1. Using Technology to Teach Listening Skills
Methods and Approaches

2. The Role of Listening in SLA
Listening – first recognized as a major component of language learning and teaching in late 1970s.
The focus was on the learner’s listening comprehension in early stages of acquisition.
Oral production was delayed until the learner was more familiar with the new language
This school of thought proposed the following:
Comprehension abilities should precede productive skills
The teaching of speaking should be delayed until the comprehension skills are established
Skills acquired though listening transfer to other skills
Teaching should emphasize meaning rather than form.

3. Comprehension approach supported by Krashan’s Monitor Model
Acquisition-leaning hypothesis
Monitor hypothesis
Natural order hypothesis
Input hypothesis
Affective filter hyothesis

4. Acquisition-learning Hypothesis
Language acquisition is subconscious – similar to the way children get their first language
Language learning is conscious – resulting in knowledge about the language ex: knowledge of grammar rules
In the an EFL or ESL classroom acquisition and learning should go together.
Integration of computer and internet provides an environment in which acquisition and learning can take place simultaneously

5. Monitor Hypothesis
Conscious learning system also performs the role of the ‘monitor’ or ‘editor’
The monitor helps a person to polish his or her speech or writing by making corrections
Extroverts are under-users of the monitor
Introverts and perfectionists are over-users
Computer and internet help a lot in monitoring
Online dictionaries and grammar websites good resources for the monitor

6. Natural Order Hypothesis
the acquisition of grammatical structures occurs in a predictable sequence
Some grammatical structures tend to be acquired early while others late
For example: yes-no questions before the grammatical structure of wh- questions
The natural order as is present in L1 also exists in L2 acquisition

7. Input Hypothesis
The learners receive second language “input” that one step beyond their current linguistic competence
“i + 1” represents this hypothesis
‘i’ mean already acquired language competence
‘1’ one step higher than the existing level
This input must be comprehensible
Krashan believes natural communicative input provides all learners with “i+1”

8. Affective Filter Hypothesis
This is a psychological state of mind concerning emotions
It is a mental block created by low motivation, low self-esteem, low confidence, debilitating anxiety, shyness, and stress
The higher the Affective Filter, the less the language acquisition and learning
The lower the Affective Filter, the higher the language acquisition and learning
The teacher needs to create an environment in which the learner could learn without fear, anxiety or other negative emotions

9. Lowering Affective Filter with computer technology
Multimedia programs can be designed to present material a different difficulty levels with adjustments and speed of delivery according to individual learner needs
Computer allow learners to develop their autonomy to review and practice materials as many times as they wish
Computers can provide immediate, nonjudgmental feedback and additional assistance to learners
Computer programs correct learners’ errors without giving them embarrassment or anxiety
TPR games on computers also lower Affective Filter – learning with fun is always entertaining

10. Listening Processes
Bottom-up Processing
Top-down processing
Focuses on individual linguistic components of discourse
Comprehension is viewed as a process of decoding messages, proceeding from phonemes to words, to phrases and clauses and other grammatical elements, to sentences
Focuses on macro-features of discourse such as the speaker’s purpose and the discourse topic
Comprehension is viewed as a process of activating the learners’ background information and schemata (i.e. prior knowledge about the context and the topic) for global understanding of the message

11. Bottom-up and Top-down Activities in Teaching Listening Skills
Bottom-up Activities
Top-down Activities
Identify sounds or lexical items according to their linguistic function
Use phonological cues to distinguish between positive and negative sentences or statement and questions
Identify the speaker’s communicative purpose or the main idea of discourse
Use schemata to infer the contextual information from the heard speech or conversation
continues………

12. These activities are designed to help learners develop their phonological, lexical and grammatical knowledge
These activities are often used for learning phonics and pronunciation practice
Examples:
American English Pronunciation Practice
Emily’s Pronunciation Class
Theses activities are designed to help learners develop their pragmatic and discourse knowledge
These activities are often used for improving communicative skills focusing on meaning rather than form
Examples:
Randall’s ESL Cyber Listening Lab
John’s ESL Community – Listening Activities