HOW TO TEACH
listening
Why is listening important?
Listening to spoken language helps Ss…
expose to varieties & accents
acquire the language subconsciously
improve listening as a skill
Kinds of listening
Listening to authentic materials
 to help Ss “get a feel” about the language
Listening to audio tapes/ CDs, videos
 to help Ss learn the language
What’s special about listening?
When we read …
we can read at our own pace.


we can reread easily.


we can use a dictionary.
When we listen…
the speed of the message depends on the speaker

we can’t listen to the message again.

we can’t look up the words we don’t know.
Understanding spoken English


Father: How’s your homework? You know, your history?
Son: Easy.
Father: You sure?
Son: It’s just… I mean all we need to do is, well, just read some stuff.
Father: But d’you understand it?
Son: Can I go and play with Tom?


Yuko: What would you like your life to be like in 20 years’ time?
Hiroki: I’d like it to be … I want to have a family… you know, a husband, three children, my …
Yuko: Would you be happy?
Hiroki: I’d be … I mean, yes. Yeah, sure, sure, of course. What about you?
Yuko: Erm, me, well erm, er… Maybe I’d like to have a good … you know, to do a really interesting job … with lots of pay, of course!
What’s special about listening?
Spoken language is informal
incomplete utterances
repetition / paraphrasing
hesitation
colloquial style
Spoken factors
stress & rhythm
intonation
tone of voice


Listening exercises - Example
Listen to each question and decide if the speaker is
asking about where or when something is happening.
When Where
When Where
When Where
When Where
When Where
What is the focus of this exercise?

Listening exercises - Example
Listen to part of the lecture about multiple intelligences.
Complete the following passage with the words you hear.

This first one, (1) …………… intelligence is an ability to (2)…………… languages and the ability to use language effectively to (3) ………………… and to remember things. In Gardner’s view, writers, poets, (4)………………., people like that possess a (5)………………… of linguistic intelligence.
What is the focus of this exercise?

Listening basic subskills
Listening for main ideas
Listening for specific information
Listening for details
Intensive listening
Extensive listening



Teaching listening - Principles
Tape recorder is as important as the tape.




T needs to be skillful in using tape recorder.









Good quality of sound
Teaching listening - Principles
Preparation is vital.
T has to…
listen to the tape in advance
predict any problems Ss may have
think of ways to get ready for them


Teaching listening - Principles
Once will not be enough.
1st listening  get general comprehension
2nd listening  listening task 1
3rd listening  listening task 2
…

Teaching listening - Principles
Encourage Ss to respond to the content of a listening.
Examples

Example 1
Listen & notice the difference in pronunciation b/w these 2 sentences:
I can meet you on Monday
I can’t meet you on Monday.

Listen & circle the word you hear.
can can’t 3. can can’t
2. can can’t 4. can can’t
Example 2
Listen to Liz talking about what she can do and can’t do. Complete the chart.
Teaching listening - Principles
Different listening stages demand different listening tasks.
Easy  Difficult
General  Specific
Main ideas  details


Teaching listening - Principles
getting ready
engage
listening task 1
writing task(s)
oral task(s)
…
listening task 2
TOPIC
Exploit listening texts to the full.
The stages of a listening lesson
Before




During

After
Lead-in: stimulate learners’ interest; provide them with ideas
Language focus: vocabulary, pronunciation, connected speech, language functions

Listening task / tasks

Transfer and language focus: correction