PSCC Libraries: ESOL: English for Speakers of Other Languages: Listening & Notetaking

Audiobooks at Pellissippi Libraries

Audiobooks

OverDrive This link opens in a new window
Full-text ebooks and streaming audiobooks. After checking out, users may download to their device with the Libby or Kindle apps.

Music

Films

Academic Video Online: Premium (AVON) This link opens in a new window
Streaming videos with responsive transcripts 1890s to present. Films available include limited public performance rights, including permissions for classroom showings and public screenings, as long as no admission is being charged. These permissions exclude films published by Film Platform.
Films on Demand This link opens in a new window
Streaming videos with responsive transcripts 1990 to present. Includes rights to access films for educational use in classroom teaching, research, presentations, and educational, non-commercial multimedia projects. Rights apply to current students, faculty, and staff at Pellissippi State only.
Kanopy This link opens in a new window
Streaming videos with some closed captions 1900s to present. Users must use this A to Z link to create an account with their PSCC email for login. Selected films have public performance rights. Look for the PPR icon on individual titles. Alternately, discover PPR titles by using the PPR dropdown menu (selecting PPR Available) to limit your search results.
Subject content includes, but is not limited to film, early film, film studies,foreign language films, movies and tv; the arts, architecture, dance, design, experimental, alternative media, fashion, literature, music, performance art, photography, visual arts; global studies; media & communications; social sciences and technical training
Swank Digital Campus This link opens in a new window
Streaming movies. Licenses include the right to show a movie in class as part of classroom instruction. It is prohibited for movies shown for purposes other than classroom instruction, even if shown in a classroom. Any other use requires additional licensing.

Online Listening Practice

Image Courtesy of Heinrich Böll Stiftung

Listening Activities
Get listen and read along activities, stories, quizzes, and dictation.
Voice of America Podcasts
Get current news items... listen and read along, then comment below (no sign up required).
Read & Listen Stories
Choose a story. Then, on right side box marked "downloads," click on the audio file, pdf of story text, pdf of comprehension/grammar activities, and pdf of answers to activities.
Talk English Listening Activities
Choose your level and click on an activity to get the audio with comprehension activities and transcript.
Real English
Get interviews with English speakers (tagged with level) and comprehension activities.
Easy World of English Listen to Readings
Choose your level on the right side, select an article, and click the media player on the right side to listen.

Games

Playing educational games is a fun and effective way to learn anything!

Games to Learn English
There are three pages of games!
Vocabulary A - Z
Build literacy skills with vocabulary & spelling

Note-taking

Use the Cornell Method for Note-taking

This notebook page has a column on the right side that is one-third the width of the page, and it is for writing the main idea or topic. The bottom forth of the page is reserved for a summary of your notes. The rest of the page is for your notes.

Photo courtesy of PrintablePlanners.net

The Cornell Method for Note-taking is very efficient way to organize information from class, books you read, videos you watch, etc.

You can make any notebook ready to take notes this way by:

making a column on the side for main ideas or topics
making an area at the bottom for a summary of your notes (do this after class when you study).

Also, practice using abbreviations as you take notes.

Online note-taking tips

Dartmouth Academic Skills Center
Offers handouts, videos, and learning links on note-taking.
Taking Notes - Seton Hill
Five college success tips.
College Note Taking - Utah State University
Visual guide to different note-taking methods.
Abbreviations - University of Portsmouth
Offers a list of abbreviations for speedy note-taking in lectures.