ESL Listening Activities Tips Play the piece at least twice. Always play the piece at least twice. Comprehension questions. You can create comprehension questions for your students to answer on the second listening. Fill out the blanks script. Give them a copy of the script with words blanked out. Go over the new vocabulary beforehand. Splitting the piece.
What is teaching listening?
The Teaching of Listening. Listening is the ability to identify and understand what others are saying. This involves understanding a speaker’s accent or pronunciation, his grammar and his vocabulary, and grasping his meaning (Howatt and Dakin). An able listener is capable of doing these four things simultaneously.
How to teach listening?
Stop talking: If you’re talking,you’re not listening. Quiet yourself,your responses,and your interjections.
Get into your listening mode: Quiet the environment. Mentally open your mind to hearing by getting comfortable and engaging in eye contact. Make the speaker feel comfortable: Examples of this might be nodding or using gestures. Seating is also important. Remove distractions: This is something you might not think of at first. Empathize: At the very least,try “learning instead to embrace and wonder at their “otherness.” Be comfortable with silence: Some people really need time to formulate a thoughtful response. Put aside personal prejudice: This is also quite difficult,as our experiences form who we are. Putting all those experiences aside is a skill which requires help and practice. Heed the tone: Sometimes the tone can hide the meaning of the words,and sometimes the tone enhances the meaning of the words. Know which is which. Listen for underlying meanings,not words: Listen first for comprehension,and then a second time for ideas. Pay attention to non-verbal communication: People communicate through body language and facial expressions. This is why eye contact is necessary. 
