sáng kiến kinh nghiệm ngoại ngữ (SK22 ngoaingu)

1.Tên sáng kiến: USING MULTIMEDIA EFFECTIVELY
IN TEACHING LISTENING SKILLS
( Sử dụng phương tiện đa truyền thông một cách hiệu quả trong dạy kỹ năng nghe hiểu
môn Tiếng Anh)
2. Lĩnh vực áp dụng sáng kiến : Giảng dạy Tiếng Anh
3. Thời gian áp dụng sáng kiến: Từ ngày 15 tháng 10 năm 2016 đến ngày 20 tháng
4 năm 2017.
4. Tác giả:
Họ và tên: ...............
Năm sinh:
Nơi thường trú:
Trình độ chun mơn: Thạc sỹ Tiếng Anh
Chức vụ cơng tác: - Tổ phó tổ ngoại ngữ- Giáo viên Tiếng Anh
Nơi làm việc: Tổ ngoại ngữ-Trường THPT .......................Nam Định
Địa chỉ liên hệ: .
Điện thoại: .
5. Đồng tác giả: Không
6. Đơn vị áp dụng sáng kiến:
Tên đơn vị: Trường THPT ......... Nam Định
Địa chỉ: .
Điện thoại: .

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BÁO CÁO SÁNG KIẾN
I. Điều kiện hoàn cảnh tạo ra sáng kiến:
Trong xu thế tồn cầu hóa, hội nhập quốc tế , việc học sinh trang bị cho mình ít nhất là
một ngoại ngữ là điều hết sức cần thiết, đặc biệt là Tiếng Anh. Như chúng ta đã biết
học Tiếng Anh đòi hỏi người học nắm bắt cả 4 kỹ năng: nghe, nói, đọc viết. Kỹ năng
nghe Tiếng Anh được coi là kỹ năng khó đối với học sinh phổ thơng, thậm chí đối với

cả học sinh giỏi. Thực tế học sinh chưa thực sự hứng thú và có động lực để học kỹ
năng nghe đồng thời nguồn tài liệu chưa được đa dạng, phong phú. Đứng trước yêu
cầu đổi mới phương pháp dạy học, làm thế nào để phát huy tính tích cực, chủ động và
sáng tạo của học sinh? Tôi xin đề xuất giải pháp nâng cao hiệu dạy kỹ năng nghe hiểu
thông qua đề tài: “ Using multimedia effectively in teaching listenign skill” –“ Sử
dụng phương tiện đa truyền thông hiệu quả trong việc giảng dạy kỹ năng nghe hiểu”.
II. Mô tả giải pháp:
1. Mô tả giải pháp trước khi tạo ra sáng kiến
Những năm gần đây, với sự thay đổi chương trình sách giáo khoa, địi hỏi người dạygiáo viên ln tìm tịi, áp dụng các phương phương giảng dạy tích cực nhằm nâng cao
hiệu quả giảng dạy và tạo hứng thú cho học sinh. Việc dạy kỹ năng nghe hiểu gặp
nhiều khó khăn từ phía người dạy và người học vì nhiều lí do trong đó phải kể đến
nguồn học liệu chưa đa dạng, phong phú (sách giáo khoa và máy catsét và đĩa CD). Rõ
ràng việc tăng cường sử dụng phương tiện đa truyền thông vào giảng dạy ngoại ngữ
đặc biệt là kỹ năng nghe là điều hết sức cần thiết tạo sự hứng thú cho người học và
giúp các em hình thành thói quen tự học, tự nghiên cứu.
2. Mơ tả giải pháp sau khi có sáng kiến:
Sử dụng phương tiện đa truyền thông nhằm giúp giáo viên kết hợp việc ứng dụng hiệu
quả công nghệ thông tin vào giảng dạy. Giáo viên sử dụng tối đa thời gian trên lớp, tạo
mội cơ hội để học sinh có thể sử dụng ngữ liệu đã học một cách có ý nghĩa.
Giáo viên có nhiều cơ hội khai thác bài học có hiệu quả, đa dạng các bài tập nghe hiểu
cho phù hợp với các đối tượng học sinh, tiếp cận với các nguồn tài liệu gắn liền với
thực tế xoay quanh vấn đề văn hóa, xã hội, cơng nghệ và một số chủ đề, chủ điểm đang
được xã hội quan tâm. Ngoài ra thông qua việc áp dụng và hướng dẫn học sinh khai
thác hiệu quả phương tiện truyền thông đa phương tiện vào học tập, học sinh sẽ biết
cách tự học, tự nghiên cứu- một việc làm rất cần thiết trong thời kì kinh tế tri thức và
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hội nhập.
III. Hiệu quả do sáng kiến đem lại:

