Listening Skills week 2 – Air Traffic Control.

Faculty of Teacher Training - English Department

Course Title: Advanced English Language IV

Instructor: Dr. Rod

E-mail: sjrod55@gmail.com

 

Below are samples from the notes given to act as a reminder. You already have the printed full transcript.

TRANSCRIPT

Air traffic control communication at Portland International Airport - July 1, 1990
Researchers: Karen Ward, David Novick, Carolyn Sousa
Department of Computer Science and Engineering Oregon Graduate Institute

Introduction

This report contains a transcript of radio communications between air traffic controllers and pilots. The transcript was prepared as part of the ATC Interaction Research Project (AIR Project) at the Oregon Graduate Institute, which has been investigating computational representations of Air Traffic Control (ATC) communication.

This transcript covers 30 minutes of the radio communications of one controller in the Portland International Airport (PDX) Terminal Radar Control (TRACON) Facility. The controller was
working one of the two approach positions; that is, he was responsible for aircraft entering and leaving a portion of the PDX Approach Radar Service Area (ARSA).

The transcript was made from a recording taped from radio at a site approximately two NM from the airport on July 1, 1990, between 10:45 and 11:15 AM. A copy of this recording on cassette
may be obtained by writing to the Department of Computer Science and Engineering of the Oregon Graduate Institute. The recording exhibits high-frequency cutoff and high noise levels, however, so it may not be suitable for direct use with speech recognizers.

The transcript is in two parts. The section entitled “Full Transcript” depicts all exchanges chronologically as they occurred. However, air traffic control dialogue can be viewed as many interleaved yet fairly independent conversations, so in the “Separated Transcripts” section utterances are grouped by aircraft to show the course of each individual conversation. The utterance numbers from the full transcript are preserved in the separated transcripts so that the utterance context may be located easily

Full Transcript

(1) Unknown: (-forty) five.
(2) Approach: Horizon sixty four turn right heading one two zero.
(3) Horizon 64: Turn right one two zero Horizon sixty four.
(4) Horizon 391: Horizon uh, three ninety one (uh we’d like to) uh join the localizer.
(5) Approach: Horizon three ninety one turn right heading three one zero join the localizer.
(6) Horizon 391: Three one zero. (Three) ninety one.
(7) Approach: Horizon three ninety one you’re eight miles from uh, Laker maintain three thousand till established localizer cleared ILS two eight right approach.
(8) Horizon 391: Cleared the ILS, two eight right approach three thousand till establish. Horizon Air three ninety one.
(9) Approach: -ska two oh five turn left heading three two zero.
(10) Alaska 205: Three two zero, Alaska two oh five.
(11) Approach: Alaska six zero four reduce speed to one five zero until Laker and contact tower one one eight point seven.
(12) Alaska 604: Slowing to uh one fifty and uh, tower uh, eighteen seven for Alaska six zero four.
(13) Approach: Horizon three ninety one maintain one seven zero knots until Laker.
(14) Horizon 391: One seventy till Laker, Horizon three ninety one.
(15) Approach: Horizon sixty four turn: correction uh, continue on your present heading.
(16) Horizon 64: ((garbled))
(17) Unknown: ((Mike depressed))

(18) Horizon 391: Horizon three ninety one has the field in sight.
(19) Approach: Horizon three ninety one roger cross abeam of Laker at or above, two thousand, you’re cleared for the visual approach runway two eight left.
(20) Horizon 391: Laker at or above two thousand, cleared the visual to the left, roger three ninety one.
(21) Approach: Alaska two zero five (practical) increase speed to one niner zero until Laker.
(22) Alaska 205: Alaska two oh five reduce- uh increasing.
(23) Approach: Delta seven forty five turn right heading two eight zero, join the localizer.
(24) Delta 745: Right two eighty, join the localizer, Delta seven forty five.
(25) Horizon 391: Three ninety one, can we pick it up, (just a) little bit.
(26) Approach: Horizon three ninety one, uh that’s approved.
(27) Horizon 391: Horizon three ninety one, (roger).
(28) Unknown: ((Mike depressed))
(29) Unknown: ((squawk))
(30) Approach: ((garbled)) zero papa service terminated squawk twelve hundred, frequency change approved.
(31) Approach: Horizon sixty four turn left heading zero, six zero.
(32) Horizon 64: Zero six zero, Horizon, uh, sixty four.
(33) Approach: Alaska two oh five, nine from Laker, maintain three thousand till established on the localizer cleared the ILS two eight right approach, maintain speed (of) one eight zero until Laker.

(34) Alaska 205: Roger Alaska two oh five, uh, cleared approach three thousand till established on the localizer at three thousand, and uh hundred ‘n uh ninety till Laker?
(35) Approach: Alaska two zero five, uh turn left heading two five zero now to join the localizer and maintain three thousand
till established on the localizer, cleared ILS two eight right approach, maintain speed one eight zero until Laker.
(36) Alaska 205: Roger one eighty, till Laker Alaska two oh five copy the rest.
(37) Approach: Horizon sixty four turn left heading three one zero join the localizer.
(38) Horizon 64: Three ten and join Horizon sixty four.
(39) Approach: Tingle one (four eight) Portland Approach, r:oger, fly your present heading and reduce speed to two one zero.
(40) Approach: Tingle one (four eight) thank you.
(41) Approach: Delta seven forty five descend and maintain four thousand five hundred.
(42) Delta 745: Down to four thousand five hundred Delta seven forty five.
(43) Approach: Horizon, uh disregard.
(44) Approach: Delta seven forty five is one zero miles from Laker, maintain four thousand five hundred till established on the localizer, cleared ILS two eight right approach, maintain speed one, seven zero until Laker.
(45) Delta 745: One seventy till Laker forty five hundred (descending fifty seven) uh, ILS twenty eight right Delta seven forty five.

