[General] Question on directions for an exercise

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learning54

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Hi teachers,
These are the instructions the students have for a listening comprehension exercise

Write down what Hiroshi said after that.
This is what they will hear:
Of course. It’s your birthday. Everything’s arranged.


Because some of the vocabulary is new for them I want to explain it before they do the listening, but in a different context.

This is how I present them the vocabulary.

Reading Comprehension Sentences
1.- a) Comfortable chairs arranged around the fireplace.
b) Comfortable chairs organized around the fireplace

These are my questions for the forum:
1. Is ‘Reading Comprehension Sentences’ a suitable title?
2. Knowing that the first one contains the word they’ll hear, and the second one a synonym.
What should I write between sentences ‘a’ and ‘b’?

I hope I have explained myself properly.

Thanks in advance
 
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meskete

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In my opinion, this sentence from the listening exercise is intended to find out if students know the meaning of "something is arranged". If they don't (but explaining them, you help them find the solution), I don't think they should do the exercise.
 

learning54

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In my opinion, this sentence from the listening exercise is intended to find out if students know the meaning of "something is arranged". If they don't (but explaining them, you help them find the solution), I don't think they should do the exercise.
Hi,
Thank you for your suggestion, but I still think they should do the exercise, not because of a few words they won't.
L54
 

JohnParis

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These are my questions for the forum:
1. Is ‘Reading Comprehension Sentences’ a suitable title? NO, and here is a hint why: what are comprehension sentences?
2. Knowing that the first one contains the word they’ll hear, and the second one a synonym.
What should I write between sentences ‘a’ and ‘b’? I'm sorry, but I don't follow you. Could you please rephrase the question?
 

emsr2d2

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Hi teachers,
These are the instructions the students have for a listening comprehension exercise.

After listening to the following piece, write down what Hiroshi said. [STRIKE]after that.[/STRIKE]
This is what they will hear:
Of course. It’s your birthday. Everything’s arranged.


Because some of the vocabulary is new for them I want to explain it before they [STRIKE]do the listening [/STRIKE]
listen to the audio, but in a different context.

This is how I am going to present [STRIKE]them[/STRIKE] (be careful with your Spanish vs English word order!) the vocabulary to them.

Reading Comprehension Sentences

1.- a) Comfortable chairs arranged around the fireplace. This is not a full sentence. There is no verb. "Arranged" acts like an adjective here. You need "[Some] comfortable chairs are/were/have been/had been arranged around the fireplace".
b) Comfortable chairs organized around the fireplace. Same point as the last one.

These are my questions for the forum:

1. Is ‘Reading Comprehension Sentences’ a suitable title? Not really, no. I don't understand why you need a title for this section at all. You're using it just to introduce vocabulary, so why don't you just introduce the vocabulary. The only way that sentences 1a and 1b are reading comprehension are if you then go on to ask them to rephrase the sentence to show that they understand what it means.

2. [STRIKE]Knowing[/STRIKE]Given that the first one contains the word they’ll hear, and the second one a synonym, (comma followed by second clause) what should I write between sentences ‘a’ and ‘b’? I honestly don't know because I still don't really understand why you are giving them those two sentences.

I hope I have explained myself properly.

Thanks in advance.

See above. My main problem is that I'm not sure that I understand the structure of this lesson. If I understand it correctly, you are going to:

1) Tell the students that you have some new vocabulary for them.
2) Give them two sentences, one containing "arranged" and one containing "organised" and explain to them that those two words are synonyms.
3) Play the audio.
4) Tell them to write down exactly what they heard.

Is that correct?

The use of the word "arranged" in the audio piece is different to the usage in the written sentence. When we say "everything is arranged" for someone's birthday, we mean that all the plans are in place, everything is ready, the presents are sorted, the cards are written, the balloons have been blown up, the cake has been baked etc etc. When chairs are arranged around a fireplace, it simply means they have been put there in a particular pattern.

If you are only showing them the word "arranged" in writing so that they have a better chance of being able to spell it after they hear it on the audio, then your sentences will probably help. However, there is a danger that they will think that the two usages of "arranged" are the same.

Sorry if I've just complicated it further but I really am not sure I understand how your lesson is meant to go.
 

learning54

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Hi John,
Thank you for your reply.