1. Hiệu quả kinh tế
Cuối năm học này, tôi thấy học sinh đã sinh tích cực , chủ động trong các giờ học
nghe hiểu hơn, các em biết khai thác các nguồn tài liệu trên mạng Internet và các trang
web Tiếng Anh để luyện kỹ năng nghe, tiếp cận được nhiều nguồn học liệu phong phú
đa dạng, cập nhật tiết kiệm được nhiều chi phí mua tài liệu sách vở.
2. Hiệu quả về mặt xã hội
- Đề tài thiết thực, gắn liền với yêu cầu đổi mới phương pháp giảng dạy, sách giáo
khoa mới và phát huy tính chủ động, sáng tạo của học sinh trong kỹ năng nghe hiểu
- Học sinh tiến bộ rõ rệt sau mỗi bài giảng.
- Giúp các em biết cách tự học, tự đọc, biết cách khai thác, tìm nguồn tài liệu phục vụ
cho việc học tập và biết sử dụng các nguồn tài liệu tham khảo một cách hợp lý, đúng
đắn.
- Sáng kiến này có thể áp dụng để dạy kĩ năng nghe hiểu Tiếng Anh cho học sinh
THPT đang theo học SGK hệ 7 năm và hệ 10 năm. Tùy thuộc vào năng lực học sinh
mà giáo viên áp dụng linh hoạt.
IV. Cam kết không sao chép hoặc vi phạm bản quyền
Tôi xin cam kết sáng kiến kinh nghiệm chưa tham gia bất kì một cuộc thi nào.
CƠ QUAN ĐƠN VỊ
ÁP DỤNG SÁNG KIẾN
(xác nhận)

TÁC GIẢ SÁNG KIẾN

...........................................................................
...............................................................

(Ký tên, đóng dấu)

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART 1. INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................1
1.1. Rationale........................................................................................................................1
1.2. Scope of the study...........................................................................................................1
1.3. Research time.................................................................................................................1
PART 2: LITERATURE REVIEW.........................................................................................2
2.1. Definitions of Multimedia..............................................................................................2
2.2. The Importance of Multimedia in Education..............................................................2
2.3. Objectives of Multimedia..............................................................................................3
2.4. The role of multimedia in developing ELT process.....................................................3
2.5. The use of multimedia in ELT classroom.....................................................................3
2.6. Principals behind Teaching Listening..........................................................................6
2.7. Multimedia Environment..............................................................................................6
2.8. The Importance of Multimedia Environment in Teaching Listening.......................6
2.9. Types of Multimedia Used in Teaching L2 Listening..................................................7
PART 3: ACTIVITIES AND SOURCES FOR.....................................................................10
TEACHING LISTENING SKILLS......................................................................................10
3.1. Presentation/Pre-listening Activities:.........................................................................10
3.2. Listening Practice Activities........................................................................................14
3.3 Materials and sources for teaching listening..............................................................15
PART 4: PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS.............................................................................17
4.1. English textbooks.........................................................................................................17
4.3. More listening exercises for English majored students (Grade 10-11)....................34
PART 5. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS................................................................45
5.1. Summary of the findings.............................................................................................45
5.2. Implications..................................................................................................................45
5.3. Suggestions for further study......................................................................................45

REFERENCES........................................................................................................................46

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PART 1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. Rationale
Learning listening has been developed and advanced especially in media and in
learning materials used in high schools. There are many choices of listening materials
such as CD, DVD, or video applied in the classroom. However, there are many
evidences that listening is lack attention of teachers (Field, 2009, p.1). When they
applied many learning competencies in the classroom, listening skill was always
accelerated or reduced. Learning course methodology was discussed and analyzed
slightly, and there was a tendency from the teachers that listening was ordinary activity
in life.
One of the best ways introduce students to listening strategies is to integrate
listening activities into language lessons using multimedia technology. As multimedia
technology (interactive videodisc, CD-ROM, CD-I, etc.) becomes more accessible to
English language teachers and learners, its potential as a tool to enhance listening
skills becomes a practical option. Multimedia allows integration of text, graphics,
audio, and motion video in a range of combinations. The result is that learners can now
interact with textual, aural, and visual media in a wide range of formats.
This research was done to know the students’ activities in learning listening by
using interactive multimedia and to measure the effectiveness of that multimedia in
improving students’ listening ability. Also the study offers a wide range of practice
ideas that boost students develop their listening skills via multimedia.
1.2. Scope of the study
This study focuses on:
1. The definitions of multimedia and its functions in language teaching

2. Applying multimedia effectively in teaching listening skills
3. Providing various ways to exploit multimedia and useful activities to motivate
students in learning listening skills.
1.3. Research time
From October 2016 to April 2017.

AVA
CLT
ELT
SLA
CALL

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
Audio-Visual Aids (AVA)
Communicative Language Teaching
English Language Teaching
Second Language Acquisition
Computer-Assisted Language Learning
PART 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
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Recently, the use of technology in education highly increases which makes the
shift of learning to be an active process in which students search for, and explore their
answers instead of receiving just standard interpretations. One of the technology
gadgets that are considered as a beneficial instrument in education in general and in
ELT instruction in particular is what is known as “multimedia” in which teachers use a
combination of materials in specific environment. However, the well-known elements
of multimedia used in teaching are texts, audios, graphics, animations as well as
videos. The integration of multimedia in teaching can cater to students learning

preferences and fulfill their styles and needs simultaneously. For more details, this
chapter is devoted to introduce multimedia starting by defining it, showing its
importance in education, its objectives, and its role in developing ELT process, as well
as the uses of multimedia in ELT classroom including texts, images, graphics,
audiotapes, and computers as the most used tools.
2.1. Definitions of Multimedia
The term “multimedia” has got several definitions proposed by a number of
researchers from different perspectives, and each one attempted to give an appropriate
definition. For example Mayer (2005) defined multimedia as follows:
I define multimedia as presenting both words (such as spoken text or printed
text) and pictures (such as illustrations, photos, animation, or video). By words, I
mean that the material is presented in verbal form, such as using printed text or
spoken text. By pictures, I mean that the material is presented in verbal form, such as
using static graphics, including illustrations, graphs, diagrams, maps, or photos, or
using dynamic graphics, including animation or video (p. 6).
Whereas, Feldman (1994) saw multimedia as “the seamless integration of data,
text, images of all kinds and sound within a signal, digital information environment”.
This indicates the nature of the integration of multimedia materials which is
seamless .The different types of individual media are incorporated together in
multimedia environment for application. In addition, nearly the same idea was
expressed by Reddi (2003) in his definition of multimedia when he said “Multimedia
can be defined as an integration of multiple media elements (audio, video, graphics,
text, animation, etc.) into one synergetic and symbiotic whole that results in more
benefits for the user than any one of the media elements can provide individually”.
To sum up, from these proposed definitions, we have noticed that the concept of
multimedia was similarly explained by scholars who focused on the idea that
multimedia involves the use of combined materials in a specific environment to
present a teaching task.
2.2. The Importance of Multimedia in Education
Nowadays, technology takes place in all over the world, and it touches most of