Listening Skills Week 2

Faculty of Teacher Training - English Department

Course Title: Advanced English Language IV

Instructor: Dr. Rod

E-mail: sjrod55@gmail.com

Obama inaugural speech

Barack Obama 44th US president. Here is his inauguration speech in full.

My fellow citizens:

I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and co-operation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms.

At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because we, the people, have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbears, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

Serious challenges

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our healthcare is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

“ We have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord ”

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

Nation of 'risk-takers'

We remain a young nation, but in the words of scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labour, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and travelled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and ploughed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.

'Remaking America'

Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

“ The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift ”

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of our economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise healthcare's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. All this we will do.

Restoring trust

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

“ We reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals ”

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply.

The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programmes will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - that a nation cannot prosper long when it favours only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on the ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

'Ready to lead'

As for our common defence, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our founding fathers, faced with perils that we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all the other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and we are ready to lead once more.

“ We will not apologise for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defence ”

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with the sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater co-operation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the spectre of a warming planet. We will not apologise for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defence, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

'Era of peace'

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to the suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

'Duties'

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honour them not only because they are the guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

“ What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility ”

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - honesty and hard work, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths.

What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

'Gift of freedom'

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have travelled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

"Let it be told to the future world... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive... that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."

America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/obama_inauguration/7840646.stm

Listening Skills Week 2 - Lincoln

Faculty of Teacher Training - English Department

Course Title: Advanced English Language IV

Instructor: Dr. Rod

E-mail: sjrod55@gmail.com

Gettysburg Address

At the dedication of the National Cemetery in Gettysburg President Lincoln delivers a two-minute speech. Immediately following the speech he calls it a "flat failure." The speech is known today as the Gettysburg Address – November 19, 1853

The Gettysburg Address

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate—we cannot consecrate—we cannot hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom— and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Listening Skills Week 2

Faculty of Teacher Training - English Department

Course Title: Advanced English Language IV

Instructor: Dr. Rod

E-mail: sjrod55@gmail.com

I have a Dream – Martin Luther King Jnr.

Delivered 28 August 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C.

AUTHENTICITY CERTIFIED: Text version below transcribed directly from audio

I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.

But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.

In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the "unalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds."

But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.

We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. And those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. And there will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.

The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.

We cannot walk alone.

And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead.

We cannot turn back.

There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their self-hood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating: "For Whites Only." We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until "justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream."¹

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. And some of you have come from areas where your quest -- quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.

And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."²

This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.

With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:

My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.

Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,

From every mountainside, let freedom ring!

And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.

And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.

Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.

Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.

Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.

But not only that:

Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.

From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:

Free at last! Free at last!

                Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!³

Listening Skills Vocabulary - New Pilot's Guide to ATC Communication

Faculty of Teacher Training

English Department

Course Title: Advanced English Language IV

Instructor: Dr. Rod

E-mail: sjrod55@gmail.com

New Pilot's Guide to ATC Communication

Learn the right words and talk like a pro

By Robert I. Snow

There is an art to using the right words when you communicate with air traffic control (ATC). Effective aviation phraseology combines brevity with the transfer of complete and correct information.

Long, detailed transmissions ensure the controller receives the needed information, but these monologues also tie up the frequency. If the controller is working five other airplanes and needs to issue timely control instructions, he can't do it until you release the microphone button. This delay may affect the safety of the other airplanes. Transmissions that are too brief usually result in the controller asking you to provide more detail. When that happens, it defeats the point of being brief.

So how do you learn the right mix? The same way you learn other aviation skills—study and practice.

Learning the language

Your first and most important lesson as you learn to use the right words is do not be afraid of using the wrong words. Regardless of the form it takes, communication is the goal. As you learn aviation's language, your vocabulary and phraseology will improve, so relax and communicate.

Expecting the words

You can increase how fast you hear, and improve what you understand, if you know what to expect during a transmission. ATC instructions mostly consist of numbers preceded by key words that tell you what the numbers mean. For example, "climb and maintain...." is always followed by an altitude assignment. Controllers frequently combine the three words into one—"climbandmaintain" but they're more deliberate with the altitude assignment, such as "one-two-thousand." An experienced pilot recognizes the word group and knows that an altitude follows.

You should learn to use the right words for many reasons, and safety is at the top of the list. Another is the fact that "talking the talk" means you'll spend less time conversing with ATC and more time enjoying your flight.

ABEAM—An aircraft is "abeam" a fix, point, or object when that fix, point, or object is approximately 90 degrees to the right or left of the aircraft track. Abeam indicates a general position rather than a precise point.

ACKNOWLEDGE—Let me know that you have received my message.

AFFIRMATIVE—Yes.

BLOCKED—Phraseology used to indicate that a radio transmission has been distorted or interrupted due to multiple simultaneous radio transmissions.

CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF—ATC authorization for an aircraft to depart.

CLEARED FOR THE OPTION—ATC authorization for an aircraft to make a touch and go, low approach, missed approach, stop and go, or full-stop landing at the discretion of the pilot. It is normally used in training so that an instructor can evaluate a student's performance under changing situations.

CLEARED TO LAND—ATC authorization for an aircraft to land. It is predicated on known traffic and known physical airport conditions.

CLOSED TRAFFIC—Successive operations involving takeoffs and landings [touch-and-goes] or low approaches where the aircraft does not exit the traffic pattern.

EXPEDITE—Used by ATC when prompt compliance is required to avoid the development of an imminent situation.

