Speaking Portfolio_4_ ADS

Date: 14 May, 2010

Time: 2.00pm approx. 2 hours

Place: Auckland Deaf Society
164 Balmoral Road, Balmoral

Main topic:
- Sound system: for hearing aids people
Learn how to operate after new installation

The conversation was focus on how to operate the new sound system in Auckland Deaf Society.
Since my church has hired the hall to use it as a Sunday service for over 2 years. However, the sound system always has different problems on every week, no matter our (normal) or the hearing aid people system. Since one of our congregation he is wearing the hearing aid, he needs the 'loop' system. Unfortunately, the 'loop' system is always not worked that he was quite worried and felt bored during the sermon.
Thank God, they installed a so 'perfect' and friendly user one on Thursday that I went to learn how to 'operate' it on Friday after my class.

I still found out some culture aspects and differences during this conversion.
Firstly, some 'kiwi's' characters are - finish one thing/job at one time. It's seemed the 1 speaking port. which I had mentioned. As the technician, Ian, still had a job in Albany following, but he tried to finish one by one and should achieve his requirement- over 90% good. He is not the young guy who I met before. Since some young people have 'easy come easy go' attitude.
In addition, they quite encourage people to keep the character of different culture, not 100% copy of them. It is including the accent and speaking style. Since I was introduced by the secretary, Trisha Shanaghan, of ADS, we had a good conversation.
Trisha: That's why I brought Alice to be here. Alice is a 'buss'!" I checked with her that 'is it a idiom or something else. At the first moment, she was quite reluctant answered this. She explained that she could speak this quite common. However, if I spoke this, it would be quite awful. Asian should have Asian speaking style no matter in English. But I let her know that I want to learn some more 'kiwi' style things when I listen and knew what its mean. Finally, ... is a 'buss' is described 'lot' of happen like a bee and 'humming'.

During the conversation with the technician, Ian, I learned some phase and ask repetition from him, such as volume 'up or down' on the panel, not high or low. When he taught me how to operate, he said if I have 'intuitive' sense something's wrong, just let him know. I grasped the time and ask him how to spell of that word.
Ian: it's bad
Alice: Why? mm but it's a good word, isn't it? I want to learn a new word!
Ian: it's a good word, it's bad because I don't know how to spell it.
A: I'll check out form dict.

When nearly finish our conversation, I introduced my name again and ask him
A: What's your name?
I: In
A: mm? How to spell it?
I: I a n
And he let me know that it can spell as 'I a i n' in Scottish too.
So, in common conversation, people generally use schwa and lexical features. During this time, I use 'stress' of meaning and also use lot of contractions to make the conversation smoothly.

Although it is the last speaking portfolio, I feel that it's quite useful and remind me all the things which I have learned from class and using in my daily life!

Speaking Portfolio_3_ Lynfield Veterinary Care

The conversation was focus on illness and information of my cat. It took place at Lynfield Veterinary Care on 10 May, 2010 for approximately 3o minutes. The native speaker is a doctor of pet and I was the client. Since my cat was sick for a few days.

I had made the booking at 11.00amon Monday, but when I went to there, the clinic was moved. So I made a phone call to check the new address. Thank God, it's quite close but I was still a little bit late. When I jumped to the clinic and felt appolized for the late, the receptionist were quite friendly to say that "It's alright! The doctor is still in the last appointment, please take a seat." It's the culture differences in my home town that I would be treated and said "p-l-e-a-s-e t-a-k-e a s-e-a-t!" in long & rude.

And during the conversation with the doctor, Beverley, I let her know that I gave some milk for my cat.

Beverley: Cow's milk?

Alice: No, human milk! Beverley smiled and laugh in gentle

Beverley: human drinking milk!

She corrected my mistake in soft.

If this case happen in my culture, Iwill be corrected in rude and loud.

And nearly end of my consulation, I found out that the pronunication through Beverley's was quite difference which I heard before. When I asked her that where did she come from?

She replied with simle that she born and came from England, but stayed in South Africa and Cambodia for a while.