life domains. Therefore, with the wide use of computers and Internet websites,
communication becomes easier than before and it encourages the development of
several approaches and disciplines. Education as one of these disciplines was invaded
by technology and it witnessed a radical change in the teaching and learning strategies,
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which brought education into one step higher from the traditional technique that was
“chalk and talk” to a more interactive and interesting teaching and learning process.
The effectiveness of the new teaching methods is reflected by the great role
played by multimedia and technology; those which became a vital requirement in
education. However, this was proved by their valuable benefits in developing teaching
process and helping teachers to practice their professional tasks. In addition, the use of
technology in the classroom is considered as a valuable resource for learning in which
students may acquire new information, participate in lesson projects, engage in
discussions, manipulate, organize, and evaluate their information.
From another point of view, Vyas and Patel (2009, p.114) showed the
importance of multimedia in the teaching environment saying: Multimedia brings the
language classroom closer to the real world, and to the sights and sounds students are
accustomed to in their daily lives. The learning environment, physical or virtual,
becomes more natural and contextualized, and language can be learned in more
integrated and authentic ways. (p. 114) .
2.3. Objectives of Multimedia
Designing objectives is an important task for effective and successful teaching,
thus teachers are supposed to set down their objectives before planning any project
depending on the curriculum content, as well as their learners level and background
knowledge. Moreover, objectives have to be concise and precise so that learners may
determine the intended goals, and work to reach them. In addition, objectives need to
be measurable .i.e. they are conceived as an evidence to prove that students have
learned what they are supposed to learn, and they have accomplished what the teacher

planned for. Teachers have to decide their objectives and goals of teaching before the
presentation of any task, in order to give students a general idea about what will be
discussed in the lesson. For example, when a teacher planned for using multimedia in
teaching, h/she should take into account particular objectives achieved from this
integration; such as developing students’ language proficiency, their cognitive abilities
in solving issues and problems in real life situation, and to evaluate their performance
through critical feedback and guidance.
2.4. The role of multimedia in developing ELT process
The intrinsic role of multimedia in teaching was proved by its high qualities in
enhancing students’ proficiency in English language. Therefore, to provide a
comprehensible input about the target language and culture, EFL teachers integrate
multimedia as one of the techniques to improve students’ performance, to fulfill their
academic needs, and develop their English language skills by giving them
opportunities to be active participants in the classroom through interaction with
diverse lesson contents and sharing opinions and thoughts.
2.5. The use of multimedia in ELT classroom
As far as the new approaches and methods of teaching are concerned, EFL
teachers try to make the use of more current and effective technology particularly

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multimedia into their classroom teaching focusing on its influences in enhancing
students’ achievement and language proficiency.
With the use of multimedia in ELT classroom students will be more interested
and engaged in the learning process. Consequently, they may learn more language
skills and strengthen their knowledge. In addition, the effectiveness of multimedia was
reflected by the ability to expose students to real situations, fluent language and good
pronunciation through video, sounds, graphics as well as computer interaction.
Moreover, the integration of multimedia tools into English language teaching makes a

high quality instruction, investigates issues related to education and supports learners’
ambitions and self-confidence. However, the useful multimedia tools for teaching
English might include texts, images, graphics, audiotapes, videos, and computers.
2.5.1. Texts
Text is one of multimedia tools that were used in teaching since a long time,
and it is considered as the main source of language input in the classroom. Texts are
used to simplify the input and make the relationship between multimedia materials, in
order to facilitate the comprehension task for students and to make them participate
and interact with their teachers and classmates in the classroom.
2.5.2. Images
Recently, with advances in information technology, images are considered as
one of the most effective based materials in ELT classrooms, as well as the highly
useful medium for communication. Consequently, the integration of images in
classroom raises the interaction among teachers & students as well as it provides a
comprehensible input to learners and brings them to environment that resembles the
real world. Moreover, the use of images in teaching makes the shift of learners’ role
from “passive listeners to visual thinkers. Subsequently, learners activate their
cognitive abilities and use their higher order thinking to grasp the meaning and the
conveyed messages. Then, with the wide use of technology-oriented classroom,
images can be used easier than before and they can be digitally obtained, stored and
displayed. We conclude the importance of images as one of the visual aids in
facilitating the task for teachers and students and prepare the ground for effective
classroom interaction. The saying that “a picture is worth a thousand words in this case
is strongly proved and supported.
2.5.3. Audiotapes
Audiotapes are one of the teaching aids that are considered as one of the
successful technologies that are used for teaching second language. It was integrated in
the literature-based curriculum to help students cope with the displayed lesson content.
Moreover, recorded texts are highly incorporated in EFL curriculum to develop
listening, speaking, and pronunciation, as well as to enhance students’ proficiency in

understanding different types of oral discourses and the language of native speakers. In
addition, recordings are used in the context of literature as “spring board for discussion
with students about their opinions, thoughts, and conceptions.

