Noticing Changes in Pitch x Changes in Meaning

• 
• Beginners; Intermediate
• Teens; Adults
• Intonation - Listening for pitch changes
• Audioboo
• Material
• Concept behind: Students need a top down approach in which stress, rhythm, and intonation are given priority. Students need to understand how important these features are for conveying the intended message.

1.Discuss:

Have you seen the movie How to Lose a Guy In Ten Days?

How do you feel when you first meet someone interesting?

How do you usually come across?

2. You'll watch a scene from the movie How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days without the sound. In this movie, Ben, a very arrogant womanizer, is about to meet a beautiful girl. He really wants to impress her. Read the tapescript and decide what intonation they used.

He: Hi

She: Hi

She: Andie Anderson

He: Benjamin Barry

She: Cute

He: Thank you

She: I mean your name

He: Thank you two times

She: Unattached?

He: Currently

She: Likewise

He: Surprising

She: Psycho?

He: Rarely

He: Interested?

She: Perhaps

He: Hungry?

She: Starving

He: Leaving

She: Now?

He: Ok

She Ok

She: One second

He: I'll meet you at the door

2. Watch the dialogue again and check your answers.

3. Note that a change in pitch can indicate a change in meaning. What is the idea behind each utterance? How much can you tell about the speaker's intention just by the intonation chosen?

4. Read the dialogue below. Use the intonation indicated. Who and what they are ? What does each utterance mean?

4. Use audioboo to record one of the dialogues.

How to lose a guy in ten days - Movie Activity - Conversation Class - Dating-

• 
• Intermediate +
• Teens; Adults
• Speaking
• Relationships
• 
  

My Conversation group asked me to prepare a class on dating, and I decided to use How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days. I prepared some questions as prompts to our conversation and added a reading from Newsweek for further language analysis and discussion. Students had a lot to say and the class developed well. Today was a good day in class.

• Have you seen his movie?
• What is it about?
• Would you like to see/ see it again?

When they first meet

• Describe the scene.
• How do people flirt in your country?
• Who often starts the flirt in your country? Why?
• How important do you think first impressions are?
• Have you ever started a conversation with a stranger of the opposite sex in a party? How was it?
• He seems to be enfatuated. What can she possibly do to break the spell in ten days?
• Read your list to the rest of the class to compare your ideas. Were they similar?

• Describe the scene.
• Did you mention being naggy on your lists?
• Did you mention being jealous?
• Have you ever been or seen a similar situation?
• What would you have done if you were in his/her shoes?
• Is her behavior acceptable? Why/ Why not?

• Describe the scene.
• Did you mention being clingy on your lists?
• What would you have done if you were in his shoes?
• Is her behavior acceptable? Why/ Why not?
• What else can she do to scare him off?

Get in groups and discuss the following questions.

• How many serious relationships have you had?
• What makes two people in a serious relationship drift away?
• What would make you break up a relationship?
• Have you ever broken up a relationship? How did you feel?
• Has anyone broken up with you? How did you feel?
• How do people your age find partners where you live? Pubs? Over the web? Circle of friends?
• Have you ever tried internet dating? How do you feel about it?