This kind of conversation was not familiar with me. According the strategies from the 'Spoken English in Practice' class, I tried to search some vocab. to understand the background and what kind of sentences will the doctor ask? And also take note and if I do not understand the meaning, I will ask for repetition. (vomit; spit, spitting, spat; swallow; not able to eat)

During the conversation with the doctor, she was very friendly and treated my cat as a human being to let me feel comfortable. She said," What's things happen for Ribina?"Ribina is my cat's name. When I described his illness that he wantedto vomit but it was not; want to eat, but he can't; gagging like something stick inside . . .She replied and felt sorry ," Oooh! what a poor things!"
Let me feel that she was quite care of my naughty but lovely cat. It's a difference of my culture that many doctors are felt 'cold' and treated a 'pet' as a 'animal'. I also learned some phases and vocab. from her. For example, some pawing at mouth-want to pull out something; neck has been very long- gagging/ vomit; mild lung changes and lung worms - something wrong in lung not exactly has worms inside; moulting-losing hair for cat . . . When I told her that my cat spit yesterday. My grammar was wrong, it should be 'spat'. She used the right grammar- spat. If I didn't check this word, I would not know what she said. And she asked any 'foamy fluid" in the spat? I didn't understand the meaning of that and asked to repeat and write down the word. She was very patience to explain that again. We finished this conversation with her detail explanation that to leave my cat to take some checking: gas isofluorane, morphine, x-ray to check any foreign body in his throat.

In the conversation, I felt difficult and nervous for me. Since my cat was quite sick, but the doctor let me to calm down and lead me to explain step by step; she made me feel comfortable no matter my barrier English. Therefore, I didn't use much discourse markers but some minimal encourages- mm, yeah while I was thinking to choose any words which I prepared in my note book. And I learned many new words and new things through this conversation, such as moulting is caused from stress, like human being sickness too.

During this and last 2 speaking portfolio, this conversation is the hardest but quite challenging, reality and emergency. Focusing on coming conversation, I should concentrate the grammar- which kind of tense I should use. I am not able to get use past tense in my conversation.

Speaking Portfolio_2_ ASB Bank

Date: 22 April, 2010

Time: 10am 15 - 20 minutes

Place: ASB Bank
1484D Dominion Road Extn., Mt. Roskill

Main topic:
- credit card: late payment
- tertiary account: extended the expiry date


Systematic, right/authority and initiative

When I went to the Bank, I did some normal transactions with the cashier first and told her that I would do a few extra things on last Thursday. Firstly, I showed her that I received a friendly reminder from ASB Bank on my cell phone to say, "You may have forgotten to pay your credit card. An overdue fee of $25 will apply in two days. Thank you!" Because it was the first time I received from bank and I didn't go to the bank on that day, so I was quite worried about that I would be punished. Then I swiped my card immediately, she said, "Don't swipe the card when I'm doing on the computer!" I realized that I am impatient again that I forgot what had happened in my last blogger before- impatient. After she finished all transaction step by step, she smiled and said, "Would you want me to staple the receipt on your statement!" "Yes, please!"I said. "The credit card payment is settled, don't worry!"
After that, I showed . I showed some document from study-link. The procedure was taking a long time that she checked all my document. I said that I was very sorry that to let other people who were waiting for a long time. She replied, "It's your right, don't feel sorry or worry for them!"
When nearly finishing all transactions, she admired my hat too.
I felt warm, comfortable and her initiative helps.
The people on queue were alright and patience since the cashier let the manageress to arrange another two more cashiers to work with them. In my country, I will be very embarrassed that they would be look angry with me. There are difference culture aspects between European and Asian. I am quite enjoy for these impressive culture here.


When the cashier finished all my transaction and she had a badge on her uniform and printed : Sri. I said, "Thank you for your help! May I know that how to pronounce your name?"
S:"Sri. . . same as three!"
A: Oh 'three'. It's quite interesting. Where are you come from?
I thought she was not quite clear what I was asking, I changed it to ask
"Where is your hometown?"
S: My home country is India!
A: Thanks a lot! Bye.
I used a wrong word that it should be home country not home town. No matter she told me the name of her hometown, I supposed still didn't know where it was unless it was a big city.


