Historically, English language teachers have not been trained in how to effectively teach authentic listening. Consequently, they avoid using authentic recordings with their students. In addition, the scripted and graded recordings used to model new language (lexis and grammar) in coursebooks are very different from the spontaneous spoken English students encounter beyond the ELT classroom. We are currently doing our students a huge disservice in not training them to cope with authentic speech. This is what the author seeks to remedy in Integrating Authentic Listening into the Language Classroom. Creating a methodology book like this, which leads the field in terms of providing the theory behind listening to spoken English in addition to practical guidance and useful examples, means readers will benefit from learning the theory behind using authentic listening and then understand the need to integrate authentic listening in their classrooms. It will equip readers with the knowledge and skills to use authentic recordings in the classroom. This will enable new and experienced teachers to give excellent foolproof listening lessons using authentic recordings. They can motivate their students, equipping them to cope with listening to spontaneous spoken English beyond the classroom. The book contains 28 easy-to-digest chapters and aims to be accessible for both new and experienced teachers. It contains tried-and-tested decoding and comprehension activities that work in the ELT classroom. The examples and anecdotes given make the activities relatable to a wide range of teaching contexts. It also contains additional transcripts referred to in the main body of the book, a glossary of key terms, references and an index. This title is part of the Teaching English series, which offers a mixture of methodology and practical ideas for teachers of English as a foreign language.
Introduction Part 1: Theory Exploring listening in the ELT classroom Common misconceptions and contentious issues A critique of the current approach to teaching listening Myth versus reality Teaching listening: The challenges of connected speech The characteristics of formal public spoken English The characteristics of informal spontaneous spoken English L1 and L2 listening processes: Decoding challenges for L2 learners Meaning building challenges for L2 learners Part 2: Practice Guiding principles behind the integrated approach Firm foundations: Teaching learners about listening Listening goals Practising listening using written comprehension tasks Practising meaning building with the teacher as a facilitator Practising decoding and increasing automaticity Further uses of authentic recordings Using International English recordings Rationale for using authentic recordings in high-stakes international examinations Appendices
