integrating skills
How to Make Listening and Speaking More Enjoyable
Gulnara Hajiyeva, Azerbaijan
Gulnara Chingiz Hajiyeva is a teacher at the Azerbaijan University of Languages. She is interested in the interactive teaching methods of EFL. She has written 2 articles on the topic “Authentic Materials In The Teaching Process”.Current interests are learning more about interactive teaching methods of EFL and how to apply them in the teaching process in a more effective way. She enjoys working with students and sharing teaching experiences with colleages. E-mail: gulu_13 @yahoo.com
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Introduction
Background
Examples
Conclusion
References
Introduction
Developing students’ listening skills is fundamental to their progress in acquiring the language. In the same way, giving them opportunity to develop their fluency, to try things out in the language without fear, to make mistakes and learn from them, is very important. However, listening classes are often difficult and even boring for students because the listening piece itself is not interesting for them or, because teachers expect them to hear everything and answer lots of questions. It becomes stressful, instead of enjoyable. In order not to face this difficulty teachers need to recreate the motivation that engages all the students in the topic and really make them want to listen. But how can the teacher do that? Not all the students are interested in every single topic that the teacher brings to the classroom. However, real teachers’ job is to motivate their students to listen, whatever the topic. Giving students’ a choice about which piece of information they would like to listen for from any listening task is a way of creating an effective reason to listen. Other things the teacher can do are:
Always to have a lead-in, e.g. engaging the students in the topic .Pictures and other visuals on the target listening material can be helpful to the teacher in this step.
To make a link between the topic and
Gulnara Hajiyeva, Azerbaijan
Gulnara Chingiz Hajiyeva is a teacher at the Azerbaijan University of Languages. She is interested in the interactive teaching methods of EFL. She has written 2 articles on the topic “Authentic Materials In The Teaching Process”.Current interests are learning more about interactive teaching methods of EFL and how to apply them in the teaching process in a more effective way. She enjoys working with students and sharing teaching experiences with colleages. E-mail: gulu_13 @yahoo.com
Menu
Introduction
Background
Examples
Conclusion
References
Introduction
Developing students’ listening skills is fundamental to their progress in acquiring the language. In the same way, giving them opportunity to develop their fluency, to try things out in the language without fear, to make mistakes and learn from them, is very important. However, listening classes are often difficult and even boring for students because the listening piece itself is not interesting for them or, because teachers expect them to hear everything and answer lots of questions. It becomes stressful, instead of enjoyable. In order not to face this difficulty teachers need to recreate the motivation that engages all the students in the topic and really make them want to listen. But how can the teacher do that? Not all the students are interested in every single topic that the teacher brings to the classroom. However, real teachers’ job is to motivate their students to listen, whatever the topic. Giving students’ a choice about which piece of information they would like to listen for from any listening task is a way of creating an effective reason to listen. Other things the teacher can do are:
Always to have a lead-in, e.g. engaging the students in the topic .Pictures and other visuals on the target listening material can be helpful to the teacher in this step.
To make a link between the topic and
References: Beatriz, Ch. 1997. Developing Speaking Skills by Creating Our Own Stimulations for the EFL Courses. English Teaching Forum 35,3, pp 54 Brown, H.D.1994. Principles of language learning and teaching.3 rd ed. Prentice Hall Regents. Gurvich, P. 1974. The basis of teaching spoken English at foreign languages departments. Vladimir, Russia Harmer J.1991. The practice of English language teaching. London:Longman Group U.K.Limited. Klassen,J.1991. Using student errors for teaching. English Teaching Forum, 24,1, pp10-16 http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/methodology.shtml A framework for planning a listening skills lesson .Nik Peachey. Pre-Listening activities.& Find the gap-Increasing speakingin class. Gareth Rees Helping teens to listen. Kevin Thomson and Speaking and elementary learners. Sue Leather The English for Secondary Teachers course can be viewed here. The Building Positive Group Dynamics course can be viewed here.