Teacher Yes. Some of you have, some of you haven't. OK. Have any of you actually
used mind maps in the past? Students No ...
Teacher No? OK. Who can tell me what a mind map is? Student 1 It's a way of thinking.
Teacher It is a way of thinking. Mind maps are diagrams which help us to generate
ideas, and also to organize or structure our ideas related to a topic. What I'd like to do next is look at some of the uses or the reasons for using mind maps. What are some of the reasons for using mind maps? Student 2 To make a list?
Teacher To make a list? Yes. We could say to brainstorm ideas. Everyone contributes
then-ideas as many ideas as quickly as possible, from everyone in a shorter time, er, as, as we can manage. OK, brainstorming is one of the most important um, um, uses of mind maps. What might be another use or another reason for using mind maps?
Student 3 It can help me take notes in the class.
Teacher OK, for the note-taking, a very good reason. Mind maps help us to get an
overview or a, a quick understanding about a subject. By using mind maps to collect the main ideas from what the teacher says, you can keep a, a very general understanding of a topic and understand connections quite easily and um, quickly. What are some other uses of mind maps? Student 4 Preparing for exams?
Teacher OK. Preparing for exams. That's a, a very good reason. We might call this, er,
revision. Before an exam, after having studied for many, many days or even weeks, you might want to capture the, the, the very general understanding about the subject. Are there any other uses that you can think of for mind mapping? Student 5 We can also use it for finding answers.
Teacher For finding answers. That's, that's a very good, good answer. We could call
this problem-solving. We can use mind maps to, to see other possible alternatives, or options to, to, to solve a problem. OK. Next, I'd like us to talk about some of the advantages or the benefits of using mind maps instead of just writing everything on a piece of paper. One of the most obvious advantages, as you can see, is that mind maps are very visual. They give us um, almost a picture, a, a different perspective in terms of a picture, or a diagram of understanding information or understanding connected ideas, which is very helpful for people who like to learn from a different way. Are there any other advantages that you can think of for mind mapping? Student 4 It lists the main points.
Teacher They do. They do list the main points. We could call this um, a quick
summary. As you can see, we have main ideas throughout our mind map, not long texts. And in this way, it helps us to grasp the, the key ideas and the key connections for mind maps or for our given subject. Are there any other advantages you can think of? Student 1 To think creatively.
Teacher To think creatively. That's, that's a very good point. We could call this
creative thinking. And what we mean here is basically thinking outside of the box or thinking laterally. Mind maps are illogical and by being illogical they encourage us to think creatively, you might say.
Part2
Teacher Next, I'd like us to think about aspects of design or constructing mind maps.
So far we have completed three quarters of our mind map about mind maps. And then I'd just like you to have a look at this mind map and tell me what some of the most noticeable or striking features are that we can talk about. Student 2 There is a centre.
Teacher There is a centre. There is what we call a central word, a central word or a
phrase. It might also be a sentence or a question. You might have that in the centre of the board and your related thoughts spiraling or radiating out. What else do you notice about the design of this mind map? Student 1 There are only words, not sentences.
Teacher Exactly. There are many what we call key words as they capture the main
thought of, of an issue rather than a long sentence or, or a passage. This helps us to concentrate on the main issues and find connections between these issues as well. What other aspects of design do you notice here? Student 5 It looks like a tree.
Teacher It does look like a tree because it has branches. By having branches, it shows
how, um, thinking is radiating out or spiraling out from key ideas or central ideas to key words to sub-words and, and so forth. Are there any other aspects of design which you notice in this particular map? Student 2 You used a lot of colours.
Teacher I did. I perhaps use too many colours. I have used different colour to show
the different key words or different aspects of mind mapping. You might like to use different colours to highlight different sections of a mind map or key information. Or you may, you may choose to have it all in one colour. It's very much a personal choice, depending on how you like to, to think and, and plan your thinking. You might also like to use images or pictures related to some of the key words. Or you might even use symbols. We'll put a question mark because this again is a personal choice and how you like to design your mind maps. For example, I might choose to use a thought bubble as a symbol, highlighting or identifying my central phrase, mind maps. This could be a, a feature of my own mind maps. Whenever I design a mind map, I highlight my central thought using a speech bubble symbol.
