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<channel>
	<title>listening &amp;laquo; WordPress.com Tag Feed</title>
	<link>http://en.wordpress.com/tag/listening/</link>
	<description>Feed of posts on WordPress.com tagged "listening"</description>
	<pubDate>Thu, 26 Nov 2009 07:41:36 +0000</pubDate>

	<generator>http://en.wordpress.com/tags/</generator>
	<language>en</language>

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<title><![CDATA[F.3 theme - travel]]></title>
<link>http://lwongsps.wordpress.com/2009/11/26/f-3-theme-travel/</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 26 Nov 2009 03:09:52 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>lwongsps</dc:creator>
<guid>http://lwongsps.wordpress.com/2009/11/26/f-3-theme-travel/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Dear 3B girls, Below are the links for the materials we used in class. Please note that the first li]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class='snap_preview'><p>Dear 3B girls,<br />
Below are the links for the materials we used in class. Please note that the first link is the one we did not have a chance to listen to. You may listen to the news and learn the vocabularies listed.<br />
<a href='http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/newsenglish/witn/2008/03/080331_heathrow.shtml'>Heathrow terminal 5 chaos</a><br />
<a href='http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/newsenglish/britain/080415_heathrow_t5.shtml'>Heathrow terminal 5</a></p>
<p>Enjoy listening!<br />
Cheers,<br />
L. Wong</p>
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<title><![CDATA[Forgetfulness - Billy Collins Animated Poetry]]></title>
<link>http://ritasimsan.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/forgetfulness-billy-collins-animated-poetry/</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:53:48 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>ritasimsan</dc:creator>
<guid>http://ritasimsan.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/forgetfulness-billy-collins-animated-poetry/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[This clip which I borrowed from TEFL Clips is recommended as a conversation prompt for adult student]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class='snap_preview'><p>This clip which I borrowed from <a title="Forgetfulness on TEFL Clips" href="http://www.teflclips.com/?p=264">TEFL Clips</a> is recommended as a conversation prompt for adult students.  The website gives a lesson plan which includes vocabulary words and phrases pulled from the poem. The video poem lends itself to many possible extension activities which could include student performance or graphic renditions of comparable poems for publication.</p>
<p><span style="display:block;width:425px;margin:0 auto;"> <embed src='http://widgets.vodpod.com/w/video_embed/Groupvideo.4019943' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' AllowScriptAccess='always' pluginspage='http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer' wmode='transparent' flashvars='' /></span></p>
<div style="font-size:10px;">more about &#8220;<a href="http://vodpod.com/watch/791630-forgetfulness-billy-collins-animated-poetry?pod=ritasimsan2000">Forgetfulness &#8211; Billy Collins Animate&#8230;</a>&#8220;, posted with <a href="http://vodpod.com?r=wp">vodpod</a></div>
<p>&#160;</p>
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<title><![CDATA[The lost art of listening.]]></title>
<link>http://rrbcblog.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/the-lost-art-of-listening/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 21:03:42 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Ben Dueck</dc:creator>
<guid>http://rrbcblog.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/the-lost-art-of-listening/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[As I read through various blogs, I try and keep an eye out for interesting posts to share with the r]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[As I read through various blogs, I try and keep an eye out for interesting posts to share with the r]]></content:encoded>
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<title><![CDATA[clases de ingles skype Nativo eeuu]]></title>
<link>http://clasesdeingle.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/clases-de-ingles-skype-nativo-eeuu/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:29:25 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>stevensgl</dc:creator>
<guid>http://clasesdeingle.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/clases-de-ingles-skype-nativo-eeuu/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Ingles americano eeuu clases de ingles vocabulario, verbos Clases de ingles por skypeNativo EEUU Tea]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class='snap_preview'><p style="text-align:left;"><strong>Ingles americano eeuu clases de ingles vocabulario, verbos</strong></p>
<p><strong>Clases de ingles por skypeNativo EEUU</p>
<p></strong></p>
<p><strong>Teacher</strong>:<br />
Nativo de EE.UU. con 15 años de experiencia en la enseñanza de idiomas Inglés en Buenos Aires.</p>
<p>Servicio:<br />
Inglés en línea las lecciones de su casa, oficina o en cualquier parte del mundo.<br />
Las clases son 100% verbal, no el chat. (La tecnología VoIP).</p>
<p><strong>Los cursos incluyen:</strong><br />
Inglés de Negocios<br />
De intermedio a avanzado las conversaciones<br />
Las clases no se basan en GRAMÁTICA<br />
Vídeos interactivos y ejercicios para escuchar.<br />
Y mucho más.</p>
<p>Recursos en línea: Los estudiantes se les concede el acceso a la página web de lecciones interactivas cargado con la práctica material disponible que se adapte a sus necesidades.</p>
<p><strong>Mejorar</strong>: la escucha, lectura, vocabulario, escritura y que es más importante la fluidez del idioma Inglés.</p>
<p><strong>precios fijo por mes:</strong><br />
1 clase por semana (4 a 5 clases al mes) = $100 US Dolares por mes</p>
<p>Cantactame a tomar una lección de muestra gratuita sin compromiso.</p>
<p>Mas información: (tiene audio, suben el volumen)</p>
<p style="text-align:left;">http://aeesonline.com.ar/</p>
<p>mail: aees@consultant.com</p>
<p>cursos de ingles, curso de ingles, cursos gratis, gramatica inglesa, cursos online por internet, learn english, aprender idiomas, aprendizaje idiomas, apuntes y tutoriales, learn language, material educativo gratuito, recursos aprendizaje gratuitos, manuales, material para profesores idiomas, descargar libros, descargar programas, download freeware programs, download free books, traductores, diccionarios, efl, toefl, esl, first certificate, cambridge, oxford, phrasal verbs, idioms, quotes, e-books, en español, oraciones, verbos irregulares, adverbios, adjetivos, preposiciones, pronombres, listening, lecturas, quiz, teachers, glosarios, fonetica, reading, writing</p>
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<title><![CDATA[The Wisdom of the Heart]]></title>
<link>http://createmiracles.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/the-wisdom-of-the-heart/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:30:28 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>mnobleza</dc:creator>
<guid>http://createmiracles.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/the-wisdom-of-the-heart/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[This morning&#8217;s meditations have been on the heart. In listening to Deepak Chopra&#8217;s The U]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[This morning&#8217;s meditations have been on the heart. In listening to Deepak Chopra&#8217;s The U]]></content:encoded>
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<title><![CDATA[Electropop Dance Party Wednesday: The Asteroids Galaxy Tour]]></title>
<link>http://luxinaustin.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/electropop-dance-party-wednesday-the-asteroids-galaxy-tour/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 17:45:42 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>luxinaustin</dc:creator>
<guid>http://luxinaustin.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/electropop-dance-party-wednesday-the-asteroids-galaxy-tour/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Today I’m dedicating the Electropop Dance Party to The Asteroids Galaxy Tour. Get ready for some sug]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class='snap_preview'><p>Today I’m dedicating the Electropop Dance Party to The Asteroids Galaxy Tour. Get ready for some sugary, psychedelic, jazz-laden electropop. Oh, and they’re Danish. And they’ve been referred to as a “collective of like-minded people.” They’d fit in like a charm in Austin.</p>
<p>TAGT first made waves in 2008 when their single, “Around The Bend” was used in a commercial for the iPod Touch. Since then, a few of their other tracks have been used in other commercials and episodes of “Gossip Girl.” This fall, “Around the Bend” could also be heard in the Vogue documentary, The September Issue.  This band just looks cool.The lead singer, Mette Lindberg reminds me of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nico">Nico</a>:</p>
