Listening skills are complex and we need to consider more than just what a coursebook may provide. We also need to rethink the classic TESOL/TEFL techniques that we learned in our CELTA course and roll out by default. Authentic materials and situations are key as well as scaffolding that is thoroughly applied to the actual learners and the learning happening right in front of you.
"Most learners of English nowadays are more likely to interact with other 'non-native' speakers than with 'natives'. Ideally, listening work in the classroom should try to equip learners with the flexibility to deal with a wide range of accents. " (Jonathan Marks)
We have to equip learners to deal with the real world as it is unfolding for our students, one where there won't be a chance to "play the recording again".
Meanwhile for young learners, it's a completely different landscape, which is dealt with in the Young Learners Course.
A great article on teaching listening for adult language learners: New Ways to Teach Listening
How to Teach Listening, by J J Wilson
“How to Teach Listening is a practical guide to the theory of listening in the language classroom. It includes: key topics such as authenticity, testing, and using technology for listening, practical ideas for conducting an effective listening lesson, and strategies to ensure the long term development of students’ listening skills. The book also comes with an audio CD of stress samples, sound bites and lesson ideas.”
- Receptive Skills: Listening
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