FLY HEADING (Degrees)—Informs the pilot of the heading he should fly. The pilot may have to turn to, or continue on, a specific compass direction in order to comply with the instructions. The pilot is expected to turn in the shorter direction to the heading unless otherwise instructed by ATC.

FUEL REMAINING—A phrase used by either pilots or controllers when relating to the fuel remaining on board until actual fuel exhaustion. When transmitting such information in response to either a controller question or pilot initiated cautionary advisory to air traffic control, pilots will state the APPROXIMATE NUMBER OF MINUTES the flight can continue with the fuel remaining. All reserve fuel SHOULD BE INCLUDED in the time stated, as should an allowance for established fuel gauge system error.

GO AROUND—Instructions for a pilot to abandon his approach to landing. Additional instructions may follow. Unless otherwise advised by ATC, a VFR aircraft or an aircraft conducting visual approach should overfly the runway while climbing to traffic pattern altitude and enter the traffic pattern via the crosswind leg. A pilot on an IFR flight plan making an instrument approach should execute the published missed approach procedure or proceed as instructed by ATC; e.g., "Go around" (additional instructions if required).

HAVE NUMBERS—Used by pilots to inform ATC that they have received runway, wind, and altimeter information only.

HOW DO YOU HEAR ME?—A question relating to the quality of the transmission or to determine how well the transmission is being received.

IDENT—A request for a pilot to activate the aircraft transponder identification feature. This will help the controller to confirm an aircraft identity or to identify an aircraft. Do not confuse this with squawk, which means to tune the transponder code or transponder operating mode, such as Mode C, altitude reporting, a controller gives you.

IMMEDIATELY—Used by ATC when such action compliance is required to avoid an imminent situation.

MAINTAIN—Concerning altitude/flight level, the term means to remain at the altitude/flight level specified. The phrase "climb and" or "descend and" normally precedes "maintain" and the altitude assignment; e.g., "descend and maintain 5,000." Concerning other ATC instructions, the term is used in its literal sense; e.g., maintain VFR.

MAKE SHORT APPROACH—Used by ATC to inform a pilot to alter his traffic pattern so as to make a short final approach.

MAYDAY—The international radio telephony distress signal. When repeated three times, it indicates imminent and grave danger and that immediate assistance is requested.

MINIMUM FUEL—Indicates that an aircraft's fuel supply has reached a state where, upon reaching the destination, it can accept little or no delay. This is not an emergency situation but merely indicates an emergency situation is possible should any undue delay occur.

NEGATIVE—"No," or "permission not granted," or "that is not correct."

NEGATIVE CONTACT—Used by pilots to inform ATC that the previously issued traffic is not in sight. It may be followed by the pilot's request for the controller to provide assistance in avoiding the traffic. Used by pilots to inform ATC they were unable to contact ATC on a particular frequency.

RADAR CONTACT—Used by ATC to inform an aircraft that it is identified on the radar display and radar flight following will be provided until radar identification is terminated.

RADAR SERVICE TERMINATED—Used by ATC to inform a pilot that he will no longer be provided any of the services that could be received while in radar contact. Radar service is automatically terminated, and the pilot is not advised in the following cases: 1. An aircraft cancels its IFR flight plan, except within Class B airspace, Class C airspace, a TRSA, or where Basic Radar service is provided. 2. An aircraft conducting an instrument, visual, or contact approach has landed or has been instructed to change to advisory frequency. 3. An arriving VFR aircraft, receiving radar service to a tower controlled airport within Class B airspace, Class C airspace, a TRSA, or where sequencing service is provided, has landed; or to all other airports, is instructed to change to tower or advisory frequency. 4. An aircraft completes a radar approach.

READ BACK—Repeat my message back to me.

REPORT—Used to instruct pilots to advise ATC of specified information; e.g., "Report passing Hamilton VOR."

SAY AGAIN—Used to request a repeat of the last transmission. Usually specifies transmission or portion thereof not understood or received; e.g., "Say again all after ABRAM VOR."

SAY ALTITUDE—Used by ATC to ascertain an aircraft's specific altitude/flight level. When the aircraft is climbing or descending, the pilot should state the indicated altitude rounded to the nearest 100 feet.

SAY HEADING—Used by ATC to request an aircraft heading. The pilot should state the actual heading of the aircraft.

SPEAK SLOWER—Used in verbal communications as a request to reduce speech rate.

SQUAWK (Mode, Code, Function)—Activate specific modes/ codes/functions on the aircraft transponder, e.g., "Squawk two—one-zero-five." Squawk does not mean pilot should press the transponder's IDENT button.

STAND BY—Means the controller or pilot must pause for a few seconds, usually to attend to other duties of a higher priority. Also means to wait as in "stand by for clearance." The caller should reestablish contact if a delay is lengthy. "Stand by" is not an approval or denial.

TAXI INTO POSITION AND HOLD—Used by ATC to inform a pilot to taxi onto the departure runway in takeoff position and hold. It is not authorization for takeoff. It is used when takeoff clearance cannot immediately be issued because of traffic or other reasons.

THAT IS CORRECT—The understanding you have is right.

TRAFFIC—A term used by ATC to refer to one or more aircraft.

TRAFFIC IN SIGHT—Used by pilots to inform a controller that previously issued traffic is in sight.

UNABLE—Indicates inability to comply with a specific instruction, request, or clearance.

VERIFY—Request confirmation of information; e.g., "verify assigned altitude."

Listening and Reading Skill Week 1

Faculty of Teacher Training

English Department

Course Title: Advanced English Language IV

Instructor: Dr. Rod

E-mail: sjrod55@gmail.com

Listening Skill Week 1

Dear Teacher,

A letter written by Abraham Lincoln to the Headmaster of a school in which his son was studying. It contains an advice, which is still relevant today for executives, workers, teachers, parents and students.

