How to teach listening

Summary

The video discusses effective strategies for teaching listening skills in language learning. It emphasizes the importance of post-listening activities that engage students and provide feedback, such as analyzing transcripts or creating context-related tasks. The discussion includes the timing of comprehension questions—whether to present them before or after listening—to enhance understanding and confidence. Additionally, the video highlights the value of student autonomy in learning. It promotes an upcoming course on teaching listening, which covers essential aspects like active listening and task design, ultimately aiming to improve learners' listening abilities.

Takeaways

• 😀 Effective listening tasks should engage learners actively, rather than passively hearing the material.
• 🎧 Incorporating post-listening activities helps cement understanding and encourages feedback.
• 📝 Using transcripts can be beneficial, allowing students to identify errors and compare their understanding.
• 📚 Pre-listening questions can prepare students by highlighting what to listen for, but strong learners may benefit from receiving questions afterward.
• 🔍 Encouraging students to assess their own listening abilities boosts their confidence and autonomy in learning.
• 💡 Contextualizing listening tasks can enhance comprehension and relevance to real-world scenarios.
• 🗣️ Different types of listening skills should be explicitly taught, addressing both comprehension and active listening strategies.
• 📅 The 'How to Teach Listening' course offers structured modules focused on understanding and improving listening skills.
• 🌐 Participation in a community (e.g., Facebook group) fosters discussion and deeper engagement with course material.
• 🔑 Setting clear tasks and goals for listening activities is crucial for promoting active engagement and effective learning.

Q & A

What is the importance of post-listening activities in the learning process?

Post-listening activities are essential because they allow students to engage with the material, reflect on their listening, and receive feedback. This helps reinforce their understanding and prevents the rush into the next activity without solidifying the knowledge gained.

What are some examples of post-listening activities mentioned in the transcript?

Examples of post-listening activities include using the transcript for error identification or comparing spoken and written words, and having students create their own announcements using the same structure as the original listening task.

How does providing a transcript during a listening task benefit students?

Providing a transcript can help students, especially beginners, reflect on their listening by identifying errors or differences between what they heard and the written text. It strengthens their connection to the content and allows for more targeted feedback.

Should comprehension questions be given before or after a listening activity, and why?

Comprehension questions can be given either before or after the listening task depending on the learners. For beginners, it may be helpful to give the questions beforehand to focus their listening. For more advanced learners, withholding the questions until after the listening encourages them to focus on the content and increases their confidence.

How can asking students how many questions they think they can answer impact their learning?

Asking students how many questions they think they can answer helps promote learner autonomy and boosts their confidence. They often realize they can answer more than they initially thought, which increases their sense of control over their learning.

What does the course 'How to Teach Listening' offer to teachers?

The 'How to Teach Listening' course offers teachers a comprehensive overview of listening skills, including understanding listening, active listening, and listening strategies. It also teaches how to design effective listening tasks and offers guidance on supporting learners in their listening development.

How long is the 'How to Teach Listening' course and when does it start?

The course lasts four weeks and starts on November 16th. It is part of the British Council's Teaching Pathways series.

What are the key modules covered in the 'How to Teach Listening' course?

The course includes three key modules: understanding listening skills, active listening, and listening strategies. These modules aim to help teachers design effective listening tasks and support their learners' listening development.

How does the use of context in listening tasks help students?

Using context in listening tasks helps students engage more deeply with the content. It gives them a meaningful framework to understand the language and structures they are listening to, making the task more relevant and easier to process.

What advice does Sinali give for setting up listening tasks effectively?

Sinali advises that the key to effective listening tasks is to ensure that they engage students actively, so they are truly listening, not just hearing. Providing a meaningful context and clear goals for the task is crucial.