<p><a href="http://luxinaustin.wordpress.com/files/2009/11/theasteroidsgalaxytour.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1306" title="theasteroidsgalaxytour" src="http://luxinaustin.wordpress.com/files/2009/11/theasteroidsgalaxytour.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332" /></a><br />
So. This six-piece band (with Lindberg and producer Lars Iversen at the helm) just released a full length album entitled Fruit. This might be the most fitting album title for a band I’ve heard in a long time. One look at the video for their first release off of Fruit, “The Golden Age,” and you’ll see what I mean. It’s all bright colors, happy days and sunshine. It’s fruity and sweet. I’ll admit, at first listen it was kind of tough for me to get into it, but as I listened to the track over and over it really grew on me. Now I can’t get the rhythm out of my head. And I love the album cover:<br />
<a href="http://luxinaustin.wordpress.com/files/2009/11/theasteroidsgalaxytour_album.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1307" title="theasteroidsgalaxytour_album" src="http://luxinaustin.wordpress.com/files/2009/11/theasteroidsgalaxytour_album.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="400" /></a></p>
<p>The album kicks off with “Lady Jesus,” a really funky tune with an infectious beat. Lindberg’s voice is stellar and I love how the acoustic guitar riffs manage to fit in really well. “The Sun Ain’t Shining No More,” has a 60’s pop feeling to it and the following track, “Push the Envelope” brings an epic sound that’s clearly influenced by the more bombastic side of 70’s funk and rock. I love how that song is so dense and there are so many different layers. “Satellite” brings things down a little bit. Instead of being heavy on synthesizers, guitars and horns, the song grooves and slithers along while Lindberg’s voice commands a towering presence. I love when she sings, “Think I need somebody. Are you somebody?”</p>
<p>“Crazy” is a unique track on the album. Compared to the other tracks, this song is noticeably more subdued and brings more of the psychedelic, trippy side of the band to the forefront. Lindberg’s voice is once again the centerpiece. “Around The Bend” is included on the album. “Sunshine Coolin’” is my second favorite track. I love how it sounds so modern and fresh, but it still has a ‘60’s throwback feel. You can’t help but shake your hips to this one. “Hero” takes a ballad-ish turn. It’s slower and more subdued, but again, with the strength of Lindberg’s voice and the sheer talent of the musicians, it’s not boring in any way. The album closes with “Inner City Blues,” which in my opinion is the best track on this record. I love how it’s kind of bluesy, but stays true to the band’s psychedelic brand of pop. And there’s this futuristic quality to it. Clearly, TAGT evokes all kinds of influences and images.</p>
<p>The Asteroids Galaxy Tour are interesting and different. They’re the perfect antidote to a long day at the office or the perfect band to include on a party soundtrack. Or for jamming out in your car while you’re stuck in rush hour traffic on Lamar. You can’t help but be in a good mood after you’ve listened to this record.</p>
<p>Check out the band’s MySpace <a href="http://www.myspace.com/theasteroidsgalaxytour">here</a>. It looks like they’re only touring in Europe for the time being.</p>
<p>Their page on <a href="http://www.ilike.com/artist/The+Asteroids+Galaxy+Tour">iLike</a>.</p>
<p>And their YouTube <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/asteroidsgalaxytour">channel.</a></p>
<p><span style='text-align:center; display: block;'><object width='425' height='350'><param name='movie' value='http://www.youtube.com/v/yq-aNkBc2_M&#038;rel=1&#038;fs=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;hd=0' /><param name='allowfullscreen' value='true' /><param name='wmode' value='transparent' /><embed src='http://www.youtube.com/v/yq-aNkBc2_M&#038;rel=1&#038;fs=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;hd=0' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' allowfullscreen='true' width='425' height='350' wmode='transparent'></embed></object></span></p>
<p><span style='text-align:center; display: block;'><object width='425' height='350'><param name='movie' value='http://www.youtube.com/v/XXKEQB5Fzao&#038;rel=1&#038;fs=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;hd=0' /><param name='allowfullscreen' value='true' /><param name='wmode' value='transparent' /><embed src='http://www.youtube.com/v/XXKEQB5Fzao&#038;rel=1&#038;fs=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;hd=0' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' allowfullscreen='true' width='425' height='350' wmode='transparent'></embed></object></span></p>
<p><span style='text-align:center; display: block;'><object width='425' height='350'><param name='movie' value='http://www.youtube.com/v/jWDA32QYtcE&#038;rel=1&#038;fs=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;hd=0' /><param name='allowfullscreen' value='true' /><param name='wmode' value='transparent' /><embed src='http://www.youtube.com/v/jWDA32QYtcE&#038;rel=1&#038;fs=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;hd=0' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' allowfullscreen='true' width='425' height='350' wmode='transparent'></embed></object></span></p>
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<title><![CDATA[Reading test (4º Primaria)]]></title>
<link>http://jlescuderob.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/reading-test/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:40:32 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>José Luis Escudero</dc:creator>
<guid>http://jlescuderob.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/reading-test/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Esta mañana los alumnos de 4ºB habéis hecho la prueba &#8220;reading test&#8221;. Todos lo habéis he]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class='snap_preview'><p>Esta mañana los alumnos de 4ºB habéis hecho la prueba &#8220;reading test&#8221;. Todos lo habéis hecho muy bien, pero os dejo aquí para que escuchéis alguno de los mejores (Juan y Fernando). Muy bien chicos, seguid así!<br />
Juan<br />
<span style='text-align:left;display:block;'><p><object type='application/x-shockwave-flash' data='http://wordpress.com/wp-content/plugins/audio-player/player.swf' width='290' height='24' id='audioplayer1'><param name='movie' value='http://wordpress.com/wp-content/plugins/audio-player/player.swf' /><param name='FlashVars' value='&amp;bg=0xf8f8f8&amp;leftbg=0xeeeeee&amp;lefticon=0x666666&amp;rightbg=0xcccccc&amp;rightbghover=0x999999&amp;righticon=0x666666&amp;righticonhover=0xffffff&amp;text=0x666666&amp;slider=0x666666&amp;track=0xFFFFFF&amp;border=0x666666&amp;loader=0x9FFFB8&amp;soundFile=http%3A%2F%2Fdl.dropbox.com%2Fu%2F2570995%2FReading%2520test%2F06.Juan%2520C..mp3' /><param name='quality' value='high' /><param name='menu' value='false' /><param name='bgcolor' value='#FFFFFF' /></object></p></span><br />
Fernando<br />
<span style='text-align:left;display:block;'><p><object type='application/x-shockwave-flash' data='http://wordpress.com/wp-content/plugins/audio-player/player.swf' width='290' height='24' id='audioplayer1'><param name='movie' value='http://wordpress.com/wp-content/plugins/audio-player/player.swf' /><param name='FlashVars' value='&amp;bg=0xf8f8f8&amp;leftbg=0xeeeeee&amp;lefticon=0x666666&amp;rightbg=0xcccccc&amp;rightbghover=0x999999&amp;righticon=0x666666&amp;righticonhover=0xffffff&amp;text=0x666666&amp;slider=0x666666&amp;track=0xFFFFFF&amp;border=0x666666&amp;loader=0x9FFFB8&amp;soundFile=http%3A%2F%2Fdl.dropbox.com%2Fu%2F2570995%2FReading%2520test%2F03.Fernando%2520B..mp3' /><param name='quality' value='high' /><param name='menu' value='false' /><param name='bgcolor' value='#FFFFFF' /></object></p></span></p>
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<title><![CDATA[Listening]]></title>
<link>http://reden.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/listening/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 07:30:30 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>reden</dc:creator>
<guid>http://reden.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/listening/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[And after yesterday&#8217;s video on sound, this one on &#8216;listening&#8217; shows both some stun]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class='snap_preview'><p>And after yesterday&#8217;s video on sound, this one on &#8216;listening&#8217; shows both some stunning skill and reminds us that we&#8217;re probably not even beginners at listening:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/evelyn_glennie_shows_how_to_listen.html">http://www.ted.com/talks/evelyn_glennie_shows_how_to_listen.html</a></p>
<p>(it&#8217;s a longer video but worth the time)</p>
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<title><![CDATA[]]></title>