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2.5.4. Videos
Videos are one of the basic tools in ELT classroom; they are characterized by
their important role in developing teaching and learning. However, the effectiveness of
videos depends on teachers who will select the video, design the tasks for teaching,
objectives and activities which facilitate active learning.
Hence, videos are reliable tools especially for teaching, since they help teachers
to follow the development of their students’ performance in the classroom and they are
affordable medium to make assessment and provide a suitable feedback.
Besides to that, Harmer (2001) asserted that videos used in education took
further dimensions of interests rather just “listening with pictures, they are considered
as the most needed component for teaching since they have got several positive
aspects. For example, videos help students to understand the target language and grasp
the message easily because they allow them not only to listen to the English of natives,
but also to see how that language is used in its context including the paralinguistic
features such as gestures, facial expressions and to comprehend the text in depth. In
addition, videos raise students’ awareness of the social-cultural norms of the target
language. For instance, to look for the difference between American and British
accents, social norms, traditions, attitudes, food and clothes...etc. Thus, videos are
considered as motivational tools for teaching to make students interesting with the
topic, and to raise their attention and curiosity.
2.5.5. Computers
The use of technology in the classroom provided another rich source of
linguistic input through interaction of learners with computers. This interaction

happens whenever the learners click to look for further information about the input
such as to define words or to look for the cultural aspects of that input.
2.5.6. Graphics
Graphics are one of the rich sources used in nowadays teaching, simply defined
as a prepared form of visual message or a visual form of communication” .i.e. graphics
are one of the visual aids in which we rely on our visual perceptions to understand the
content. In addition, graphics can be classified into several forms of visual
communication, these forms might include symbols, maps, graphs, diagrams,
illustrations, photos...etc, and each one of these graphic forms has a specific function
used for communication.
To sum up, multimedia has an effective role in enhancing and increasing
productivity in education in general and ELT in particular. With multimedia, the
communication can be done in more effective manner and it can be a valuable
instructional medium for delivering information. The instructional media have
emerged in a variety of recourses and equipment such as videos, images, texts,
graphics, audiotapes, and computers. It enables students to comprehend the input when
words are complemented with images and animations, and it raises their attention and
motivation when a variety of senses are engaged in impacting knowledge.
Furthermore, it gives learners the opportunity to be involved in learning process as
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active participants instead of just being passive learners of educational content.
2.6. Principals behind Teaching Listening
For making teaching listening comprehension more successful and effective
there are certain principals teachers should take into account before the practice. For
example, Harmer (2001) proposed six main principals behind teaching listening skill.
The first principle is to control the tape recorder before using it; here the preparation is
related to the validity of the useful materials in teaching listening. The second
principle is that both teachers and learners should be prepared for listening tasks and

they have to listen to the tape several times before using it in the classroom to avoid
any problem. The third principle is that the teacher should give students the
opportunity to use the tape many times in order to pick up things they missed in the
first listening. The fourth principle is that students should be encouraged to respond
and interact not only to the language features but also to the listening content. In this
case, the teacher may ask questions such as „do you agree to check whether students
understand the topic or not. The fifth principle is that listening tasks should be varied
in different stages, for example students are allowed to listen for the first time to get
general understanding about the topic, and then in later stages they will listen for
detailed information. The sixth principle is that good teachers may use the listening
texts for different tasks and applications after the first play of the tape.
Moreover, to make students understand the listening content, teachers have to
activate their learners’ prior knowledge in the pre-listening stage, as well as they are
supposed to control the listening materials that will be used.
2.7. Multimedia Environment
In the recent years with the expansion of technology advances, it becomes
supposedly and more feasible to integrate multimedia into classroom teaching, in order
to provide meaningful content and powerful tools for teaching. The classroom
environment is one of the main conditions for effective instruction presentation.
Multimedia instruction (or environment) is very efficient to promote learning, through
the presentation of words and pictures and other visuals in ways that help learners to
build mental conceptions and representations about the content. In addition,
multimedia provides a rich content to language learning with presentation of graphics
and images that helps learners to understand things in depth. Also, the use of
multimedia in teaching helps teachers to deal with difficult subjects and convey
information smoothly coupled with intuitive images and sounds. In addition,
multimedia gives the opportunity to students to be actively engaged in the content by
showing them examples in real life situations in which they may further expand their
thinking.
2.8. The Importance of Multimedia Environment in Teaching Listening

Multimedia environment provides learners with rich sources that are prevalent
in L2 learning contexts; particularly for listening comprehension. Much research has
been done in second language acquisition (SLA) and Computer-Assisted Language
Learning (CALL) provides a list of advantages of using multimedia for listening over
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the traditional way of teaching. Among these advantages is the combination of media
in multiple representations to help learners understand the input easily and sustain their
needs and interests successfully.
In multimedia environment, the teaching materials have been greatly enriched
by adding the related online materials and combining the related texts, pictures and
videos. Multimedia environment is regarded as an effective tool for teaching the auraloral skills (listening & speaking) because of its high qualities in creating authentic
environment to practice both skills.
2.9. Types of Multimedia Used in Teaching L2 Listening
Using multimedia for teaching listening skills is conceived as vital condition for
successful interaction between teachers and students. Multimedia represents a unique
environment appropriate to practice listening activities. It gives learners opportunities
to interact with more than one medium of communication. The major useful tools in
teaching listening comprehension might include audio-visual aids, videos, computers,
Internet, songs, and games.
2.9.1. Audio-Visual Aids (AVA)
Aids break-up teachers’ long explanation with something more touchable (stated in
Chandra 2008)
Concerning the advantages of using audio-visual aids in teaching Sampath,
Panneerselvan and Santhanam (2007, pp. 80-82) summarized them into eight aspects:
1- Using AVA in the classroom may help teachers to solve all the communication
problems they may face in the classroom (such as class size, time...etc), and help them
to select the available information according to their students’ level.
2- AVA are ideal for knowledge acquisition, they provide learners with meaningful