When she admired my hat, I told her that I was easily to have headache when it was windy. So I wore hat during autumn and summer. She told me that she had the same problem and she had 'dark circle'. I was quite wonder why she explained like that. She showed me that she was allergy of windy and got 'dark circle' around her eyes. I learned a new meaning of 'dark circle', it's not only to describe people who haven't enough sleep.


When I received the letter regarding for the tertiary account, I went to the bank before and I showed them my student ID. But it's not enough evidence to proof because there didn't show the expiry date. So, this time I prepared some letters from study-link to proof it. It means that I try to well prepare as I can. Let me to have some more details for my conversation. And this time, I try to speak a little bit slower than before, she also spoke slow to me and let me to understand easily too.
Sri gave me a brochure for the other kind bank account service, let me to consider later.


Generally, I try to use some more lexical and interactive features.
When I was thinking to receive the brochure from Sre, I used some chunks like "you know . . ." "I agree...".when I was thinking to receive to not because I am still a full time student at the moment. And try to use some minimal encourages eg. nah, Um, Ah, Yeah and Well to make the conversation smooth.

I hope I will do it better in next time!

Speaking Portfolio_1_ Mediterranean Resort

1. About the context of the conversation.
On 12 April, I went to Tauranga and had 3 days 2 nights trip with my church people. I talked with Gunter, the host of the Mediterranean Resort, about information of booking and cash back.

2. Culture aspects or cultural differences
On Monday, when I checked in, I wanted to ask him immediately that how much we would be cash back. Because while we were booking, he had mentioned about cash back $30.00, but he didn't say the details - one night, 2 nights, one bedroom or 2 bedrooms . . . I had many questions in my mind. If it was happened in my culture, I would ask him immediately. But he was quite leisure and enjoy to do things step by step and asked me to fill my details and signature. Finally, he issued a cheque and made a copy of that. Then I realized that European is quite systematic that they do it one by one. In Asian culture, we try to do at least 2 things together. When I work in Hong Kong, we always instructed/communicated our colleagues while we were speaking on the phone with our clients. I was impatient to wait and felt I was always in a hurry. Now, I must learn more about patient.

4. Vocabulary features
After finished the check in schedule, he asked me something I couldn't catch it, such as lotto. I responded that I was not interested of that. "Do you know Saturday lotto team?" he asked. I answered that I knew what it was lotto but I didn't interest and didn't buy this before. He explained that it was so easy to do it.

5. Specific strategies to overcome any language problems
When I wondered for what was 'Saturday lotto team', because I was not quite clear of every words of his conversation at that moment, I only guessed what was the meaning. He took out a 'powerball' form and someone had filled at the first column, Gunter taught me how to mark and chose how many no. and counted how many no. I had chose - 3, 4, 5 and 6. He made me feel comfortable to do a new thing.

6. Conversation flow 7. Fillers or hesitation
The conversation flow was OK. Gunter was so gentle that he spoke a little bit slow while I did not understand. When I was hesitation, I used some fillers, such as Um, Ah, for thinking instead of 'dead air'. It was quite good that Gunter had a chance to convince me or continue the conversation.

3. Conversant begin and how did it end.
8. Caused problem and focus on next conversation
When we nearly ended our conversation, I introduced, "you know my name is Alice, Alice in the wonderland! What's your name?" He smiled and pronounced his name, but it was very difficult for me to recognized "Guiler???' and asked him how to spell - Gunter.
It's hard for me to learn new name which it is not used common. But I found that the people were quite happy to spell and felt that I exactly wanted to know how to remember their name and pronounce it. If something happens which are out of my mind, I will hard understand and my mind seem freeze at that moment.

Listening blog 8_CALL software – EASE

*Source: EASE Unit 4 - Functions 2 in LLC at UNITEC library.


I went to the Language learning Center at Unitec library to practice English through Call software. I choose the topic on ‘Language (Unit 4)’, because it sounded more interesting than the other choices and the teacher highly recommended this unit too.