<link>http://dashtilde.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/89/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 06:58:42 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Davina</dc:creator>
<guid>http://dashtilde.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/89/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[I can&#8217;t stop listening to Korean indie music! Although I don&#8217;t even know what the titles]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class='snap_preview'><p>I can&#8217;t stop listening to Korean indie music! Although I don&#8217;t even know what the titles mean, let alone the lyrics.</p>
<p>☁ <a href="http://imeem.com/people/oVmXM16/music/ZKfJIpaX/donawhale/"><b>반딧불소년</b></a> by Donawhale</p>
<p>Is what I&#8217;m currently addicted to. Apparently the title translates to something like &#8220;a glow boy&#8221;. Mainly I just like the way the guitar rings and rings away in the background.</p>
<p>In the past few months I have rediscovered being East Asian. Everyday since then I&#8217;ve just felt like eating donburi, watching Kurosawa films, sipping Korean tisane on a verandah lined with bamboo wind chimes and visiting monasteries in the misty mountains where I come to understand 道. I wish we had a real East Asian winter in Singapore too. Everytime it starts to drizzle or a breeze blows I get all excited about it reaching the point where I can actually wear knits and rain boots and stomp around outside. All I&#8217;ve had so far is the great Bukit Timah flood and the plastic snowmen along Orchard Road, though.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, with all that TVXQ and Arashi crack, I am turning into one of these.</p>
<p><img src="http://i48.tinypic.com/52xcfo.gif"></p>
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<title><![CDATA[A Shoulder to Lean On]]></title>
<link>http://cevraini.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/a-shoulder-to-lean-on/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 05:43:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>cevraini</dc:creator>
<guid>http://cevraini.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/a-shoulder-to-lean-on/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[I have been tripping and stumbling along for the past couple weeks. I’d take a step or two forward, ]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class='snap_preview'><p>I have been tripping and stumbling along for the past couple weeks. I’d take a step or two forward, but would constantly fall back; further each time. I’ve been in a “funk” – unable to find my “mojo” as they say!</p>
<p>The same old things, getting to me and getting me down. Reading and writing would help for a tiny bit, but then I’d fall back again. Angry and frustrated with so many things that I have no control over. So disheartened, so sad at the turn of events in my work life. Add that to the fact that I’ve forgotten that my work <strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;">is not</span></strong> my life!</p>
<p>Just the usual complaints. I’ve just struggled to get past them. I’ve not been able to “let it go”.</p>
<p>I haven’t been taking care of myself: eating junk, not exercising, attempting to exercise but something getting in the way and then I would get mad. Not finding happiness in all of the gifts I’ve been given. Being mad at myself for not being grateful for these gifts. Not taking my own damn advice that I keep giving to everyone else! Getting really P.O.ed at everything!</p>
<p>I started a post earlier today, but it was a whiny post, so I deleted it. I was just disgusted. What the @$#* was the point? My hubby is away, so I’m feeling a little lonely. I don’t want to clean house, I don’t want to sew. There’s nothing on TV. Whine. Whine. Whine. UGH! I wanted to kick my own butt! But it wasn’t working!</p>
<p>What finally hit me tonight?</p>
<p><a href="http://cevraini.wordpress.com/files/2009/11/3023442-lg.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-245" title="best friends" src="http://cevraini.wordpress.com/files/2009/11/3023442-lg.jpg?w=300" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a></p>
<p>My best friend. She is truly my hero.</p>
<p>She is just always there. I have taken that for granted many a time – and I have regretted that every time. No one else understands me like she does!</p>
<p>When I took her daughter to school on the morning I was to pick her up from the airport after being away on a holiday, I exclaimed, “Your mom comes home today! I sure have missed her!” And the wise blue eyes of an almost 6 year old looked up at me and said, “Well, duh, you’re friends!” Kids just get it. Why the hell can’t we? <img src='http://s.wordpress.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>She came over last night and kept me company so I wouldn’t be so lonely. Shared a couple new vodka drinks (our favorite pastime!), watched a “chick flick” – which I never get to do. And just listened. Again. The poor girl. Then she invited me and the kids to dinner tonight, even after me boring her to death with the same old same old crapola from work! She is not only a hero, she is a saint!</p>
<p>She got my butt to a workout tonight. I whined about going, I whined about work while she made supper for me and the kids. I whined about the workout being ‘hard’ while I was there (I believe I said that I hated her at 1 point, right? <img src='http://s.wordpress.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif' alt=';)' class='wp-smiley' />  )</p>
<p>To me, she really is a hero. I could never fully explain how much I need her shoulder to lean on. She just believes in me, even when I don’t believe in me. When I think that I am worthless, she always reminds me how great and how beautiful I am. She reminds me that I am intelligent and that I deserve happiness.</p>
<p>A true friend never lets you feel bad about yourself. She will be firm with you when you need it, but she will comfort you and protect you, even from yourself.</p>
<p>That’s what she does – she is that shoulder that I lean on – a lot lately. She is fierce in her protection of me, but doesn’t let me get away with beating up on myself. She’ll be the first to give me a kick in the butt if I’m being an idiot, but she’ll also be the first to be there to catch me when I fall or pick me up and dust me off and push me onward again.</p>
<p>Thanks you for all you do – I don’t tell you often enough. You are my “bestest friend” as I always jokingly say, but really do mean it. I would be a different person if I hadn’t met you. Thank you for being my friend.</p>
<p>S</p>
<p>And of course, a video:</p>
<p><span style='text-align:center; display: block;'><object width='425' height='350'><param name='movie' value='http://www.youtube.com/v/3BfsQqvEeTw&#038;rel=1&#038;fs=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;hd=0' /><param name='allowfullscreen' value='true' /><param name='wmode' value='transparent' /><embed src='http://www.youtube.com/v/3BfsQqvEeTw&#038;rel=1&#038;fs=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;hd=0' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' allowfullscreen='true' width='425' height='350' wmode='transparent'></embed></object></span></p>
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<title><![CDATA[Evolution: The Eight Stages Of Listening]]></title>
<link>http://haile.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/evolution-the-eight-stages-of-listening/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 05:42:42 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>leminhhai</dc:creator>
<guid>http://haile.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/evolution-the-eight-stages-of-listening/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Evolution: The Eight Stages Of Listening Categories: Analysis, Social CRM, Social MediaPosted on Nov]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class='snap_preview'><h1>Evolution: The Eight Stages Of Listening</h1>
<p>Categories: <a title="View all posts in Analysis" rel="category tag" href="http://www.web-strategist.com/blog/category/analysis/">Analysis</a>,  <a title="View all posts in Social CRM" rel="category tag" href="http://www.web-strategist.com/blog/category/social-crm/">Social CRM</a>,  <a title="View all posts in Social Media" rel="category tag" href="http://www.web-strategist.com/blog/category/social-media/">Social Media</a>Posted on November 10th, 2009</p>
<p><strong>As Social Customers Become More Empowered, Organizations Must Have A Listening Strategy</strong><br />
As we approach 2010 planning companies need a strategy around listening. Sadly, most companies, and their agency partners don’t know why to listen or how. As a result, they must identify which stage of listening they are at, and then set a goal on which stage they see to aspire in 2010. I originally published this matrix for client workshops and a keynote presentation on developing listening and advocacy programs, and I’m going to continue to share more and blow-out each of my slides.</p>
<p><strong>Web Strategy Matrix: The Eight Stages Of Listening</strong></p>