sources of experiences that enable them to participate actively in learning.
3-AVAcanprovidestudentswitheffectivesubstitutesfordirectcontactwithsocialand
physical environment; the teacher may use some audio-visual materials that would be
valuable and interesting for students.
4- AVA are available to change students’ attitudes, regulate behaviors, and add interest
to the lesson.
5- Proper AVA materials may provide learners with a variety of experiences from
abstract to concrete.
6- AVA help students to develop their communication skills by using a multi-sensory
approach (more than one sense).
7- AVA are useful to motivate students and simulate their interest to gain more
knowledge.
2.9.2. Video- Display
In nowadays teaching, the video display has become the most useful medium in
the classroom, since it is characterized by its valuable services in enhancing the
teaching and learning process. It is possible to support students learning for just about
all subject areas through the use of video. By its very nature, video has the ability to
convey information in ways that other media can never hope to do. Using video and
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other audio-visual materials such as television and DVD is authentic and topical with
real world information. Also, the video is appropriate to young learners because it
combines color, action, characters and story lines. Another positive aspect of videos is
that they can be controlled through the pause bottom, which allows the teacher to
divide the recording into pieces in order to explain each part individually and engage
students to participate. As a result, the teacher may follow and control the progression
of the teaching process.
When the teacher comes to select the video material, he should first decide how
to integrate it into the lesson and the types of listening skills the video encourages. In

addition, the teacher should be able to control the video playback facilities and the
other technical problems, as well as the type of follow-up activities and tasks.
Moreover, he added that all learners should participate in the listening process in the
pre-, while, and post viewing activities to develop their listening skills.
2.9.3. Computer- Assisted Language Learning (CALL)
Among the different useful materials for teaching and learning, no single tool
has greater impact than computer. It allows the interaction with a set of combined
media in a perfect way such as text and graphic, combined with sound and images.
2.9.3.1. Songs.
Songs play an important role in the development of language teaching and
learning. They are considered as valuable pedagogical tools that are used in most of
English language classrooms all over the world.
Also, songs can help young learners to improve their listening skills and they
can be useful tools in learning of vocabulary, sentence structure, and sentence patterns.
Another greatest benefit of using songs in the classroom is that they can be fun. Then,
songs can help to improve listening skills because they provide students with practice
of listening to different forms of intonation and rhythm.
2.9.4. Internet
The term “Internet is often abbreviated to the Net, and it is considered as the
biggest communication revolution since the advent of the printed books, as well as the
perfect and ideal medium for communication process that is used by language
teachers, Moreover, by using Internet in teaching, both teachers and learners will
benefit from its valuable services, since it facilitates the task for them. On the one
hand, it helps students to determine their needs and objectives. In the other hand, it
helps teachers to gain access and introduce it to their students.
To sum up, listening serves as a primary channel for learning, require that
students function effectively as listeners to cope with language input. Therefore, it is
very important that teachers prepare their students for successful listening practice. In
doing so, multimedia supports listening skills development and it is considered as
powerful tool to improve students’ listening skills. Moreover, multimedia is

characterized by the logical match of system characteristics (i.e. the combination of
text, audio, and video) which simultaneously makes it ideal and basic medium for
teaching listening comprehension. Then, multimedia environment encourages students
8


to be actively involved in the learning process, and empowers their manipulation of the
language input. Also, it assists learners to practice listening activities by using a range
of authentic materials.

PART 3: ACTIVITIES AND SOURCES FOR
TEACHING LISTENING SKILLS
Teaching a language is essentially taught to communicate. Therefore, language
teaching is to improve students’ ability to communicate both oral and written forms.
But, to be able to communicate well, students must have language skills. Listening is
9


one of the skills in language teaching that should be taught, before speaking, reading
and writing (O’Connor, 1998).
3.1. Presentation/Pre-listening Activities:
Listening Activities includes:
Presenting a Listening Text Listening Practice
This section looks at activities for presenting listening texts and practising listening
skills.

Pre-listening activities
The following are some activities that teachers can adapt to apply Pre- Listening activities
in their classrooms.

