Do the preparation task first. Then listen to the audio and do the exercises.
Preparation
Transcript
Ali: Hey, you guys, I've been looking for you. I've got an idea – a study group. What do you think? Are you interested?
Dina: Yes! I need a study group, in a big way.
Bea: Me too.
Ali: Do you think we have enough people here for a study group? I mean, there are only four of us …
Bea: Sorry. Three of us. Chris can't do study group. Right, Chris?
Chris: Yeah, there's no way I can do a study group. I have an assignment and then I'm too busy. But I'll stay for this first meeting.
Ali: Should we try and get another group together with us for this?
Bea: No, I don't think so. I think three is fine. Ideal size, really.
Dina: Me too.
Ali: OK, three people then. Four people for the first meeting. What next?
Bea: What about a meeting place? We can't meet here in the library …
Ali: It's not too bad, especially if those other people would go away.
Bea: But we can't exactly ask them to leave, and people might get annoyed with us talking.
Dina: Can I say something here?
Ali: Sure, go ahead.
Dina: There's a study hall next to the cafeteria. It's almost always empty. Could we meet there?
Ali: A study hall?! Who knew? Well, it sounds good to me.
Bea: Yeah. I've never been there but …
Ali: So, we ought to decide how long for and how often.
Dina: I read somewhere that you should make the meeting at the same time each week. Like a seminar. That way we'd take it more seriously.
Bea: We may as well make it for this time since we're all here. Is this time OK?
Dina: Works for me.
Ali: Me too.
Chris: Hang on just a minute. I know I'm not going to be in this group, but aren't we supposed to have a seminar at this time every other week?
Dina: Umm, no.
Bea: Thursday, no?
Ali: No, that's on Thursday.
Chris: Sorry. Forget I said anything.
Ali: Don't worry about it.
Bea: So everyone agrees that this time is fine? Every week?
Ali: How long should we make it?
Bea: An hour?
Dina: Could we find a way of making it two hours?
Ali: Two hours seems a bit like … too much. To start with then?
Bea: Ninety minutes? Compromise?
Ali: Is that OK with you, Dina?
Dina: Fine by me.
Ali: OK, so I guess all we have left to decide is exactly what we'll do when we meet. The final exam is a way off. I guess we could review our notes, or practise learning things by heart.
Dina: I have a list of dos and don'ts actually that I got online. I could be a moderator, and we could use the ideas as a starting point …
Hi hossein7802,
I'll try to clarify. The seminar is not the same thing as the study group. A seminar is a formal meeting and it is led by a teacher (whereas a study group is an informal meeting and not led by anybody).
In this part of the transcript, Chris isn't offering to have a seminar every other week. Actually, he is reminding the students that they need to go to a seminar at this time, so this time is not good for their study group. However, the students realise that the seminar is on Thursday, not today, so the study group does not clash with the seminar in the end.
Dina suggests making the study group "Like a seminar", but only in the aspect of having a regular meeting at the same time each week. It doesn't mean that the study group will be a seminar.
Does that make sense?
Jonathan
LearnEnglish team
Hi dear Jonathan,
Your answer really helped me. Thanks a lot.
Good morning,
I had created a study many times during my university and high school years, and I am still doing the same for my continuous learning plans, for instance, I just created a study plan for Python language with my friend, the plan is a mixture of online and on-site meetings that have weekly goals to be achieved, we are using different materials to fulfill different learning types and needs, moreover we don't enforce a specific curriculum or any set or type of materials, we are mainly driven by the goals, we also share our achievements on Microsoft Team which is a platform that has no distractors and it is also efficient for teamwork, our shared achievements are basically code sources and programs coded to solve some daily life problems, additionally, our timing is flexible in terms of length and due dates, as all of us are workers and others are business owners, hence, everyone is free to study whenever he or she has time, and the date of submission is a weekend, so it is not that much strict.
That was our way we managed a study group for continuous learning despite the challenge of work and family responsibilities.
Could I join you group please?
Yes, earlier at the university from 10 years, I had created study groups for the materials. And each one had responsible for a material to study and teach it for us.
Yes, I} have ever created a study group, but when I was in high school. It was about ENEM it is an exam that happens every year.
Hello Everyone,
Could someone explains to me why the first answer is 4 students and not three.?
Hi Feras skairek,
Thanks for your question. Question 1 is about the first meeting of the study group. Chris says, "there's no way I can do a study group. I have an assignment and then I'm too busy. But I'll stay for this first meeting."
A little later, a student confirms: "Four people for the first meeting." (Chris will only attend the first meeting, so the study group will have only three students starting from the second meeting.)
Does that make sense?
Jonathan
LearnEnglish team
Thank you Jonathan,
yes, that is sence. I need to focus more next time. The details make the difference.
My best greeting
Feras
Now I'm studying online at my university, so I've created only online study groups to make some assignments. Very often I was a moderator and I can give some tips.
- make your plan, try to turn a big deal into the small pieces.
- decide when you can exchange your thoughts about project
- if something unexpected happens, try to conquer your nerves, make compromise if you need it and go ahead! We are all people so can sometimes make mistakes :)
I want to wish you to get your act together and easily deal with all difficulties :)