A WORD TO TEACHERS

"He will have to learn, I know, that all men are not just and are not true. But teach him if you can, the wonder of books... but also give him quiet time to ponder the eternal mystery of birds in the sky, bees in the sun and flowers on a green hillside.

In school, teach him it is far more honourable to fall than to cheat.....

Teach to have faith in his own ideas, even if everyone tells him he is wrong.

Teach him to be gentle with gentlepeople and tough with the tough.

Try to give my son the strength not to follow the crowd when everyone getting on the bandwagon...

Teach him to listen to all men; but teach him also to filter all he hears on a screen of truth, and take only the good that comes through.

Teach him, if you can, how to laugh when he is sad... Teach him there is no shame in tears.

Teach him to scoff at cynics and to be beware of too much sweetness.. Teach him to sell his brawn and brain to highest bidders, but never to put a price on his heart and soul. Teach him to close his ears to a howling mob.. and stand and fight if thinks he is right.

Treat him gently, but do not cuddle him, because only the test of fire makes fine steel. Let him have the courage to be impatient.. Let him have the patience to be brave. Teach him always to have sublime faith in himself, because then he will have faith in humankind.

This is a big order, but see what you can do. . He is such a fine little fellow my son!

- Abraham Lincoln"

Listening Skill Week 1 - ‘Lord of the Flies – Piggy’

Faculty of Teacher Training

English Department

Course Title: Advanced English Language IV

Instructor: Dr. Rod

E-mail: sjrod55@gmail.com

Lord of the Flies

Piggy - to the 'littleuns.'

“Now, this story is about the place where I live, called Camberley. Now, Camberley is quite an old place, but it hasn't been called Camberley all the time. It used to be called Cambridgetown. And they used to get mixed up with the letters... between Cambridge or Cambridgetown. So letters that were to a person in Cambridgetown... used to go to a person in Cambridge. So they got a bit mixed up. So they thought they'd change... the name at the post office, because it was a post office... that had all the trouble of sorting the letters. And they thought they'd leave the ''cam'' from Cambridgetown, and they-- ''ber'' is a river, and there are a lot of rivers around there. ''Camber.'' And then ''ley,'' because often the towns near there ended with ''ley.'' Their names ended with ''ley.'' So they called it Cam-ber-ley. Camberley. And that's the true story of Camberley.”

Advanced English Language Skills IV Course Outline

Faculty of Teacher Training - English Department

Course Title: Advanced English Language IV

Instructor: Dr. Rod

E-mail: sjrod55@gmail.com

Course description: 

Advanced English Language IV is an integrated skills course designed to develop student competencies in the four (speaking, listening, reading and writing) language skills.  The focus of the course will be on combining (integrating) the skills in a flexible, creative manner so that students with varying needs can still meet their own academic, personal and professional objectives.  To this end, the methodological approach will be communicative with pedagogical emphasis on grammatical accuracy, lexical depth, syntactical fluency and socio-linguistic sensitivity.

Attendance policy:

In accordance with the university’s attendance policy, students must attend 70% of the meetings in order to be able to pass the course.  If a student misses more than 30 % of the classes, the student will automatically fail the course, regardless of performance on the assignments.  The dismissal of excused absences (medical appointments, family emergencies, etc.) will be taken up on a case by case basis.

Assessment:

Attendance	10 %
Homework	10 %
Interview	10 %
Debate	10 %
Reading skill (reading for gist & reading for details)	10 %
Oral interaction (conversation & argument )	10 %
Listening activities	10 %
Writing assignments	20 %
Quizzes	10 %
Total	100 %

Assessment in this course will be continuous (ongoing).  Students therefore should be advised that each and every meeting is crucial to their success in the course.  The students will be assessed for these components:

Please be well aware that while there will not be formalized mid and final year examinations, the continuous assessments, in total, have the same effect and weigh equally.

Grading Rubric:

Grade Scale	Grade Description	Grade Points
95% - 100%	Excellent	10.0
86% - 94%	Very good	9.0
77% - 85%	Good	8.0
68% - 76%	Satisfactory	7.0
60% - 67%	Passing	6.0
59% - below	Failing	5.0
	Incomplete (IN)	0.0

Incomplete (IN): An incomplete grade may be assigned if a student has not finished all course requirements by the end of the semester, but has completed a substantial amount of the work. It is the student’s responsibility to bring pertinent information to the teacher and to reach an agreement on how the remaining course requirements will be satisfied. If requirements are not completed within one year, a failing grade is automatically assigned.

WEEK 1	Introduction to Skills
WEEK 2	Listening – Lord of the Flies / Air Traffic Control / Skills we use
WEEK 3	Listening – Romeo and Juliet / Macbeth skills in retelling
WEEK 4	Listening Assignments
WEEK 5	Speaking – Style. Audience, Purpose, Interest Level
WEEK 6	Speaking (Interviews) Reporting and recording
WEEK 7	Speaking Assignments
WEEK 8	Various interactive group activities associated to class grades
WEEK 9	Reading – Why? Purpose, audience, style. Literature / Informative
WEEK 10	Reading – Special skills and uses.
WEEK 11	Reading Assignments
WEEK 12	Writing
WEEK 13	Writing
WEEK 14	Writing Assignments (short-story summary, reflection and essays)
WEEK 15	TBA

All of the above is subject to change.

Importance of Soft skills development in education

Faculty of Teacher Training - English Department

Course Title: Applied Communication Skills (Elective)

Instructor: Dr. Rod

E-mail:  sjrod55@gmail.com

Importance of Soft Skills Development in Education

What are Soft Skills?

