Level I

Chapter 7
Listening Speaking

Language Section

English | Vietnamese
IC3, IT, TOEFL, Best Answer
Self- and Teacher Evaluation

Topic:

Regional and Global Trade: US-Vietnam Relations

Thương mại khu vực và toàn cầu  

Guiding Question

What assets does your country bring to regional and global trade, and what benefits does it expect from this trade?

Câu hỏi hướng dẫn: 

Những năng lực nào mà nước bạn có để tham gia thương mại khu vực và toàn cầu? Những lợi gì nước bạn mong đợi từ việc tham gia thương mại này?

Skills:  

In this chapter you will do these things:

English Language Skills:

Vietnamese Language Skills:

• What Country Are You From? Names of Countries
• Introductions for People from Different Countries
• Vocabulary for Describing Cities
• Cultural Note: Cities, Towns and Villages
• Forming Questions
• Describe Your Own City, Town, or Village

IC3 Skills:

US-Vietnamese Relations and the Signing of the Bilateral Trade Agreement

English Language Lesson

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Introductory Motivation and Focus:

In 2000, Vietnam and the United States signed a bi-lateral trade agreement. In this chapter, we will hear American news reports that covered the event. Before and after Vietnam signed this agreement with the U.S., Vietnam signed other agreements with other countries. Your task, in this chapter, is to reflect on how these trade agreements have changed or not changed your life in Vietnam and to explain this change to others outside your country. In other words, you are to present the human story of this event.

In small groups, discuss and fill out the chart that follows:

	in 1995	in 2000	presently
What products were/are available in local markets?
What transportation services were/are available to Vietnamese citizens?
What was/is the main agricultural products of your region and were/are they used locally or internationally?
What communication services were/are available to Vietnamese citizens?
Explain the level of simplicity or complexity in lifestyle for each of the years—in other words, is life getting more simple or more complex?
What lifestyle changes have/are coming about as a result of trading with countries like the U.S.?
What were/are the popular products to buy in 1995, 2000 and presently? Have people’s needs and wants changed?

It has been said that Vietnam has changed more in the last 10 years than in the last 1000 years. When your small group has completed the chart, discuss and summarize what changes Vietnam has seen in the last 10 years as a result of international trade agreements. Have these changes changed the Vietnamese people? in what ways? Keep a record of what is discussed in your group. Your group will come together again to discuss this further later in the chapter.

Vocabulary:

In the listening portion of this chapter, an American reporter describes Vietnam before the 2000 signing of the bilateral trade agreement between the U.S. and Vietnam. Obviously, the reporter, Kwame Holman, is speaking to an American audience. He uses American expressions and phrases that Americans will immediately understand. Though he has a deep, clear voice and speaks at a moderate to slow pace, it may be difficult for people learning English to understand.

As this chapter’s vocabulary exercise, divide into 5 groups. Each group will take one portion of Kwame Holman’s report and paraphrase it. That is, put it into your own ENGLISH words. You may, however, discuss in Vietnamese the meanings of words in order to make a more adequate paraphrase. Then select someone from your group to present the paraphrase to the class. You may explain to the class the meaning of words and phrases that may be new.

Group A Today's trade deal comes 25 years after one of the most enduring images in U.S.-Vietnam relations, the final pullout of Americans from Saigon. But in the past dozen years, new links have formed between Washington and Hanoi, beginning on the economic front.

Group B In the late 1980's, Vietnam began to privatize its state-run economy, seeking to pull itself out of dire poverty. Before long, trade and investment from abroad poured in, and the economy underwent double-digit yearly growth. American companies such as Nike entered the scene after 1994, when Washington lifted its trade embargo against Vietnam.

Group C But many tariffs and other trade barriers remained. The nations reestablished diplomatic relations in the summer of 1995. For the 77 million people of Vietnam, life expectancy has risen to 68, and the adult literacy rate is 93%. But annual per capita income is only $1,700, about half the average for developing countries, and only 45% of the population has easy access to safe water.

Group D In the last three years, the Southeast Asian nation has seen economic growth slow to about 5%. Overseas investment has declined, too. Proponents of today's accord say it will break down several trade barriers between the U.S. and Vietnam, and increase the current trade flow of a billion dollars a year.

Group E Among other provisions, the agreement would reduce tariffs on Vietnamese exports to the U.S. from an average 50% to 3%; cut Vietnamese tariffs on U.S. goods, including electronics and food, by as much as half; and allow U.S. firms to enter the Vietnamese market in areas such as banking, insurance, and telecommunications. The President spoke about the deal this afternoon.

