Listening - EdUHK
Teaching Listening1
Teaching ListeningDr. John TrentAssociate ProfessorDepartment of English Language EducationEmail: jtrent@ied.edu.hkOffice: B4-2/F-04Telephone: 2948 73752
Teaching ListeningIntroduction / Warm-upLook through the partial script of a lesson forlow-intermediate Ss.After reading, find a partner and consider thesequestions: What do you think of the approach to listeningtaken by this teacher? What do you see as thepros and cons of this lesson? Would you do anything differently and why?3
Teaching ListeningBecause you don’t what to have to listen to metalking non-stop for 2 hours We are going to start with a quick pair / groupwork activity .So, can we please stay in pairs / small groups?4
Teaching ListeningDo you agree with these statements? Why /why not?1. Listening is a passive skill.2. Listening is a one-way process.3. Listening and speaking are separate skills.4. Listening practice should be based on nativespeaker models.5. Learners should be able to understandeverything in the text.5
Teaching Listening1. Listening is a passive skill. This view suggests that information passesfrom sender to receiver. However, it is now thought that the listenergains meaning by interpreting messages inrelation to the context.6
Teaching Listening 2. Listening is a one-way process.This is also based on a transmission view ofinformation from speaker to listener.However, listening involves different kinds ofroles.The listener might be in a communicativerelationship with the speaker.Here, listening plays an important part inconstructing the ongoing speech.Listening can be one-way (listening to a speech )The purpose here is to listen for meaning.7
Teaching Listening3. Listening and speaking are separate skills. In some courses, these skills are taughtseparately. “Today is the listening lesson”. Contemporary approaches to teaching aim tointegrate skills to better reflect what occurs incommunication outside the classroom.8
Teaching Listening4. Listening practice should be based on nativespeaker models. Many learners and teachers believe theyshould aim for a native-speaker model. In many cases this is unrealistic. Not many learners will need native-speakercompetency to communicate in English. Exposing students to activities that use avariety of different accents can be heard isnow thought to be helpful in languagelearning.9
Teaching Listening5. Learners should be able to understandeverything in the text. This is unrealistic for classroom listeningactivities. In real life situations, we only pay attention /understand a relatively small percentage ofwhat we hear. Contemporary approaches to teachinglistening emphasize certain skills andcontexts rather than expecting students torecall everything in a listening text.10
Teaching ListeningSome principles for teaching listening . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v K21mag4VnDI11
Teaching ListeningFrom the video Bottom-up processing Top-down processing Will students be able to use backgroundknowledge? What help will they need to access the text? Schema. Language-based processing. Meaning-based processing.12
Teaching ListeningFrom the video Implications for teaching listening: Not just teaching language-based processing. Activate background knowledge. Encourage Ss to guess, make predictions, todraw on their knowledge of the world To enable them to listen as people do inauthentic situations.13
Teaching ListeningTo summarize Listening is complex TaskThink about this question:What factors do you think come into play whenwe are trying to understand spoken languagethat might influence how successful we are?Let’s start by looking at a few possibilities .14
Teaching ListeningCan you fill in some more under each of thecategories below?Listener factors What purpose does the listener have?Linguistic factors What variety of English is the speaker using?(American, British, Singaporean, Indian?.)Situational factors Where is the communication taking place?15
Teaching ListeningListener factors What purpose does the listener have? How proficient is he / she in English? How familiar is he / she with the topic? How interested is he / she in the topic? What strategies does he / she make use ofwhile listening?16
Teaching ListeningLinguistic factors What varieties of English is the speaker using? How fast is the speaker speaking? How many speakers are there? What are their relationships to each other? How long is the spoken segment of language? What kind of discourse is involved (casualconversation, discussion, interview, lecture .)?17
Teaching ListeningSituational Factors Where is the communication taking place? Does the situation give clues about thecontent? How does the situation affect what people sayto each other? What are the roles of the participants? What are they doing and why?18
Teaching ListeningDeveloping students learning processesPrepare students to listen in different kinds of situations.One thing we need to do is to prepare learners for different kinds oflistening: Casual conversations Telephone conversations Lectures Classroom lessons Movies Songs Announcements Instructions The handout ( Number 1) summarizes some of the possibilities19