“Soft skills” can be said to incorporate all aspects of generic skills that include the cognitive elements associated with non-academic skills. Soft skills are identified to be the most critical skills in the current global job market especially in a fast moved era of technology. The reorientation of education which is one trust of education for sustainability also relates the importance of these so-called soft skills.

Vast research and expert opinions have been sought in the effort to determine the specific soft skills to be implemented and used in higher institutions of learning.  Based on the research findings obtained, seven soft skills have been identified and chosen to be implemented in all institutions of higher learning here. They are:

i. Communicative skills.

ii. Thinking skills and Problem solving skills.

iii. Team work force

iv.. Life-long learning and Information Management

v. Entrepreneur skill

vi.. Ethics, moral and professionalism

vii. Leadership skills

Each of the above soft skills comprised of several sub-skills. These sub-skills are divided into two categories of implementation. The first category delineates the soft skills that every individual must have and the second category represents soft skills that are good to have. Despite the emphasis being put on the soft skills that must be present (must have), it is also encouraged to inculcate the soft skills that are good to have. All elements of soft skills must be acquired by each individual student and evaluated effectively and comprehensively. Table 1 shows the seven soft skills and the two categories of sub-skills respectively.

The must have soft skills must be acquired by each and every individual in the institutions of higher learning without which, the student is regarded as incompetent in the above skill. The good to have soft skills can be regarded as the additional generic skills and a bonus to the student. If these skills are acquired by the students together with the must have soft skills. Table 1 gives a detail description of the different categories of implementation for each of the sub-skills for the respective seven soft skills.

It can be observed that education is an essential tool for achieving sustainability. We all realized that the current economic development trends are not sustainable and that ….

Table 1           the Must Have and Good To Have Elements of Soft Skills

No.	Soft Skills	Must Have Elements (Sub-Skills)	Good To Have Elements (Sub-Skills)
1.	Communicative Skills	Ability to deliver idea clearly, effectively and with confidence either orally or in writing Ability to practice active listening skill and respond. Ability to present clearly and confidently to the audience.	Ability to use technology during presentation. Ability to discuss and arrive at a consensus. Ability to communicate with individual from a different cultural background. Ability to expand one’s own communicative skill. Ability to use non-oral skills.
2.	Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills	Ability to identify and analyze problems in difficult situation and make justifiable evaluation. Ability to expand and improve thinking skills such as explanation, analysis and evaluate discussion. Ability to find ideas and look for alternative solutions.	Ability to think beyond.. Ability to make conclusion based on valid proof. Ability to withstand and give full responsibility. Ability to understand and accommodate oneself to the varied working environment.
3.	Team Work	Ability to build a good rapport , interact and work effectively with others. Ability to understand and play the role of a leader and follower alternatively. Ability to recognize and respect other’s attitude, behavior and beliefs.	Ability to give contribution to the planning and coordinate group work. Responsible towards group decision.
4.	Life-Long Learning & Information Management Skill	Ability to find and manage relevant information from various sources. Ability to receive new ideas performs autonomy learning.	Ability to develop an inquiry mind and seek knowledge.
5.	Entrepreneurship skill	Ability to identify job opportunities.	Ability to propose business opportunity. Ability to build, explore and seek business opportunities and job. Ability to be self-employed.
6.	Ethics, Moral & Professional	Ability to understand the economy crisis, environment and social cultural aspects professionally. Ability to analyze make problem solving decisions related to ethics.	Ability to practice ethical attitudes besides having the responsibility towards society.
7.	Leadership skill	Knowledge of the basic theories of leadership. Ability to lead a project.	Ability to understand and take turns as a leader and follower alternatively. Ability to supervise members of a group.

….public awareness, education and training are the key elements to move our society towards sustainability. Only a quality future human capital can envision development of its nation to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Therefore, the inculcation of soft skills among the students will be two prongs, to produce quality human capital and to develop their knowledge, understanding, values and skills as well. How the two skills blend together will be discussed here.

(1)        Communicative Skills

The communicative skills involve effective communication in both the national language and English language in different contexts and with different people. There are eight sub-skills under communicative skills of which three are the must have skills and five are the good to have skills. Communicative skills are an integral part of any education system either in higher education or lower education. As mentioned earlier, in many countries, basic education or primary education is mandatory and it focuses on reading, writing and ciphering. People learn to read books, write letters, figure accounts and develop skills necessary to fulfil their expected roles in their households and community. At this very level, emphasis has been given to develop the communicative skills of individual so that by the time they leave college, they are able to participate in public and community activities and decision making. What is found to be missing in the nation’s present human capital is the lack of communicative skills. The absence of good communicative skills somehow or rather has an influence on the poor presentation of their views and decisions made to gain others confidence and respect. Communicative skills have also been greatly emphasized in the reorientation of basic education for ESD (Education for Sustainable development) which is: the ability to communicate effectively (both orally and in writing). The communicative skill seemed to be one important component that lacks in the future human capital. The incompetence of the future graduates to master both languages will be a set-back to a lot of potential development and advancement of the country. Thus, this is a good time to reorientate the curriculum of higher institutions to embed communicative skills.

2.         Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills

This skill includes the ability to think critically, creatively, innovatively and analytically. It also involves the ability to apply knowledge and understanding to new and different problems as well. For ESD to be successful, it must give people practical skills that will enable them to continue learning after they leave school, to have a sustainable livelihood and to live sustainable lives. The critical thinking skills, skills to organize and interpret data and information, skills to formulate questions and the ability to analyze issues that confront communities are greatly addressed in the reorientation of basic education in ESD. The following are some examples of skills that comply with ESD and some of these skills are similar to the soft skills being emphasized in the curriculum of higher education. The ability to think about systems (both natural and social sciences).

