vital that they get the order right, that they understand the sequence correctly and what each step entails.

Listening Exercise: VideoJug has great how to videos, like How to Clean Your Microwave with a Lemon or this interesting
one on How to Stop Being Lazy. Have students listen as they write the series of steps, or give them the steps and have
them put them in the right order.

4. Listening for Specific Vocabulary

Listening activities offer great opportunities to teach new words or review vocabulary previously taught. Here, the
purpose is to identify and remember a series of words, which are usually easily categorized, like types of food, sports,
animals, etc…

Listening Exercise: Choose an audio track or song that lists words that may be included in a category, like  Ylvis’ The
Fox (great song for young learners and teens!) You can ask students to listen and write down all of the animals they hear
mentioned, as well as the sounds they make. Or create a matching exercise.

5. Listening for Cultural Interest

With a carefully selected listening activity, you also have the opportunity to teach students about a special holiday or
tradition that is popular with another culture. The purpose is to expose the class to this cultural aspect through a
listening activity.

Listening Exercise: Choose an audio track that speaks about a popular American holiday like Thanksgiving. Have students
listen and answer some comprehension questions. Then ask: Is this holiday celebrated in their country of origin? If not, is
there a festivity that is similar in their country?

6. Listening for Attitude and Opinions

Sometimes students have to listen for what someone is really saying, not what they’re literally saying, but what they
actually mean. Attitudes, opinions and feelings can all be conveyed in varying degrees from strong disagreement to mild
criticism. Advanced students should be able to discern different attitudes and positions, as well as identify how the
speaker feels.

Listening Exercise: Listen to this conversation regarding a man’s personal problem. Apart from the actual loss of hair,
what else concerns him? (Enduring ridicule, not being accepted as he is, being made fun of, etc…) How does his friend
react to this problem? (She’s not concerned, doesn’t think it’s a big deal, etc…)

7. Listening for Functional Language

Very often, we teach functional language in the ESL classroom. Students can use to accept/decline invitations, give
suggestions, give advice, etc… The purpose is to show students how these expressions are used in a conversation.

Listening Exercise: Listen to this conversation between a man whose father has passed away and a friend. What
words/expressions does the woman use to express her condolences? (I’m really sorry to hear about your dad…) What
else does she say? (My heart really goes out to her.) After listening, students can practice these expressions in similar
conversations.
Sources: Listening Notes from the Internet

Semi-Final Notes

Listening, speaking, reading, and writing are the common macro-skills in English language that students have
known for a long period of time. For teachers and students, these four macro skills are significant in the
teaching and learning process. However, since viewing skills have become part of the learning process and
important means of communication, it was then included as the fifth of the macro skills in English language
communication.

Viewing is one of the most important skills in communication because it is a way of portraying
information in the record, thus, giving more emphasis on the importance of mental faculty that allows a
perceiver to give details about a target that is difficult to get to normal senses due to time, distance or
shielding. Also, viewing involves interpreting images for which word stand, and connecting visual images in
videos, computer programs, and websites with accompanying printed or spoken words (B.D. Roe, E.P. Ross
2010).

According to Ignatius Joseph Estroga (2012), a language professor at Liceo De Cagayan University,
viewing enhances listening skills when students attend to non-verbal communication and visual elements of
performance, video, television, film and multimedia presentation. Also, viewing enhances reading when
students attend to visual accompanying print, specific textual techniques, and the assumptions, perspectives,
and quality of a variety media.

Viewing is a process that supports oracy and literacy, it broadens the ways in which students can
understand and communicate their ideas. It enhances both listening and reading skills when students attend
to nonverbal communication and visual elements of performance, video television, film, multimedia
presentations, visuals accompanying print, textual techniques, variety of media and etc.