*Strategies:
1) Concentrate on Phonological & fillers: Pause, stress & use of schwa
2) Repetition

*Evaluation
I chose two topics, such as referring to sources and evaluating sources.
a) Referring:
There are a few speakers, each one has their characters to send their presentation
Clip 3 Dr Stanley Ireland: "it's not /just a biography . . .it's a / extra dimension . . ."
Clip 5 Dr Stanley Ireland: 'we /don't focus in . . .'
He paused before the stress, such as 'just, extra, don't', let us to concentrate and for the strong meaning-(strong: bold, /: pause)
Clip 6 Dr. Michael Luck: "How many people /haven't?"
He paused or nearly stopped before he said 'haven't', let everyone seems look and listen to him to wait for the next word. He suddenly speaks strong and power 'haven't". Make everyone noticed what he mentioned before and also expresses his unhappy feeling.
b) Evaluating sources
Clip 9 Prof. Jack Cohen: I recommended you read the book . . . published in 1970 (schwa in year), he / got the keyword
Clip 10 Dr. Helen Dennis: she always look at paper and small action, such as touched her hair per 2-3 seconds and up and down for her head, make me can't concentrate what she said.

* Reflection
It's the first time to concentrate for different speakers for their interactive features and phonological features. Before that, I think if I speak in fluent in English, I should speak without stop. Therefore, I always speak quite fast and let people don't find out any grammatical mistake or other errors. But now, definitely it's not! No matter native speakers, they always use to pause or nearly stop to draw people attention to listen their coming next words instead of to speak every word in strong.
And if we have any public speaking, we should not have any small action to confuse listeners' concentration.

It's a good practise for me, and I should try to change my speaking habit to let people few more comfortable during our conversation!

Listening blog 7 _Music: Nat King Cole: It's only a paper moon

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgNef0mgOeI

Strategies:
Focus on overall sentences
Keywords
Guess the meaning
Take notes
Repetition

Evaluation:
When I try to choose a song for this blog, hard to believe that my daughter introduced this one. It was not only an old song and also a Black & white youTube that teenager suppose will not like this. They loved new technology and colourful. She described Nat King owned a warm, soft baritone voice. Some people said that he smoked a lot because he wanted to have a soft attractive voice.
Firstly, I listened this song 4 times without any notes taking or repetition which let me to do the strategies of guess the meaning and focus on overall sentences.
Secondly, try to take notes like dictation that stop by every sentences and repetition to type lyrics back in italic. Finally, check with the original lyrics.
When I took the first half of lyrics, the other half was the same and I can catch what he sang.

Reflection:
It was the first time I did it in song except in classroom. It's only 1.40 minutes., however I felt long to understand every lines for the whole song. Although Nat King was black American, he sang the song very clear. He was quite enhancing the "ve" sound to bit his lip. Since it was the first time I did it in song, but it was quite helpful to understand and write down the lyric. Finally, these strategies help me to listen clearly and make use the meaning step by step (guess first, dictation-note taking, read the lyric and correct at last). Information from wikipedia describe that he was the first black American to host a television variety show.

Take notes(lyrics)
It's only a paper moon, hanging over a cardboard sea.
but it wouldn't be make if you believed it in me.
It's only a canvas in sky, hanging over a muslin tree
but it won't be make believe if you believed in me
Without your love, its a honky-tonk parade.
Without your love, it's a melody played in a penny arcade.
It's Barnum and Bailey world,
Just as phony as it can be,
but it wouldn't be make believe, if you believed in me.
Without your love, it's a honky-tonk parade.
Without your love, it's a melody played in a penny arcade.
It's a Barnum and Bailey world, just as phony as it can be,
but it won't be make believe if you believed in me

Listening blog 6 _Communication with NS: a phone message and face to face

Source: ASB Bank Ltd.
1484D Dominion Road Extn., Mt. Roskill
Ms Pradnya Rege, Customer Service Specialist
Date: 23 March, 2010 10.00am

Strategies:
*notice body language/gesture
*concentrate
*focus on overall sentences

Evaluation:
Firstly, I received a phone call from my bank-ASB last week.
The manageress wanted to do some survey to improve their customer service. After that, she invited me to go to her office and gave some more details for her.
In the phone message, I tried to concentrate and focus on overall sentences to answer all the questions, such as service, efficient, waiting time . . . to give grading from 1 to 5. Sometimes, I was not quite understood the words or sentences, I ask her to repeat and slow down. Finally, I finish that survey.
In the office, I noticed with the body language/gesture, I could understand more than before the phone call before. And try to have eye-contact and felt easier. Before we finished the conversion, I asked her business card too. She was quite happy that I took the promise to her office.