(i) The ability to think in time-to forecast, to think ahead, and to plan.

(ii) The ability to think critically about value issues.

(iii) The ability to separate number, quantity, quality and values.

All the above skills are important and ‘most’ students will require them as the grow into adults.

(iii)       The Skill of Team Work

The ability to work with people from different social and cultural backgrounds to achieve a common goal. Students are encouraged to play their role in the group and to respect opinions and attitudes of others in the group. They are also expected to contribute to the group’s plan and coordinate the group’s effort besides being responsible to the group’s decision. This skill is also part of ESD as stated in the reorientation of basic education: the ability to work cooperatively with other people. If the future human capital can attain these skills, we can be rest assure that the future generation will collaborate ideas and cooperate a taskforce towards the well-being of the nation.

(iv)       Life-Long Learning and Management of Information

This skill involves an effort to learn to be independent or self-regulated learning in acquiring skills and new knowledge. The ability to find and manage relevant information from various sources is also a criterion of this soft skill. Besides this, students are also expected to develop an inquiry mind and crave for knowledge. As mentioned earlier, these characteristics are equally important in ESD in order for an individual to be media literate and consumer knowledgeable. Life-long learning will enable individuals to accumulate as much knowledge and skills over the years.  The ability to manage information well will allow an individual to distinguish between good and bad, to adopt the best practices and to make sound decisions.

(v)        Entrepreneurship skill

The ability to seek business opportunity and develop risk awareness. It also involves being creative and innovative in activities related to business and tasks. To design and plan business propositions and the ability to be self employed.  This skill can in some ways contribute to the society if the training and practice is done for a good purpose.

(vi)       Ethics, Moral and Professional

The ability to practice a high moral standard in professional tasks and social interaction. This skill also includes the ability to analyze ethical problems and make problem solving decisions. Having a sense of responsibility towards society is another criterion of this soft skill.

(vii)      Leadership skill

The ability to lead in various activities and tasks. This is an important criterion in ESD for planning and implementing ideas in a group. This skill is also important to lead in discussion and make decision.

Model for implementing soft skills in higher education

A holistic approach is used to plan and implement the soft skills among students of higher education. This approach is based on the combination of several programs and main activities; formal teaching and learning activities (include all curricular and co-curricular elements); support programs (academic and non-academic focused) and the students? campus life (students? residences and the campus surroundings). Figure 1 shows the framework for implementing soft skills among students of higher institutions. In general, the development of soft skills among the students via the formal teaching and learning activities takes two models: (i) stand alone and (ii) embedded..

(i)         Stand Alone Subject Model

This model uses the approach of training and providing opportunities to students to develop soft skills through specific courses that are carefully planned for this purpose. Usually, these subjects are offered as university courses (such as English language, entrepreneurship, etc) and elective courses (such as public speaking, critical thinking, etc). The courses in this category are often a part of the overall requirements that make up the program. The number of courses and credits in this category depends on the curriculum design and the requirements of the program. The stand alone subject model can also be initiated by encouraging students to sign-up several additional courses which can be accumulated to be a minor course which is different from the initial program signed-up. For example, a student who is pursuing an engineering program is encouraged to take minor courses in management or mass communication. However, such an approach will require an increase in the number of credits and time spent for the particular program.

(ii)        Embedded Model

This model uses the approach of embedding the soft skills in the teaching and learning activities across the curriculum. It does not require the student to take special courses as in the stand alone subject model. Instead the students are trained to master the soft skills through various formal teaching and learning activities that are planned and carried out using specific strategies and methods. In this way, the content and learning outcomes to be achieved for the respective courses are maintained. The learning outcomes related to the soft skills will be integrated and be part of the learning outcomes of the respective courses. This is the suggested model to be implemented in all the courses for the different programs in institutions of higher learning. Each element of soft skills is spelled out in the learning outcomes and then translated into the instructional plan for the semester. This is followed by implementing several teaching and learning activities such as questioning, class discussion, brain storming, team work, presentation, role play and simulation, task/project, field work and site visits.

In general, the development of soft skills using the embedded model requires the expertise of the lecturers to use the various teaching strategies and methods that are entirely student-centered. It also involves active teaching and learning and students should participate actively in the activities. Some of the appropriate strategies and methods that are practical include (i) learning by questioning, (ii) cooperative learning, (iii) problem-based learning (PBL), (iv) e-learning.

(iii)       Combination of Stand Alone Subject Model and Embedded Model

Each of the respective models described above has its weaknesses and strengths. From the framework, planning, implementing and assessment, the stand alone model is definitely at an advantage. This is because the course or subject is specially developed to assist students to acquire the soft skills. However, this model lacked the opportunity for students to develop and acquire soft skills as integrated with other knowledge and skills in the major discipline studied. The existing number of credits for the respective program is also a constraint for students to sign-up for additional courses on soft skills.

On the contrary, the framework, planning, implementing and assessment of the embedded model are more challenging than the stand alone model. This model requires the lecturers to master specific teaching and learning skills and then apply these skills in teaching the respective core courses for the specific program. However, when carefully planned and used the appropriate teaching and learning strategies, this model is more effective in developing and acquiring the soft skills as integration with the other knowledge and skills in the program. In addition, this model does not require any additional courses to the already existing courses of the respective program.

Based on the weaknesses and strengths discussed, the higher education institutes are encouraged to use the embedded model as compared to the stand alone model. This is because the embedded model focus on student centered learning such experiential learning, problem-based learning and gives students the practical experience as well.