According to the English Language Arts (2007), students encounter thoughts, ideas, and feelings by
viewing, as well as listening and reading. By this, students should be given opportunities to view a variety
of formats including visuals, drama, and media. As students view visual messages, they need to use a range of
viewing skills and strategies to make sense of the visual images, and accompanying oral print and language.
Students need to make sense of it and respond personally, critically, and creatively.

Quotes about Viewing:

“By viewing the old, we learn the new.”
“Use of the internet is reducing television viewing around the world while having little impact on positive
aspects of social life.”
“Already we viewers, when not viewing, have begun to whisper to one another that the more we elaborate
our means of communication, the less we communicate.”
“TV viewing is normally a passive, mindless occupation.”
“Because remote viewing is such an outlandish claim that will revolutionize the world, we need overwhelming
evidence before we draw any conclusions. Right now we don’t have that evidence.”
“Viewing the web as a platform for generosity is very different than seeing an opportunity to turn it into an
ATM machine.”

Latest Update on Viewing

We are living in a visual world. The advent of the internet and the digital revolution, the ubiquity of mobile
devices which allow us to capture still and moving images easily, the appearance of video-sharing platforms
such as YouTube and Vimeo, and the emergence of social media networks such as Instagram and Facebook
whose users upload largely visual content, have all contributed to an extraordinary rise in visual
communication and to the image, and increasingly the moving image, becoming the primary mode of
communication around the world. 

The majority of texts young people are encountering and creating are multimodal. (A multimodal text is one
where the meaning is communicated by more than one mode – e.g. written text, audio, still pictures, moving
pictures, gesture, use of space, etc. Digital multimodal texts can include, for example, videos, slideshows and
web pages, while live multimodal texts can include theatre, storytelling and dance.) The fact that
communication nowadays is largely multimodal changes the construct of communicative competence. This
has huge implications for our educational systems.

The changing nature of communication is reflected by the fact that in the English language curricula of a
number of countries – for example, Singapore, Canada and Australia – two new skills, ‘viewing’ and ‘visually
representing’, have been added to the traditional skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking. 

What Is Viewing?
In the Canadian Common Curriculum Framework, viewing is defined as follows:
‘An active process of attending and comprehending visual media, such as television, advertising images,
films, diagrams, symbols, photographs, videos, drama, drawings, sculpture and paintings.’
So ‘viewing’ is about ‘reading’ – analyzing, evaluating and appreciating – visual texts.
Viewing is an active rather than a passive process.

The majority of texts our students are accessing outside the classroom are visual texts and multimodal texts
which use images, surely we should give our students opportunities to ‘read’ – analyze and evaluate – these
types of texts in the classroom. Furthermore, the majority of these multimodal texts – YouTube videos,
infographics, websites, blogs, social media sites – are a combination of print text and image, where the image,
far from distracting from the text, actually enhances it. 

Therefore, viewing is important because as students are dealing with mainly multimodal texts they need to
understand them and to become more effective, active and critical viewers to be able to participate fully in
society. Viewing helps students develop the knowledge and skills to analyze and evaluate visual texts and
multimodal texts that use visuals. Viewing also helps students acquire information and appreciate ideas and
experiences visually communicated by others. 

What Do Active Viewers Do?

According to the Canadian Common Curriculum Framework, active and effective viewers would ask
themselves a series of questions such as:
What is the text representing?
How is the text constructed?
What assumptions, interests, beliefs, biases and values are portrayed by the text?
What is the purpose of the text?
To whom is the text directed? Who does the text exclude?
What is my reaction to the text? What causes this reaction?
What personal connections and associations can I make with this text?
It’s important that students are aware that understanding the viewing process is as important as
understanding the listening and reading process. Students should understand that effective, active viewers
engage in the following procedure: 
Pre-Viewing:
Students prepare to view by activating their schema (the prior knowledge they bring to the study of a topic or
theme), anticipating a message, predicting, speculating, asking questions, and setting a purpose for viewing. 
During Viewing:
Students view the visual text to understand the message by seeking and checking understanding, by making
connections, making and confirming predictions and inferences, interpreting and summarizing, pausing and
reviewing, and analyzing and evaluating. Students should monitor their understanding by connecting to their
schema, questioning and reflecting. 
After Viewing / Responding:
Students should be given opportunities to respond personally, critically and creatively to visual texts. Students
respond by reflecting, analyzing, evaluating and creating. 

