Creating a study group
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 …
I prefer to study alone because I can't concentrate while studying with others.
I haven't ever created a study group yet. Because there is no way to design it for me. Why I can't do this is that I haven't got many friends and any other places to go out for study. However, I will try my best to make it possible in real. Thanks for this program's topic- dealing with the exam issue by creating a study group as a powerful weapon.
This one is good task to improve listening skills.
just few words are difficult to understand.
Have you ever created a study group? What are your tips?
Yes I have studied before in a group, we were four guys in a group, studied at night in friend's home, it was great time. I recommend to study in a group that's really effective, useful and help each other sharing good ideas
I think study group must have at least one smart person, one creative person and one talkative person.
Have you ever created a study group? What are your tips?
Long time ago, when I was at the college. I remember in 2 grade I had a lot off met with my classmates for to do search about currently articles and opinions. how you know, they were always the same ones than have commitment and others never come util the last day. I did not like to make study groups.
My tip is, if not come in the first meet, you can not come anymore.
If I may say something, first question and answer is a little bit misleading.
From logical point of view correct answer is three not four
because we can't say they already got study group.
Instead it is in the process of being established
and after next meeting we can say if it realy works or not.
So this meeting should be considered as [0] or [t-1].
Hello bosman,
Thanks for your feedback and I see your point. I think, however, the following line makes the answer clear enough.
Does that make sense?
If you have any other questions or comments like this, we would be very glad to read them.
Best wishes,
Kirk
LearnEnglish team
Have you ever created a study group? What are your tips?
I have never created a study group, but I really want to. In my point of view, as a Vietnamese student, study group isn't really popular in Vietnam, we usually review and do homework by our own, you know, there're a big numbers of assignments that we need to do after class so it's faster if we can focus on it and being alone is a great to be. Furthermore, Vietnamese students or even workers are not good at working in group, there's a lot of reasons explaining why but bassicly, we just lack of skill of group-working.
I have never created a study group, but I really want to. In my opinion, as a Vietnamese student, study groups aren't very popular in Vietnam. We usually review and do homework on our own. You know, there are a large number of assignments that we need to complete after class, so it's faster if we can focus on them individually. Being alone is a great way to concentrate.
Furthermore, Vietnamese students, and even workers, are not very good at working in groups. There are many reasons explaining this, but basically, we just lack group-working skills.