Teaching ListeningPrepare students to listen in different kinds ofsituationsWhat can we do as teachers? Examine activities in your textbook to see if thetasks engage Ss in a variety of situations androles. Many books do not do this. They simply asks Ss to listen and report onsomething. We should not discard these but we cansupplement them with other activities.20
Teaching ListeningPrepare students to listen in different kinds ofsituationsFor example, students could: Listen to recorded messages that give instructionsand be asked to react to the instructions. Watch parts of a movie and discuss the mainevents. Find a favourite song on YouTube and listen to thewords.21
Teaching ListeningLook through the textbook What listening situations are Ss asked to engagewith?Compare this with the list on the handout (1).Is the coverage adequate?If not, what could you do about it?22
Teaching Listening Provide opportunities for Ss to use bottom-upprocessingAs we saw in the video, listening is a process thatmakes use of different kinds of information.Some information comes from what the speakersays the words and sentences spoken.Comprehension moves from the bottom (sounds,words, phrases )To the top (meanings)Therefore, its called ‘bottom-up processing’.23
Teaching ListeningProvide opportunities for Ss to use bottom-upprocessingWhat does this process look like?Imagine you heard this:The guy I sat next to on the bus this morning onthe way to work was telling me he runs anItalian restaurant downtown. Apparently itsvery popular at the moment.24
Teaching ListeningProvide opportunities for Ss to use bottom-upprocessingTo understand this using bottom-up processing,we break it down into components (calledchunking).So, we end up with something like this:25
Teaching ListeningProvide opportunities for Ss to use bottom-upprocessingThe guyI sat next to on the busThis morningwas telling mehe runs an Italian restaurant downtownapparently its very popular at the moment26
Teaching ListeningProvide opportunities for Ss to use bottom-upprocessingThese chunks help me determine the meanings:I was on the busThere was someone next to meWe talkedHe runs an Italian restaurantIts downtownIts very popular now.27
Teaching ListeningProvide opportunities for Ss to use bottom-upprocessingWhat can the teacher do? A transcript of a listening text can be used toshow Ss how these types of boundaries ofwords occur.28
Teaching ListeningProvide opportunities for Ss to use bottom-upprocessingUse classroom activities that they begin from ageneral orientation and then move into listening for specificinformation.Some examples are distributed in class:(Handout 2).29
Teaching ListeningProvide opportunities for Ss to use bottom-upprocessingSome examples for the classroom:The following activities require intensivelistening from SsHandout 3 30
Teaching ListeningProvide opportunities for Ss to use top-downprocessingTop-down processing describes how thelistener’s background knowledge affectslistening.From this, we can make predictions about thetopic and what we are likely to hear.31
Teaching ListeningProvide opportunities for Ss to use top-downprocessingIn this approach we refer to schemas.These provide questions to which we expect tofind answers in the text.So, as the video suggested, if we mention“earthquake”, we might ask ourselves:Where did it occur?When did it occur?How serious was it?.32
Teaching ListeningProvide opportunities for Ss to use top-downprocessingWhen we apply our schema, top-downprocessing guides us towards the meaning.For example, hearing the expressing “good luck”can have different meanings in differentsituations:Going to the casinoGoing to the dentistGoing to a job interview.33
Teaching ListeningProvide opportunities for Ss to use top-downprocessingWhat can the teacher do?Using a textbook, ask: How much bottom-up and top-downprocessing is needed? Is the text on an unfamiliar topic for my Ss?If yes, we can do several things:34
Teaching ListeningProvide opportunities for Ss to use top-downprocessing Give Ss more processing time by stopping therecording at different places to give themmore time to process information. Give Ss time to think about the topic inadvance. Build / activate Ss schema through predictionand other pre-listening activities (which wewill discuss later).35
Teaching ListeningProvide opportunities for Ss to use top-downprocessing Ask Ss to brainstorm about a topic and / orgenerate a set of questions that they expect tohear answered.As an example, look at the next handout (no. 4)for a suggested activity.How does it allow Ss to practice top-downprocessing?36
Teaching ListeningProvide opportunities for Ss to use top-downprocessingLook at the next examples on Handout 5 These activities also draw upon Ss backgroundknowledge.37
Teaching ListeningProvide opportunities for Ss to use interactiveprocessing: Moving between bottom-up andtop-down processingInteractive processing refers to making use ofbottom-up and top-down processing whilelistening.In teaching, it is useful to use a cycle ofactivities with a text so Ss can practice bothbottom-up and top-down processing.38