Viewing Frameworks
We’re now going to explore three frameworks which have been developed by prestigious institutions to help
students become better viewers. These models, which have been tried and tested with thousands of students
at schools and universities around the world with great success, help to systematize viewing effectively into
the language classroom.

Film and Video: The 3Cs and 3Ss

This framework was developed by Into Film and is used widely in schools in the UK. The 3Cs (Color, Camera,
Character) and the 3Ss (Story, Setting, Sound) framework can be used to help students discuss and analyze all
the elements of a film text.
Story, Setting, Sound, Color, Character and Camera are simple headings with discussion questions teachers
can use as an easy way for exploring any film. Here are some of the discussion questions:
Color
What colors do you see?
What do the colors make you feel?
Why do you think certain colors are used?
What mood do you think the colors create?
Camera
What shots have been used? Can you name them?
Through whose eyes do we see the story?
When do we see different characters’ point of view?
When does the camera move and when does it stay still?
Character
What do the main characters look like?
How do they speak and what do they say?
How do they behave?
Which character interests you the most? Why?
Story
What happens in the beginning, middle and at the end of the story?
What are the most important things (events) that happen in the story?
How do we know where the story takes place?
How long does the story take place in ‘real’ time?
Setting
Where does the action take place?
When and how does the setting change?
How could you tell where the story was taking place?
How could you tell when the story was taking place?
Sound
How many different sounds do you hear? What are they?
How does the music make you feel?
Are there any moments of silence?
Can you hear any sound effects?
The simplicity of the 3Cs and 3Ss framework makes it easy to remember and use.

Paintings and Photographs: See, Think, Wonder

The See, Think, Wonder routine is one of the Visible Thinking Routines developed by researcher-educators
for Project Zero at Harvard University. This routine helps students make careful observations and develop
their own ideas and interpretations based on what they see when viewing a painting or photograph by asking
these three questions.
What do you see?
What do you think about what you see?
What does it make you wonder?
By separating the two questions – ‘What do you see?’ and ‘What do you think about what you see?’ – the
routine helps students distinguish between observations and interpretations. By encouraging students to
wonder and ask questions, the routine stimulates students’ curiosity and helps students reach for new
connections.
This routine is designed to be easy to remember, practical and invite a broad range of thinking moves. Watch
this video to see the See, Think, Wonder routine being put into practice with secondary school students

The Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS)

The Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) approach was co-developed by Abigail Housen and Philip Yenawine 30
years ago. It finds meaning in imagery and develops visual literacy skills through learning in the arts, fostering
thinking and communication skills through listening carefully and expressing oneself. The approach works in
the following way:
Students silently examine carefully selected art images
Students then …
Look carefully at the image
Talk about what they observe
Back up their ideas with evidence
Listen and consider the views of others
Discuss many possible interpretations
Construct meaning together
Conclusion
Viewing helps students to slow down, reflect and think about the images they are seeing, and develop the
knowledge and skills to analyse and evaluate visual texts and multimedia texts that use visuals. Viewing also
helps students acquire information and appreciate ideas and experiences visually communicated by others.
Undoubtedly, viewing will become part of English language curricula in many more countries in the near
future and we, as teachers, need to be able to help our students become more effective viewers. To achieve
this there needs to be specific multimodality and visual literacy training on pre-service and in-service training
courses.
References:

Canadian Common Curriculum Framework Governments of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Northwest Territories,
Saskatchewan and Yukon Territory. (1998). The common curriculum framework for English language arts kindergarten to grade 12:
Western Canadian protocol for collaboration in basic education(2nd ed.). Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Education and Training.

