Listening (Lecture 1)

I. What is listening?
-definition, reasons for listening
II. Key concepts
1. Differences between written and spoken language
2. kinds of listening
3. listening principles
4. listening subskills/strategies
III. Classroom implications
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 I. What is listening?
Listening, one of the four language skills, is a
receptive skill, which involves responding to
language rather than producing it.
Using context and knowledge of language
and the world, we make sense of the
meaningful sounds of language.

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 Listening involves:
- Characteristics of spoken language
- Contextual and world knowledge
- Understanding different text types
- Understanding different speeds of speech and
accents
- Using different listening subskills

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 Reasons for listening:
a. For communication
b. For pleasure
c. For information
d. For education

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 II. Key concepts
1. Differences between written and spoken
language

Written Language
Permanent
With punctuation and capital letters
With letters, words, sentences, and punctuation
together
No visual support
Well-organized
Exact vocabulary and more complex grammar
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 II. Key concepts
1. Differences between written and spoken language
(p.30)
Spoken language in English
Temporary, varied pace and pauses
With stress and intonation to show meanings
In connected speech, even with incomplete sentences
With body language, such as gestures and facial
expressions.
No so well-organized; with interruptions, hesitations,
repetitions and frequent changes of topic
General vocabulary and simple grammar 6
 Speech Writing

Medium Sound is the medium. Words on a page or

Use speech organs screen. Use hand to write
and eyes to read

Resources Paralinguistic features Words, punctuation

marks
Processing Time Speech is ephemeral Writing is permanent

Feedback The speaker can find out Delayed feedback

listeners response
instantly
Language Simple sentences and More sophisticated,
vocab complex structures and
vocab are used
Organisation Fewer organisational Usually more organized
markers more time to plan
Performance Many false starts, filters, Editing . Less or no
pauses mistakes
 II. Key concepts
2. Kinds of listening
A. Intensive listening/extensive listening
-Intensive listening focuses on listening skills in
the classroom to study the way English is
spoken in.
-Extensive listening is about pleasure listening
outside the classroom without the teachers
intervention

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 2. Kinds of listening

B. Monologues/dialogues
Monologues: planned (e.g. speeches) or
unplanned (e.g. anecdotes)
dialogues (familiarity) : social/interpersonal (e.g.
parties )or transactional (e.g service
encounters)

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 II. Key concepts
3. Listening principles
(Harmer 2, 2007, p.135)
Encourage students to listen as often and as much
as possible.
Help students prepare to listen.
Once may not be enough.
Encourage Ss to respond to the content of a listening,
not just to the language.
Different listening stages demand different listening
tasks
Good teachers exploit listening to the full

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 II. Key concepts
4. listening subskills/strategies
Listen for gist/general information
Listen for specific information
Listen for detail

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 III. Classroom implications (p.32)

Let students listen to many sources and varieties of

spoken language
Listening to live speakers is easier than listening to
recordings
Have students listen to both created and authentic
listening texts
Comprehension activities should be easier in
language than the language in the listening text.
Children learn well from listening to stories that
interest them
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 Develop students listening skills by focusing regularly
on particular aspects of listening, e.g. problem sounds
Activity pattern in a listening class:
-introductory activities (focus on topic and language
of the text)
-main activities (comprehension activities)
-post-activities (discussion of the topic, personal
opinion about the text)

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 References
1. Hadfield.J. & Hardfield, C. (2008). Introduction
to Teaching English. Oxford University Press.
2. Harmer, Jeremy. (2007). The Practice of
English Language Teaching. Pearson Education
Limited.
3. Harmer, Jeremy. (2007). How to Teach English.
Pearson Education Limited.

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