Learning English with CBC
Listening Lessons for Intermediate Students
Based on CBC Manitoba Radio Broadcasts
March 25, 2014
Lesson 98: Teacher’s Edition
Level: CLB 5 and up
Topic: Our Accent is Part of Who We Are
Language Skills and Functions:
Listening – listening to a short interview for the main
ideas; understanding group interactions and
discussions
Speaking – expressing opinions; expressing agreement
and disagreement
Reading – reading a short text for main ideas/detail
Writing – writing a paragraph about a personal
experience
Language Competencies: Vocabulary, Pronunciation, Listening and Speaking Strategies,
Socio-cultural/sociolinguistic Competence
Language Tasks:
Discussing speaking a new language with an accent
Using new vocabulary in context
Listening to a short interview about accents for the main ideas;
identifying the speakers
Reading the Manitoba Memo for main ideas and detail; answering true/
false questions
Reading statements about accents and expressing agreement or
disagreement
Reading scenarios and expressing opinions on whether there is
discrimination on the basis of language, ethnicity or place of origin
Writing a paragraph about a personal experience where communication
was difficult due to the speaker’s accent or the listener’s attitude
Essential Skills: Reading text, working with others, oral communication, writing
Worksheets1: 1. Discussing Speaking a New Language with an Accent
2. Vocabulary Match
3. Listen for Main Ideas and Identify the Speaker
4. Read the Manitoba Memo and for Main Ideas and Detail
5. Express Agreement or Disagreement with Statements about Accents
6. Is it Discrimination? What is Your Opinion?
7. Write a Descriptive Paragraph
Appendices:
1
Transcript of the podcast
Answers to worksheets are in the self-study version of the lesson plan.
Our Accent is Part of Who We Are
Learning English with CBC
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Manitoba Memo
Does your name affect your employment opportunities? What about your accent?
Although many employers recognize and appreciate the value of a diverse workplace,
discrimination on the basis of name, accent and related grounds like ethnicity and place of
origin does take place.
A 2011 study of English speaking employers in three major Canadian cities found that
applicants with English sounding names had a better chance of getting a callback from an
employer than if the applicant had a Chinese, Indian or Greek name. Matthew was more
likely to get a callback than Samir. Alison was more likely to get a callback than Min.
The researchers sent dozens of employers identical resumes, changing only the name of the
applicant. They found that the resumes with English sounding names were over 35 percent
more likely to get a callback. In a second phase of the study, they changed the resumes for
individuals with Chinese, Indian or Greek sounding names and emphasized that these
applicants were fluent in English or French, as well as their mother tongue. But callback rates
still did not increase.
Follow-up research with employers and human resources staff indicated that many assumed
job applicants with foreign sounding names and backgrounds would have inadequate English
language and social skills to work at their company. These workplaces were making
decisions on the basis of ethnicity, which is a form of discrimination.
Other studies have found that even if Samir or Min got a callback, they could face another
obstacle. They might find that some employers assume that if they speak with a nonnative accent, they are less qualified for a job than someone who has a native accent.
The preference of some employers for native accents has resulted in the growth of accent
reduction classes for newcomers and immigrants so they can sound “Canadian” or
“American”. However, the intent of these courses is controversial. Critics say that accent
reduction courses assume that a native accent is the superior accent. They point out that
it is virtually impossible for an adult to speak a new language with a native-like accent
unless they have been exposed to the language since they were six years of age. This is
why English as an Additional Language programs in Canada don’t focus on accent
reduction. Their goal is communicative competence. Pronunciation, intonation, grammar,
listening, speaking and related skills are seen as the key to being understood and to being
able to understand others in a new language.
Are newcomers and immigrants discriminated against because of the language they
speak, or the accent they use when they speak a new language? That discrimination may
sometimes be subtle and hard to prove, but it occurs.
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Pre-listening activities
1. Discuss speaking a new language with an accent
Ask students to work in small groups. Hand out Worksheet 1 and review it with the
class.
2. Vocabulary
Elicit or present key vocabulary that students need to understand prior to listening to
the podcast (see suggested vocabulary and explanations which follow). You can write
the words on the board and elicit possible meanings from the class or break students
into groups and give each group a few words to review. Groups can then present the
vocabulary to the rest of the class. You can also ask students to mark the syllables
and stress for each word, identify word families and practise pronouncing the words.
You may want to ask students to think of sentences that use the new vocabulary. If
your students keep a vocabulary journal, they can copy the vocabulary into their
journal.
