Resource centre - Receptive skills - Listening comprehension
Why don't students understand when faced with a listening comprehension task? Larry Lynch suggests seven possible factors...
"Teacher, I don't understand."
"Huh?", "What?", "Can you repeat that, please?" "What did he say?", "Teacher, we
don't understand." Do any of these sound familiar? Undoubtedly they do.
When English EFL language learners have listening comprehension problems it can
be frustrating. If you use videos, CDs or audio cassette tapes, or even perhaps
when speaking your learners can have their lesson input interrupted by a lack of
listening comprehension skills. Comprehensible input (Krashen, 1989) is an
integral part of any English or foreign language class.
Contributing Factors
These seven factors can directly or indirectly contribute to your learners'
listening comprehension skills and comprehension.
1. Vocabulary
ELT author, researcher and lecturer Scott Thornbury said, "... count one hundred
words of a (reading) passage. If more than ten of the words are unknown, the
text has less than a 90% vocabulary recognition rate. It is therefore,
unreadable." (S. Thornbury, 2004) The same then is likely true for a listening
passage. Remember, "You can never be too rich, too thin or have enough foreign
language vocabulary" as the old saying goes.
2. Rhyming Sounds
Have you ever taught or learned poetry? If so, you'll remember that there are
several types of rhyming patterns which can be used. Alliteration, onomatopoeia,
assonance and consonance, simile, metaphor and allusion, among others, all lend
their particular ambience to written or spoken language in English.
Note: If you'd like or need a quick refresher on these poetic elements, you
should read, "How to Evoke Imagery, Emotions and Ideas in Writing Poetry That
Captures Your Readers Imagination" and "How to Write Poems That Capture the
Heart and Imagination of Your Readers" by the author. (L.M. Lynch, 2007)
3. Idioms and Expressions
In every language there are frequently-used idioms and expressions that allow
its speakers to convey nuances of thought to one another effortlessly and with
greater clarity that simply "explaining" everything verbally. Not only is it
helpful to know as many of these as possible, but if you don't, the meanings of
many conversations or spoken exchanges may just be "lost" to the listener.
4. Pronunciation
Everyone speaks differently and uses forms of connected speech in distinctive
ways. Elements including elision, contraction, juncture, liaison, register,
accommodation, aspect, intonation and others, affect pronunciation and speech
patterns on an individual basis. When learners are unfamiliar, or even ignorant
of, these elements, listening comprehension can be significantly impacted.
5. Regional or National Accents
The same sentence when spoken by people from different first language (L1)
backgrounds, regional locations, or ethnic backgrounds can be decisively varied.
Unfamiliarity with such on the part of EFL learners can cause a definite lack of
listening comprehension or "comprehensible input" as mentioned earlier.
6. Grammar in Context
When grammar and its aspects are taught as "separate" themes, that is, outside
of a relevant context, learners can be "handicapped" as it were by not
understanding just how and when particular grammar structures are used by native
speakers during an oral discourse or verbal exchange. So when they, the
learners, hear a grammar structure that they "know", but learned "out of
context", they can often "miss it", misinterpret it or simply not understand
what they're hearing.
7. Language Rhythms
One of the big differences between English and say, Spanish, is that one
language is "syllable-based" while the other is "accent-based". This accounts
for non-native speakers sounding "funny" when speaking a language other than
their mother tongue.
With epithets like, "oh, she luv-ed him but chew-no it wuzn't not no guud, mahn
for demm boat."
These types of epithets derive not from a lack of English or other foreign
language skills in particular, but rather from pronunciation based on using an
"incorrect" spoken language rhythm.
So, What to Do About It Then?
In the next article segment, we'll briefly consider what approaches might be
taken to address these and other related problems in developing fluent oral
discourse and spoken exchanges in English or other foreign languages.
ESL resources
Downloadable activities
What do you think of this article? Add a comment »
An EXCELLENT and timely
article! Thank you for this most helpful and relevant contribution to the
difficulties faced in listening! I look forward, with great anticipation to your
follow-up.
I agree that it is
sometimes frustrating even frightening for students to be faced with video or
music which contain unfamiliar vocabulary, idioms and accents. However, it is
also very useful! When teaching we as teachers control the language we use and
this limits their exposure to real everyday English. The learning experience
should contain natural English unfortunately this is often not the case.
Students who are popular music lovers have a better feel for / knowledge of
structure and collocations. I frequently use music and lyrics to break the focus
and show students how they can pick up new structures and vocabulary through
music. Movies have another function, they are very useful for educating the ear
to a variety of accents, styles, intonation, etc, understanding every word is
not the function. Facial expressions, gestures and the story should all help
students to understand what is going on. The comprehension of every word should
not be the focus during a listening, unlike the the written word.
Thank you for your article
related to listening problems. I hope to read the next segment soon! Cheers.
© 2012 Eslbase. All rights reserved
Follow Eslbase on