1. Is ‘Listening Comprehension Vocabulary’ a suitable title? I don't think so. Could give a better one?
Should I only say as a title, 'Vocabulary before listening'?
2. Knowing that in the examples above the first one contains the word they’ll hear (arranged), and the second one
(organized) is a synonym, what should I write between sentences ‘a’ and ‘b’?
Should I only say 'A synonym for arranged is organized' below, 'Comfortable chairs arranged around the fireplace'.
 
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shannico

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May I give my contribution to this thread by adding in a few suggestions.
I would start off with NEW VOCABULARY. However, in all fairness, I wouldn't pre-teach arranged, if that's one of the target-words your activity is set up on. Why don't you just get them to guess what other word is being used/said instead of organised? That'll give them an achievable challenge and still you'll have helped them by telling them the meaning of the word they're meant to listen out for.
Hope this help.
Shan

Hi John,
Thank you for your reply.

1. Is ‘Listening Comprehension Vocavulary’ a suitable title? I don't think so. Could give a better one?
Should I only say as a title, 'Vocabulary before listening'?
2. Knowing that in the examples above the first one contains the word they’ll hear (arranged), and the second one
(organized) is a synonym, what should I write between sentences ‘a’ and ‘b’?
Should I only say 'A synonym for arranged is organized' below, 'Comfortable chairs arranged around the fireplace'.
 

learning54

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See above. My main problem is that I'm not sure that I understand the structure of this lesson. If I understand it correctly, you are going to:

1) Tell the students that you have some new vocabulary for them.
2) Give them two sentences, one containing "arranged" and one containing "organised" and explain to them that those two words are synonyms.
3) Play the audio.
4) Tell them to write down exactly what they heard.

Is that correct?

The use of the word "arranged" in the audio piece is different to the usage in the written sentence. When we say "everything is arranged" for someone's birthday, we mean that all the plans are in place, everything is ready, the presents are sorted, the cards are written, the balloons have been blown up, the cake has been baked etc etc. When chairs are arranged around a fireplace, it simply means they have been put there in a particular pattern.

If you are only showing them the word "arranged" in writing so that they have a better chance of being able to spell it after they hear it on the audio, then your sentences will probably help. However, there is a danger that they will think that the two usages of "arranged" are the same.

Sorry if I've just complicated it further but I really am not sure I understand how your lesson is meant to go.

Hi,
Thank you so much for your corrections, your dedication and your advice, they are GREAT! They are never complicated.


This is the piece they will hear:
‘Are we really eating here, Hiroshi?’ Ikukostopped by the door
of the expensive Tokyo restaurant, lookingunsure.
Hiroshi smiled as he held the door openfor her. ‘Of course. It’s your
birthday. Everything’s arranged.’
Inside,the big room was almost full. Well-dressed people talked softlytogether.The waiter showed Ikuko and Hiroshi to their table and broughtthem abottle of wine. Ikuko felt a little nervous. This wasn’t the sort ofplacethey usually came to. But when Hiroshi smiled at her across the table,with his dark hair falling into his eyesas usual, she felt better.

And these are my questions out of it:

1.- Write down what was Ikuko’s question.
2.- Write down where Ikuko stopped.
3.- Write down what Hiroshi did before speaking.
4.- Write down what Hiroshi said after that.
5.- Write down what the big room looked like.
6.- Write down what the waiter did.
7.- Write down how Ikuko felt.
8.- Write down why Ikuko felt nervous.
9.- Write down when she(Ikuko) felt better.

Are they right?
 

SoothingDave

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Furniture is usually "arranged," not "organized." And I echo emsr2d2 that you could be confusing students with two different senses of the word "arranged."
 

learning54

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May I give my contribution to this thread by adding in a few suggestions.
I would start off with NEW VOCABULARY. However, in all fairness, I wouldn't pre-teach arranged, if that's one of the target-words your activity is set up on. Why don't you just get them to guess what other word is being used/said instead of organised? That'll give them an achievable challenge and still you'll have helped them by telling them the meaning of the word they're meant to listen out for.
Hope this help.
Shan

Hi Shan,
Thank you so much for your contribution and help

L54
 

emsr2d2

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Hi,
Thank you so much for your corrections, your dedication and your advice, they are GREAT! They are never complicated.