<table border="1" cellpadding="2">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><strong>Stage</strong></td>
<td><strong>Description</strong></td>
<td><strong>Resources Needed </strong></td>
<td><strong>Impacts </strong></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1) No objective at all</td>
<td>Organization has a listening program but has no goals, nor uses the information for anything resourceful</td>
<td>Simple alerting tools, like Google Alerts and feedreaders will suffice.</td>
<td>At the basic level, simple self-awareness.  Yet without any action from the data, this is useless.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2) Tracking of brand mentions</td>
<td>Like traditional “clip reports” of media relations, companies now track mentions in the social space.  Despite tracking there is no guidance on what to do next.</td>
<td>Listening platform with report capability based on brand or product keywords.  Radian 6, Visible Technologies, Techrigy/Alterian, Buzzmetrics and Cymfony, Dow Jones are providers.</td>
<td>Improved self-awareness to track volume of information, yet unable to track depth, and tonality of conversations.  As a result, not a full understanding of opportunities.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3) Identifying market risks and opportunities</td>
<td>This proactive process involves seeking out discussions online that may result in identifying flare-ups, or possible prospect opportunities.</td>
<td>In addition to a listening platform staff must actively seek out discussions and signal to internal teams.  Alerting tools, and listening platforms are required.</td>
<td>Organization can reduce risk of flare ups before they become mainstream, identify prospects and poach unhappy competitors customers.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>4) Improving campaign efficiency</td>
<td>Rather than just measure a marketing effort after it’s occurred, using tools to gauge during in-flight behavior yields real-time marketing efficiency.</td>
<td>Dedicated resource to manage reactions, activity, and sentiment to a marketing effort, and the resources to make course corrections nearly real-time.  Traditional web analytics tools like Omniture, Webtrends and Google Analytics are common.</td>
<td>Campaigns can be more effective, as hot spots are bolstered, and dead spots are diminished.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>5) Measuring customer satisfaction</td>
<td>In addition to customer satisfaction scores,organizations can measure real-time sentiment as customers interact. Sysomos and Backtype have focus areas into this space.</td>
<td>Customer experience professionals will have to extend their scope to the social web, using a listening platform and sentiment analysis.  Insight platforms like Communispace and Passenger offer online focus groups solutions.</td>
<td>Brands can now measure impacts of real time satisfaction or frustration during the actual phases of customer interaction.  Then identify areas of improvement during customer lifecycle</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>6) Responding to customer inquiry</td>
<td>This proactive response finds customers where they are (fish where fish are) in order to answer questions.  Example: Comcastcares account on Twitter asks customers if they need help –then may respond.</td>
<td>An active customer advocacy team that’s empowered, training, and ready to make real-time responses nearly around the clock.</td>
<td>Customers will fill a greater sense of satisfaction, yet this teaches customers to ‘yell in public’ to get a response.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>7) Better understand customers</td>
<td>Evolving the classic market research function, brands can improve their customer profiles and personas by adding social information to them.</td>
<td>Social CRM systems are quickly emerging that tie together a customer record and their online behavior, locations, and preferences. Salesforce, SAP, both have partnerships with Twitter to synch data</td>
<td>The opportunity to not only serve customers in their natural mediums, but to offer them a richer experience regardless of their customer touchpoints.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>8. Being proactive and anticipating customers</td>
<td>Minority Report: This most sophisticated form actually anticipates what customers will say or do before they’ve done it.  By looking at previous patterns of historical data, companies can put in place the right resources to guide prospects and customers.</td>
<td>An advanced customer database, with a predictive application put in place, as well as a proactive team to reach out to customers before an incident has happened.  Haven’t seen any such application yet.</td>
<td>Identifying prospects and engaging them before competitors can yield a larger marketing funnel, or reducing customer frustration as problems are fixed before they happen.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p><strong><br />
Exercise: Self-Assess Culture, Roles, Process, Data, and Tools</strong><br />
Use this matrix to initiate a discussion within your company on which stage you’re at, then put a plan in place to grow to the next level. Do note, depending on size and complexity of the organization, different groups may be in more than one phase. First, identify the characteristics your company currently has, then define which phase you’re in:</p>
<ol>
<li>Does the organization have the right culture setup that’s ready to listen?</li>
<li>Is the organization prepared to react to customer opinions? how about in real time?</li>
<li>Are the processes in place to triage information to the right teams? How about during a real-time crises on a Saturday morning?</li>
<li>Are the right roles in place to listen? Are proactive marketing and support teams trained, empowered, and ready to respond?</li>
<li>Is there a single repository of customer information or is it currently fragmented around the enterprise</li>
<li>Lastly, what technology platforms are in place to facilitate this strategy? ? Hint: choose this last –not first.</li>
</ol>
<p><strong>For Dialog: Which Stage Are Companies At?</strong><br />
Curious to hear your professional opinions, what stage do most companies think they’re at?  In reality, what stage are they truly acting at?</p>
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<title><![CDATA[Joshua James, "Build Me This"]]></title>
<link>http://luxinaustin.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/joshua-james-build-me-this/</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 02:52:42 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>luxinaustin</dc:creator>
<guid>http://luxinaustin.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/joshua-james-build-me-this/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[I&#8217;ve been listening to more Americana (I just felt so weird writing that for some reason,) and]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class='snap_preview'><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://luxinaustin.wordpress.com/files/2009/11/joshuajames_album.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1303" title="joshuajames_album" src="http://luxinaustin.wordpress.com/files/2009/11/joshuajames_album.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="350" /></a></p>
<p>I&#8217;ve been listening to more Americana (I just felt so weird writing that for some reason,) and folkier tunes lately. Just that time of year I guess. I love how sparse and bare it can sound. It seems to fit the mood I get into as the year winds down. It getting darker earlier. It&#8217;s chillier in the evenings. It&#8217;s about that time to start feeling moodier. Although I try not to.</p>
<p>In light of this personal trend, I was really excited to learn about Joshua James. A 25 year old singer-songwriter from Nebraska, James has already released a handful of albums and shared the lineup with the likes of Ani Di Franco and David Gray. He&#8217;s had a song selected as NPR&#8217;s &#8220;Song of the Day&#8221;  and he also looks a little like Jared Leto&#8217;s distant cousin, no?</p>
<p><a href="http://luxinaustin.wordpress.com/files/2009/11/joshuajames.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1302" title="joshuajames" src="http://luxinaustin.wordpress.com/files/2009/11/joshuajames.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="220" /></a></p>
<p>James&#8217; most recent album, &#8220;Build Me This&#8221; was released not too long ago and let me tell ya&#8217;ll, it is something really special. James&#8217; voice has a whispery and raspy quality, but don&#8217;t be fooled. It&#8217;s soulful and heavy when it needs to be and is  perfect for the dark themes he sings about: love lost, small town strife, religion, traveling, and so on. When listening to this album, those are the things I thought of. Moreover, it evokes strong imagery of the high plains and all that that entails: the vast expanses of empty, wind swept fields, small towns dotted here and there, isolation and so on.</p>