Into Film https://www.intofilm.org/

Visible Thinking Routines www.visiblethinkingpz.org/VisibleThinking_html_files/03_ThinkingRoutines/03a_ThinkingRoutines.html

Project Zero, Harvard University www.pz.harvard.edu/

Visual Thinking Strategies https://vtshome.org/

Jason Shaffer, See Think Wonder Short Demo Video www.youtube.com/watch?

v=qng_jR05xEI&list=FLYvTGljpRx7DFga8C19WhTg&index=24&t=149s

Aperture Foundation, Learning Visual Thinking Strategies www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-

YVvNiAm6Q&list=FLYvTGljpRx7DFga8C19WhTg&index=25&t=150s

Watershed Collaborative, Visual Thinking Strategies discussion in 5th Grade classroom https://vimeo.com/201175331

Viewing Comprehension
Comprehension can be assessed, in non-reading contexts by presenting stories in different media. Stories can
be presented using pictures (Paris & Paris, 2003), aurally, or via television (van den Broek, Lorch, & Thurlow,
1996).
Viewing comprehension is based on the presentation of short instructional videos followed by one or more
comprehension questions concerning the preceding video stimulus.
 Using a variety of media such as television and print to assess comprehension assumes that
comprehension skills transfer across these media. This transfer of skills
is plausible for several reasons. First, television and print require similar cognitive processes to comprehend (e.
g., making connections, sequencing events, generating inferences). Second, research indicates that similar
structural story factors predict what children (both in kindergarten and elementary school) remember from
both televised and written narratives (Lorch & Sanchez, 1997; van den Broek, 1996; van den Broek, 1997). Tan
Su Hwi (2010), adapted the Barrett’s Taxonomy of Comprehension in assessing the viewing comprehension of
the students. Barrett’s Taxonomy discusses the different levels of Comprehension namely: literal,
reorganization, inferential, evaluation and appreciation.

Levels of Viewing Comprehension

Literal comprehension refers to the literal recognition, recall or verification of details, main ideas, and
sequence of events, comparisons, cause-effect relationships, and character traits.

Reorganization comprehension requires students to synthesize, analyze, and/or organize information stated
in a selection.

Inferential comprehension is demonstrated when students use the ideas and information explicitly stated in a
viewing material, students’ intuition and personal experiences as bases in making intelligent guesses
and hypothesis. Students may infer supporting details, sequence, comparisons, cause and effect relationships,
character traits, figurative language and predicting outcomes.

Evaluation comprehension deals with judgments and focuses with reality or fantasy, fact or opinion, adequacy
or validity, appropriateness, worth, desirability and acceptability. It also refers to judging the language and
effect of the material in the light of appropriate criteria. It requires responses which indicate that an
evaluative judgment has been made by comparing ideas.

Appreciation comprehension deals with psychological and aesthetic.

It refers to emotional responses to content, plot or theme, sensitivity to various literary genres, identification
with characters and incidents, reaction to author’s use of language, and response to generated images.

Types of Viewing

Visual Literacy 
It can be defined as the ability to construct meaning from visual images (Giorgis, Johnson, Bonomo,
Colbert, & Al, 1999). The reader uses the critical skills of exploration, critique and reflection in order to make
meaning from images.
 According to Lapp (1999), we can use the term “intermediality” to describe the combined literacies
needed to read in a multi-media world. They stress the importance of active reading based on information
visualization and the importance of visual communication to capture attention, reinforce knowledge, and
increase audience responses. Visual literacy is about interpreting images of the present and past and
producing images that effectively communicate the messages to the audience.
The writer John Debes in 1968 was the first one who used the term “visual literacy”. In a definition
given by Messaris (1995) states that visual literacy is the gaining of knowledge and experiences about the
workings of the visual media coupled with a heightened conscious awareness of those workings. Visual
literacy includes the group of skills which enable an individual to understand and use visuals for intentionally
communicating with others (Ausburn, 1978). Visual literacy is what is seen with the eye and what is seen in
the mind. A visually literate person should be able to read and write visual language, and must have the ability
to successfully decode and interpret visual messages and to encode and compose visual communications.
Visual literacy involves developing the set of skills needed to be able to interpret the content of visual images,
examine social impact, of those images and to
discuss purpose, audience and ownership. It includes the ability to visualize internally, communicate visually,
and read and interpret visual images. Visual literacy also involves making judgment of the accuracy, validity
and worth of images. A visually literate person is able to discriminate and make sense of visual objects, and
images; create visuals; comprehend and appreciate the visuals created by others; and visualize objects in
their mind’s eye.