Listening in Passage 1
Interviewer With us today is Martin Downes, a carpenter, who's 51. A year ago,
Martin had a stroke. But he's been lucky enough to make a full recovery from it. Can you tell us how it all began, Martin?
Martin I'm very happy to - not that I remember much at all. I was at a customer's
house, building a cupboard, and the next thing I knew, I woke up in hospital with people in white coats bending over me.
Interviewer It must have been very frightening.
Martin It was. But what was really frightening was that I couldn't speak. I couldn't
say a word. And I couldn't understand much that people said to me. Interviewer How awful!
Martin Yeah! I don't know what would have happened to me if I hadn't had my
family. But they were there for me, they really were. I had something called aphasia, where the part of your brain gets damaged that affects your speech and language. But they started treatment for the condition almost immediately. This speech and language therapist came to see me every day for 12 weeks. They made
me do all these exercises.
Interviewer What kind of exercises?
Martin I had to match words and pictures and say their names. You see, I'd also
forgotten the names of a lot of things. She had this thing called a word board and I could point to words and phrases on it that I wanted to say. I had to repeat words up to 20 times - boy, it was hard, so hard.
Interviewer Could you say anything to begin with?
Martin I could say three words. \
lot of words I couldn't understand -1 had to learn their meanings all over again. Interviewer It must have been very frustrating.
Martin It was, but I was determined to get better. I was in hospital for three and a half
months. When I got home I got a special computer programme that I worked with every day. And slowly my language came back to me. It was a struggle, a big struggle. I had to learn to read and write again too.
Interviewer Why do you think that you were able to recover completely? It's not that
common, is it?
Martin I was lucky. I was given the right drug at the right time. And I had 12 weeks
of therapy, five days a week. That's very important, apparently.
Interviewer And now that you're better how do you feel about your life? Martin What can I say? I'm just grateful to have my life back.
Passage 2
Interviewer In 1907 an Italian educator called Maria Montessori opened a school in
Rome that taught young children using methods that were very different from traditional teaching. Today, the Montessori method, as it's known, is used in nursery schools in countries such as America, Canada, Britain and Germany. Recent research shows that children educated at a Montessori nursery do better later on at school than other children in all subjects. We asked two Montessori teachers, Claudia Rosella and Sarah Harrington, to explain what makes their nursery school different. Sarah...
Sarah I think the first thing to say is that a Montessori classroom is very quiet, very
clean. Everything stays in the same place. So the children are calm and quiet as a result.
Interviewer So they're not encouraged to be noisy. Sarah No, definitely not... Interviewer Claudia?
Claudia Yes, the classroom's very important. Another important principle is that
children direct their own learning. They choose what they want to do. Interviewer So the teacher doesn't tell the child what to do?
Sarah Not at all. While a child is doing an activity we observe them. Then we work
with the child for a short time and then leave them to work on their own.
Interviewer That sounds excellent. And what about your equipment? It's often made
of wood, isn't it?
Sarah Yes, and a piece of equipment is often designed for one activity only.
Claudia Right. It's so that the child can see if they're getting something right or
wrong.
Interviewer So they don't need the teacher so much\
Sarah That's right. Another Montessori principle is the importance of physical
activity. Children learn by doing, so when they're learning to read, for example, the letters are made of sandpaper so that children can feel the shape of the letter.
Interviewer Do you think there are disadvantages with Montessori methods?
Claudia Yes, there are. Maria Montessori didn't understand how important it is for
children to use their imagination. If she was alive today, she would recognize that. But still, the fact is, her methods are very successful.