PRE-LISTENING ACTIVITIES
Name
Brainstorming
Mind-mapping
Discussion
Games
Guiding
questions
Pictures/
Diagrams
Questions
Prediction
Elimination
Skimming

Language
oriented
*
*
*
*

Skills oriented
*
*
*
*
*

*

*

*
*

*
*
*

*

*

Quick-writing

*

Listening, like reading, is a receptive skill. Many of the reading presentation
and practice activities can be used as listening activities too - we have listed these at
the beginning of each sub-section. For example:
(1) Identify the Main Idea - Write the choices for main idea on the board, then play or
read out the listening text. Students choose the best main idea.
10


(2) Information Transfer - Students listen to the text and put information into a
different format: draw a picture, map, or graph, fill in a chart or form, etc.
Similarly to the Reading Activities section, this is divided into two subsections: Presenting a Listening Text, which has different ways students can first hear
a text, and Listening Practice Activities, which has a range of controlled practice

activities designed to help students understand the ideas and language from the text.
3.1.1. Choosing a Listening Text
Listening can be a difficult skill to teach and learn in a low-resource
environment, where students don’t normally have much opportunity to hear and use
real-life English. Choosing a listening text that is the right level for your students is
important - even more important than with a reading text. If you can only find difficult
texts, make sure the tasks are very simple.
If you don’t have access to a cassette player, computer or CD audio resources,
read the text aloud yourself, or a have a student read it. This is useful, even if you
don’t think your English is good enough. Most of the people your students will
interact with are not expert speakers either.
(a) Presenting a Listening Text
Usually teachers present listening texts by playing the cassette or CD, or by
reading a text aloud.
Here are a range of activities students can do while they are listening.
Many of the activities in Presenting a Reading Text can be used to present
listening texts as well.
1 Focus Questions
2 Match Pictures to Paragraphs
3 Identify the Main Idea
4 Choose the Title
5 Match the Summaries
Purpose: students listen for gist to establish the context of a conversation
Practicalities: all students need to hear the conversation clearly
Preparation: cut up copies of a text - one per student, pair or group
(b) Listen for Context
Play the conversation. Students identify:
- where the conversation is taking place
- how many people are speaking
- information about the people: male or female? ages? occupations? appearance?

Purpose: students listen for gist to establish the context of a conversation
Practicalities: all students need to hear the conversation clearly
Preparation: cut up copies of a text -one per student, pair or group
(c) Order the Listening Text
a. Make enough copies of a listening text so there is one per student, pair or group. Cut
it into phrases, sentences or paragraphs.
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b. Read or play the text. Students listen, and put the phrases, sentences or paragraphs
in the correct order.
Purpose: students listen for gist to put a text in order
Practicalities: all students need to hear the text clearly
Preparation: cut up copies of a text -one per student, pair or group.
This works well with conversations, where you can cut up what each speaker says.
This is also a good activity to use with songs.
(d)Dictation
a. Read or play the text at normal speed.
b. Read or play the text again. Pause after every clause or sentence so students can
write what you are saying.
c. Read with pauses again. Repeat this for a third time if necessary. Allow students a
few minutes to check and correct their writing.
d. Give students a copy of the original text. Students check their writing and mark it
for accuracy- spelling, final consonants, prepositions, etc.
Purpose: students listen, write and check their writing for accuracy
Practicalities: all students need to hear the text clearly
(e) Dictogloss
a. Read or play the text at normal speed.
b. Read or play the text again. Pause after every paragraph so students can record the
important information. They should not write word for word - they should use their

own words.
c. Read with pauses again. Repeat this a third time if necessary.
d. Show students the original text. Individually or in pairs, they compare this to their
versions.
Discuss as a class different ways students have expressed the same meanings.
Purpose: students listen, write and check their writing for accuracy
Practicalities: all students need to hear the text clearly
(f) Spot the Mistakes
a. Prepare a reading text with different information from a listening text. Make copies
for the students or write it on the board.
b. Read the correct version of the text aloud. Students spot the mistakes in the written
version.
To make it easier, write the words on the board so students can choose between them
This activity is useful after one of the pre-teach vocabulary activities.
Purpose: students listen for detail and identify wrong information
Practicalities: all students need to hear the text clearly
Preparation: prepare a reading text with some incorrect statements
(g) Gap-fill Listening Text
a. Read the text to the students, with some key words missing. Instead of saying the
key words, say beep or ping.
b. Students listen and write the text, filling the gaps with key words.
12


To make it easier, write the words on the board so students can choose between them
This activity is useful after one of the pre-teaching vocabulary activities.
Purpose: students listen for detail and add key words
Practicalities: all students need to hear the text clearly
Preparation: delete key words from a text
(h) Pair Dictation

a. Students work in pairs. Give half the text to each partner.
b. Partner A reads his/her text while Partner B writes. Then Partner B reads and
Partner A writes.
c. Pairs compare their texts to see if they have read and recorded it accurately.
Purpose: in pairs, students dictate a text to each other
Practicalities: students work in pairs. This can get noisy
Preparation: split a text into two parts and make copies for each pair
You can split the text into first half and second half, or a few sections:
A.___________________________________
__________________________________ so she didn’t have enough
time to plan it properly. ________________________
_____________________________________ ____ There wasn’t
enough room, so many of them had to stand outside in the corridor,
___________________________
_____________________________________ _________ but nobody
brought any extra plates so people had to wait a long time to eat.

B. My sister’s wedding was a disaster. She decided to get married
suddenly, ____________________________________
__________.Nevertheless, about 50 of her friends and relatives came to
her apartment. ___________________________
_____________________________________ _______ and the
neighbours were very annoyed. My parents had organised the food,
________________________________
______________________________________ ________.
(i) Running Dictation
a. Students work in teams of up to 10. Each team appoints a writer.
b. Put the texts in a place where nobody can read them from their chairs.
c. The first team member runs to the text, memorizes the first part of it, runs back to
the writer, and dictates what they remember. The writer writes it down.

