1. Listening for Main ideas  Clues in the introduction  Many speakers give the overall main idea at the end of the introduction  For example, in Chapter 1:  “Do you think that teachers, in general, are able to help scientific or artistic geniuses develop their gifts?”  And in Chapter 2:  “What motivates daredevils…..”

2. Listening for Main ideas  Transitions between “paragraphs”  Many speakers say “I’m finished with one main idea; now here is the next main idea.  For example, in Chapter 1:  “But there is another side to the story….”  “Another example of success in school….”  “So what can we learn from these examples….”

3. Listening for Main ideas  Clues in the conclusion  Many speakers repeat the overall main idea, or all the main ideas, in the conclusion.  For example, in Chapter 3:  “…the fact remains that rites of passage are one of the important ways that human beings give meaning to the changes that occur in life.”

4. Listening for main ideas  Clues from organization  Examples (=Chapter 1 and 2)  Descriptions (=Chapter 3)  Comparisons (=Chapter 6)  Causes and effects (=Chapter 7)  Narrative (=Chapter 9)  Process (=Chapter 10)

5. Listening for main ideas  Clues from hierarchy of ideas  Which idea is the most general, the broadest and which ideas are more specific, narrower. The most general idea is the main idea – the other ideas are there to support the main idea.  For example: Chapter 1  Alexander Fleming, Marie Curie, Lillian Moller Gilbreth, famous scientists who were good in school