Interview with nancy: The stress of teaching first-graders

there's a disruptive child: causing problems; behaving badly

It pulls everyone off track: away from the work that is being done

How does the stress manifest itself?: what are the signs or symptoms

Fatigue!: being tired

/ have to keep my temper in the classroom: not become angry

You're more susceptible to illness: get sick more easily and more often

 How stressed are you? The following list is from a medical pamphlet on stress. It describes frequent signs of too much stress. Read the list. Write your initials in front of any symptoms you are currently experiencing.

FREQUENT SIGNS OF TOO MUCH STRESS

Problems eating or sleeping

Increased boredom and great fatigue

Problems making decisions

Increased feelings of anger when small things go wrong

Frequent headaches, backaches, muscle aches, stomach problems

Frequent colds and infections

Now listen. Place a check (/) in the box next to the stress symptoms that Nancy has. Compare answers as a class.

L istening for specific information:

1 How long has Nancy taught, and at what levels?

2 Why is teaching more stressful than other jobs, in her opinion?

3 Nancy says that she is sometimes impatient with her own child. Why?

4 What two reasons does Nancy give to explain why she is often sick?

5 What are two things that Nancy does to relieve her stress?

Interview with sam: The stress of being a police officer

patrol: an assignment in which a police officer walks, bicycles, or drives around a certain neighborhood

a traffic violation: something illegal that is done by a driver

a routine stop: regular; not special or unusual

the force: the police force; the police as a group

ulcers: holes in the lining of the stomach that are made worse by stress

It's documented: shown to be true by research; proven

keep a relationship at its peak: in very good condition; very healthy

 Listening for specific information:

1 How long has Sam been a police officer?

2 What does Sam consider the most stressful assignment, and why?

3 What does Sam say about illness on the police force?

4 What programs does the LAPD have to help officers cope with job stress?

5 How does Sam deal with his stress?

❹ Drawing inferences:

Read the following statements about the interviews that you heard. Write whether you agree (A) or disagree (D) with each statement.

___ 1 Nancy is probably in her early thirties.

___ 2 She takes her job very seriously.

___ 3 She doesn't teach during the summer.

___ 4 She enjoys her work as a teacher.

___ 5 Sam is probably in his forties.

___ 6 Patrol officers probably experience less illness than supervisors.

___ 7 Sam likes being a police officer.

 Write down a short summary of the situation of stress Nancy/Sam faces at job place. Follow the plan given below:

-Signs of stress Nancy/Sam experience;

-Stressful factors at job place Nancy/Sam have to handle;

-Most stressful tasks Nancy/Sam perform;

-Stress management techniques Nancy/Sam use to fight stress.

Listening and Writing