Learning to listen: Learning to listen: developing students’ developing students’

listening skillslistening skills

Mike Carter Mike Carter

CLIC International HouseCLIC International House

Session previewSession preview

1.1. An anecdoteAn anecdote

2.2. Listening terminologyListening terminology

3.3. What’s wrong with our listening What’s wrong with our listening materials and procedures?materials and procedures?

4.4. SolutionsSolutions

5.5. Using listening transcriptsUsing listening transcripts

6.6. ConclusionsConclusions

7.7. AppendicesAppendices

1. An anecdote1. An anecdote

I’m going to tell you a true anecdote I’m going to tell you a true anecdote about a listening lessons I observed:about a listening lessons I observed:

What thoughts does it provoke about What thoughts does it provoke about teaching listening? teaching listening?

2. Terminology: ANSWERS2. Terminology: ANSWERS

1.1. Top-down Top-down 2.2. TransactionalTransactional3.3. InteractiveInteractive4.4. SchemataSchemata5.5. InteractionalInteractional6.6. Non-interactiveNon-interactive7.7. Bottom-upBottom-up8.8. InteractiveInteractive

3. What’s wrong with our listening3. What’s wrong with our listening materials and procedures? materials and procedures?

1.1. Lack of listening to conversationLack of listening to conversation2.2. Testing not teachingTesting not teaching3.3. Unnatural discourseUnnatural discourse4.4. Too much TD, not enough BUToo much TD, not enough BU5.5. ‘‘Top-heavy’Top-heavy’6.6. Lack of variety of spoken genresLack of variety of spoken genres7.7. Mostly non-interactiveMostly non-interactive8.8. Little variety of accentsLittle variety of accents9.9. Class listenings actually more difficult Class listenings actually more difficult 10.10.Inappropriate tasksInappropriate tasks

4. Solutions4. Solutions

We’ll now look at solutions to the We’ll now look at solutions to the problems. We’ll work in the problems. We’ll work in the following areas: following areas:

1.1.Teacher talkTeacher talk

2.2.Live listeningLive listening

3.3.RecordingsRecordings

Solution 1: Teacher talkSolution 1: Teacher talk

1.1. QTTQTT

2.2. Language gradingLanguage grading

3.3. Be the exampleBe the example

4.4. Read the recording more naturallyRead the recording more naturally

5.5. Ss interview the TSs interview the T

6.6. Teach conversation strategiesTeach conversation strategies

7.7. Talks and presentationsTalks and presentations

Solution 2: Live listeningSolution 2: Live listening

1.1. With another teacherWith another teacher

2.2. Let Ss control the recordingLet Ss control the recording

3.3. Guest speakersGuest speakers

4.4. Community Language Learning Community Language Learning variantvariant

Solution 3: RecordingsSolution 3: Recordings1.1.TV, radio, DVDs and Internet audio TV, radio, DVDs and Internet audio

and video are current and topicaland video are current and topical

2.2.Authentic – natural language sourceAuthentic – natural language source

3.3.DVD subtitles & pause, rewind etcDVD subtitles & pause, rewind etc

4.4.Visuals Visuals

5.5.Song lyrics, chorus, rhyme, KaraokeSong lyrics, chorus, rhyme, Karaoke

6.6.PodcastsPodcasts

7.7.Audio books (Internet)Audio books (Internet)

8.8. ‘‘narrow’ listeningnarrow’ listening

5. Using listening transcripts 5. Using listening transcripts

There are 3 main purposes for usinglistening transcripts:

a. For further bottom-up listening practice

b. To identify where problems of comprehension occurred and redress these

c. For language work

5. Using listening transcripts: 5. Using listening transcripts: tasktask

1.1. Read pp.11-13 “Using transcripts”Read pp.11-13 “Using transcripts”

2.2. Select/adapt 1 transcript activity Select/adapt 1 transcript activity from each sectionfrom each section to use as post- to use as post-listening activitieslistening activities

3.3. IF TIME, compare your sequence IF TIME, compare your sequence with another groupwith another group

Conclusions 1Conclusions 1

• Don’t just focus on the right answers!Don’t just focus on the right answers!

• Encourage Ss to listen outside classEncourage Ss to listen outside class

• Transcripts, transcripts, transcripts!!Transcripts, transcripts, transcripts!!

• Record and use natural EnglishRecord and use natural English

• QTT!!!QTT!!!

• Dictation – to identify problems and Dictation – to identify problems and to remedy themto remedy them

• ‘‘notice the gap’ – reconstruction & notice the gap’ – reconstruction & reformulationreformulation

Conclusions 2Conclusions 2• Visual clues while listeningVisual clues while listening

• Less ‘top-heavy’ listeningLess ‘top-heavy’ listening

• Less TD, more BULess TD, more BU

• Listening homework!Listening homework!

• More interactional, less transactionalMore interactional, less transactional

• More interactive, less non-interactiveMore interactive, less non-interactive

• Authentic texts can be easier!Authentic texts can be easier!

• Link listening-speaking: teach Link listening-speaking: teach conversation strategiesconversation strategies

Food for thought 1 Food for thought 1

• If the typical classroom listenings If the typical classroom listenings we do at present are purely we do at present are purely testing and not helping students testing and not helping students to listen better, then are they a to listen better, then are they a waste of class time?waste of class time?

Food for thought 2

•Should this type of listening be Should this type of listening be for homework or self-study, so Ss for homework or self-study, so Ss can listen with transcripts as can listen with transcripts as many times as they like and many times as they like and gradually match the written and gradually match the written and spoken word?spoken word?

Thanks for coming!!!