Vocabulary
to have an accent
We say someone has an accent when they
pronounce words of a language in a way that
shows what country or part of a country they are
from. Sometimes an accent is also seen as an
indication of social class.
a promotion
When someone receives a promotion, they are
moved to a more important job or position within a
company or organization.
a counterpart
Your counterpart is someone who has the same
job or role as you do, but who works in a different
organization or place. For example, the
counterparts to immigration officials in Canada are
immigration officials from another country.
to reduce something
If you reduce something, you make it smaller or
less in size, amount or price. For example,
someone who wants to reduce their accent wants
to make it less noticeable.
a touchy subject
This idiom refers to subjects or topics that need to
be dealt with very carefully because they are
sensitive or may offend people. For example,
some people would say that asking an adult how
old they are is a touchy subject.
to head a program
A person who heads a program runs that program.
They are in charge.
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a point of view
If you consider something in a particular way, or
make a judgement about it, we say that you are
approaching the situation from a particular point of
view. For example, when you are listening to
someone with an accent, you bring your point of
view to the situation. As a result, you may pay
more attention to someone’s accent than to what
they are actually saying.
to guarantee something
When someone guarantees something, they
promise to do something or promise something will
happen.
to judge someone
When you judge someone, you form an opinion
about them on the basis of what you have seen,
heard or learned.
to be predisposed to something
If you are predisposed to something, you are more
likely to think or behave in a certain way. For
example, a research study showed that recruiting
companies were predisposed or less likely to call
back applicants with foreign names, even when
two individuals had exactly the same credentials
and experience.
to be confident
Someone who is described as being confident is
sure that they have the ability to do things well or
to deal with situations successfully.
to do something consciously
When we do something consciously as opposed to
unconsciously, we are aware that we are doing it.
Cargill
Cargill is the name of a large company that is
involved in the agricultural and food industry.
to lean toward someone
If you move or bend your body so that you are
closer to someone, we say you are leaning toward
them. People often lean toward someone so that
they can more easily hear what they are saying.
evidence
If you have evidence about something, you have
facts or signs that show something is true or is
happening.
to seek clarification
When you ask questions or request information to
make something clearer or easier to understand,
we say you are seeking clarification or clarifying
something. You may seek clarification because
you do not understand the content of what
someone says or because you miss some of what
they have said because of their accent,
background noise etc.
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an approach to something
Your approach to something is how you deal with
it. For example, an approach to a job interview
would be to research information about the
company or organization and practise answering
possible questions an interviewer could ask.
a perception of something
Someone’s perception of something is how they
think about it or what they think it might be like.
For example, newcomer perceptions of Manitoba
could be that people in the province are friendly or
that winter never ends.
an equal opportunity employer
An equal opportunity employer gives everyone an
equal chance for a job. They do not discriminate
against any group.
to embrace something
If you embrace an idea or concept, you welcome it.
You are eager to do it. For example, a company
that embraces diversity would have a workforce
comprised of men, women, people of different
ethnic backgrounds, different cultures, who speak
different languages etc.
perspectives
Perspectives are different ways of looking at a
situation or thinking about things. Your
perspective is influenced by your life experiences,
your education etc.
to enrich something
If you enrich something, you improve the quality of
it. For example, students can enrich their
education in a language by visiting a country
where that language is spoken.
to be an asset to something
If your employer considers you as an asset to the
company, it means that they think you are helping
the company succeed.
3. Vocabulary Match
Hand out and review Worksheet 2. Ask students to work with a partner to complete it.
Take up the answers as a class.
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4. Predict what the interview is about
In this podcast, several Manitobans whose first language is not English talk about
speaking English with an accent and how people respond to their accent. Ask students
if they can predict things the speakers might say based on their own experiences. Here
are some examples:
They might feel strongly that…their accent is part of who they are.
Maybe they feel that …listeners are making assumptions about them or
judging them because of their accent.
Perhaps they feel that…they need to improve their pronunciation.
I wonder if they …share the communication strategies they use.
While-listening activities
1. Introduce the podcast
Tell students that in this podcast, they will hear five speakers. They will hear:
Marcy Markusa – host
Jorge Requena – CBC producer
Walter Luzzi – Access to English, Immigrant Centre of Manitoba
Joseph Oladele – Cargill employee
Daniel Peimbert – Employment Services, Immigrant Centre of Manitoba
Play the podcast for the first time.
