As an English teacher, you may find that planning a listening lesson for your students can be both exciting and challenging. It’s important to create a lesson that engages your students and helps them develop their listening skills effectively. In this article, we will explore a recommended format based on the works of Field (2009) for planning the perfect Listening Lesson that meets the needs of your English classroom.
- Pre-listening phase: This phase sets the context and prepares your students for the listening activity. You can introduce the topic by asking questions or showing relevant images. You may also provide vocabulary or key phrases related to the listening passage. This helps students familiarise themselves with the topic and increases their chances of understanding the audio. In summar: establish context, create motivation and pre-teach critical vocabulary. Why not teach all the vocbulary? Because it would take up too much time, students might only pay attention to those words and you wouldn’t be prepareing them for real life listening situations.
- Extensive listening: Here, you provide your students with a longer audio passage, such as a podcast or a short lecture. The purpose of extensive listening is to expose students to authentic English materials, allowing them to familiarise themselves with different accents and speaking styles. Encourage active listening by providing guiding questions or tasks, such as note-taking or summarising the main points of the passage.
- Intensive listening: In this phase, you provide your students with a shorter audio passage that requires closer attention to specific details. It could be a dialogue, an interview, or a monologue. Intensive listening activities help students develop their ability to catch specific information, such as dates, names, or descriptions. You can build comprehension by asking comprehension questions and encouraging students to discuss their answers with their peers.
- Post-listening: although optional, can be valuable in reinforcing what students have learned. You can incorporate various activities such as group discussions, role plays, or writing reflections based on the listening passage. This phase allows students to apply what they have learned and demonstrate their understanding in a more creative and interactive way.
To ensure a successful listening lesson, consider the following tips:
1. Choose listening materials that are appropriate for your students’ level and interests.
2. Provide clear instructions and model the listening task if necessary.
3. Encourage active participation and collaboration among students.
4. Assess students’ progress and provide feedback on their listening skills.
By following these tips and adopting a balanced approach to the different phases of a listening lesson, you can create an engaging and effective learning experience for your English classroom. So, go ahead and plan your perfect Listening Lesson, and watch your students’ listening skills flourish!