Reflection:
It is quite good strategies for me. Although sometimes I was not sure for the whole sentence, I use my own words and asked the same question to confirm the meaning. Compare with the phone message and face to face with the same person, I realized that notice body language/gesture, concentrate, and focus on overall sentences are very important and helpful for listening skill.
And I found the paragraph which I got from this class is quite useful too:
Conversations are visual too. Be aware of body language. Make good eye-contact and at appropriate points nod supportively - even if you disagree. A friendly smile and tactful humour help conversation to flow.

Listening blog 5_ TV: Movie: Diamond are forever

This is a movie to describe about James Bond from Sean Connery. I chose this movie in TV because I want to use the strategies of notice body language or gesture. Although I can' t completely understand what they said in the movie, push me to guest their meaning from their gesture. Moreover, I can' t stop to ask for repetition when it was running in TV live programme.

Source: TVNZ 1 20 March, 2010 at 8.30pm

Strategies:
* knowing vocab.
* notice body language/gesture
* keywords

Evaluation:
I did still keep on writing some new words while I was watching. I used the subtitle function on the TV set. Try to guest their meaning from their gesture first: smuggler, thrilled sake, phony diamond, scrap, bath sub, both chuckle . . . and found from dictionary when its in commercial break in the first few sections. I found out the meaning of those words. In the middle section of the movie, I gave up checking up in the dictionary, and concentrate to the movie, and didn't watch too much in the subtitle, I found more relax to watch and exactly to guest the meaning from the actors and actresses. I think that it's what the exactly guest strategies???

Reflection:
According from last listening blog, I am not good at to do two things at the same time, such as watching and listening. So I need to be more input in this area. From this listening blog, I feel much better but still need to improve as much as I can. Some conversation is too fast to follow, but try to get from their action and expression. Like in the beginning, I didn't know some words: smuggler, thrilled... until check from dictionary. I also learned some phases. It's a good preparation for the coming blog to get interview with people that I need to grasp their keywords, gesture and repetition if I do not understand.

Try to understand in the first time!

There are no second chances in life!!!
Ash to Ash! Dust to Dust! (From the movie)

Listening blog 4_ TV-News: Cyclone-hit Fiji begins clean up

Source : http://tvnz.co.nz/world-news/cyclone-hit-fiji-begins-clean-up-3419532

Strategies:
* learn some vocab.
* take notes
* guest the meaning


Evaluation:
I choose this news because I think I am not always tough this kinds of vocab.
Finally, I feel hard again.
I used the strategies of learn vocab., take notes, guest the meaning. I still use take notes as one of the strategies that I feel its quite helpful for me to understand more and more. I can fill the missing words after the 1 listening time. I listen and watch the video together while I take notes on the first listening time, I feel the speaker speak too fast for me to take note. I let it go until it finish. After I have gotten the whole picture of the new in listening, I listen it again and again to fill in the blank in italic for the missing or wrong words. One stupid thing for me that I heard the sound of a word, but I am not sure, such as 'tree', I must know this easy word. In the beginning, I am not quite catch it until I watch a trunk was lying on the road, then I suddenly remember.
And I also learn the new words in on-line dictionary. Unfortunately, the script is not same ast eh video that I still miss some new words

Reflection :
According these few strategies, I think I can't do well watching and listening at the same time. On the other hand, it is quite helpful to give some more hits to understand.
Although it is the first time to watch the video as part of my listening skills, I think it is quite helpful for natural speaking in daily life that we speak with eye-contact to guess the meaning in the sentence.