Development of soft skills through support programs

This involves programs and activities that are created, developed and used to support soft skills either directly or indirectly. In general, the program and activity can be divided into two: (i) academic support program and (ii) non-academic support program.

The academic support program is to help students acquire the soft skills that are associated with academic matters. Some of these programs include ‘Learning Skills’ and the English Language Support Program (ELSP).

As for the non-academic support program, it assists students to acquire the soft skills that are not related to academic matters but more of personality and professional development of the students. Most of the programs and activities are in the form of co-curriculum and extra co-curriculum.

The development of soft skills through Campus Life Activities.

Most university students spend half of their student life living in residences in the university campus. As such, institutions of higher learning should use this golden opportunity to develop their soft skills. This can be done through carefully crafted programs and carrying them out in the conducive campus grounds.

Conclusion

To live to the challenge of globalization which is in line with the era of information economy, the strength of a nation is strongly dependent on the ability of its citizen to be highly intellectual and skillful. The development of human capital is thus important and necessary since it drives the nation to the envision vision and mission. Without a quality human capital, a nation will be weak as there is no human factor that is capable to embark on new initiatives and perspectives. A quality human capital comes from a quality education process. A carefully designed and well planned education system is critical to developing such human capital. Thus, institution of higher learning plays a very important role to produce a human capital that is highly knowledgeable and skillful to meet the demand and expectations of many people. The teaching and learning processes in institutions of higher learning should be capable to provide such knowledge and skills to future graduates.

Teaching Strategies:

Faculty of Teacher Training

English Department

Course Title: Applied English Skills (Elective)

Instructor: Dr. Rod

E-mail: sjrod55@gmail.com

Teaching Strategies:

As a teacher working with students who are also not native English speakers you are likely to encounter many international students in your career. Their levels of English fluency will vary. Some may have spoken English in school from a young age, while others may be new to the language. English is relatively challenging to learn, and some students will have difficulty with it. I offer the following table as a teaching guide.

Teaching Strategies Chart

	EASIER STRATEGIES	MODERATE STRATEGIES	ADVANCED STRATEGIES
CRITERIA	Don’t assume lack of comprehension simply because a student’s spoken English is heavily accented, or assume high levels of comprehension simply because of oral fluency. Get to know the students.	Be aware of the difference between the student who makes a variety of grammatical or lexical errors and the one who makes the same kind of error often.	Point out the most prevalent error pattern and ask the student to concentrate on that pattern when editing.
LECTURE	Highlight key points and articulate them in more than one way. Write key terms on the board or overhead. Give students breathing room by illustrating key points anecdotally rather than packing too many ideas and factual support into your presentation.	Provide written handouts for key ideas and instructions. Vary presentation methods and forms of student-teacher interaction. Supplement oral presentations with visual material.	Build rhetorical and actual questions into lectures. Supplement visual with oral information and vice versa. Supplement exposition with interactive exchange of information.
READING	Check reading comprehension by giving short writing assignments – abstracts, brief summaries, and brief responses to text. Regularly read student writing and clarify concepts and facts for students who have repeated difficulty.	Help students understand how to use the dictionary strategically for field specific and frequently used academic terms. Provide study questions or lists of key terms. Ask students to identify terms or concepts they think are unclear.	Have students write about passages of text that don’t make sense or that seem contradictory to them. Illustrate how word form affects the meaning of key terms and concepts.
DISCUSSION	Periodically review and ask questions about main points. Be sensitive to the reluctance of students to speak voluntarily. Acknowledge the difficulty of some concepts.	Have students write and talk in small groups before asking them to articulate answers to interpretive and sophisticated questions in whole-class discussion.	Imagine the ways that students are likely to experience confusion and ask questions that will illustrate the potential for confusion in the material.
PAPERS	Encourage students to share rough drafts with you and focus first on content, not grammatical error or stylistic weakness.	Suggest ways to improve drafts by separating issues of organization and content from issues of language error. Encourage language improvement by noting one or two most pervasive errors at the word or sentence level.	Address key problems with comprehensibility, pointing out the elements that create confusion for you as a reader. Encourage self-editing with a focus on pervasive patterns of error.
STRUCTURE	Encourage students to come to office hours by bringing a sign-up sheet. When returning an assignment, issue a written invitation to see you.	Allow students to do oral presentations (at least the first one) in groups or pairs, and build in practice time. Offer review sessions before exams.	Offer a variety of group work opportunities. Let students select tasks that emphasize their strengths.
ASSESSMENT	When writing questions, express them in simple, clear language, avoiding confusing constructions such as double negatives. Emphasize the value of authentic work and redrafting or editing.	Assess students’ comprehension early in the quarter and frequently. Provide instructive comments on written assignments and invite those who are having trouble to make an appointment to see you.	Ask students to submit all drafts of work to you with editors’, tutors’, and your comments visible to assure work is their own.

7 Rules For a Successful Communication Approach With Non-native English Speakers

Faculty of Teacher Training

English Department

Course Title: Applied English Skills (Elective)

Instructor: Dr. Rod

E-mail: sjrod55@gmail.com

7 Rules For a Successful Communication Approach With Non-native English Speakers

Poor communication with non-native speakers may create feelings of alienation, hostility, and resistance due to the ineffective use of English. Those feelings could create an unfavorable working environment.