<p>The album opens with &#8220;Coal War,&#8221; which kicks things off with a big spark. There are tinges of country and southern rock throughout. Same with the next track, &#8220;Magazine.&#8221; The Americana, folk side rears its head on &#8220;Weeds.&#8221; He sings,</p>
<p><em>&#8220;We&#8217;ll all be damned when the sun don&#8217;t shine, and your broken words will come floatin&#8217; back to you.&#8221; </em></p>
<p>&#8220;Mother Mary,&#8221; a favorite of mine, breaks into the middle of the album with a vengeance.</p>
<p><em>&#8220;Well I&#8217;m havin&#8217; this baby,<br />
The 1st of July<br />
Job is a joke,<br />
and there&#8217;s a bank account dry<br />
The Lord loves his children<br />
Like your Good Book does teach<br />
Well, he burned these here bastards<br />
And put shoes on my feet<br />
Mother Mary, come&#8221;<br />
</em></p>
<p>In addition to loving the darker rock turn on &#8220;Mother Mary,&#8221; this was the track where I became absolutely enthralled by James&#8217; writing. It reminds me of Neil Young or Greg Brown or Ryan Adams during the Whiskeytown days. I just love how James weaves these intricate stories about hardened characters and provides an accurate and honest account of a certain side of American life. James is an excellent story teller. &#8220;Annabelle,&#8221; the next track, is another one of those faster, rock influenced songs with the same lyrical sensibilities.</p>
<p>James calms things down again with &#8220;In The Middle.&#8221; He sings, <em>&#8220;I got cold, black coffee on the right side of the bed. I picture you sleeping there next to me, with your toes all pretty red. And the misty gray sky morning hovers over your head. So will you meet me in the middle, like you said?&#8221;</em> The album continues it&#8217;s slow denouement with &#8220;Kitchen Tile&#8221; and &#8220;Lawn Full of Marigolds.&#8221;</p>
<p>James explores a more ominous side on &#8220;Daniel.&#8221; The eerie beginning features James&#8217; voice against nothing but a haunting organ, spare guitar riffs and a steady drum. <em>&#8220;Tell my mother, I made it to the promised land,&#8221; </em>he sings. And just when you think this is another slow, dark acoustic song, you&#8217;re in the middle of a rousing crescendo.&#8221;Build Me This&#8221; closes with &#8220;Benediction,&#8221; which I think is my very favorite track. Again, it starts subdued, but surprises you with strong, loud, rock driven riffs at the end. James brings his voice forward with a fury that made my eyes widen and my heart shake a bit. He sings, <em>&#8220;Father, I have given up.&#8221;</em></p>
<p>I love this album. Love, love, love. I truly think Joshua James has a long career ahead of him and I will gleefully listen to each and every song, bad weather days or not.</p>
<p>Here&#8217;s where to learn more about Joshua James:</p>
<p>His very impressive <a href="http://www.myspace.com/joshuajamesmusic">MySpace</a>, complete with tour dates.</p>
<p>His very pretty <a href="http://www.joshuajames.tv/music/">website</a>.</p>
<p>And a recent(ish) review on <a href="http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2009/06/joshua-james-build-me-this.html">Paste</a>.</p>
<p>And this is really cool: Joshua James appeared on KGSR recently. <a href="http://www.kgsr.com/Other/ip/index.html?artistNum=1&#38;songNum=0">The interview is lovely.</a> He opens with a great story about sleeping in a dugout on the way to Lolapalooza.</p>
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<title><![CDATA[Getting kids to listen]]></title>
<link>http://compassionatesolutions.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/getting-kids-to-listen/</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 23:08:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Wendy</dc:creator>
<guid>http://compassionatesolutions.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/getting-kids-to-listen/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[A response to the question: How do I get my children to communicate or to listen to basic requests? ]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class='snap_preview'><p><strong>A response to the question: How do I get my children to communicate or to listen to basic requests?</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://compassionatesolutions.wordpress.com/files/2009/11/granny-sarah.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-147" title="angry with children then listening" src="http://compassionatesolutions.wordpress.com/files/2009/11/granny-sarah.jpg?w=300" alt="" width="300" height="216" /></a></p>
<p>Notice what your child is doing. Is she focused on a particular project or a phone call? Is he deep in thought?</p>
<p>Communication is a little like merging into highway traffic. Look ahead, match your speed with the traffic speed, find a place to fit in, and then join the line of cars when the timing is right. Rushing into a child’s room expecting her to pay attention to you is like leaping from the on-ramp into oncoming traffic. It’s an accident waiting to happen. Are you trying to speak without the other’s full attention?</p>
<p>When lovers court each other, they slow down and gaze into each other’s eyes. When a new baby is born, parents gaze into her eyes. When rapport is good, people begin to mirror each other’s body language. 90-95% of what we communicate is nonverbal. I suggest that you begin there. When you don’t know what to say, stay present in silence.</p>
<p>Merge with your child. Find out what he’s interested in in that moment. When he has your attention, then you can ask for his. Even if your child wants to do something else, you’ll likely be able to better understand that intention rather than thinking that he’s ignoring you. If you need to interrupt, say so. Treat your child as you would like to be treated. For example: “Excuse me, may I have your attention?” Then, ask for what you want while linking it to the needs you want to meet. For example, you might say, “Take out the trash, please.” and it may be heard. Requests are better understood when prefaced with a clear need and connection. Try something like “Remember when we agreed that you’d take out the trash after dinner while I did the dishes?” When you get a nod and smile, ask, “Could you do that now?”</p>
<p>What if you’re not getting the nod and the smile? The child’s attachment to you and the relationship between you and your child may need some attention. Before focusing on the behaviour you don’t enjoy in the moment, first establish good rapport with your child. For example, before talking about the trash, be sure your child is enjoying your company in the moment. We spend much of our day telling our children all the ways they are behaving badly. Begin to spend more time each day enjoying each other’s company, sharing a meal, chatting about what’s important to them, and sharing your stories. I know this gets harder the older the child. However, there is no other way. Your heart already knows how to do this. Forget all the parent training that says that children should do this or that at such and such age. The fastest way to win our children over is through their hearts. They need to depend on us to be there for them and listen to them. They need to know that we will take care of them and our relationship with them. When our kids feel secure, they are likely to help out around the house if that’s what we’re looking for.</p>
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<title><![CDATA[Podcasts]]></title>
<link>http://inglesdf.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/podcasts/</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 23:01:30 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>garydenness</dc:creator>
<guid>http://inglesdf.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/podcasts/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Getting students to do any homework is a fruitless task. One which I all but gave up on years ago. I]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class='snap_preview'><p style="text-align:justify;">Getting students to do any homework is a fruitless task. One which I all but gave up on years ago. I don&#8217;t blame them &#8211; they all have exceedingly busy professional lives. But I do try and encourage them to at least try and listen to something in English. Now and again. Most of them spend plenty of time on buses, metros or in their cars, stuck in traffic. But all too often, my encouragement is to no avail.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">And yet there is some fabulous audio content available these days. One of the biggest pluses of the existence of the internet is the podcast. For expat, student or anyone who just wants something reasonably intelligent and interesting to listen to. The <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/" target="_blank">BBC</a> has dozens of fantastic podcasts, of which I must subscribe to about a dozen. Six of my favourite are in the image below and well worth checking out. It would be amiss of me to not mention the <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/podcasts" target="_blank">Guardians</a> podcast offerings as well. Their science, tech and footy shows are the best of the bunch.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;"><a href="http://inglesdf.wordpress.com/files/2009/11/podcasts1.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-58" title="Podcasts" src="http://inglesdf.wordpress.com/files/2009/11/podcasts1.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="295" /></a></p>