Critical Viewing 
Research has found out that average students spend an average of 6-7 hours a day in using media
(video games, computers, video), with the average television viewing at 3-4 hours each day. This made some
research body suggest to teach children to become critical viewers, give them the ability to analyze the
construction of isolated images, give them the ability to think critically about the composition of the picture,
and enhance their ability to read word and worlds (David Considine, 1999). People continue to regard
television viewing as a passive process, while others see its potential in developing new literacies and
reinforcing traditional literacy. In The Harvard Education Letter (1990), it was reported that video screen is
helping children develop new kind of literacy, visual literacy in particular that they will need to thrive in a
technological world. In a television or film, the viewer must mentally integrate diverse camera shots of a scene
to construct an image of a whole.
Television can be used in developing reading skills and promoting traditional literacy, it is essential that
educators to recognize television as a unique medium and in order to understand it fully people must be
conversant with its codes, conventions, and characteristics. Jack Solomon said that television images lull
people into thinking that they are real, that they aren't iconic signs at all but realities. Since people see
them, people trust them, often failing to realize that, like all signs, they have been constructed with a certain
interest behind them.
According to Arthur (1999), video can give students realistic models to imitate for role-play; can
increase awareness of other cultures by teaching appropriateness and suitability; can strengthen audio/visual
linguistic perceptions simultaneously; can widen the classroom repertoire and range of activities; can help
utilize the latest technology to facilitate language learning; can teach direct observation of the paralinguistic
features found in association with the target language; can be used to help when training students in ESP
related scenarios and language; can offer a visual reinforcement of the target language and can lower anxiety
when practicing the skill of listening.

Presentation on theme: "A Critique of a TV Commercial"— Presentation transcript:

1 A Critique of a TV Commercial

By: Erin, Brandee and Connie

2 Step 1: Define the product.

I watched a ___________________ commercial.
3 Step 2: Describe the commercial.
What happened in the commercial? First...Then..After that..Finally...In the end...

4 Step 3: Analyze the commercial.

What time of day did you see the commercial? What show were you watching when you saw the commercial?
What were the important things in the commercial? What did you remember most about the commercial?
Who do you think the commercial was made for?

5 Step 4: How does the commercial try to persuade the audience?

  The commercial uses __________ to try to persuade the audience.  Ex: music      language (the best, the most
affordable)      celebrities, etc.      text (large, colorful font)      experts (doctors say...)    

6 Step 5: Do you think the commercial is realistic or honest?

In my opinion, the commercial is/is not _______________ because
____________________________________.

7 Step 6: Do you like the commercial. Why or why not

Step 6: Do you like the commercial?  Why or why not?  Would you buy the product?I like this commercial
because ___________________.                                Or I don't like this commercial
because _____________________.I would/would not buy this product because _______________.

A documentary is a broad term to describe a non-fiction movie that in some way "documents" or captures
reality. It is a movie or television program that tells the facts about actual people and events.
Documentaries are often used to reveal an unusual, interesting or unknown angle.