Teaching ListeningProvide opportunities for Ss to use interactiveprocessing: Moving between bottom-up andtop-down processingThese activities should: Involve attention to word recognition skills. The use of background knowledge,inferencing, and predicting.39
Teaching ListeningProvide opportunities for Ss to use interactiveprocessing: Moving between bottom-up andtop-down processingSs often believe that all listening texts should beprocessed bottom-up.They often adopt a word-by-word listeningstrategy.40
Teaching ListeningProvide opportunities for Ss to use interactiveprocessing: Moving between bottom-up andtop-down processingSometimes our teaching approach can reinforcethis .41
Teaching ListeningProvide opportunities for Ss to use interactiveprocessing: Moving between bottom-up andtop-down processingFirst, we play a passage Then, Ss answer a series of comprehensionquestions 42
Teaching ListeningProvide opportunities for Ss to use interactiveprocessing: Moving between bottom-up andtop-down processingTo move beyond this, we need to make sure ourlistening materials and teaching approachesmake use of different types of tasks.43
Teaching ListeningProvide opportunities for Ss to use interactiveprocessing: Moving between bottom-up andtop-down processingTasks requiring the identification of explicitinformation can be followed by tasks thatrequire Inferencing Prediction Or that draw upon Ss background information.44
Provide opportunities for Ss to use interactive processing:Moving between bottom-up and top-down processingThe handout (No. 6) has some examples of thetype of activity that encourages Ss to use bothtypes of processing.45
Provide opportunities for Ss to use interactive processing:Moving between bottom-up and top-down processingTaskLook at the chapters from the listening text.Are there opportunities for Ss to practice bothtypes processing?If not, how could you modify the listeningactivities?46
Activate Background KnowledgeThe Pre-Listening PhaseSs can be encouraged to apply their priorknowledge about things, concepts, people, andevents to a particular utterance.Then, the conversation Ss hear can be used toconfirm expectations and fill in details.47
Activate Background KnowledgeContent schemata: This refers to the knowledge we have aboutconcepts, topics, and events.For example: We have an understanding about that whathappens when we book a table in a restaurant,what the effects of an earthquake might be .48
Activate Background KnowledgeFormal schema: The knowledge we have of how different text typesare constructed.For example: How we expect a report to be organized andpresented. If we know we are going to hear a personal recount ofsome event, we might pay attention for certaininformation The time, place, Participants, events described in a chronological order .49
Activate Background KnowledgeWhat can we, as teachers, do? Activities that check, preview or structurelearners background knowledge can be helpful. As an example, see the suggested activity onthe handout (No. 7).50
Provide Necessary Vocabulary SupportResearch shows that providing Ss with vocabsupport before and during listening can assit Ss inunderstanding texts .For example:At the pre-listening phase, the teacher can Determine which words are central to theunderstanding of the text. Determine which words can be guessed fromcontext. Determine which words can be ignored becausethey are not essential to understanding themeaning of the text.51
Provide Necessary Vocabulary Support Words that you decide to preteach will oftenbe content words. These are necessary to understand the mainideas in the listening text. Make sure that preteaching does not turn intoa lesson in itself!! It should be a relatively short segment .52
Provide Necessary Vocabulary SupportAn example of a vocabulary building activity ison handout No. 8.53
Finding Good Listening ActivitiesWhat to look forFocus questionsText demands Does the text place any specialdemands on the listener? (speed,accent, unfamiliar topic ). Is the text type familiar to your Ss?Vocab knowledge Do your Ss have the appropriate levelof vocab for the listening activity? Do aspects of vocabulary needpreteaching?Background knowledge Do your Ss have the necessarybackground knowledge to completethe listening activity?Listening strategies Are there specific listening strategiesthat you could highlight for Ss beforethey listening (top-down / bottom-upprocessing .)54
While Listening: Address Ss difficultiesThere are a lot of factors that can lead to Ssmisunderstanding meanings.According to Field (2008) this can happen whena Ss: Does not know the word; Knows the written form but not the spokenform; Focuses on irrelevant information; Wrongly infers the meaning of a word fromthe context; Lack sufficient knowledge about the topic.55
