Teaching listening

Lecture 9

Questions and topics for discussion

Testing grammar skills

The use of modern technologies in teaching grammar

The available resources for grammar on the Net can be grouped into two main types: information-based and teaching resources. These are sites which provide: information on grammar items including lists of grammar items, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on correct grammatical usage, online grammar clinics/help centres/forums inviting questions with responses assured and also explanations of grammar rules with appropriate examples and teaching resources including lesson plans, worksheets and activities, tasks or exercises. Feedback can be used to provide information to learners about their performance to enable them to use the information to correct their errors. On some sites, encouraging feedback and the necessary

explanations to aid in understanding are given almost immediately.

Tests allow the teacher to evaluate learners’ achievement in grammar, that is how they have mastered form, meaning, use of grammar structures. Tests in grammar may involve: filling in the gaps, opening the brackets, transformation (make negative, change into plural), extension (like to read books- I like to read books taken from our library), completion(when I came home…), making statements on the picture, translation, matching, correcting mistakes, choosing the correct item, etc.

1. What is the aim of teaching grammar?
2. Define the following: form, meaning, use of a grammar structure
3. What principles is grammar teaching based upon?
4. Speak on the three stages in teaching grammar. What tasks and exercises are used at each stage?
5. How are games used in teaching grammar? What requirements should the games follow?
6. What modern technologies can be used for teaching grammar?
7. What items can be included in the grammar test?
8. Examine one of the standard textbooks and show how grammar is taught

Objectives: SWBAT examine problems and distinguish stages in teaching listening, apply their knowledge in conducting lessons

Plan

1. The importance of teaching listening. Problems in teaching listening.
2. Stages in teaching listening. Activities for teaching listening.
3. Methodology of working with a text for listening.
4. Using videos/DVDs in the classroom
5. Testing listening skills

1. The importance of teaching listening. Problems in teaching listening.

Listening is important for developing speaking skills, for managing a successful conversation, for listening to the radio and TV, for understanding foreigners. Listening is an important way of picking up structures and vocabulary. Materials for teaching listening are: radio and television programs; announcements in the airports, stores, etc; speeches and lectures; telephone recordings.

Listening comprehension is difficult for learners because they should discriminate speech sounds quickly, retain them while hearing a word, a phrase or a sentence and recognize this as a sense unit. Learners should overcome the following difficulties:

• They can’t differentiate between the sounds

and words(walked-worked, east-west, put on-put off). Grammar can also cause difficulties.

• Unknown words may be a sudden barrier causing students to stop and think about the meaning of the word and thus making them miss the next part of the speech.
• The content of the text should be taken into consideration. The most easy texts are simple narrative texts where events are described in the order in which they occurred, and if they have an informative title. Monologic speech is easier for the learners.
• The voice of the speaker influences comprehension.
• Poor recordings, bad acoustics, outside factors don’t allow students to concentrate.
• Learners can’t control the speed of the speaker and can’t get things repeated.
• Students have some established learning habits that they should understand everything in the English language. Because of this students are worried if they fail to understand a particular word or phrase when they are listening.

1. Stages in teaching listening. Activities for teaching listening.

Дата добавления: 2014-01-04