d. When the writer has finished writing what the first runner dictates, the second
runner runs to the text, memorises the next part, runs back to the writer and dictates.
13


e. Continue until you reach a time limit (e.g. 10 minutes) or until a team finishes the
whole text.
f. Teams swap papers and mark another team’s paper. The simplest way to mark is to
give one point for every correctly-spelled word in the right place. If you like, deduct
points for errors such as incorrect punctuation.
Purpose: students accurately communicate and reproduce the
language and content of a text
Practicalities: a noisy activity that requires a large classroom where students can
move around
Preparation: prepare at least one copy of the text for every 2-4 teams.
3.2. Listening Practice Activities
These are controlled meaning-focused activities that help students process the
content of a listening text. They focus only on the content of the text, and do not
require a personal response, nor encourage looking beyond the text. Free practice
activities can be found in Post-task Activities.
All the activities in Reading Practice Activities can be used to provide practice
with listening texts as well.
1 Comprehension
2. Questions
3 True or False?
4 Summarize
5 Text Quiz
6 Information Transfer
7 Classify the information
8 Order the Information

Purpose: students focus on the main points of a text
Practicalities: students work individually, or in pairs or groups
Preparation: cut half-sentences from the text, one for each student
(a)Act out the Conversation
a. After students have listened to a conversation, give them a copy of the audio script.
They work in groups, with the same number of people as in the
conversation.
b. Students role play the conversation. Encourage them to act as well as read.
You could have them perform the conversations to the class.
Purpose: students focus on the details of a text
Practicalities: students work in pairs or groups, depending on the number
of people in the conversation
Preparation: prepare copies of the audio script for students to read
(b) Rewrite the Text
After students have listened to a text a few times, they rewrite it. To make this
easier:
14


- write some of the key words or phrases on the board
- if it is a dialogue, provide one speaker’s text and have students write the other
speaker’s text
Purpose: students focus on the main points of a text
Practicalities: students work individually, or in pairs or groups
(c) Mix and Match
a. Give each student a piece of paper with half a sentence from the text on it.
b. Students move around the room trying to find the student with the other half of their
sentence from the text on it.
Purpose: students focus on the details of a text
Practicalities: students need to move around the room

Preparation: cut half-sentences from the text, one for each student
(d) Act out the Conversation
a. After students have listened to a conversation, give them a copy of the audio script.
They work in groups, with the same number of people as in the conversation.
b. Students role play the conversation. Encourage them to act as well as read.
You could have them perform the conversations to the class.
Purpose: students focus on the details of a text
Practicalities: students work in pairs or groups, depending on the number of people in
the conversation
Preparation: prepare copies of the audio script for students to read
3.3 Materials and sources for teaching listening
Material for listening skills would be interesting to learners in accordance with
their level. Ur (1984) states that the exercises for 'listening skills' are more effective if
they can understand what have been demonstrated. Therefore, it is advisable to involve
students with different types of input, such as' video, audio, text, animation, etc.
Furthermore, it is stated that the elements that may be involved are the message,
speaker, listener and the setting. The types of activity in 'listening skills' are 'dialogue'
which includes 'unscripted dialogue' and 'scripted dialogue', 'authentic dialogue', and
'monologue' that can be used to practice when using media in the classroom. Such
activities can be carried out to predict the speech, interpret the words, phrases, and
sentences, identify the relevant matters, and to know the intention of the speaker. In
this study, the writer would recommend some websites for teachers and learners can
use to develop English listening skills.
www.esl-lab.com/listeningskills

BBC Learning English
CNN Student News
www.eslfast.com
/> Special English

15


Besides,
educators
can
apply
edmodo
tool/software
( blackboard online (www.blackboard.com/)to get
learners involved in their studying and their language target.

16


PART 4: PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
The followings are examples that the writer uses multimedia in teaching listening
skills as well as other skills at Le Hong Phong gifted high school, Nam Dinh.
4.1. English textbooks.
Tiếng Anh 12 – U. 6: FUTURE JOBS – C. LISTENING
Lesson Topics: - What are some changes in job market in the United States?
- What are similarities and differences between changes in job market
in the United States and those in Vietnam?
- Which job market do you want to work for? Why?

Instructional Objectives:
(statements of expected learner outcomes)
 Students will be able to show their understanding of and then describe some
changes from manufacturing to service jobs in the United States job market in
the target language

 Students will demonstrate that they can present in the target language the
similarities and differences between changes in the United States job market
and those in Vietnam and which job market they want to work for
 Students will master and use English vocabulary to describe in the target
language how some changes from manufacturing to service jobs in the United
States job market relate back to the essential question of the unit
 Students will use the target language exclusively to communicate with the
teacher and with each other
 Students will apply their understanding of how best to peer-evaluate language
performance
 Students will demonstrate that they can work together in a group and participate
fully in a presentation in English
 Students will have the confidence to get up in front of their classmates with
their group and have fun speaking and singing English
 Students will demonstrate a high level of creativity
 Students will feel more motivated and engaged in the learning process because
they themselves chose how they would be evaluated by their peers
Procedures/Activities:
(include direct, guided, and/or independent activities as appropriate)
 Warm-up (7-10 minutes):
+ Students will work in groups, listen to the song “She wants to be an engineer”
(adapted from Let’s Chant, Let’ Sing 5 by Carolyn Graham) and fill in gaps all
jobs they can hear.
17


+ Teacher will give feedback as a slide below and ask students to hypothesize
how what they have heard might lead into today’s topic about changes in the
United States job market.
Act. 1: Listen to thesong&writethejobs youhear.

n…
gin
e…
er... (twice)
Shewants to bean(1) …e
…
…
n…
gin
e…
er....
Her mother was an(1) …e
…
…
Her father was one, too.
ng
in
e…
er…
Shewants to bean(1) …e
…
…
…
n…
urse
Shedoesn’ t want to bea(2) ……
……....
sa
ilo
r…....