Unit3 Face to face Inside view
Conversation 1
Kate Oh, I must make a quick call. Jacky Hello, Jacky Gordon speaking. Kate Hello, can I speak to Abbie, please? Jacky I'll see if she's in, can you hold on? Kate Sure.
Jacky Hello? She's out, I'm afraid. Can I give her a message - er ... or I can ask her to
call you back?
Kate Could you ask her to call me back? Jacky Sure. Who's calling? Kate Kate Santos.
Jacky Kate Santos, OK. Does Abbie have your number? Kate Yes, she does.
Jacky I'll tell her you called. Kate Thanks.
Janet Abbie? I know a girl called Abbie. She reads English, doesn't she? Kate Yes, how do you know her?
Janet She has a tutorial just after me so we chat a bit. We get on really well.
Kate Yes, everyone likes Abbie. I think it's because she's really interested in people -
she's a very good listener. She should be, she works for Nightline. Janet Nightline?
Kate Oh, I haven't told you, I've joined it. Janet What is it? I've never heard of it. Kate Look, I've got a leaflet about it. Janet So...
Kate It's a university helpline for students who are having problems. I'm training to be
one of the people they can call to talk to. Janet You mean, you're a volunteer? Kate Yes.
Janet Oh, that's great, Kate.
Conversation 2
Abbie Hi, Abbie speaking.
Kate Hi, Abbie, it's Kate Santos.
Abbie Hi! I'm sorry not to have called you back. I've got a lot on at the moment.
How's things?
Kate Fine. I just wanted to let you know I won't be able to come to the next training
session.
Abbie Um ... It's quite an important session. Oh, can you hold on a moment. There's
someone at the door. …
Abbie Hi, I'm sorry, look, can I call you back later? Kate Sure. What time? Abbie Is three o'clock OK? Kate Three's fine.
Abbie OK, I'll call you then. Speak soon. Kate Bye. Abbie Bye. …
Kate Abbie's my Nightline trainer.
Janet You're saying she's your Nightline trainer! But she's still a student. Kate Well, experienced students train new students, that's the way it works. Janet Oh, I see.
Kate It's great! At the moment, she's training us in listening skills. Janet Listening skills? What do you mean, listening skills?
Kate Um ... The ability to really listen to someone and make them feel you're
listening. It's very important.
Janet I've never thought about that before.
Kate Yes, for example, one thing you can do is listen carefully and then repeat what
someone says but maybe a little differently.
Janet So what you're saying is, repeat what someone says but maybe not the exact
same words?
Kate Yes. You see, when you do that, you check you've understood and you show
them you're really listening.
Janet So they know you've really heard them.
Kate Very good, Janet. I can see you've got it already! Hi,... how's it going?
Outside view
Voice-over It's the most popular means of communication in the 21st century.
Nobody writes letters any more, especially young people. They all use text messaging instead. Officially called SMS - short message service - text messaging is slow to enter, and you can only key in 160 characters. So why is it such a success? The first text message was sent in 1992, but texting only became commercially available in 1995. It has grown incredibly quickly since then. Just look at the graph. In 1999, the number of texts sent reached one billion. Over the next three years, it grew to 20 billion! So people have now sent billions of texts, and the number continues to rise. It isn't difficult to see why it quickly became part of youth culture.
Emily I use it every day. I don't call a lot of people on it. I just use it for text messages
because it's easy and quick to send things and arrange things by text.
Heidi Mainly to friends. Sometimes it's useful to get information for work as well.
You know, if people want to give you contact numbers or things like that, it's easier than phoning.
Andy I've had my mobile phone for about three years. I mostly use it for just texting
my mates and arranging sort of social meetings with them.
Alice I like texting. I don't really talk much on it except just to make arrangements but
texting's the biggest thing I do.
Male I probably text message about ten, 15 times a day.
Alice Usually, I don't know, about ten. Ten to 15. Fifteen maybe to 20.
Voice-over It isn't just young people who use texting. Companies use it too - for
advertising and promotion. For example, the Orange telephone network has run a