A small slide show describing how our knowledge of strategy development might inform our practice when using the web for listening activities

1. Importance of listening
strategies
• Definitions
• Applications
• Websites

2. Definitions of strategy

3. Definitions of strategy
•Metacognitive strategies
are “higher order
executive skills that may
entail planning for,
monitoring, or evaluating
the success of a learning
activity”

4. Definitions of strategy
•Metacognitive strategies • Cognitive strategies are
are “higher order “more directly related to
executive skills that may individual learning tasks and
entail planning for, entail direct manipulation or
monitoring, or evaluating transformation of the
the success of a learning learning material”
activity”

5. cognitive listening
strategies

6. cognitive listening
strategies
• Using context, co-text and prioir knowledge to:
• Infer missing / unfamiliar words
• Predict general contents
• Predict unfinished utterances
• Develop understanding
Others:
• Note taking – content words
• Link interpretation to wider social / linguistic context
• Link parts of text
• Visualise scenes, objects, events
• Reconstruct meaning using heard words

7. metacognitive listening
strategies

8. metacognitive listening
strategies
• Preview contents in different forms
• Rehearsal of potential language
• Establish purpose for listening & listen for this
purpose
• Pay attention to discourse markers, NVC,
pronunciation features (tones / pauses)
• Monitor and evaluate comprehension using,
context, prior knowledge and external resources
• Continue listening despite difficulties
• Evaluate importance of sections and focus attention
accordingly

9. Identify how knowing about strategy development might
inform our practice when using the web as an information
resource

10. Identify how knowing about strategy development might
inform our practice when using the web as an information
resource
Listening resources on the web and course book listenings, have a lot in common with each
other. They are after all aural content that the student wishes to understand with the aim of:
i) improving their listening skills
ii) all the other benefits listening incurs such as input +1, noticing etc.
In this scenario, the benefits of knowing about strategy development are no different from
internet listenings. However, there are differences between the two environments and if we
look at these, we can become aware of specific strategy relevance for the web. The following
are characteristics that differentiate listening on the web from listening to course book material
in the classroom:

11. Identify how knowing about strategy development might
inform our practice when using the web as an information
resource
Listening resources on the web and course book listenings, have a lot in common with each
other. They are after all aural content that the student wishes to understand with the aim of:
i) improving their listening skills
ii) all the other benefits listening incurs such as input +1, noticing etc.
In this scenario, the benefits of knowing about strategy development are no different from
internet listenings. However, there are differences between the two environments and if we
look at these, we can become aware of specific strategy relevance for the web. The following
are characteristics that differentiate listening on the web from listening to course book material
in the classroom:
1. The students can have access to listenings on the net and in their free time
2. The students have control over the playback of the content
3. The students can choose what they want to listen to (as long as it is not content chosen by
the teacher)
4. The teacher might not be present while the activity is taking place

12. Identify how knowing about strategy development might
inform our practice when using the web as an information
resource
Listening resources on the web and course book listenings, have a lot in common with each
other. They are after all aural content that the student wishes to understand with the aim of:
i) improving their listening skills
ii) all the other benefits listening incurs such as input +1, noticing etc.
In this scenario, the benefits of knowing about strategy development are no different from
internet listenings. However, there are differences between the two environments and if we
look at these, we can become aware of specific strategy relevance for the web. The following
are characteristics that differentiate listening on the web from listening to course book material
in the classroom:
1. The students can have access to listenings on the net and in their free time
2. The students have control over the playback of the content
3. The students can choose what they want to listen to (as long as it is not content chosen by
the teacher)
4. The teacher might not be present while the activity is taking place

13. So how would knowing about strategy development inform our practice when organising listening activities
using the web as source? The following are some ideas, taking reference from a selection of the listening
strategies put forward by Goh (2000).

14. So how would knowing about strategy development inform our practice when organising listening activities
using the web as source? The following are some ideas, taking reference from a selection of the listening
strategies put forward by Goh (2000).
Cognitive
"Predict general contents before listening using contexts and prior knowledge"
Whereas in the classroom, the teacher can organise a pre-listening prediction activity, this is more difficult for
students working at their own pace online, but it is not impossible, the students could be asked to type or record
their predictions before listening, which they would then refer to at the appropriate moment once the listening
has finished.

