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GST101 course materials-Use of English
This course—often called GST 101—is your first step to mastering university-level communication. Whether it’s lectures, note-taking, or writing, Use of English and Communication Skills I builds the skills every student needs.
Heads up: The course code might differ across universities like uniuyo, Unica, Unilag (e.g., GST111, GNS 101, GSE 101), but the core lessons stay the same. No matter your field, this course is a must-have for academic success.
Topic 1: Listening Enabling Skills
Introduction
This unit opens the discussion on effective listening, an essential part of academic life. You’ll learn who a listener is, why listening is important, and the key abilities needed to listen effectively in both learning and daily situations.
Objectives
After studying this topic, you should be able to:
- Define the term "listener"
- Understand the reasons for developing good listening habits
- Identify core listening skills
- Apply those skills during study and in everyday communication
Let's begin
Who is a Listener?
Simply put, a listener is someone who pays attention to spoken information. Whether you’re at home, in a lecture, watching a video, or attending a meeting, if you’re absorbing spoken content, you're acting as a listener. Listening is a regular part of the learning journey, and this unit is designed to sharpen that ability.
Why is Listening Important?
Listening plays a critical role in our everyday interactions. You listen to friends, instructions, lectures, news, and even conversations over the phone. For academic purposes, it's particularly important to listen for specific information like data, directions, or opinions. Being able to understand and analyze what you hear is crucial, especially when English is the medium of instruction.
Essential Listening Skills
To be an active and effective listener, you’ll need the following abilities:
- Healthy hearing – The basic requirement is to have the ability to hear clearly, or in the case of hearing challenges, to understand through alternate communication methods like sign language.
- Focused attention – Concentrating on what’s being said is key. Distractions like noise, boredom, or complicated vocabulary can make listening difficult.
- Thinking along with the speaker – Stay mentally engaged. Try to predict what’s coming next based on cues and flow of ideas.
- Recognizing patterns and transitions – Phrases like “firstly,” “on the other hand,” or “in conclusion” act as signals to help you follow the speaker’s structure and logic.
- Making connections – Link earlier points in the speech to current ones to grasp the speaker's full message.
These skills work together to boost your comprehension and retention.
Enrich Yourself:
1. Real-Life Examples
- When your lecturer starts a sentence with “Firstly…”, you should expect follow-up points like “Secondly” or “Finally.”
- During a job interview, if you fail to listen carefully, you might misunderstand the question—even if you know the answer.
2. Tip Box: How to Practice Listening Skills
- Watch educational videos and pause to summarize what you've heard.
- Listen to podcasts or news and jot down key points.
- Join group discussions to improve concentration and critical listening.
- Practice mindfulness—it helps you avoid zoning out.
3. Common Listening Mistakes to Avoid
- Writing while the speaker is still explaining (you might miss the point)
- Focusing on irrelevant background noise
- Assuming you already know what the speaker will say
- Letting your mind drift away
4. Memory Trick (Mnemonic)
To remember the five core listening skills, use the acronym "CHART":
- C – Concentration
- H – Hearing ability
- A – Anticipation
- R – Relationship of ideas
- T – Tracking transitions/signposts
5. Extra Vocabulary
Introduce useful vocabulary related to listening:
- Active Listening – fully focusing and responding to what is being said
- Selective Listening – listening only for specific details
- Feedback – showing understanding by nodding or responding
6. Mini Quiz (Self-Test)
Q1: What is one way to anticipate a speaker’s next point?
Q2: What is a signpost in listening?
Q3: Why is concentration important in listening?
(Provide answers at the end or let students fill in)
Let me know if you'd like me to add these enrichments directly into your paraphrased note or do the same for Topic 2.
Practice and Self-Assessment
You’re encouraged to listen to sample recordings or real-life speeches and test your ability to:
- Identify main ideas
- Anticipate what will be said next
- Fill in missing information
- Spot useful transitional words
Conclusion
This unit emphasizes that listening is more than just hearing words—it’s about active engagement. Developing these listening skills will greatly improve your academic and communication performance.
Summary
- Everyone is a listener in different life settings.
- Listening helps you interact, understand, and succeed.
- Core listening skills include attention, anticipation, analysis, and connection.
- Practice makes you a better and more thoughtful listener.