Model description

Communication in a Second Language

This paper describes a communication model that is focused on interpersonal communication in a second language. I researched many different kinds of communication models (Devito, 2001), and generally found that a transaction model was a very common format, so I decided to use this as a basis for my model.

Transactions models tend to be more focused on mass communication. My model, however, is interpersonal communication, so I decided to add a feedback loop/channel/arrow. This changes the model from a unidirectional model to a circular one. The direction of flow in my model is clockwise. This results in a model that has X steps and Y processes.

Here, the first step is sender (English as a second language speaker). The sender initiates the communication process by formulating their original ideas or opinions in their own language and (then) translating them to English. The second step is to encode them in English. The third step is transmitting the message to a receiver. Moreover, the model has noise (culture gaps, pronunciation differences, etc.) and feedback (gestures, verbal requests, and information checking). In other words, my model shows communication between a native speaker and an English-as-a-second-language speaker. There are many similarities between my model and other models such as encoding, message, sender, receiver, feedback and noise because it is focused on communication. My model is different from others in that it has the added function of translation from the sender.

my model is similar to a transaction model but my model considers more details and is more complete.

Add examples?

More listening suggestions

Here are a number of 20-minute interviews with video.

Homework for Tuesday, May 29

Your primary focus this week is your research assignment.

1. Get background information on at least five different models of communication. You need to use at least one web page, one magazine/journal article, and one textbook. Keep track of all your sources.
2. Discuss these with a partner. Look at similarities, differences, strengths, and weaknesses.
3. Choose a specific aspect of communication. Some ideas are listed below:
• Teacher-student communication
• Communication in a second language
• Communication with very young children
• Communication with deaf or blind people
• Intrapersonal communication
• E-mail/text messaging/voice mail
• Radio news
4. Design a new model that uses the strengths of the models you researched. Make sure it fits your chosen aspect of communication. (Due on Tuesday, May 29)
5. Explain your model to other students informally in small groups. Get questions and suggestions to make your model and your explanation better. (On Tuesday, May 29)

For independent listening, the same as last week, please listen to at least 20 minutes of speaking, takes notes and summarise it. Some new ideas are:

• Penguin dossiers
• VOA special English stories, words, and news (this page is in Japanese, but just click around and you can find lots of stuff.)
• Go to Doors Open Toronto.
  

Next week I am attending a conference. So, on Tuesday afternoon, we will finish class at 3:45 and Wednesday's class is cancelled. We can discuss how to make up this lost time later.

Have a great weekend!

homework

Dear Brett,

I am looking for tomorrow homework, but i can't find anything.

I have alreday listening (that was optional) , i am going to do it.

Thanks again

Nasim

Languages of China

Yesterday, Girl and I were discussing whether China has one main language or many. Here is a map that shows what a linguistically diverse place China is.

Chapter 3 files

Here is the audio from chapter 3:
p. 62, ac 8
p. 64, ac 9
p. 67, ac 12
p. 68, ac 13

Homework for next week

1. Listen to something that interests you. Your listening should total over 20 minutes of talking time (you can listen to a number of short pieces or one longer piece.)
   
1. Write a summary of the content and write your reaction. These should be in paragraph format and should be at least 200 words in total.
   
2. Good places to find audio are: YouTube, and CBC's podcasts. I especially recommend "Quirks & Quarks" (a science show), "As it happens" (current events) and "And sometimes Y" a show about language. On YouTube, I recommend "In my language". For something funny, try "Monty Python".
   
2. Collect 20 words from anywhere that are you would like to learn or be able to use better. Check them in the dictionary and write an example sentence for each (a different one from the dictionary.) Send these to me by e-mail by 12:00 on Monday night.
3. Spend some time checking the self-evaluation sheet. Send me a e-mail telling me what your main goals are.
   
4. On Wednesday, we will be discussing our graded readers. This week, I'd like you to focus on one character from your book.
   
1. What does he/she look like?
2. Age?
3. Personality?
4. Socioeconomic situation?
5. Experiences/background?
6. Job?
7. Compare this character to another person, real or fictional. How are they similar and how do they differ?
   

"Academic idioms"

Here are the "academic idioms" that we talked about today:

on the other hand
the end of the
at the same time
as a result of
on the basis of
at the end of
the way in which
the fact that the
one of the most
the rest of the
that there is a
in the case of
the nature of the
in the context of
the extent to which
in the form of
in the absence of
it is important to
it is difficult to
is likely to be
a wide range of
a result of the
a large number of
in the same way
the development of the
the size of the
the basis of the
in a number of
are likely to be
in the development of
it is likely that
the position of the

as a whole
a series of
the need for
the concept of
the possibility of
the effects of
in this way
between the two
the result of
the most important
of the two
the study of
the problem of
a range of
be regarded as
each of the
related to the
analysis of the
the lack of
the introduction of
appears to be
there may be
half of the
the degree of
in some cases
the distribution of
involved in the
in the second
understanding of the
a group of
knowledge of the
the range of
can be made
some of these
the difference between

Using the blog

I'm happy to see everyone using the blog. I think Girl's post about homework the other day was a good effort to communicate. Please feel free to post about any topic here. Do, however, keep in mind that not everyone will understand some things, such as jokes, the way you intended. As such, be careful about to express yourself precisely, and try not to get upset when someone writes something that you think is rude; maybe they didn't mean it the way you think. If you see something that upsets you, try to explain to the person how it makes you feel. They might learn something about writing English.

Best,
Brett

Homework: due Wed May 16

Sorry I'm late posting this. If you can't do it for today, tomorrow is fine. Listen to this lecture and take notes.

about homework....

Brett, i think our homework is really too much; moreover, they seems really strange, I mean they are all extremely hard...much + hard, i feel like the time is not enough.
Because I get an IELTS test in July, so I have to prepare it during Level 6, but now I even don't have time for my IELTS test preparation. In order to prepare my IELTS test, every day I have to go to bed nearly 3 o'clock. Therefore, even though our class changed to 11:00, I still can't go to school on time, cause I really can't let myself get up early. To be frank, nowadays I can't concentrate on my class, I have less and less energy for my class, everyday I'm too tired to listen to your lecture carefully, and I feel I hate class more and more, I can't enjoy studying like before, I think homework is the biggest problem. I suggest that you can give us some flexible homework, something not so hard. If possible, we can just do some of our homework in class, for example, we can do listening in class, it probably will make our class more interesting. I hope that you will considerate about my opinion. Thanks
Girl

Homework for Tuesday May 15

1. Look at your notes from yesterday's homework (p. 98 & 99). Then put your notes away (DON'T LOOK AT THEM) and write down (paraphrase) the lecture's main ideas using full sentence format.
   
2. Write a paragraph to explain graph B. Use the sample paragraph from p. 105 as an example.
3. Read the blue textbook (FYI) p. 201-206 & make notes (is there any misleading or false information?)
4. Listen to this teacher giving a homework assignment. Take careful notes and write down any questions you have about anything that isn't clear. (You don't actually have to do everything he says; just take notes.)
   

Have a good weekend!

Lunch

Hey, let's go for lunch next week.

Listening #1

To listen to the first lecture, click here. Write down EVERYTHING that the speaker says in the first 60 seconds of the lecture.

Also, watch this video and write down:

1. the time that the speaker introduces a new major point
   
2. the words he uses to tell us that he's introducing that point
   
3. what the new point is (if #2 doesn't already tell you)
   

For example, you can answer like this:

• 1:35 he says, "I want to look at two kinds of advertising--two new kinds of advertising--in detail, OK?"

You should have more than five changes of topic.

Bring this to your next class.