HOW TO TEACH 
listening
Why is listening important?
Listening to spoken language helps Ss…
expose to varieties & accents
acquire the language subconsciously
improve listening as a skill
Kinds of listening
1. Listening to authentic materials
 to help Ss “get a feel” about the 
language
2.Listening to audio tapes/ CDs, videos
 to help Ss learn the language 
What’s special about listening?
When we read …
•
we can read at our 
own pace.
•
we can reread easily.
•
we can use a 
dictionary.
When we listen… 
•
the speed of the 
message depends on 
the speaker
•
we can’t listen to the 
message again.
•
we can’t look up the 
words we don’t know.
Understanding spoken English
Father: How’s your homework? You know, 
your history?
Son: Easy.
Father: You sure?
Son: It’s just… I mean all we need to do 
is, well, just read some stuff.
Father: But d’you understand it?
Son: Can I go and play with Tom? 
Yuko: What would you like your life to be 
like in 20 years’ time?
Hiroki: I’d like it to be … I want to have a 
family… you know, a husband, three 
children, my …
Yuko: Would you be happy?
Hiroki: I’d be … I mean, yes. Yeah, sure, 
sure, of course. What about you?
Yuko: Erm, me, well erm, er… Maybe I’d 
like to have a good … you know, to 
do a really interesting job … with 
lots of pay, of course!
What’s special about listening?
1. Spoken language is informal
incomplete utterances
repetition / paraphrasing
hesitation
 colloquial style
2. Spoken factors
stress & rhythm
intonation
tone of voice
Listening exercises - Example
Listen to each question and decide if the speaker is
asking about where or when something is happening.
1. When Where
2. When Where
3. When Where
4. When Where
5. When Where
What is the focus of this exercise?
Listening exercises - Example
Listen to part of the lecture about multiple intelligences.
Complete the following passage with the words you hear. 
This first one, (1) …………… intelligence is an ability to (2)
…………… languages and the ability to use language effectively 
to (3) ………………… and to remember things. In Gardner’s view, 
writers, poets, (4)………………., people like that possess a (5)
………………… of linguistic intelligence.
What is the focus of this exercise?
Listening basic subskills
1. Listening for main ideas
2. Listening for specific information
3. Listening for details
4. Intensive listening
5. Extensive listening
Teaching listening - 
Principles
1. Tape recorder is as important as the 
tape.
T needs to be skillful in using tape recorder.
Good quality of 
sound
Teaching listening - 
Principles
2. Preparation is vital. 
T has to…
listen to the tape in advance
predict any problems Ss may have
think of ways to get ready for them 
Teaching listening - 
Principles
3. Once will not be enough. 
1
st
 listening  get general comprehension
2
nd
 listening  listening task 1
3
rd
 listening  listening task 2
…
Teaching listening - 
Principles
4. Encourage Ss to respond to the 
content of a listening. 
Examples 
Example 1
a. Listen & notice the difference in 
pronunciation b/w these 2 sentences:
I can meet you on Monday
I can’t meet you on Monday.
b. Listen & circle the word you hear.
1. can can’t 3. can can’t
 2. can can’t 4. can can’t
Example 2
•
Listen to Liz talking about what she can do 
and can’t do. Complete the chart. 
Can Can’t
1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
4. 4.
5. 5.
Teaching listening - 
Principles
5. Different listening stages demand 
different listening tasks. 
Easy  Difficult
General  Specific
Main ideas  details
Teaching listening - Principles
getting 
ready
engage
listening 
task 1
writing 
task(s)
oral 
task(s)
…
listening 
task 2
TOPIC
6. Exploit listening texts to the full.
The stages of a listening lesson
Before
During
After 
•
Lead-in: stimulate learners’ interest; 
provide them with ideas
•
Language focus: vocabulary, 
pronunciation, connected speech, 
language functions
•
Listening task / tasks
•
Transfer and language focus: 
correction