2. Listen for main ideas and identify the speaker
Handout Worksheet 3 and review it with students. Ask students to work with a partner.
Play the podcast as many times as needed. Take up the answers as a class.
After-listening activities
1. Review pre-listening predictions
Ask students if they were able to predict some of the things Marcy’s guests said about
accents based on their own experiences.
Extension activities
1. Read the Manitoba Memo for main ideas and detail and answer true/false questions
Handout and review Worksheet 4. Ask students to work with a partner to complete it.
Take up the answers as a class.
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2. Read statements about accents and express agreement or disagreement
Handout and review Worksheet 5. Ask students to work in small groups to complete it.
Have the groups share highlights of their discussion with the class.
3. Read employment related scenarios and discuss if discrimination on the basis of
language or related factors is taking place
Handout and review Worksheet 6. Ask students to discuss the scenarios in small
groups. Ask the groups to share their opinions with the rest of the class. Which
scenarios generated the most discussion?
4. Write a paragraph to describe a personal experience relating to your own accent or the
accent of another person
Handout and review Worksheet 7. Students can discuss content ideas with a partner
but each student should write their own paragraph.
Want to know more on this topic?
Background for the Manitoba Memo is from:
www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/12/19/canada-immigration-foreign-skilledworkers_n_2293003.html
blogs.vancouversun.com/2011/10/14/why-do-employers-prefer-to-interview-alison-butnot-min/
The website for the Immigrant Centre of Manitoba is:
icmanitoba.com/services/
The website for the Manitoba Human Rights Commission is:
www.manitobahumanrights.ca/
The Ontario Human Rights Commission website has information and examples related
to language related discrimination. Some of these examples were used for Worksheet
6. Go to: www.ohrc.on.ca/en/policy-discrimination-and-language/language-relatedgrounds-discrimination-ancestry-ethnic-origin-place-origin-race
CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external websites
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Worksheet 1: Discussing Speaking a New Language with an Accent
Think about the issue of people speaking a new language with an accent. What are your
thoughts and experiences? Practise your listening and speaking skills as you discuss the
following questions in a group discussion.
1. Think about the Manitoba community you live, work, study and shop in. When/Where do
you hear a lot of people who speak with an accent?
2. What do you notice about how native speakers react to non-native English speakers
with a perceived accent?
3. Do you think people may respond negatively because of a person’s accent or is it
because of other reasons as well?
4. What have your personal experiences been as you interact and communicate within the
community where you live?
5. What strategies do you use when someone doesn’t understand your spoken English?
e.g. repetition, gestures, speaking more slowly etc.
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Worksheet 2: Vocabulary Match
Learning vocabulary before you listen helps you understand the podcast. Work with your
partner to see if you can you match each vocabulary word or phrase with its meaning. You
can use an English Language Learner’s Dictionary to help you. The first one is completed
for you as an example.
Vocabulary Word
Meaning
1. _d an accent
a)
the person in charge
2. __ a promotion
b)
a subject that is sensitive or could offend
someone
3. __ a counterpart
c)
to be useful to an organization; to help it
succeed
4. __ to reduce
d)
the way you pronounce words in a
language
5. __ a touchy subject
e)
to promise
6. __ the head of something
f)
facts or signs that show something is true
7. __ a point of view
g)
a move to a more important job within an
organization
8. __ to guarantee
h)
something or someone that helps make an
experience better or deeper
9. __ to judge someone
i)
to be more likely to behave in a certain way
10. __ to be predisposed to do
something
j)
a belief about what something is like or
may be like
11. __ to be confident
k)
to welcome something; to be eager to do it
12. __ to do something
consciously
l)
someone who has the same job as another
person but in another organization
13. __ evidence
m)
to be sure of your abilities
14. __ to clarify
n)
to make smaller
15. __ to embrace something
o)
to be aware of what you are doing or
saying
16. __ to enrich
p)
to form an opinion about someone on the
basis of what you hear or see
17. __ to be an asset to an
organization
q)
to ask questions to make something
clearer or easier to understand
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Worksheet 3: Listen for Main Ideas and Identify the Speaker
Look at each of the sentences in the chart below. Each comes from the CBC interview. When
you listen to the interview again, listen for these sentences. Can you identify the speaker?
What are they talking about at this point in the interview? Complete the chart below with your
partner. You can check your answers using the transcript.
What was said….
Who said it?
What is the speaker
talking about? Explain in
your own words.
1.