15. So how would knowing about strategy development inform our practice when organising listening activities
using the web as source? The following are some ideas, taking reference from a selection of the listening
strategies put forward by Goh (2000).
Cognitive
"Predict general contents before listening using contexts and prior knowledge"
Whereas in the classroom, the teacher can organise a pre-listening prediction activity, this is more difficult for
students working at their own pace online, but it is not impossible, the students could be asked to type or record
their predictions before listening, which they would then refer to at the appropriate moment once the listening
has finished.
"Predict unfinished utterances using contexts, co-text and prior knowledge". In the classroom, the
teacher could press the pause button at a given time, and ask the students to predict. However, they would not
have control over this in an autonomous environment where they are using non-modified material. On the other
hand, if the teacher is using his own material, he could cut up the sound file into sections, asking the student to
make a prediction either by typing it, writing it on a piece of paper or recording it through a microphone.

16. So how would knowing about strategy development inform our practice when organising listening activities
using the web as source? The following are some ideas, taking reference from a selection of the listening
strategies put forward by Goh (2000).
Cognitive
"Predict general contents before listening using contexts and prior knowledge"
Whereas in the classroom, the teacher can organise a pre-listening prediction activity, this is more difficult for
students working at their own pace online, but it is not impossible, the students could be asked to type or record
their predictions before listening, which they would then refer to at the appropriate moment once the listening
has finished.
"Predict unfinished utterances using contexts, co-text and prior knowledge". In the classroom, the
teacher could press the pause button at a given time, and ask the students to predict. However, they would not
have control over this in an autonomous environment where they are using non-modified material. On the other
hand, if the teacher is using his own material, he could cut up the sound file into sections, asking the student to
make a prediction either by typing it, writing it on a piece of paper or recording it through a microphone.
"Reconstruct meaning using words heard". This particular cognitive skill is well employed using dictogloss.
Ideally, this activity needs to have a "knower" to monitor the student's reconstruction. Online, this could be done
via email or a wiki. Nevertheless, it should be taken into account that as the student has control over playback,
they can re-listen to the material as many times as they like, and may possibly know every word in the text by
the time they have finished thus taking away the need for this cognitive skill.

17. So how would knowing about strategy development inform our practice when organising listening activities
using the web as source? The following are some ideas, taking reference from a selection of the listening
strategies put forward by Goh (2000).
Cognitive
"Predict general contents before listening using contexts and prior knowledge"
Whereas in the classroom, the teacher can organise a pre-listening prediction activity, this is more difficult for
students working at their own pace online, but it is not impossible, the students could be asked to type or record
their predictions before listening, which they would then refer to at the appropriate moment once the listening
has finished.
"Predict unfinished utterances using contexts, co-text and prior knowledge". In the classroom, the
teacher could press the pause button at a given time, and ask the students to predict. However, they would not
have control over this in an autonomous environment where they are using non-modified material. On the other
hand, if the teacher is using his own material, he could cut up the sound file into sections, asking the student to
make a prediction either by typing it, writing it on a piece of paper or recording it through a microphone.
"Reconstruct meaning using words heard". This particular cognitive skill is well employed using dictogloss.
Ideally, this activity needs to have a "knower" to monitor the student's reconstruction. Online, this could be done
via email or a wiki. Nevertheless, it should be taken into account that as the student has control over playback,
they can re-listen to the material as many times as they like, and may possibly know every word in the text by
the time they have finished thus taking away the need for this cognitive skill.

18. Metacognitive
"Establish purpose for listening"
If the students chose their own listening content then there is less need to establish a purpose for listening as one supposes that
the reason they have chosen it is because they want to listen to it. Having said that, one excellent idea for creating purpose is to
make a listening quest, where the student has to understand the content in order to progress to the next stage. The problem
with this is that it is the teacher who is creating the purpose rather than the student.

