Listening - Vivi, Ági, Mikeás
Knowing all the lexis and grammar rules of a language doesn't necessarily mean that someone will be able to understand the spoken form of the language.
-hard to pick up the most important information by listening someone during speaking
-it is hard to tell when a word starts or stops
-people might pronounce words they don't recognize in the moment of speaking
-it is hard to know what attitudes people are expressing
-people might speak too fast to follow
Possible errors:
How do we listen? -> different strategies
Top-down
Bottom-up
we make use of what we already know
~'brick-by-brick' listening
virtually impossible
= using the elements to build up larger stuff (eg.: sounds -> words)
it used to be believed
getting the overall message
we always have some!
making predictions can be very beneficial
These can vary
we need to decide which one to focus on in our lessons
Listening ideas
A teacher should tell the students that:
- it isn't necessary to understand every single word in order to understand the important information in the recording
- what kind of information they have to pay attention to - specific or general/overviewed - during the recording
Keep in mind that it is important to decide what kind of listening you would like to use
Do not overburden the students - don't give them a task which includes writing and listening at the same time
Task based approach is useful
Jigsaw listening e.g. record three slightly different viewpoints of a single event and the students' task is to work out which story has happened actually
The gallery - e.g. find 10 short jokes, stories or poems, record your self reading them than let the students listen these recording in different places of the classroom
News headlines - best way to use the task-feedback circle
Home recording - students make their own recordings for classroom use
Live listening - students listen real life conversations in the classroom between real persons
Guest stars - play the role of a famous person and the students have to name the 'star'
Task-feedback circle
Starting with easy tasks, then moving onto more difficult ones
The group can find its' own level
Stop giving new taks once it has become too difficult for students
You can go around the circle three or four times if the students need it
Before listening a recording, always let them know what their task is going to be
Task sequence
from general to detailed
Starting with detailed
Starting with easy questions like What is the topic of the discussion? Where are they?
Moving onto questions that require more detailed answers like What did he not like about the book?
Closing with language study issues like What tenses are used in the story?
Suitable for texts where you have to comprehend to global meanign and smaller details as well
so most coursebook tasks
radio discussion
lectures
When we listen to a long text, but only intereted in a tiny detail like From which platform does the train leave?
You have to give some background information like You are at the railway station, you want to travel to Kazincbarcika.
Consider why they need to do such a task
reflects what they have to do in real life
improves skills that are going to be useful for them in the future
It is not the most important thing that students get the right answers, if they do, then the task was probably not challanging.The most important thing is trying to get the right answer, especially if it's difficult
Some guidelines for listening skills work in class
Keep the recording short! (2 mins. is enough)
Play the recording as many times as needed (it's a common mistake that teacher don't play the recording sufficient times)
Let your students discuss their ansers in pairs/small groups
Don't accept the right answer as soon as you hear it, ask other students about it as well
DO NOT FLY WITH THE FASTEST!
Try to get your students to a consesus...play the recording to confirm the right anwer
Play bits of the recording until it's clear for everybody (not always necessary)
Give them help if they stuck, but do not do the job for them, let them to work out the answers on their own
Maybe you can give control of the recording to students
Don't change the reuirement halfway!
Make sure that the taks is within their abilities, also praise them after a difficult task
Grade the task, not the recording
You can use an authentic material on your class
You can use any recording on any level
Make sure that the task is suitable for their level
Beginners: catch the names of famous people mentioned
Intermediate: pick out unstressed words