While Listening: Address Ss difficultiesWhat can teachers do?Teachers can: Help Ss to monitor their responses to listeningactivities. This might involve a short questionnaire /class discussion. Ss can be asked to judge how much theyunderstood, Whether they found the topic interesting; To identify areas in the listening text theyfound difficult.56
While Listening: Address Ss difficultiesWhat can teachers do?By making Ss aware of some of the features oflistening (speed, accent, vocab ),They can be asked to rate the difficulty of a task.For example, the activities on the handout (9)could be used to address common listeningproblems.57
Post-Listening: Using follow-upFollow-up activities In authentic contexts, listening is usually notan end in itself. Listening can have different purposes To entertain. To get information. To interpret conversation clues (for example,listening to questions or taking a turn at theright moment in a conversation).58
Post-Listening: Using follow-upFollow-up activities In the same way, classroom listening activitiescan be made more meaningful For example, they can be linked to otheractivities as a follow-up. Ss can make use of the information theyobtained from listening.59
Post-Listening: Using follow-upFollow-up activities For example . Ss could complete an information sheet in thewhile-listening phase as they listen to a jobinterview. Post-listening, Ss could role-play a jobinterview based on the information theyobtained.60
Post-Listening: Using follow-upFollow-up activities The example on the handout (no. 10) showsone way in which listening can be combinedwith other skills.61
Post-ListeningTextbook AnalysisAre sufficient and appropriate follow upactivities included in the textbook?What are Ss asked to do?What is your assessment of the follow-upactivities? Are they appropriately linked to thelistening activity?If you were using this textbook, would youmodify the follow-up activities in any way?If yes, what would you do?62
More classroom activitiesAgain, we don’t need to use recorded materialsthat come with textbooks See the activities on the next handout (No 11).63
Reviewing some suggested activities Look through the four lesson outlinesdistributed in class (Handout 12). In small groups, select ONE for discussion. In terms of the different aspects of listeningwe discussed today, can you make a briefassessment of the activity. What do you think are the strengths andweaknesses of the lesson? Would you modify it in any way for use withyour own students? If yes, what modifications would you make?64
Ways of Teaching ListeningThank You Q&A65
Teaching Listening 2. Listening is a one-way process. This is also based on a transmission view of information from speaker to listener. However, listening involves different kinds of roles. The listener might be in a communicative relationship with the speaker. Here, listening pl
TOEFL Listening Lecture 35 184 TOEFL Listening Lecture 36 189 TOEFL Listening Lecture 37 194 TOEFL Listening Lecture 38 199 TOEFL Listening Lecture 39 204 TOEFL Listening Lecture 40 209 TOEFL Listening Lecture 41 214 TOEFL Listening Lecture 42 219 TOEFL Listening Lecture 43 225 COPYRIGHT 2016
Adult ESL learners have countless daily opportunities for listening and spea king in English as they interact as workers, family members, community members, and classroom learners. Some listening is non-face-to-face, such as listening to movies and broadcast media, listening on the phone, and listening to loudspeaker announcements.
hearing and listening and to speculate on the difference between active and passive listening. Based on student input, create a definitionof active listening (e.g., attentive listening to avoid misunderstanding). Suggest to students that active listening
Listening skills is an important part of communication. This is not just an innate ability. It can be developed through practice and mindfulness. . CRITICAL LISTENING: Listening with the intention of analyzing and giving a feedback. COMPREHENSIVE LISTENING: Listening to simply understand a message,
listening comprehension ability. The key concepts of the listening construct, listening sub-skills and strategies were outlined including the various taxonomies of listening comprehension sub-skills and strategies. The review of literature was followed by collecting data via intro- and retro
NorthStar 5 Listening and Speaking 3rd edition DAY BY DAY – Oral Skills Practice Book for EFL Students at Intermediate Level NorthStar Listening and Speaking 3 NorthStar 2 Listening and Speaking with audio The
of Effective Listening Skills. The three modes, or manners, of listening are Attentive, Responsive, and Active. The four levels of listening are Factual, Perceptive, Emotional, and Mixed. We’ll highlight each area to help increase your listening accuracy and reduce the opportunity for misunderstanding.
(half serious, half playful) Yes – except for last summer, when you never came near me –Sheila (Act 1) Suggesting that she doesn [t fully trust him, despite the fact that theyre going to be married soon, but again shows how she is childish, and relatively light-hearted, as she is still half playful [ even in something which could be seen as quite serious. men with important work to do .
