Speaking portfolio 4

I had a conversation with my friend who lives near sky tower. We talked about our holiday plan and anything like general conversation in the city. It took about 3 hours. The main topic is our exams.

Overall, the conversation was going well compared to previous conversation that I had for this portfolio, but still I couldn't understand his story when the idiom, his speed and unknown words. I just tried to express my mind and say what I want. I just used some strategies for this conversation. I think it works well at the time. Trough this conversation, I learnt that of course it is good thing to know slangs and idioms but in the exam or in a formal letter. I also have to know some formal phrase or anything like that.

What cultural aspects or cultural differences did you notice in the conversation?

From his story, I noticed many different things between New Zealand and Japan. When we talked about future, I just asked him what you do after finishing your study. He said he was going to travel or working in the some country to get more knowledge and to experience many things. then, considering my surroundings, I noticed many Kiwi people is really relaxing about work. Especially young people, after finishing study, some people don't have job and just do what they want. For example, traveling, further studying. In japan, we normally get job after finishing study, and if people who is over 30 try to look for job, it is hard to find it because Japanese companies want to get young people.

How did your conversation begin and how did it end?

"Hi, bro. how are you doing? Everything's okay with you?"

"yea, and you? "

"I have to catch the bus for 10 mins later."

"okay, take care, see ya"

What were some vocabulary features you noticed in the conversation?

He said "my study is now dead end, it's nor gonna reach a crossroad."

When I asked him what its meaning was, he told me, my studying is not going well. I have no idea if I can do well in exams. Also I learnt some idioms from this conversation.

Did you use any specific strategies to help you overcome any language problem you had?

yes, I used. This time, I used not only body language but also trying to explain what I said. sometimes, he couldn't understand what I said. Normally, when I faced this situation, I say "oh, never mind." However, in this time, I used "I mean", "what I want to say is" like that. Also when I can't understand what he said, I used "you mean" "~~~, is it?" something like that.

Did the conversation flow well?

Yes, I think I had the best conversation in this portfolio.

Did you use any specific new vocabulary or chunks of vocabulary yourself in your conversation?

I used some idiom what I studied and what I learnt from my friends. Also, I used "um...." "you know".

Were there any other linguistic features that you felt caused problems with communication?

Sometimes my pronunciation was not good, so he couldn't catch what I mean. I practiced with him.

Speaking Portfolio 3

I went to my ex-homestay, and had dinner together. I continued talking about 2 hours. The purpose of talking is just for communication. I talked with my ex-homestay mum.

The main topic of our conversation was just for our recent life.

Overview

From this conversation, I learnt a lot. My ex-homestay is Maori family so sometimes I cannot understand what he/she said, so of course sometimes our conversation wasn't going well. I just asked something like, "sorry, I couldn't catch what you said." "Say again, please". Especially, in my homestay, sometimes they speaks Maori. I have totally no ideas Maori word. However, I learnt a lot how I can continue talking with native speaker gradually through this portfolio.

What cultural aspects or cultural differences did you native in the conversation?

In this conversation, we talked about our culture. I noticed one of Maori culture. From them, I heard Maori people who are son should live with their parents when they get married.

In Japan, we normally don't need to live with them.

How did your conversation begin and how did it take?

I was just invited dinner, so just it started

"Hey, long time no see, What's up?"

"I am doing well. Thanks for inviting me"

Finished like

"it is too late to go back home on foot, I take you to your home"

"Thanks, see you again soon"

What were some of the vocabulary features you noticed in the conversation?

I just did not know some pope or something. Actually at this time, I didn't understand this part of conversation, but I just pretended to understand and join their conversation. Otherwise, I had to look up the dictionary and our conversation was not going well at the time.

Did you use specific strategies to help you overcome any language problems you had?

Yes, I used exaggerated body language to convey my idea. Sometimes it worked but sometimes, I cannot tell them my clear ideas.

Did the conversation flow well?

Except for the parts that I had no idea, I think it is going well.

Speaking Portfolio 2

Conversation with native speaker (room mate)

Place: in my room

We talked about our study, and it took about twenty minutes.

Every time, when I talk with native speakers I tend to be passive listener. This time, I wanted to change and wanted to try to speak about myself to improve my skill. Overall, I did it, and he understood what I mean. When I talk with native speakers, I feel little bit timid. I think one of the strategies is that I have to know that I am not perfect English speaker, and just try to speak and to tell the thing that I want to convey him. I learnt from this conversation that I just try not to be shy and just talk, which can be good way to improve my English skill. I think this time our conversation flows well. Actually, before we talked, I had asked him that "what are the slangs which you guys usually use?". Then, we talked two days ago, but at the time, he used most of them in our conversation. That's why this why our conversation flew well. I think, in the class, teachers rarely use slangs and something like that, and students also don't use it. We need to know these words. Otherwise, I can't understand when we talk with native speakers. Because of this assessment, I relaise that I have to study more specific area.

What cultural aspects or cultural differences did you notice in the conversation?