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<title><![CDATA[In my CD player today…]]></title>
<link>http://theblarg.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/in-my-cd-player-today%e2%80%a6-2/</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:47:37 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>jshady</dc:creator>
<guid>http://theblarg.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/in-my-cd-player-today%e2%80%a6-2/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[…are these five albums: 1) Feathers’ “Synchromy” 2) Fitz &amp; The Tantrums&#8217; “Songs For A Brea]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class='snap_preview'><p style="text-align:justify;">…are these five albums:</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;padding-left:30px;"><strong>1)</strong> Feathers’ “Synchromy”</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;padding-left:30px;"><strong>2)</strong> Fitz &#38; The Tantrums&#8217; “Songs For A Break Up: Volume 1″</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;padding-left:30px;"><strong>3)</strong> Various Artists “Urban Revolutions: The Future Primitive Sound Collective”</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;padding-left:30px;"><strong>4)</strong> DJ Cam’s “Mad Blunted Jazz: Disc One”</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;padding-left:30px;"><strong>5)</strong> Victor Bermon&#8217;s “Arriving At Midnight”</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">You know the drill.</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">Blindly picking,</p>
<p style="text-align:justify;"><a title="Email Shady!" href="mailto:justin@tlchicken.com" target="_blank"><em>-Shady</em></a></p>
<p style="text-align:justify;">PS: I write these posts mainly because I&#8217;m honestly interested in hearing what other music people are listening to. If I come across something that sounds cool, or if it&#8217;s something I&#8217;m not familiar with, I <em>do</em> seek it out. So please, spread your musical knowledge. This is how new favorite bands and albums are discovered.<em><br />
</em></p>
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<title><![CDATA[INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE ELIMINATION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN]]></title>
<link>http://gelosanz.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/international-day-for-the-elimination-of-violence-against-women/</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:20:40 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>gelosanz</dc:creator>
<guid>http://gelosanz.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/international-day-for-the-elimination-of-violence-against-women/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Violence against women and girls is one of the most widespread violations of human rights. It can in]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class='snap_preview'><p>Violence against women and girls is one of the most widespread violations of human rights. It can include physical, sexual, psychological and economic abuse, and it cuts across boundaries of age, race, culture, wealth and geography. It takes place in the home, on the streets, in schools, the workplace, in farm fields, refugee camps, during conflicts and crises. It has many manifestations — from the most universally prevalent forms of domestic and sexual violence, to harmful practices, abuse during pregnancy, so-called honour killings and other types of femicide. <a href="http://www.unifem.org/gender_issues/violence_against_women/" target="_blank">Read more</a></p>
<p><span style='text-align:center; display: block;'><object width='425' height='350'><param name='movie' value='http://www.youtube.com/v/g8TJsYhBKFo&#038;rel=1&#038;fs=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;hd=0' /><param name='allowfullscreen' value='true' /><param name='wmode' value='transparent' /><embed src='http://www.youtube.com/v/g8TJsYhBKFo&#038;rel=1&#038;fs=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;hd=0' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' allowfullscreen='true' width='425' height='350' wmode='transparent'></embed></object></span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.saynotoviolence.org/" target="_blank">SAY NO TO VIOLENCE</a></p>
<p><span style='text-align:center; display: block;'><object width='425' height='350'><param name='movie' value='http://www.youtube.com/v/q0BHtNb4dnU&#038;rel=1&#038;fs=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;hd=0' /><param name='allowfullscreen' value='true' /><param name='wmode' value='transparent' /><embed src='http://www.youtube.com/v/q0BHtNb4dnU&#038;rel=1&#038;fs=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;hd=0' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' allowfullscreen='true' width='425' height='350' wmode='transparent'></embed></object></span></p>
<p><span style='text-align:center; display: block;'><object width='425' height='350'><param name='movie' value='http://www.youtube.com/v/u4yjcSi2NKg&#038;rel=1&#038;fs=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;hd=0' /><param name='allowfullscreen' value='true' /><param name='wmode' value='transparent' /><embed src='http://www.youtube.com/v/u4yjcSi2NKg&#038;rel=1&#038;fs=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;hd=0' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' allowfullscreen='true' width='425' height='350' wmode='transparent'></embed></object></span></p>
<p><span style='text-align:center; display: block;'><object width='425' height='350'><param name='movie' value='http://www.youtube.com/v/f8N8orgQ_0Q&#038;rel=1&#038;fs=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;hd=0' /><param name='allowfullscreen' value='true' /><param name='wmode' value='transparent' /><embed src='http://www.youtube.com/v/f8N8orgQ_0Q&#038;rel=1&#038;fs=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;hd=0' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' allowfullscreen='true' width='425' height='350' wmode='transparent'></embed></object></span></p>
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<title><![CDATA[Are you listening?]]></title>
<link>http://teflnaut.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/are-you-listening/</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:30:52 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>teflnaut</dc:creator>
<guid>http://teflnaut.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/are-you-listening/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Are our students really listening to each other? They may well be listening (and focusing) on you (t]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class='snap_preview'><p>Are our students really listening to each other? They may well be listening (and focusing) on you (the teacher), but are they listening to (and focusing on) each other? This is the thought I crossed my mind the other day when I was covering a class. Actually, it crosses my mind all the time, it&#8217;s just that taking someone else&#8217;s class always makes me more aware of my own teaching. It got me thinking about a few ideas that I&#8217;ve picked up over the years to make sure that the students aren&#8217;t just listening to you:</p>
<p>1. Ask one student to repeat what another has just said. I always pick on someone who I know hasn&#8217;t been paying attention. If they can&#8217;t tell you, quickly choose someone else. And if they can&#8217;t, choose another student who (hopefully) can. It&#8217;s a really quick way of getting the students to focus on each other and not just on you. It also comes in handy for practising reported speech, of course.</p>
<p>2. Get students to nominate each other to answer questions. Not only does this mean that the students will have to learn who else is in their class (I&#8217;m always amazed at how often they don&#8217;t know the names of their peers), but they&#8217;ll also have to listen to what the others are saying in case they get called out. Like all great teaching tools, it takes the focus off you and puts it on to the students (where it should be).</p>
<p>3. Sit with the students. If your classroom is laid out in a classic horseshoe shape, take some time to sit with the students in the horseshoe. By moving the students&#8217; gaze inwards, they should be more aware of their peers. It can almost work in other classroom setups, but it takes a bit of experimentation.</p>
