How to teach listening

DIFFICULTIES

• Students are trying to understand every word.
• Students go back trying to understand what a previous word meant.
• Students just don’t know the most important words.
• Students don’t recognize the words they know.
• Students have problems with different accents.
• Students get tired.
• Students have mental block.
• Students are distracted.
• Students cannot cope without images.
• Students have hearing problems.

• Encourage your students to do their best.
• Make sure students know what they are listening for before you start listening.
• Give questions to check students comprehension.
• Check for any words that your students may not know.

Pre-Listening
TIPS

• Check for any words that your students may not know.
• Short listening.
• Stop the recording.

While - Listening

• Try to play the recording once for overall comprehension and then for specific details.
• Take notes ( dates, places, people).
• Repeat the recording especially in the difficult parts.

TIPS

After / Post- Listening

• Compare their notes in small groups.
• Encourage debates and answer questions.
• Write a summary of the main points and then compare.
• Make a list of any new vocabulary.

TIPS

Teachers have to try to use as many different sources of listening material as they can.

Teachers have to try to use as many different sources of listening material as they can.

• advertisements, news programs, poetry, songs, extracts from plays, speeches, lectures, telephone conversations, informal dialogues.

Here are some suggestions :
Important

Ideas to make the best listening activities ever