When we talked, both of us were doing our homework. In Japan, when we talk, we normally stop working and look at speaker's face. Moreover, if people do not do so, the person is said to be rude person or something like that. However, in NZ, people talk with doing something which needs to do at the time. I don't mind the way, but I was surprised.

How did your conversation begin and how did it end?

We started with "hey how's it going your studying?"

We ended with "Okay, I need to concentrate on my stuff. See you later."

What were some of the vocabulary features you noticed in the conversation?

He said "I am now doing my project, you know it is fuckin' hard. So after i've done it, I'm gonna treat myself."

Actually, I could not understand the expression of "treat myself". I asked him, "what does it mean? I mean the gonna treat myself." He taught me it means I will buy present for me. I thought English is interesting because it has interesting phrase.

Did you use any specific strategies to help you overcome any language problems you had?

Yea, I did. This time, I just learnt some slangs and idioms which native speakers often use, and I just tried to tell my opinion without shyness.

Did you use any specific new vocabulary or chunks of vocabulary yourself in your conversation?

I tried to use the words which my room mates told me. I think using these words is the best way for non-English speakers to accustom with them.

Speaking Portfolio 1

Conversation with Native speaker (friend)

Place: Hub

We talked about our recent life, and it took about ten minutes.

Actually, native speaker speaks too fast unlike our teacher do. That's why I sometimes can't catch what he said, but I have been trying to talk to with native speaker. Talking again and again, my skill gradually improves. This time, I talked about our recent life, like how is your study going? and something like that. My friend used many slangs or idioms, so I couldn't understand first but whenever he used slangs and idioms which I don't know, I always asked him. The idioms were "over the top (often O.T.T)", "heavy read". That's why our conversation didn't go well because of my asking. This conversation gave me a great experience because I realise which areas I need to work on harder than others. I think this time, it cannot say successful conversation. However, I did know I need to know more slangs and idioms, and to remember I need to use them.

What cultural aspects or cultural differences did you notice in the conversation?

Many Japanese don't use body language, so when he talked at me, he used many body languages, yet I didn't use them at all. English has many expressions like um.... , yeah, woo, oh, and so on, but Japanese has just two or three. That's why I felt English conversation is more lively than Japanese one.

How did your conversation begin and how did it end?

We started with "Hey, man. What have you been up to?"

We ended "See ya! Send me text! Catch up soon"

Did you use any specific strategies to help you overcome any language problems you had?

Actually, I didn't use them, that's why I couldn't catch his saying. However, I should have known more idioms and slangs. This may help our conversation flows well.

Did you use any specific new vocabulary or chunks of vocabulary yourself in your conversation?

No, I didn't. I need to do it next conversation with my friends.

Listening Portfolio 8

Source; Conversation with Native Speaker (My roommate)


Strategies : 1. looking at face
2.Listening carefully main idea.



Evaluation: Actually, native speaker speaks fast unlike our teachers do, so looking at face is good way to know speaker's feeling. we can guess from face that what speaker wants to say, like complain or happy story something like that. It may help to understand main idea.
Sometimes, we cannot understand detail of story but if we understand the main idea, we know about what speaker means. That's why these strategies are very important when we listen someone's story.



Reflection: Actually, my roommate speaks fast, and sometimes I can't understand what he said. I had pretended I understood before. However, when I tried doing these strategies, I understood mostly, but actually, these strategies are sometime useless because when speaker says difficult words or some idioms which I have no idea, I can get the idea that speaker means. Except that case, they are really good for me to help to understand clearly. This time, I just tried to look face but it was really good to know the speaker's feeling and guessed what he says.

Listening Portfolio 7

I read other students blog and I thought Anna's strategies are very amusing so I just try to do her strategies.


Source: You tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6LPia75tiE)


Strategies: 1. take notes
2. repeat words

Evaluation: It is good way to remember and understand. I wrote down some keywords and some important information. Repeated words is also good, for example, in our life, we listen more than once. I mean, in real life, we also ask "sorry?", or "pardon?". so it is really helpful to understand completely.


Reflection: I think Anna's strategies are really good for me. I do agree with Anna as she wrote making notes were not always realistic.some exams like TOEFL, we can't take note, but in practice, we can do like that. It is very good for practice. When i can listen, I will try doing this. Repeated word is also useful practice for living in life. We sometimes listen more than once, so it is really close to real life, and we can accustom to English idioms or slung as we listen many time.

Listening Portfolio 6

Source: Connected speech (CALL)

Strategy: Think about pause


Evaluation: This strategy needs to think about pause. I need to think what rules pause does. Generally, after pause, it comes important words or essential information which we should not miss. Maybe this strategy help to catch keyword like something important.



Reflection: This strategy is very useful to know what keyword is, and also help me understand the things clear. However, sometimes, I just focus on pause, and I lost main idea. This strategy is helpful to know the context of conversation though. I need to use many strategies not only this one but also I did before. I can't forget that i need to concentrate on the conversation, I mean, I mustn't focus on just strategy.