A Donald Trump Compilation

Beginner

• Task 1: Listening for Key Words. Students are given a list of 5-7 simple, high-frequency words from the video(e.g., women, dogs, cats, water, president, baby). They listen to the recording and check off the words they hear. This task helps them identify and recognize crucial vocabulary.
• Task 2: Simple True/False Statements. Students listen to a short section of the videoand then are presented with simple true/false statements based on the content. For example, “The speaker likes babies” (True) or “The speaker says Puerto Rico is a bad place” (False). This task helps beginners practice listening for specific, explicit information.
• Task 3: Simple Question Answering. Students listen to short, clear statements and answer simple “wh-” questions, such as, “What did the people in Springfield eat?” (dogs, cats, pets) or “What does the speaker say about his hands?” (they are not small). This practice focuses on pulling explicit information from the dialogue.

Intermediate

• Task 1: Listening for Specific Details. Students listen to the section about the storm in Puerto Rico. They must answer questions about the specific details given, such as, “What word does the speaker use to describe the storm?” (wettest) and “What does the speaker say about the people there?” (he loves them and is praying for them). This task requires learners to sift through information to find targeted details.
• Task 2: Identifying Opinions and Emotions. Students listen to different parts of the monologue and describe the speaker’s tone. For example, is he confident, insulting, or serious when talking about his opponents? They should be able to identify emotional cues and explain what words or phrases convey them.
• Task 3: Summarizing a Short Anecdote. Students listen to the short story about “Abdul and the picture of his house.” They then write a short summary of the story in their own words, explaining what happened and the perceived threat. This task helps them practice listening for a narrative and summarizing it.

Advanced

• Task 1: Analyzing and Debating a Claim. In a small group, students listen to the claim, “Nobody has done more for the black community than Donald Trump, with the exception of Abraham Lincoln.” They must then discuss and debate this claim, using other parts of the videoor their own knowledge to support or refute the statement. This task requires a high-level discussion and the ability to articulate complex ideas.
• Task 2: Identifying Irony and Contradiction. Students listen to the monologue and identify instances where the speaker says something that is ironic or contradicts a previous statement. For example, he says, “I love babies,” then immediately says to “get the baby out of here.” They must then explain the contradiction. This tests the ability to understand implied meaning and recognize logical fallacies.
• Task 3: Comprehensive Note-Taking and Summarizing. Students listen to the entire monologue and take detailed notes on the various topics discussed, such as China, Jeb Bush, and Hillary Clinton. After listening, they use their notes to write a comprehensive summary of the monologue, capturing the main ideas, notable claims, and the speaker’s overall purpose. This task synthesizes listening and writing skills at a high level.

Beginner

1. Vocabulary Matching. Students read a list of simple words from the video(e.g., women, dogs, cats, water, president, baby) and match each to a provided definition or a simple synonym. This task helps build foundational vocabulary.
2. Basic Comprehension Questions. Students read a short, coherent section of the videoand answer simple “wh-” questions to find explicit information. For example, “What does the speaker say about Puerto Rico?” or “What does the speaker say about his hands?” This focuses on literal comprehension and detail extraction.
3. Simple True/False Statements. Students read a series of statements based on the videoand decide if each statement is true or false. For instance, “The speaker thinks he is a genius” (True) or “The speaker says he hates babies” (False, within the context of the joke). This practice reinforces reading for explicit details.

Intermediate

1. Identifying the Main Idea of a Section. Students read the videoand divide it into different thematic sections (e.g., the part about Puerto Rico, the part about magnets, the part about Jeb Bush). For each section, they write a one-sentence summary of the main point. This encourages them to move beyond a literal reading to grasp the overall message of each part.
2. Explaining a Claim with Evidence. Students select one of the speaker’s claims (e.g., “Nobody has done more for the black community than Donald Trump”). They must then write a short paragraph identifying and explaining the claim, and finding any explicit or implied evidence in the text that supports it.
3. Analyzing a Character’s Actions. Students read the videoand focus on the interaction with “Abdul.” They write a short paragraph describing the implied relationship and the power dynamic between the speaker and Abdul, using specific phrases from the text to support their description.

Advanced

1. Analyzing Rhetorical Devices. Students read the entire videoand identify specific rhetorical devices used by the speaker, such as hyperbole, repetition, and ad hominem attacks. They then write a short essay explaining how these devices are used to create a persuasive or impactful tone. For instance, they can analyze the use of hyperbole in the statement, “I am the chosen one.”
2. Examining Language and Style. Students write a short essay analyzing the speaker’s unique linguistic style. They should discuss his use of fragmented sentences, simple vocabulary, and personal anecdotes, and argue how these stylistic choices contribute to his communication strategy.
3. Summarizing and Critiquing an Argument. Students read the entire videoand write an essay that summarizes the speaker’s core arguments and claims. They should also include a brief critique of the validity and coherence of these arguments, using specific examples from the text. This task requires a high level of analytical and critical reading skills.

Beginner

• Task 1: Fill-in-the-Blanks. Students read a short passage from the videowith key words missing (e.g., “We are also praying for the people of Puerto Rico. We love Puerto Rico. It was a tough _______.” They must read the videoand write in the missing words. This task helps learners practice spelling and writing specific words in a meaningful context.
• Task 2: Simple Sentence Writing. Students read the videoand write two simple sentences about two different topics. For example, one sentence about Puerto Rico and another about babies. This task reinforces basic sentence structure and fact retrieval.
• Task 3: Describing a Simple Scenario. Students read the part about the people in Springfield. They write a short paragraph describing what happened there, focusing on who came in and what they were eating. This task helps beginners practice summarizing a key idea in their own words.

Intermediate

• Task 1: Explaining a Claim with Evidence. Students select one of the speaker’s claims (e.g., “Nobody has done more for the black community than Donald Trump, with the exception of Abraham Lincoln.”) They must then write a short paragraph identifying and explaining the claim, and finding any explicit or implied evidence in the text that supports it.
• Task 2: Writing a Character Sketch. Students read the videoand focus on the interaction with “Abdul.” They write a short paragraph describing the implied relationship and the power dynamic between the speaker and Abdul, using specific phrases from the text to support their description.
• Task 3: Compare and Contrast. Students read the exchange between the speaker and “Jeb.” They write a paragraph comparing and contrasting the two viewpoints presented on what it takes to be president. This task requires students to identify and articulate different perspectives from a text.

Advanced

• Task 1: Analytical Essay. Students read the entire videoand write an essay analyzing the speaker’s use of rhetorical devices such as hyperbole, repetition, and ad hominem attacks. They should explain how these devices are used to create a persuasive or impactful tone. For instance, they can analyze the use of hyperbole in the statement, “I am the chosen one.”
• Task 2: Creative Writing: A Continuation. Students write a new section for the monologue, adding at least one more personal anecdote or a critique of a public figure in the speaker’s style. They should mimic the speaker’s fragmented sentences and use of simple vocabulary to create a recognizable tone.

Task 3: Formal Essay. Students write a formal essay that summarizes the speaker’s core arguments and claims. They should also include a brief critique of the validity and coherence of these arguments, using specific examples from the text. This task requires a high level of analytical and critical writing skills.