This is the piece they will hear:
‘Are we really eating here, Hiroshi?’ Ikuko stopped by the door of the expensive Tokyo restaurant, looking unsure.
Hiroshi smiled as he held the door open for her. ‘Of course. It’s your birthday. Everything’s arranged.’
Inside, the big room was almost full. Well-dressed people talked softly together. The waiter showed Ikuko and Hiroshi to their table and brought them a bottle of wine. Ikuko felt a little nervous. This wasn’t the sort of place they usually came to. But when Hiroshi smiled at her across the table, with his dark hair falling into his eyes as usual, she felt better.

And these are my questions out of it:

1. Write down what [STRIKE]was[/STRIKE] Ikuko’s question was. (Spanish word order!)
2. Write down where Ikuko stopped.
3. Write down what Hiroshi did before speaking
for the first time.
4. Write down what Hiroshi said after that.
5. Write down what the big room looked like.
6. Write down what the waiter did.
7. Write down how Ikuko felt.
8. Write down why Ikuko felt [STRIKE]nervous[/STRIKE]
like that (or "felt that way"). If you say "... why Ikuko felt nervous" then you have just given them the answer to question 7.
9. Write down when she(Ikuko) felt better.
That's OK, but I would prefer "Write down what made Ikuko feel better".

Are they right?

See above. Just an extra note - when you number questions, either have a full stop or a dash after them, not both. I have removed the dash from each one and left the full stop in place in your list.
 

learning54

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Furniture is usually "arranged," not "organized." And I echo emsr2d2 that you could be confusing students with two different senses of the word "arranged."

Hi,
Thank you for your reply. Which synonym will be appropriate for 'arranged' according to the context then?
 

learning54

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See above. Just an extra note - when you number questions, either have a full stop or a dash after them, not both. I have removed the dash from each one and left the full stop in place in your list.
Hi,
Thank YOU for your great help. Now I guess I have explained what I want to do, haven't I?

This is exactly what I want to do.
1) Tell the students that you have some new vocabulary for them.
2) Give them two sentences, one containing "arranged" and one containing "organised" and explain to them that those two words are synonyms.
3) Play the audio.
4) Tell them to write down exactly what they heard.

This is how I'll present them the vocabulary:
Some c
omfortable chairs were arranged around the fireplace.
A synonym for 'arranged' can be 'organized'.

What do you think? :roll: Is there a better sentence including the word 'arranged' as an adjective?


 
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SoothingDave

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Hi,
Thank you for your reply. Which synonym will be appropriate for 'arranged' according to the context then?

"Organized" or "positioned" will work. I was just saying that the normal verb used with furniture is "arrange."
 

learning54

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"Organized" or "positioned" will work. I was just saying that the normal verb used with furniture is "arrange."
Hi,
Thank you so much for your reply once again.

Best,
L54
 

shannico

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You could also use laid out, though I guess organised and positioned would be easier to understand for Spanish learners.



"Organized" or "positioned" will work. I was just saying that the normal verb used with furniture is "arrange."
 

learning54

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You could also use laid out, though I guess organised and positioned would be easier to understand for Spanish learners.

Hi Shan,
Thank you for your reply. Yes! You are absolutely right. That's what I'm always looking for, whenever that is possible, English synonyms with latin roots.

Best,
L54
 
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JohnParis

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Hi John,
Thank you for your reply.

1. Is ‘Listening Comprehension Vocavulary’ a suitable title? I don't think so. Could give a better one?
Should I only say as a title, 'Vocabulary before listening'? Since it's a title you are looking for, why not just add a colon? - Listening Comprehension: Vocabulary
2. Knowing that in the examples above the first one contains the word they’ll hear (arranged), and the second one
(organized) is a synonym, what should I write between sentences ‘a’ and ‘b’?
Should I only say 'A synonym for arranged is organized' below, 'Comfortable chairs arranged around the fireplace'.
As for question 2, I think that the other posters have offered excellent options.
 

learning54

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Hi John,
Thank you for your reply.

Best,
L54
 
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