Questions to Answer when Analyzing a Documentary

1. What is the principal subject of this documentary?
2. What is its principal purpose?
3. What kind of impact does it seek to achieve with - and upon - its intended audience?
4. Does this documentary film include directly solicited observation, information, reflection, or commentary by
witnesses, experts, and other participants in relation to the documentary subject?

Questions to Answer when Analyzing or Evaluating TV Show

1. What attracted you to this program?
2. Does the program have a personality or an actor whom you enjoy watching?
3. Are there relationships in the program that you find intriguing?
4. What interests you about the story or the contents of the program?
5. Is the program novel in some way, especially in comparison to other television programs?
6. Is this a program that you are willing to take seriously and spend a lot of time with?
7. Do you talk to your friends about the program?
Sources: Reliable Internet Articles

Final Notes

On the surface level, a video uses light, color, sound, and moving images, with the potential for adding text
and shape and color and light filters as overlays to communicate ideas, while the most basic text structures
use alphanumeric symbols, paragraph and sentence structure, and an assortment of text features (e.g., white
space, headings and subheadings, fonts, etc.) to convey their message.
There is much, much more to it than this. Videos are meant to be consumed in short bursts, while literature,
for example, is meant to be “sat with.” Videos are (often manic) sprints, while texts are (often meandering)
walks. Because of this very different tone and purpose as a matter of design, it’s unfair to criticize videos as
“less rigorous” than texts, just as it would be misleading to say that video is universally “more engaging” than
text (something I may or may not have said in the past). It’s more complex than that.

The Interaction Between Video and Text

Studies of the effectiveness of video in formal learning environments have yielded some confusing ideas,
namely that content acquired via video consumption doesn’t easily transfer to the medium of text (Fisch 2002;
Koran, Snow & McDonald 1971). This doesn’t mean students aren’t learning from the video (or the text for
that matter), but it rather suggests that the design of each medium may impact how the brain processes and
stores the “lessons” from said medium, disrupting seamless transfer from one form to another.

This suggests that video consumption would more readily transfer to video production, or even video as a
means of assessment. Similarly, the reading of a text naturally transitions to text production and text-based
assessment–or so some research suggests. How this works in your classroom is ideally a matter of your own
experimentation, and a matter of voice and choice for the students. In lieu of these data, inter and intra-media
interaction from texts, images, voice, video, and other existing and emerging digital and non-digital forms
represents a significant opportunity for innovation and creativity. Books, twitter, YouTube, poems, text
messages, Meerkat, tweets, and other physical and digital aesthetics all matter less in form than they do in
function–all represent and enable nuanced idea expression.

Like reading a text, video comprehension is a matter of decoding, but with different symbols based on unique
modalities. Light, sound effects, scene cuts, dialogue, voice-overs, video speed, music, and more. How should
students approach a video? How should they watch one? What should they do when they’re done? More
largely, what viewing comprehension strategies should students use to promote close viewing? What can they
do to increase comprehension and retention of video content so that they are able to repackage meaning into
other media forms?

Due to diverse content, mobile access, credibility with students, and temptingly passive consumption, video is
a pedagogical goldmine. In fact, the YouTube model of content distribution has been so successful, we took
lessons from it last year and applied them to academic content distribution in How To YouTube Your
Classroom.

Below are a few possibilities, many of which you’ll notice apply to non-digital media as well.

A Note About Student-Centering

Reading strategies, viewing strategies, thinking strategies–any “strategy” should be student-centered. One
way to interpret this is to say that it should only be used if necessary, should be accessible and meaningful to
the student, and ideally would be selected by the student without prompting. See Readicide for a powerful
argument of how we as teachers, while well-intentioned, can “schoolify” reading and viewing and learning to
the point that it’s unrecognizable to anyone anywhere on the planet outside of the classroom, and make
students think they hate what they’re doing in the process. This doesn’t mean we can’t support students to
use said strategies, but blind force-feeding will likely be self-defeating in the long run.

