In this module, we explore how technology
can support listening instruction.
Professor Carol Chapelle will introduce us
to the technology-listening connection.
In this lecture, Dr. Chapelle will begin by
talking about the connection between technology
and listening in the world today.
Then, we’ll meet our listening expert, Dr.
Gary Ockey.
We’ll ask him why listening is so important
for students.
We’ll also ask him what teachers should
know about listening and we’ll ask him for
any advice that he has for teachers.
Finally, we’ll take a look at how technology
can help in the teaching of listening to English
language learners.
Technology today provides access to many different
ways for students to listen.
And there are, of course, students all around
the world who can live in an environment where
English is not the main language.
Yet, through the use of technology, they can
listen in on what’s going on in the English-speaking
world and take advantage of all the resources
that are available on the Internet in English.
Teachers can find many resources to help teach
listening on the Internet, too.
And we’ll take a look at a number of these
resources in this module.
Two examples of listening activities are found
on the websites of the US government.
One is Voice of America and the second is
on the American English website of resources
called Sing Out Loud.
We’ll start by taking a look at both of
these resources.
One great resource is found on the Voice of
America website in the Learning English section.
It contains news stories that appear in video
format with audio and subtitles.
The videos allow the students to listen to
current news stories than bring them news
from around the world.
The example shown is about the Women’s March
that took place on January 21st in 2017.
The march was a big protest that occurred
in lots of different cities around the world.
It provides great listening material for students
because there are a lot of visual cues that
the students can use to see what’s going
on.
They can get meaning from both watching and
from listening.
In the picture you can see that this particular
march happened in Washington, D.C.
You can see the Capitol Building in the back.
There are also signs that the students can
look at.
Even very beginner level students probably
know the meaning of “stand up.”
The videos also include the subtitles that
provide text that goes along with audio.
The audio is spoken in very slow and clear
English.
So these resources are really ideal for bringing
current and interesting materials into the
classroom using English that is accessible
for learners.
A second example comes from the American English
website.
It consists of a series of songs that have
been prepared for teaching English as a foreign
language.
They are popular songs in the US that many
children know.
They are presented in a way that makes them
accessible for English language teaching.
The materials on this website include the
actual songs in audio format in addition to
a lot of materials that teachers can use to
teach more about the songs and the language
of the songs, and there are also materials
to get people talking about the songs.
So there are lots and lots of resources available
and we’ll take a look at them in more detail
a little bit later.
But these are just a few of the excellent
resources that are available for teaching
English listening today.