<p>4. Tape your students. In the past, I recorded my students while they presented policies for their new political parties. I listened to this and wrote some simple comprehension questions for them. The next day, we all listened back as the students answered the questions.</p>
<p>I&#8217;ve tried all these ideas out in the classroom, and I&#8217;ve found that the students have quickly come round to the idea that they are the most important people in the room, not the teacher. The teacher may well have the perfect accent and pronunciation, but since most of the English in the world is spoken between non-native speakers, they&#8217;d better get used to listening to each other.</p>
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<title><![CDATA[Listen up!]]></title>
<link>http://drammapermusica.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/listen-up/</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:56:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>drammapermusica</dc:creator>
<guid>http://drammapermusica.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/listen-up/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Gentle readers, I need your help finding something good to listen to. If you&#8217;ve come across an]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class='snap_preview'><p>Gentle readers, I need your help finding something good to listen to. If you&#8217;ve come across an opera, solo vocal, or choral recording&#8211;new release or reissue&#8211;that has rocked your world recently, let me know about it in the comments section of this post. Title, artist, and label are sufficient, but if you feel inspired to share a little bit more, that would be fine too.</p>
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<title><![CDATA[National Listening Day 2009:  Creating, Sharing, and Learning Through Conversations]]></title>
<link>http://theunquietlibrarian.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/national-listening-day-2009-creating-sharing-and-learning-through-conversations/</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:26:54 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>theunquietlibrary</dc:creator>
<guid>http://theunquietlibrarian.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/national-listening-day-2009-creating-sharing-and-learning-through-conversations/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[National Day of Listening via kwout As a librarian who subscribes to a philosophy of participatory l]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class='snap_preview'><div class="kwout" style="text-align:center;"><img style="border:none;" title="National Day of Listening" src="http://kwout.com/cutout/m/ck/b8/pmv_bor_rou_sha.jpg" alt="http://www.nationaldayoflistening.org/" width="493" height="540" /></p>
<p style="margin-top:10px;text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.nationaldayoflistening.org/">National Day of Listening</a> via <a href="http://kwout.com/quote/mckb8pmv">kwout</a></p>
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<p>As a librarian who subscribes to a philosophy of participatory librarianship, I want to alert you to the 2nd Annual National Listening Day that will be celebrated Friday, November 27, 2009!  What is National Listening Day about?</p>
<blockquote><p>On the day after Thanksgiving, set aside one hour to record a conversation with someone important to you. You can interview anyone you choose: an older relative, a friend, a teacher, or someone from the neighborhood.</p></blockquote>
<p>What a wonderful opportunity to create conversations and to learn by listening to others!  Not only have I pledged to listen to and record my parents, but I am also<a href="http://www.nationaldayoflistening.org/pledge/"> pledging</a> to continue to listen and record the conversations and stories of students and teachers in my library.    If you need some ideas or help getting started, check out the <a href="http://www.nationaldayoflistening.org/participate/">&#8220;how to&#8221; page</a> that gives you ideas for questions and tips for participating; if you are an educator or someone who may be doing a large scale community project, <a href="http://www.nationaldayoflistening.org/participate/">this page</a> will also provide you a resource guide you can download for free.</p>
<p>Here is a wonderful opportunity to connect and create through conversations and story!</p>
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<title><![CDATA[FOOD FOR THOUGHT...]]></title>
<link>http://helendipity.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/food-for-thought/</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:33:10 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>helendipity</dc:creator>
<guid>http://helendipity.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/food-for-thought/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Paralysed Belgian misdiagnosed as in coma for 23 years A Belgian man who doctors thought was in a co]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[Paralysed Belgian misdiagnosed as in coma for 23 years A Belgian man who doctors thought was in a co]]></content:encoded>
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<title><![CDATA[WordTalk: A terrific free resource]]></title>
<link>http://hileryjane.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/wordtalk-a-terrific-free-resource/</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:47:44 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Hilery Williams</dc:creator>
<guid>http://hileryjane.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/wordtalk-a-terrific-free-resource/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[WordTalk  is a great resource available free to all Scottish educational establishments and for youn]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class='snap_preview'><p><a href="http://www.wordtalk.org.uk/Home/"><span style="color:#000000;">WordTalk </span></a><span style="color:#0000ff;"> is a great resource available free to all Scottish educational establishments and for young people to download at home (watch the site for when this service is available) developed at the </span><a href="http://callcentre.education.ed.ac.uk/"><span style="color:#000000;">CALL Centre, University of Edinburgh</span></a><span style="color:#000000;">. </span></p>
<p><span style="color:#0000ff;">We are beginning to use it extensively in East Lothian and we find it easy to use (even we teachers). WordTalk makes the curriuclum much more accessible than hitherto.</span></p>
<p><span style="color:#0000ff;"><span style="color:#0000ff;"><a href="http://hileryjane.wordpress.com/files/2009/11/heather.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1826" title="heather" src="http://hileryjane.wordpress.com/files/2009/11/heather.jpg" alt="" width="69" height="58" /></a>And Heather&#8217;s voice is a nice touch. </span><a href="http://www.thescottishvoice.org.uk/Download/Home-Use-Form/"><span style="color:#000000;">Here </span></a><span style="color:#0000ff;">you can download the Scottish voice for use with </span></span><span style="color:#0000ff;">most &#8216;text-to-speech&#8217; programs such as electronic books; PDF files (such as SQA exam papers); worksheets and other documents in Microsoft Word. You can also create audio files using the voice. </span><span style="color:#0000ff;">The Scottish voice can also be used on talking internet browsers.</span></p>
<p><a href="http://hileryjane.wordpress.com/files/2009/11/logo.png"><em><img class="aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-1824" title="logo" src="http://hileryjane.wordpress.com/files/2009/11/logo.png?w=150" alt="" width="150" height="42" /></em></a><em>For people with <strong>reading and writing difficulties</strong>, having text reinforced by hearing it read aloud can be very useful. Specialised programs have existed to do this for a long time, and in many cases are extremely helpful and highly appropriate and should be seriously considered, perhaps in consultation with professional advice where necessary.</em></p>
<p><em>WordTalk is a <strong>free text-to-speech plugin</strong> developed for use with all versions of <strong>Microsoft Word</strong> (from Word 97 upwards). It will speak the text of the document and will highlight it as it goes. It contains a talking dictionary to help decide which word spelling is most appropriate.</em></p>
<p><em>Siting neatly in your toolbar it is highly configurable, allowing you to:</em></p>
<ul>
<li><em>Adjust the highlight colours </em></li>
<li><em>Change the voice and the speed of the speech </em></li>
<li><em>Convert text to speech and save as a <strong>.wav</strong> or <strong>.mp3</strong> file so that it can be played back on an iPod or mp3 player. </em></li>
</ul>
<h2><em>Background</em></h2>
<p><em>WordTalk was conceived and developed by <strong>Rod Macaulay of TASSC in Aberdeen, Scotland</strong> who later received a <strong>Microsoft Innovative Teacher Award</strong> for its development.</em></p>
<p><em>It was noted that:</em></p>
<ul>
