Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Thanks
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- I Creating a good environment for language learning
- II Being effective in the classroom
- III Teaching large classes
- IV Teaching language skills and systems
- V Teaching language without textbooks
- VI Teaching language with textbooks
- VII Helping students achieve their potential
- VIII Linking the school to the outside world
- IX Supporting yourself and others
- Glossary
- Index
13 - Teaching receptive skills
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 22 September 2021
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Thanks
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- I Creating a good environment for language learning
- II Being effective in the classroom
- III Teaching large classes
- IV Teaching language skills and systems
- V Teaching language without textbooks
- VI Teaching language with textbooks
- VII Helping students achieve their potential
- VIII Linking the school to the outside world
- IX Supporting yourself and others
- Glossary
- Index
Summary
There's a lot of difference between listening and hearing.
GK ChestertonThe short version
1 Make reading and listening texts as interesting as possible for students – they will be more motivated to learn.
2 Focusing on high-frequency words is a quick and effective way to help students develop reading competency and confidence.
3 Listening lessons can be difficult due to the resources required and the classroom environment. However, there are ways of managing these challenges.
4 You should do reading and listening tasks which help students develop skills and strategies. Be explicit about what skills and strategies you are aiming to develop.
5 Create opportunities for students to do extensive reading and listening, both inside and outside of your institution.
Introduction
1 What challenges do your students face in developing their reading and listening skills? What do you do to try and overcome these challenges?
2 The following words about teaching / learning reading and listening are used in this chapter. What do you think they mean? (They are all explained in the Glossary.)
Teaching reading and listening
In challenging circumstances, teachers often don't have a choice about what written or audio texts they have to teach, especially if they work in formal education. Many of the challenges and suggestions in this chapter recognize this limitation (see Part VI for further information). If students are bored by the texts you have to teach, it's crucial that you adapt your pedagogical approach so that they do find it interesting. If you don't adapt, students will be confused and demotivated, and their ▸receptive skills will not improve.
If you do have flexibility in which texts you can use, ask your students what interests them and find or create texts accordingly. If you involve them in the process, they will be more focused. If it's difficult to do this in L2, ask students to bring in L1 texts they enjoy. You can work with them to translate these texts into English. They will be motivated to do this because they already like the content, and this activity also creates written texts in English which you could potentially use with other students.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Teaching in Challenging Circumstances , pp. 77 - 84Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2021