Group F With this agreement, Vietnam has agreed to speed its opening to the world, to subject important decisions to the rule of law and the international trading system, to increase the flow of information to its people; by inviting competition in, to accelerate the rise of a free market economy and the private sector within Vietnam itself. . .

Group G This agreement is one more reminder that former adversaries can come together to find common ground in a way that benefits all their people; to let go of the past and embrace the future, to forgive and to reconcile. For the deal to take effect, both Congress and Vietnam's national assembly must approve it.

Study Skill A: Good Listening In Class

It is important for you to be a good listener in class. Much of what you will have to learn will be presented verbally by your teachers. Just hearing what your teachers say is not the same as listening to what they say. Listening is a cognitive act that requires you to pay attention and think about and mentally process what you hear

Here are some things you should do to be a good listener in class.

Be Cognitively Ready to Listen When You Come to Class. Make sure you complete all assigned work and readings. Review your notes from previous class sessions. Think about what you know about the topic that will be covered in class that day.

Be Emotionally Ready to Listen When You Come to Class. Your attitude is important. Make a conscious choice to find the topic useful and interesting. Be committed to learning all that you can.

Listen with a Purpose. Identify what you expect and hope to learn from the class session. Listen for these things as your teacher talks.

Listen with an Open Mind. Be receptive to what your teacher says. It is good to question what is said as long as you remain open to points of view other than your own.

Be Attentive. Focus on what your teacher is saying. Try not to daydream and let your mind wander to other things. It helps to sit in the front and center of the class, and to maintain eye contact with your teacher.

Be an Active Listener. You can think faster than your teacher can speak. Use this to your advantage by evaluating what is being said and trying to anticipate what will be said next. Take good written notes about what your teacher says. While you can think faster than your teacher can speak, you cannot write faster than your teacher can speak. Taking notes requires you to make decisions about what to write, and you have to be an active listener to do this.

Meet the Challenge. Don't give up and stop listening when you find the information being presented difficult to understand. Listen even more carefully at these times and work hard to understand what is being said. Don't be reluctant to ask questions.

Triumph Over the Environment. The classroom may too noisy, too hot, too cold, too bright, or too dark. Don't give in to these inconveniences. Stay focused on the big picture - LEARNING.

(Source: www.how-to-study.com)

Exercises and Activities for Speaking Skill A:

First, listen to the report by American reporter, Kwame Holman. You may read the transcript as you listen. You may listen to the report more than once. Use the “Good Listener” guidelines:

• Be Cognitively Ready to Listen When You Come to Class.
• Be Emotionally Ready to Listen When You Come to Class.
• Listen with a Purpose.
• Listen with an Open Mind.
• Be Attentive.
• Be an Active Listener.
• Meet the Challenge.
• Triumph Over the Environment.

After listening to the report, you will be asked to form an opinion.

Lecture/Presentation:

Kwame Holman Report: VIETNAM TRADE AGREEMENT

(Online NewsHour—A NewsHour with Jim Leher transcript, July 13, 2000)

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/asia/july-dec00/vietnam_7-13.html#

(transcript):

KWAME HOLMAN: Today's trade deal comes 25 years after one of the most enduring images in U.S.-Vietnam relations, the final pullout of Americans from Saigon. But in the past dozen years, new links have formed between Washington and Hanoi, beginning on the economic front.

In the late 1980's, Vietnam began to privatize its state-run economy, seeking to pull itself out of dire poverty. Before long, trade and investment from abroad poured in, and the economy underwent double-digit yearly growth. American companies such as Nike entered the scene after 1994, when Washington lifted its trade embargo against Vietnam. But many tariffs and other trade barriers remained. The nations reestablished diplomatic relations in the summer of 1995.

For the 77 million people of Vietnam, life expectancy has risen to 68, and the adult literacy rate is 93%. But annual per capita income is only $1,700, about half the average for developing countries, and only 45% of the population has easy access to safe water.

In the last three years, the Southeast Asian nation has seen economic growth slow to about 5%. Overseas investment has declined, too. Proponents of today's accord say it will break down several trade barriers between the U.S. and Vietnam, and increase the current trade flow of a billion dollars a year. Among other provisions, the agreement would reduce tariffs on Vietnamese exports to the U.S. from an average 50% to 3%; cut Vietnamese tariffs on U.S. goods, including electronics and food, by as much as half; and allow U.S. firms to enter the Vietnamese market in areas such as banking, insurance, and telecommunications. The President spoke about the deal this afternoon.

PRESIDENT CLINTON: With this agreement, Vietnam has agreed to speed its opening to the world, to subject important decisions to the rule of law and the international trading system, to increase the flow of information to its people; by inviting competition in, to accelerate the rise of a free market economy and the private sector within Vietnam itself. . . This agreement is one more reminder that former adversaries can come together to find common ground in a way that benefits all their people; to let go of the past and embrace the future, to forgive and to reconcile.