Take notes:
cyclone damage hit Fiji weather better - had cleared
cleaner - clean up destroyed
damages unclear
craft fm NZ - need some more supplies areo???ssment
the disaster management
communication with pe??gy
looking for - more shelters and north division 4000 falls ???with their home
and trees creating hazal??? in Fuji
unfitted by storm ???thousands left homes
interrupt report NZ help Fiji

New words
Chainsaw: a tool used for cutting wood, consisting of a circular chain with ten which is driven by a motor.
Shovels: a tool with a rounded blade and a long handle used for moving earth, stones = spade
Gusts: sudden strong movement of wind, air, rain etc.
Cyclone: a very strong wind that moves very fast in a circle (hurricane, typhoon)
jetties: a wide wall or flat area built out into the water, used for getting on and off boa (pier)

Listening blog 3_On-line material - Clean money for New Year

Date: 18 March, 2010
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/wordsinthenews/2010/02/100215_witn_money.shtml

Strategies: * take notes - key words
* concentrate


Evaluation:
This topic is quite related for my home town culture. I was grasp from the interesting topic.
I used the strategies of take notes and concentrate. While I was taking notes, I always stopped to write down the keywords as below. After I finished to take note, I listened it again and fill the main words which I missed (in italic) and learn new words/phase ( run-up) from on-line dictionary.

Reflection:
According these 2 strategies, I feel it is quite useful for my listening skill. Although it make me to keep on to stop for taking notes, it help me to concentrate and to take notes that to understand more and more.
Outcome of last 3 time to use difference strategies, I find this 2 strategies is the best for me up to now.

Take notes:
Chinese tradition NY- parents to children : clean, fresh bank note
- notes in high demand
- chinese man notice - gap in a market
* His family memeber like to collect anitque bank note
* red small pocket - gd luck in NY
* restriction in bank(Taiwan): how much, where, when . . . inconvenience
* alternation: special chemical to clean (secret)
- not cheap - $10 ($20 note)
a new image, term - 'money laundry"

Listering blog 2_Listening to NZ-text book: Superhighway ???

Source:Text Book- Listening to NZ (Advanced) 4C
Strategies:
* knowing vocab.
* focus on overall sentences
Evaluation:
I read the tape script before I listen to get some-more ideas for the heading.
From the headline: I think it is about some highway-motor way at first, until I read the script,I realized it was relate the World wide web not the highway : ( After listening 2 times, I read the exercise of 4C, and listen 2 times more to concentrate from the questions and to finish them. Then listen 2 times again to make sure the answer. Then check the answer with the script. Listen it 3 times more.

Reflection:
I felt that this strategies are quite helpful for me. Let me to have some concept before I listen.
Focusing in some main points-questions, it's good guide for me to understand step by step.
These strategies are quite appropriate for this kind of listening and I also use the strategy of repetition together!
Although I still made some wrong answers, I understand and can follow the speakers' speed.
Just like somebody says : Learn by errors!!!

Listening Blog 1_On-line material:BBC - Tree climbing

Source: BBC Learning English
- 6 Minutes English

http://bb.unitec.ac.nz/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2
Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_13412_1%26url%3D

Strategies:

* understand background

* ask for repetition

Evaluation:
I haven’t any experience of ‘tree climbing’ that I found it hard to concentrate without any background information. I guess that is it related somebody’s tree climbing experience or an accident?

After I listened for the first time, I have a concept about this and ask for repetition. I can listen for more details and learn about the new vocabularies (scampered, sap, resin, fragrance, foliage, cones . . .). Listen, listen, again and again, I am quite happy that I can understand more and more.

Reflection:
According these 2 strategies, I feel it is quite helpful for next time to listen.
Try to guess some words/background information relate for the topic. If I can’t catch the meaning, I will ask for repetition until I get the meaning.

Spoken English 1 - Listerning skill

I want to improve my English language, especially in listening skill which may be a major problem of our classmates. I come from Hong Kong. My first language is Chinese- cantonese. I speak and listen my mother tongue with my family in New Zealand. Sometimes I communicate with some companies in English such as telecom, insurance company for the bill. . ..
Firstly, I will get some listening resources from Karen on Blackboard.After that I should write down and reflect the comment in my layout and post it from my blog which including the title, resource, details.
Now I will try watching TV, listening to radio while I am driving or doing housework to improve my listening skill.