Shedoesn’ t want to bea(3) ……
…
…
En
glish
tea
ch
e....
r
Shedoesn’ twant to bean(4) …
…
………
…
…
ng
in
ee
r....
Shewants to bean(1) …e
…
…
…
…

U. 6: C. LISTENING

ng
in
ee
r....

Shewants to be an(1) …e
…
…
…
…
la…
wy
er
Shedoesn’ t wantto bea(5) ……
…
……
Shedoesn’ t wantto bearich man’ s wife, Oh, no.
ng
in
e…
er..., just likeher mama.
Shewants to bean(1) …e
…
…
…
ng
in
ee
r....
Shewants to be an(1) …e
…
…
…
…

 Direct instruction (10 minutes):
+ Teacher will teach and review some key words in the listening passage using
pictures, clip and different techniques such as synonym, antonym, definition…
as slides below.
Act. 2: Vocabulary
  workforce(n)

=all the people who workfor aparticular company,
organization…

  manufacture(v) =produce
 manufacturing(n)
  goods (n)

Act. 2: Vocabulary
  retail (v) =tosell goods to thepublic, usually throughshops/ stores
 retail (n) ≠wholesale(n)

E.g: MetroAG is oneof themost globalisedretail andwholesale
corporations.

18


Act. 2: Vocabulary
  category (n) =kind
  service(n)
E.g: Servicejobs aregrouped
into fivecategories.

HIRE ME!
NEEDJ OB!

  economy (n)
  jobmarket(n.phr)

JOB M ARKET

o It is presumed that students already have a working knowledge of this
vocabulary from past English classes or units, but some review will be
necessary to refresh their memories.
o Using different questioning techniques (asking for raised hands, calling
on random students, and asking for choral answers), teacher will
determine how much students understand and how much review is
needed.
 Guided/independent instruction (2-5 minutes): Teacher will ask students to
practice pronouncing the above key words with phonetic symbols as a slide
below. Then teacher will break students into evenly distributed groups and ask
them to use the above words to make as many sentences about as possible.
o During this time, the teacher will circulate around the class to make sure
all the groups are on track and staying in the target language.

19


 Independent work (5 minutes):
+ Teacher will ask students to listen to the passage (in the tape recorder), say
STOP and raise a hand when hearing one of the above words. When one student
says STOP, teacher will pause the tape and ask him/ her to repeat the word he/
she has just heard. Students who can recognize correct words faster will get 1

good mark.
+ Teacher will ask students to tell the main idea of the passage they have just
learned, a student having correct answer will get 2 good marks.
à Expected answer: The passage is about “Some changes from manufacturing
to service jobs in the United States job market”.
 Independent à Pair work (5 minutes):
Students will listen to the recorded passage twice and fill in the missing words
in the boxes (Textbook; p. 67). Then they compare their answers with their
partner. Students will take notes in English during their listening time. Some
students write their answers on the board and the other give comments. Teacher
will confirm the correct one as a slide below.
Act. 1: Listento thepassageandfill inthemissing
words intheboxes. (Task1/ p. 67)
(1) .m
. .an
. .u.fa
. .ctu
. . rin
. . .g. .jobs
Transportation
(3) ................................
companies

(2) . . . . .se
. .rvice
. . . . . . . . jobs

Wholesalecompanies
Retail companies
Finance companies

(4) .………….
services
Personal (5) ...................

 Independent à Group work (5 minutes): Students will read the statements
(Textbook; p. 68) and decide whether they are true or false. Then they will
listen to the passage again to check their answers and correct the false ones.
After that they compare their answers in groups of 5 or 6 students. Students will
take notes and correct false statements in English. Some students get up in front
of the class to present their answers, the other give comments. Teacher will
confirm the correct one as a slide below.

20


Act. 2: Listenagin, checkyour answers &correct
thefalseinformation.
manufacturing
1. Americanworkers havechangedfromservicejobs to F
manufacturingjobs. jobs to servicejobs.
2. Manufacturingjobs arejobs inwhichworkers make
something.

T

3. Personal services areoneof thefiveservicejobs.

T

4. 70%of workers producedgoods onehundredyears

ago. 80%

F

5. 80%of workers will work intheservicesector by
theyear 2020. (90%)

F

 Group discussion and presentations (5-10 minutes):
+ Each group will have around 5 minutes, use the information about some
changes from manufacturing to service jobs in the United States job market they
have just listened to and the information they have collected about Vietnam job
market before to discuss the similarities and differences between them and
discuss the questions: Which job market do you want to work for? Why? Each
member of the group must participate using the target language.
+ Each group has 5 minutes to give their presentations.
+ During each presentation, the “audience” (the rest of the class) will be
evaluating the group that is presenting based on what they have listened and
collected at home, especially the reasons to choose any the United States or
Vietnam market. Students are encouraged to use English to make comments.
While the “audience” is making comments on all the issues, teacher will make
other comments if necessary.
 Homework:
Students are asked to write a paragraph of about 150 words about the job market
they would like to work for when they get older and explain the reasons for their
career aspirations.
Assessment/Closure:
(method of review and evaluation of student learning)
 The assessment of this lesson is more like an activity than a test. Students have

a lot of opportunities to compare their answers with partners or have fun
activities to review what they have learned before.
 The assessments are directly related to the activities I did in class and the
objectives I set forth. Students can understand themselves better after
completing each assessment.
21