KWAME HOLMAN: For the deal to take effect, both Congress and Vietnam's national assembly must approve it.

(end of transcript)

Exercises and Activities for Listening Skill A:

1. Return to the small groups you formed in the introductory section of this chapter. Discuss whether or not you think that this American reporter has created a good report about the conditions of Vietnam before the year 2000. Does President Clinton accurately describe what the agreement will mean for the U.S. and Vietnam?

2. In the small groups, answer these questions. Appoint one person to record your answers and appoint one person to present your answers to your class.

a. Do such international trade agreements change your lives?

b. What changes have come about in Vietnam since 2000 because of international trade agreements? You may want to refer to the chart you made in the introductory section. You may now have more to add to the chart. Select the items that you think are most important.

You may want to look at the timeline of Vietnamese-US relations in the IC3 section.

Study Skill B:

Why Discuss the Matter? Discussion Skills

In this chapter, as in previous chapters, you are expected to participate in discussions. Here are some reasons for having discussions:

• It gives students the chance to hear other students’ ideas.
• It increases student confidence in speaking.
• It can change attitudes.
• It gives students the experience of working together or as part of a team.
• It helps to understand a topic or discussion more deeply.
• It improves student ability to think critically.
• It helps to solve a particular problem.
• It helps the group to make a particular decision.
• Ideas can be generated.
• Ideas can be shared.
• Ideas can be ‘tried out’ and experimented with.
• Ideas can be responded to by others.
• Working in groups can be fun.
• Working in groups can provide supportive and nurturing environment for students.
• Students can learn from each other in groups.
• It improves students’ English.

Strategies for Improving Discussion Skills

Asking questions and participating in class discussions are important study skills. Do you find it difficult to speak in discussions? Here are some strategies that may help you improve your discussion skills:

Be observant: Notice how other students, teachers, and presenters participate in discussions.

• How do others make their comments?
• How do they ask questions?
• How do they disagree with one another?
• How do they support their arguments?
• How do they show politeness even when they disagree?
• How do they join the conversation—interrupt, ask a question, make a point?

Practice: Start practicing your discussion skills in an informal setting or with a small group. Start asking fellow students questions. Ask them about course material. Ask for their opinions. Ask for information or ask for help.

Participate: Take every opportunity to take part in social and informal discussions. Start with small contributions. Prepare a question to ask or agree with a classmate’s remarks.

Polite and Impolite Discussions

Do . . . Speak pleasantly and politely to the group. Respect the contribution of all speakers. Remember that a discussion is not an argument: disagree politely. Think about your contribution before you speak: how best can you answer the question or contribute to the topic? Try to stick to the discussion topic. Be aware of your body language when you are speaking. Agree with and acknowledge what you find interesting.

Don’t . . . Lose your temper. A discussion is not an argument. Shout. Use a moderate voice and medium pitch, but don’t speak too softly so no one can hear you either. Dominate the discussion. Confident speakers should allow quieter students a chance to contribute. Interrupt. Wait for a speaker to finish what they are saying before you speak. Don’t bring things into the discussion that are not part of the topic.

(Sources: www.lc.unsw.edu.au/onlib/pdf/disc.pdf and http://starup.curtin.edu.au/study/group.html)

Group Discussion Assessment:

To help practice and improve your skills for discussions, here is an assessment form that may be useful:

Group Discussion Assessment (English.unitecnology.ac.nz/resource_exchange/resources/GroupDiscussionSkillsUnit.doc)
Self Assessment				Group Assessment
I shared my ideas with the group.				Everyone in the group shared some ideas.
I listened to others’ ideas without interrupting.				The group listened when others were speaking.
When I disagreed it was in a pleasant way.				The group cooperated and worked together.
I kept on task; listening, thinking and making comments on the topic.				The group talked about the topic.
I helped the group work together by encouraging others and being positive.				The group involved everyone in the decision making.
I took part in the decision making.				People in the group learnt form each other.
Next time I could…				Next time the group could…

 

Exercises and Activities for Listening Study Skill B:

Discussion: North American classrooms often use discussion as a way of learning. In small groups, discuss the following questions:

1. Do Vietnamese classrooms use discussion as a way of learning? Why or why not?
2. As you understand the skills of discussion described in the Study Skill B section, do you think that Vietnamese discussion skills and North American discussion skills are alike? Or are they different? If you think they are different, how are they different?
3. In what ways have you benefited from class discussions?

Assess Your Group Discussion: Using the form above, evaluate how well you and your group used your discussion skills in this last discussion.

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