Here are 7 rules for a successful communication approach when you interact with non-native English speakers:

1. Never assume that non-native English speakers understand and speak English. Do not presume that they are capable of using English as fluently as native English speakers. Address differences in language and communication difficulties to create a communication-friendly environment.
2. Show non-native speakers that you are making an effort to speak their language. You do not have to be fluent in the language they speak. Try to learn important words and expressions to make a positive impression. If non-native speakers see that you are trying to speak their language, they will make an effort to speak your language.
3. Prepare differently. You cannot interact with a non-native speaker the same way you communicate with a native English speaker. Be aware of specific difficulties and prepare ahead of time. Before a conference call, meeting, or presentation, send a prepared written document to the non-native participants. Detail important items and action plans in clear and precise English.
4. Be creative. During a conference call, meeting, or presentation, it is important to improvise. Creativity is a key element in successful communication with non-native English speakers. Be attentive to their body language and non-verbal communication. Look for signs that they do not understand. If you sense that your message is not clear, be creative and use different words or sentence constructions. Do not hesitate to clarify by asking, "Is that clear?" and "What questions do you have?"
5. Use a thesaurus. A thesaurus is the most useful tool a native English speaker can use with a non-native speaker. One vital element of effective communication is the ability to systematically use different words if one word is not clear. If there is a word that a non-native speaker has difficulty with, replace it with a synonym.
6. Keep a journal. Communicating with non-native English speakers is a learning process. It takes time to see which methods and techniques work effectively. If you write down your interactions, you can see the techniques that work and the problems to avoid.
7. Smile! A smile is universal and communicates more than words. When you are sincere, a smile represents patience, warmth, kindness, and empathy. Those are important qualities you must have when you communicate with non-native English speakers.

Applied Communication Skills (Elective) Course Outline

Faculty of Teacher Training - English Department

Instructor: Dr. Rod

E-mail: sjrod55@gmail.com

Course description: 

Applied Communications Skills is designed to focus on those who are going to be teaching core and additional subjects IN English to NON Native English speakers – i.e. Teachers who use English as a Second Language teaching subjects others than English in English.  The focus of the course will be on identifying the challenges of teaching in this environment as well as the development of strategies that allow you to become an effective and successful teacher or presenter. We will be combining (integrating) the various skills in a flexible, creative manner so that students with varying needs can still meet their own academic, personal and professional objectives.  To this end, the methodological approach will be communicative with pedagogical emphasis on teaching in an ESL environment.

Attendance policy:

In accordance with the university’s attendance policy, students must attend 70% of the meetings in order to be able to pass the course.  If a student misses more than 30 % of the classes, the student will automatically fail the course, regardless of performance on the assignments.  The dismissal of excused absences (medical appointments, family emergencies, etc.) will be taken up on a case by case basis.

Assessment:

Attendance	10 %
Homework	10 %
Interview	10 %
Debate	10 %
Reading skill (reading for gist & reading for details)	10 %
Oral interaction (conversation & argument )	10 %
Listening activities	10 %
Writing assignments	20 %
Quizzes	10 %
Total	100 %

Assessment in this course will be continuous (ongoing).  Students therefore should be advised that each and every meeting is crucial to their success in the course.  The students will be assessed for these components:

Please be well aware that while there will not be formalized mid and final year examinations, the continuous assessments, in total, have the same effect and weigh equally.

Grading Rubric:

Grade Scale	Grade Description	Grade Points
95% - 100%	Excellent	10.0
86% - 94%	Very good	9.0
77% - 85%	Good	8.0
68% - 76%	Satisfactory	7.0
60% - 67%	Passing	6.0
59% - below	Failing	5.0
	Incomplete (IN)	0.0

Incomplete (IN): An incomplete grade may be assigned if a student has not finished all course requirements by the end of the semester, but has completed a substantial amount of the work. It is the student’s responsibility to bring pertinent information to the teacher and to reach an agreement on how the remaining course requirements will be satisfied. If requirements are not completed within one year, a failing grade is automatically assigned.

WEEK 1	Introduction to Applied Communication Skills – Overview, present situation and history of ESL teaching within an multi cultural, ethnic classroom
WEEK 2	The philosophy behind multi cultural classrooms and learning environments. What happens when you have 13 mother tongues in one room? How to establish the ground rules.
WEEK 3	Available resources and how to use them. Challenges of those resources and how to identify which resources best meet the needs of your audience
WEEK 4	Developing educational goals and outlines, establishing the expectations of: the student, the teacher/institution and client or parent
WEEK 5	Presentation in groups of 2 on the first 4 weeks work. Essay on ‘The challenges and advantages of multi lingual, cultural and ethnic teaching situations.
WEEK 6	Adapting available resources for an audience that cannot or does not culturally relate to the materials available vs. using available materials regardless of cultural understanding.
WEEK 7	Designing and adapting your presentation techniques using all available media to get across to your student/audience the main points you are presenting.
WEEK 8	Plan a sample 15 minute lesson on a topic of your choice and present it to a group of 6 students – (Three groups in the class) Rotate the teacher and topic.
WEEK 9	Working with less capable students. Consideration of the home and neighbourhood environment. Family conditions. Accounting for deficits in language acquisition.
WEEK 10	Presentation in groups of 2 on the second 3 weeks work. Mini project on adapting resources vs. creating resources.
WEEK 11	Design a course unit for a specific group of students (assigned by the professor) – describe the challenges of the course design as well as how you overcame them.
WEEK 12	Review of current educational methodologies and practical examples using videos of teachers/trainers in classroom situations – analysis by class.
WEEK 13	Presentation of 15 minute lessons to and using your fellow classmates.

All of the above is subject to change.

SEEU Advanced Skills IV and Applied Communications Skills Classes

Welcome SEEU students. There is a lot of information on this site and even more on the links that are here. Try out the vocabulary especially and work towards improving your skills. Also as we look at Lord of the Flies read through the notes and background information. I will be interested in your comments as potential English Teachers!

Dr. Rod