I personally consider it part of who I
am.
a) Jorge
Jorge is talking about his
accent.
2.
I can guarantee you that now someone
is listening to me and is paying
attention to many things beyond
whatever I want to say, which is the
content of the message.
3.
Well the real goal is to communicate.
4.
Many a times I find people trying to
lean towards me to hear what I’m
saying, which is an evident of the fact
that my accent is possibly not too
clear to them.
5.
It’s about changing our perception a
little bit.
6.
I mean let’s be honest, speaking more
than you know one language is actually
ah a good asset to an employer.
Speakers
a) Jorge Requena – CBC producer
b) Walter Luzzi – Access to English, Immigrant Centre of Manitoba
c) Joseph Oladele – Cargill employee
d) Daniel Peimbert – Employment Services, Immigrant Centre of Manitoba
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Worksheet 4: Read the Manitoba Memo for Main Ideas and Detail
The Manitoba Memo at the beginning of the lesson provides some background information on
the topic. Can you read the Memo to identify main ideas and detail? Can you answer the
following questions? The first one is completed for you as an example.
1.
Your name can affect your employment opportunities.
True False
2.
A 2010 study in three Canadian cities found that job
applicants with English sounding names were more likely to
receive callbacks.
True False
3.
The study’s research methodology involved sending out
identical resumes but changing the name of the applicants.
True False
4.
The study found that applicants with English sounding names
were over 35 percent more likely to be called back.
True False
5.
However, when the resume stated that applicants with Greek,
Chinese and Indian sounding names were fluent in English or
French, call back rates for these groups went up.
True False
6.
The study results show that some employers do discriminate
on the basis of ethnicity.
True False
7.
Employers and human resource staff assumed that applicants
with foreign sounding names lacked English language skills
and would not fit in socially.
True False
8.
Immigrants and newcomers who do get a callback for a job
still face obstacles.
True False
9.
Accents can also be a barrier to employment.
True False
10. If someone has a strong, foreign sounding accent, it is
important to take accent reduction classes.
True False
11. Anyone who has studied a new language for at least six years
will be able to speak it with a minimal accent.
True False
12. The goal of adult English as an Additional Language classes
is to help people to communicate and to be understood.
True False
13. Cases of language discrimination are often tied to ancestry,
ethnicity or place or origin.
True False
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Worksheet 5: Express Agreement or Disagreement with Statements about Accents
Can you express your opinions on a topic that may be sensitive or controversial? Do you
have the language skills to agree or disagree that something is the case in Canadian society?
Can you explain the reason you feel that way? Here are some examples of sentence starters
people use when they are expressing agreement or disagreement in a group discussion:
In my opinion…
I agree/disagree with…
I strongly agree/disagree with…
I believe that…
I can see your point of view, but…
On the one hand, I think that…….but on the other hand, I think that…
I’m not sure what to think.
Work with a group of your classmates. Read the following statements and think about how
you would respond. Discuss your views with your group.
1. People are usually very perceptive to even the slightest accent. They can even detect an
accent in a short piece of spoken language.
2. If you compare urban and rural communities, you will find more negative reactions to
someone with an accent when you are in a rural community.
3. Some listeners get upset listening to someone speaking with an accent, just because it
requires more effort and patience to understand.
4. A speaker with a heavy accent can still be understood.
5. EAL learners should focus on pronunciation problems that affect their intelligibility rather
than try to eliminate their accent.
6. People often stereotype others on the basis of their accent. They assume that because
someone has a specific accent they represent what’s good or bad about the country or
people they associate with that accent.
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Worksheet 6: Is it Discrimination? What is Your Opinion?
Background Information
The language we speak and the accent we speak with are linked to our ancestry, our
ethnic origin or our place of origin. Under the Manitoba Human Rights Code, language in
itself is not considered a ground for a complaint, but discrimination on the basis of
ancestry, ethnicity and place of origin is prohibited. Because language is closely linked to
all of these things, cases of discrimination related to language do arise. If a complaint is
filed with the Human Rights Commission, the question becomes whether there is an
underlying discrimination. For example, is the denial of housing, services or employment,
based on a person’s ancestry, place of origin or ethnic origin, of which language and
accent are a part?
It is not discrimination however if an employer can show that proficiency in a certain
language, and the ability to communicate and be understood in that language, is required
for an employee to be able to do the job.
Read each of the situations below. Do you think it is a case of discrimination? Or do you think
the employer has a valid concern? Think about your opinion for each situation. Then discuss
your opinion with your group.