<li><em>Children with Reading and writing difficulties often benefit from having text read aloud to them. In schools, this may be done by an assistant, but the use of assistants can be expensive, and their presence might be more usefully deployed elsewhere in the class. </em></li>
<li><em>Nowadays, teachers are more and more frequently creating worksheets and other classroom materials using ICT, and Microsoft Word in particular, then printing them out and handing them to the class. </em></li>
</ul>
<h2><em>Research</em></h2>
<p><em>As ICT has become more frequently used in Education, a lot of research has been carried out investigating its effectiveness in assisting Learning. Here are some sources that you may find interesting.</em></p>
<ul>
<li><strong><a href="http://www.callscotland.org.uk/Resources/Presentations/Assets/Downloads/accesstotext.ppt"><em>Access to Text using ICT for Students with Reading Difficulties</em></a></strong><em>: From </em><a href="http://www.callscotland.org.uk/Home/"><em>CALL Scotland</em></a><em>. This presentation summarises some of the legal requirements on Schools in Scotland in terms of providing access to education and explains various methods of accessing text in several forms. </em></li>
<li><strong><a href="http://www.dyslexic.com/articlecontent.asp?CAT=Text%20to%20Speech%20Software&#38;slug=194"><em>Text to Speech: Comparison of text to speech applications</em></a></strong><em>: From </em><a href="http://www.dyslexic.com/"><em>http://www.dyslexic.com/</em></a><em>. This article, provides a summary of products that can make a computer talk, known as Text-to-Speech applications (sometimes shortened to TTS applications). </em></li>
<li><strong><a href="http://www.wordtalk.org.uk/About/Assets/Downloads/Enabling%20Access%20to%20Curriculum%20Resources%20for%20Students%20with%20Additional%20Support%20Needs.pdf?CAT=Text to Speech Software&#38;slug=194"><em>WordTalk: Enabling Access to Curriculum Resources for Students with Additional Support Needs</em></a></strong></li>
</ul>
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<title><![CDATA[Non Violent Communication in Action.]]></title>
<link>http://niranjani.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/non-violent-communication-in-action/</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:32:13 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Raj</dc:creator>
<guid>http://niranjani.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/non-violent-communication-in-action/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Last evening, my 7 year old son, started crying and it was quite unusual for him, the crying continu]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class='snap_preview'><p><span style="background-color:#ffffff;">Last evening, my 7 year old son, started crying and it was quite unusual for him, the crying continued and he became more and more agitated&#8230;. tears and words were flowing non stop. I had no idea what triggered the outburst, but there he was blaming everything and everyone &#8211; sister, friends, teachers, mother &#8211; the whole world was at fault. I stopped and sat with him and started listening to him, except that this time, I decided to put into practice what I was learning. I started listening to something deeper than the words, I was listening to the feelings and needs behind the outburst, without blaming and judging. It took him exactly three minutes to vent out and come out with the original need &#8211; all he wanted was a toy aeroplane and once he said that, the need disappeared and so did the crying.</span></p>
<p>It was a conversation, where I put the focus back on him and all I did was listen with all my heart &#8211; and it was exhilarating for me.</p>
<p><span style="background-color:#ffffff;">I was able to put into practice the process of receiving empathically.</span></p>
<p>Today morning, there was another difficult conversation that I was part of and I was so glad to handle it the way I did.</p>
<div>I am delighted to have stumbled upon <a href="http://www.cnvc.org/" target="_blank">Non Violent Communication</a> by Marshall Rosenberg &#8211; In Marshall Rosenberg&#8217;s own words.</div>
<blockquote><p><em>NVC is described as a process of communication or a language of compassion, but it is more than a process or language. On a deeper level, it is an ongoing reminder to keep our attention focussed on a place where we are more likely to get what we are seeking.</em></p></blockquote>
<div>The difficult part of any conversation, more so when emotions are running high, when things are at stake, when our ego is pricked and wants to get even, is to hold ourselves back and listen. As Marshall says to keep the attention focussed. Easier said than done and this is where I think that the years of S<span style="background-color:#ffffff;">adhana (<a href="http://www.artofliving.org/intl/Programmes/StressElimination/Meditation/tabid/68/Default.aspx" target="_blank">Meditation</a>, <a href="http://www.artofliving.org/intl/Programmes/StressElimination/SudarshanKriya/tabid/60/Default.aspx" target="_blank">Sudarshan Kriya</a>) has helped me. So, what does receiving empathically means? Marshall summarizes:</span></div>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;<em>Empathy is a respectful understanding of what others are experiencing. We often have a strong urge to give advice or reassurance and to explain our own position or feeling. Empathy, however, calls upon us to empty our mind and listen to others with our whole being.</em></p></blockquote>
<blockquote><p><span style="background-color:#ffffff;"><em>In NVC, no matter what words others may use to express themselves, we simply listen for their observations, feelings, needs and requests.</em></span></p></blockquote>
<div>I wish I had learnt to communicate this way much earlier in my life. Why? Again to quote Marshall,</div>
<blockquote>
<div><em>NVC helps us connect with each other and ourselves in a way that allows our natural compassion to flourish. It guides us to reframe the way we express ourselves and listen to others by focussing our consciousness on four areas: what we are observing, feeling, and needing, and what we are requesting to enrich our lives. NVC fosters deep listening, respect, and empathy and engenders a mutual desire to give from the heart. Some people use NVC to respond compassionately to themselves, some to create greater depth in their personal relationships, and still others to build effective relationships at work or in the political arena.</em></div>
</blockquote>
<div>And I am seeing the results in action.</div>
<p>You can read more about NVC at their <a href="http://www.cnvc.org/" target="_blank">website</a>.</p>
<p>If you have been practicing <a href="http://www.artofliving.org/intl/Programmes/StressElimination/Meditation/tabid/68/Default.aspx" target="_blank">meditation</a>, <a href="http://www.artofliving.org/intl/Programmes/StressElimination/SudarshanKriya/tabid/60/Default.aspx" target="_blank">Sudarshan Kriya</a> or any other allied techniques to still your mind, I think it becomes much easier to put NVC in practice. Go give it a spin.</p>
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<title><![CDATA[Browsealoud]]></title>
<link>http://hileryjane.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/browsealoud/</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:23:09 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Hilery Williams</dc:creator>
<guid>http://hileryjane.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/browsealoud/</guid>
<description><![CDATA[  Browsealoud is a software program for people who have difficulty reading web pages, have learning ]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class='snap_preview'><p style="text-align:center;"> <a href="http://hileryjane.wordpress.com/files/2009/11/browsealoud_logo20.gif"><img class="size-full wp-image-1819  aligncenter" title="Browsealoud_logo%20" src="http://hileryjane.wordpress.com/files/2009/11/browsealoud_logo20.gif" alt="" width="129" height="40" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.browsealoud.com/page.asp?pg_id=80002&#38;tile=UK">Browsealoud</a> is a software program for people who have difficulty reading web pages, have learning disabilities like dyslexia or have literacy issues. Browsealoud may also be of use to those who need help with general reading problems, perhaps where English is not their first language.</p>
<p><strong>How does Browsealoud work?</strong> The program works by highlighting words whilst reading them aloud and can also be used to highlight paragraphs or entire pages which will then be read back to the viewer.</p>
<p><strong>Additional features include:</strong> Simple On/Off functionality (Ctrl Key) Variable voice control Variable pitch control Variable speed control</p>
<p><strong>How do I get a Browsealoud reader?</strong> The Browsealoud software is available free to download from the Browsealoud web site where you will also find full installation instructions.</p>
<p>Thanks to <a href="http://www.dyslexic.com/browsealoud">http://www.dyslexic.com/browsealoud</a> for the link.</p>
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