Contemporary Topics 1: Academic Listening and Note-Taking SkillsHelen Solorzano

Who were the major contributors to the development of abstract art? Can video games benefit children? What ethical frameworks guide good decision-making?

Contemporary Topics 1 explores these questions and more through authentic college-level lectures from disciplines such as art history, media studies, and psychology. Designed to prepare students for the demands of academic listening, the series offers extensive practice in listening, speaking, and note-taking strategies. All lectures available on CD and DVD were recorded in realistic classroom settings with live student audiences.

DVD Features

• Authentic college lectures from multiple academic fields (also available on audio CDs)

• Student discussions following each lecture (also available on audio CDs)

• Instructor Presentation Points

• Coaching Tips to support effective note-taking

• Subtitles for lectures and student discussions

Course Features

• Corpus-based vocabulary informed by the Academic Word List

• Practical strategies for listening and note-taking

• Note-review activities to help students assess and improve their note-taking skills

• Academic speaking and research tasks, including presentations, discussions, and role-plays

Teacher’s Pack Includes

• Suggested supplementary activities

• Detailed teaching notes

• Answer keys

• Audioscripts

• A simulated TOEFL® Listening Test for every unit