1.
Julio was denied a supervisory job in a meat packing plant. He speaks with a
heavy accent. The employer decided that his spoken English would be too hard to
understand. The employer felt that this might create a safety risk if the other workers
couldn’t understand him in an emergency situation.
2.
Marko got a job as a labourer on a construction site. Usually he worked alone. He
did basic manual labour. After a few weeks, his boss laid him off. He said Julio’s
accent was too hard for him to understand when Julio asked questions.
3.
Lisa got a job in a sales office. Most of her work involved calling customers on the
phone. Customers began to complain that they couldn’t understand her on the phone.
They threatened to take their business somewhere else. The employer asked Lisa to
leave.
4.
A manager supervises a group of workers who all speak English as a second
language and have different countries of origin. During a break, he orders four
employees who are speaking Arabic with each other to “act Canadian” when they are
at work. He says if they continue speaking Arabic at the workplace he will fire them.
5.
An African Canadian woman has a disagreement with a co-worker over the phone.
Her manager overhears the conversation and tells her that her accent is “hard and
rude.” The woman is offended that her accent is being blamed for the disagreement.
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She objects and is branded as “difficult” and “aggressive.” The manager orders a
performance review.
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Worksheet 7: Write a Descriptive Paragraph
Can you write a descriptive paragraph about a personal experience where communication
has been difficult due to the speaker’s accent or the listener’s attitude? Think about the
following questions before you begin. Answering the questions in order will help you organize
and write your paragraph.
1. What was the experience? Can you briefly summarize what happened?
2. How did the people involved react?
3. Do you think the reaction you / others had was appropriate? Why or why not?
4. Was anything learned from the experience? Is there anything that could be done
differently in the future?
Opening sentence
to introduce the
topic
____________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________.
First supporting
detail
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________.
Second supporting
detail
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________.
Conclusion
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________.
Our Accent is Part of Who We Are
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Appendix 1: Transcript2
February 11, 2014 (broadcast date)
Speaker
Podcast
Marcy
Hi I'm Marcy Markusa and you're listening to Learning English
Line
with CBC. A new study has shown that people with accents
are not being considered for promotions as often as their
counterparts. CBC’s Jorge Requena has spoken to some
people in Winnipeg about whether they think accents have an
5
impact on who gets hired for a job. He’s going to share some
of what he found out with us. But first, he tells me why the
topic of reducing your accent is a touchy subject for him.
Jorge
I personally consider it part of who I am. I feel like it lets
people know a a little bit about me, that I feel is important, so I
10
wanta keep my accent. And as it turns out, the Immigrant
Centre does not offer accent reduction courses. Walter Luzzi,
who heads their Access to English program, give me a good a
really good reason why. He says focusing on reducing your
accent won’t make you better at communicating.
Walter
15
From um a listener point of view, I can guarantee you that now
someone is listening to me and is paying attention to many
things beyond whatever I want to say, which is the content of
the message, because he or she might be saying, oh you know
what’s this guy from, where is that accent from. I mean we all
20
judge at one level or the other.
Marcy
It sounds like employers may be predisposed to judge as well
in some cases. Is there anything that can be done?
2
For the complete interview or other recent CBC Information Radio podcasts, go to: www.cbc.ca/podcasting/includes/mbinforadio.xml
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Jorge
Well the real goal is to communicate. So one of the things us
people with accents can do is be a bit more confident and
25
consciously trying to make ourselves understood. Joseph
Oladele from Cargill also told me a little bit about that.
Joseph
Many a times I find people trying to lean towards me to hear
what I’m saying, which is an evident of the fact that my accent
is possibly not too clear to them so I also learn to to speak
30
slowly so that, you know, I can be heard and also seek
clarification you know from people where where it is necessary.
Marcy
But there’s also the employer side of things so what can they
do to improve their approach?
Jorge
It’s about changing our perception a little bit. Hiring a person
35
with an accent can actually be, really be a good thing for a
company. Daniel at the Immigrant Centre put it like this:
Daniel
More and more companies that are ah equal opportunity
employers or are are embracing diversity or trying to, it it it’s I
think it’s great for them that they are actually looking at that
40
and saying maybe people from overseas and with different ah
values, different culture, different ah ah points of view and
perspective actually enriches the whole ah the whole company
and the culture. I mean let’s be honest, speaking more than
you know one language is actually ah is actually a good asset
to an employer.
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