Russell Peters on Accents

Beginner

1. Listening for Gist: Students listen to the first 30-60 seconds of the recording. After listening, they should choose the main topic from a list of three options (e.g., A. A man talking about his job, B. A man talking about Indian accents, C. A man describing his house). This helps learners grasp the overall theme.
2. Listening for Key Words: Students are given a list of 5-7 simple, high-frequency words from the video(e.g., “secret,” “Indian,” “accent,” “Home Depot,” “Canadian,” “funny”). They listen to the recording and check off the words they hear. This practice helps them identify and recognize crucial vocabulary.
3. Simple True/False Statements: Students listen to a short section and then are presented with simple true/false statements based on the content. For example, “The comedian says Indian people don’t know what their accent sounds like” (False) or “The comedian says Canadian people have an accent” (True). This task helps beginners practice listening for specific, explicit information.

Intermediate

1. Listening for Specific Details: Students listen to the section about the Indian accent being “good for cutting tension.” They must answer questions about the specific examples given, such as “What is the first example he uses to show the accent can cut tension?” (a serious courtroom drama) and “What does the accent do to the serious situation?” (makes it humorous, relieves tension).
2. Identifying Cause and Effect: Students listen to the joke about Canadian accents. They must identify the reason the speaker gives for Canadian white people having a funny way of talking (their heads bobbling) and explain the connection. This helps students understand how ideas are linked in a spoken narrative.
3. Listening for Tone and Emotion: Students listen to different parts of the monologue and describe the speaker’s tone. For example, is he serious or joking when he says, “We know you’re doing it, you bastards”? They should be able to identify emotional cues and explain what words or phrases convey them.

Advanced

1. Analyzing Argument Structure: Students listen to the monologue and analyze the structure of the speaker’s argument. They should identify his main points (e.g., Indian people are aware of their accent, white Canadians are not aware of theirs) and explain how his personal anecdotes and jokes support these points. This task requires a high-level understanding of the monologue’s overall message.
2. Identifying Irony and Subtext: Students listen to the speaker’s humorous statements, such as saying he’s going to let out a “secret” about Indian people or that the Indian accent is not good for “getting laid.” They must explain the irony and subtext behind these remarks. This tests the ability to understand implied meaning and sophisticated humor.
3. Comprehensive Note-Taking and Summarizing: Students listen to the entire monologue and take detailed notes on the key topics and jokes. After listening, they use their notes to write a comprehensive summary of the monologue, capturing the main ideas, humorous elements, 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., “secret,” “accent,” “cool,” “Home Depot,” “funny,” “swearing”). They must match each word to a provided definition or a simple synonym. This task helps build a foundational vocabulary.
2. Basic Comprehension Questions: Students read a short section of the video(e.g., the part about Home Depot). They then answer simple, direct “who,” “what,” and “where” questions, such as:

• What is the person looking for at Home Depot?
• What do the workers at Home Depot do after the man leaves?

This focuses on literal comprehension of explicit information.

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 says Indian people do not know what their accent sounds like” (False) or “The speaker says the Indian accent is good for getting a date” (False). This practice reinforces reading for explicit details.

Intermediate

1. Identifying the Main Idea of a Section: Students read the videoand divide it into two main sections: the part about Indian accents and the part about Canadian accents. For each section, they write a one-sentence summary of the main idea or argument. This encourages them to move beyond a literal reading to grasp the overall message of each part.
2. Explaining a Joke: Students read the section where the speaker explains why the Indian accent is “good for cutting tension.” They then write a short paragraph explaining the humor behind this point, using the courtroom example to support their explanation. This task helps learners understand humor and its function in a text.
3. Analyzing a Character’s Actions: Students read the dialogue at Home Depot. They then write a short paragraph describing the two characters (the speaker and the Home Depot workers). They should use specific phrases from the text to support their description of what the characters are doing and thinking.

Advanced

1. Analyzing Rhetorical Devices: Students identify and analyze specific rhetorical devices used in the video , such as irony, hyperbole, and direct address to the audience. For example, they can explain the irony of the statement, “It’s a pretty bold statement for a brown man, but I can prove to you white people.”
2. Examining Cultural and Social Commentary: Students read the entire videoand write a short essay (2-3 paragraphs) analyzing the speaker’s commentary on cultural stereotypes and the perception of accents. They should use direct quotes from the text to support their analysis of how the speaker uses humor to address these topics.

3. Summarizing and Critiquing an Argument: Students read the entire videoand write an essay that summarizes the speaker’s overall argument about accents and their social value. They should also include a brief critique of his argument, discussing how his use of humor and narrative strengthens his message or, potentially, falls short. This task requires a high level of analytical and critical reading skills.

Beginner

• Task 1: Simple Story Summary. Students read the videoand write 3-4 simple sentences summarizing the story of the man at Home Depot. The focus should be on key details: what the man asked for, what the workers did, and what the man knew they were doing.
• Task 2: Describing a Feeling. Students read the part where the comedian talks about people mocking the Indian accent. They write a short paragraph describing how a person might feel in that situation, using simple adjectives like angry, upset, or frustrated.
• Task 3: Filling in the Blanks. Students are given a short passage from the videowith key words missing (e.g., “Indian people are fully aware of what their _______ sounds like. They know it’s not the _______ accent in the world.”). They must read the videoand write in the correct words to complete the sentences.

Intermediate

• Task 1: Explaining a Joke. Students read the section where the comedian explains why the Indian accent is “good for cutting tension.” They then write a paragraph explaining the humor behind this joke, using the courtroom example to support their explanation. This task helps learners understand humor and its function in a text.
• Task 2: Writing a Character Description. Students read the monologue and write a short character sketch of the “white Canadian guys” as described by the comedian. They should describe their accent and physical mannerisms based on the details provided in the text.
• Task 3: Compare and Contrast. Students read the videoand write a paragraph comparing and contrasting the speaker’s claims about the Indian accent with his claims about the Canadian accent. They should note how the speaker says each group perceives their own accent and what the accent is “good for.”

Advanced

• Task 1: Analyzing Rhetorical Devices. Students read the entire videoand write an essay identifying and analyzing specific rhetorical devices used by the comedian. They should focus on satire, hyperbole, and direct address, providing examples from the text to explain how these devices are used to make the jokes effective.
• Task 2: Writing a Satirical Response. Students read the monologue and then write their own satirical piece about a specific accent or cultural stereotype they are familiar with. They should use the speaker’s techniques, such as personal anecdotes and exaggeration, to make a point.

Task 3: Critical Analysis Essay. Students read the entire videoand write an essay that analyzes the speaker’s social commentary. They should discuss themes such as cultural identity, perception, and social hierarchy, using specific examples from the text to support their analysis of how the comedian uses humor to address these complex topics.