How The Viewing Comprehension Strategies Are Structured

Viewing comprehension strategies are organized in a Before-During-After structure, much like traditional
reading strategies are. As with reading strategies, there is overlap from one part (e.g., Before Viewing) to
another (e.g., After Viewing). That is, some strategies can be used at different times, but we had to place them
somewhere.

Each category has four anchor strategies. These are “thinking templates” that can be used in multiple contexts
and combinations. For example, “Predict’ can be used in countless ways–predict the tone, predict the
audience, predict the narrative, etc.)

These anchor strategies are the most universal, and thus the most flexible for use with different kinds of
videos, in different content areas, and at different grade levels.

40 Viewing Comprehension Strategies That Help Students View Videos

Like They Read Books

Before Viewing
Before viewing comprehension strategies that promote understanding of video and streaming content.

Anchor Strategies: Viewing Purpose, Preview, Predict, Connect 

1. Set a viewing purpose
2. Predict (e.g., sequence of events, video creator’s position on a given topic, etc.)
3. Preview video (editing conventions, length, title)
4. Identify media connections (e.g., I read a book on a related topic recently; I saw a tweet that described this
same idea but in sarcastic terms, etc.)
5. Make True/False statements about general video topic
6. Begin KWL chart
7. Roughly summarize (e.g., what they know about topic. video creator, channel, etc.)
8. Concept map the video topic in a given or self-selected context
9. Complete Anticipation Guide
10. Create self-produced guiding questions
 

During Viewing
During viewing comprehension strategies that promote understanding of video and streaming content.

Anchor Strategies: Stop, Clarify, Question, Infer

11. Stop (or pause) the video while viewing based on viewer preference and monitoring of own understanding
12. Rewind to clarify understanding or uncover subtle data/events
13. Rewatch video with new purpose and perspective
14. Form relevant questions based on viewing
15. Clarify (e.g., information, bias, fact/opinion, “author” position, etc.)
16. Monitor & Repair Understanding
17. Evaluate use of primary and secondary modalities
18. Make meaningful and personalized inferences (e.g., primary and secondary audiences)
19. Infer underlying assumptions of video
20. Adjust viewing speed (i.e., use slow-motion) if available (e.g., physics videos)

After Viewing
After viewing comprehension strategies that promote understanding of video and streaming content.

Anchor Strategies: Summarize, Analyze, Create, Socialize

21. Retell what happened; Paraphrase “standout” ideas
22. Summarize main idea and key supporting details
23. Recall own thinking and/or emotions during video (metacognition)
24. Modality Analysis (e.g., identify and analyze prevailing modalities and their effect)
25. Metric Analysis (e.g., to infer social context with respect to total views, currently watching, social shares,
etc.)
26. Analyze idea organization of video
27. Create a word cloud (e.g., that reflects diction, tone, theme, etc.); Tweet, comment on, blog, or
otherwise socialize initial impressions in a way that reflects digital citizenship
28. Socialize extended responses (e.g., in writing, on social media, etc.)
29. Categorize information and perspectives
30. Separate explicit and implicit ideas
 

Extended
Extended comprehension strategies are meant to provide extended learning around video and streaming
content, as well as opportunities for more complex thinking about that content.

Anchor Strategies: Reflect, Create, Critique, Design

31. Reflect on “fit” of video with regards to Viewing Purpose
32. Compare & contrast video with similar video content
33. Create Anticipation Guide (for viewers that haven’t seen video)
34. Identify “big idea” of video
35. Critique video for which modalities supported video purpose and theme, and which seemed to distract
36. Roughly determine history of topic in similar and dissimilar media
37. RAFT thinking & extension (Role, Audience, Format, Topic/Theme)
38. Prioritize ideas & information from least to most important
39. Distinguish between tone and mood of video
40. Design follow-up medium that extends and deepens purpose of video

Source: Reliable Internet Notes

Compiled by: UC-CLA English Instructors