19. Metacognitive
"Establish purpose for listening"
If the students chose their own listening content then there is less need to establish a purpose for listening as one supposes that
the reason they have chosen it is because they want to listen to it. Having said that, one excellent idea for creating purpose is to
make a listening quest, where the student has to understand the content in order to progress to the next stage. The problem
with this is that it is the teacher who is creating the purpose rather than the student.
"provide opportunities for individual reflection through listening diaries"
These diaries could be private, or available for the teacher and maybe classmates to see. This could be done using a wiki or
Ning for example. Reflection on their listening could help lead the students away from being "listening blamers" (Lynch,
1996)

20. Metacognitive
"Establish purpose for listening"
If the students chose their own listening content then there is less need to establish a purpose for listening as one supposes that
the reason they have chosen it is because they want to listen to it. Having said that, one excellent idea for creating purpose is to
make a listening quest, where the student has to understand the content in order to progress to the next stage. The problem
with this is that it is the teacher who is creating the purpose rather than the student.
"provide opportunities for individual reflection through listening diaries"
These diaries could be private, or available for the teacher and maybe classmates to see. This could be done using a wiki or
Ning for example. Reflection on their listening could help lead the students away from being "listening blamers" (Lynch,
1996)
"Assess the importance of problematic parts and decide whether to ignore them or actively seek clarification"
In real life conversation it would be very difficult for students to do this given the lack of a rewind button. In the classroom it
could be possible, although which parts are problematic may differ from student to student, and thus it would be difficult for
the teacher to put this to practice democratically. However, online, as the students are doing it in their own time, and they
have control over which parts they need to assess, this is the perfect environment for them to do this. The outcome of their
assessment could be recorded in their listening diaries, or on a wiki, with a link to the material.

21. Metacognitive
"Establish purpose for listening"
If the students chose their own listening content then there is less need to establish a purpose for listening as one supposes that
the reason they have chosen it is because they want to listen to it. Having said that, one excellent idea for creating purpose is to
make a listening quest, where the student has to understand the content in order to progress to the next stage. The problem
with this is that it is the teacher who is creating the purpose rather than the student.
"provide opportunities for individual reflection through listening diaries"
These diaries could be private, or available for the teacher and maybe classmates to see. This could be done using a wiki or
Ning for example. Reflection on their listening could help lead the students away from being "listening blamers" (Lynch,
1996)
"Assess the importance of problematic parts and decide whether to ignore them or actively seek clarification"
In real life conversation it would be very difficult for students to do this given the lack of a rewind button. In the classroom it
could be possible, although which parts are problematic may differ from student to student, and thus it would be difficult for
the teacher to put this to practice democratically. However, online, as the students are doing it in their own time, and they
have control over which parts they need to assess, this is the perfect environment for them to do this. The outcome of their
assessment could be recorded in their listening diaries, or on a wiki, with a link to the material.
Conclusion
Some strategies are better accommodated by using web resources whereas others are possible but require a workaround
and may be more effective used in the classroom. However, in whatever strategies we use, given that the students might
well be working on their own, a greater sense of responsibility needs to be had by them. This can be encouraged by the
teacher by raising awareness of Self Management as a metacognitive strategy.

22. Metacognitive
"Establish purpose for listening"
If the students chose their own listening content then there is less need to establish a purpose for listening as one supposes that
the reason they have chosen it is because they want to listen to it. Having said that, one excellent idea for creating purpose is to
make a listening quest, where the student has to understand the content in order to progress to the next stage. The problem
with this is that it is the teacher who is creating the purpose rather than the student.
"provide opportunities for individual reflection through listening diaries"
These diaries could be private, or available for the teacher and maybe classmates to see. This could be done using a wiki or
Ning for example. Reflection on their listening could help lead the students away from being "listening blamers" (Lynch,
1996)
"Assess the importance of problematic parts and decide whether to ignore them or actively seek clarification"
In real life conversation it would be very difficult for students to do this given the lack of a rewind button. In the classroom it
could be possible, although which parts are problematic may differ from student to student, and thus it would be difficult for
the teacher to put this to practice democratically. However, online, as the students are doing it in their own time, and they
have control over which parts they need to assess, this is the perfect environment for them to do this. The outcome of their
assessment could be recorded in their listening diaries, or on a wiki, with a link to the material.
Conclusion
Some strategies are better accommodated by using web resources whereas others are possible but require a workaround
and may be more effective used in the classroom. However, in whatever strategies we use, given that the students might
well be working on their own, a greater sense of responsibility needs to be had by them. This can be encouraged by the
teacher by raising awareness of Self Management as a metacognitive strategy.

23. Opportunities for
developing listening
strategies on the internet
• http://www.englishlistening.com/getPassage.do
• http://www.ompersonal.com.ar/omlisten/contenidotematico.html
• http://www.esl-lab.com/
• http://www.elllo.org/
• More links here and here

24. Happy
listening