Activity Analysis:  Providing context for practice and repetition
 

First and foremost, this activity is given context, before any answers are even required from the students.  As the sentence processing model indicated, one of the key constraints to comprehension is the context.  By using video rather than audio, several aspects of the context are provided.  Further, by eliciting the orientating information before the exercise, the students are given even more context.  In a “real” conversation situation, beginning learners might not be able to remain calm enough to consider all the possible constraints on a particular utterance or discourse.  However in the controlled environment of the classroom it is possible to direct the students’ attention toward the value and importance of such aspects.  Further, listening to the passage several times gives them multiple opportunities to determine all of the pertinent aspects, as well as slowly focus in on any parts of the clip that they do not understand.  Thus repetition and practice, both important aspects of learning, are included on a process level.
 

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