LISTENING COMPREHENSION

Introduction

Listening comprehension is the receptive skill in the oral mode. When we speak of listening what we really mean is listening and understanding what we hear.

In our first language, we have all the skills and background knowledge we need to understand what we hear, so we probably aren't even aware of how complex a process it is. Here we will briefly describe some of what is involved in learning to understand what we hear in a second language.

LISTENING SITUATIONS

There are two kinds of listening situations in which we find ourselves:

·        Interactive, and

·        Non-interactive.

Interactive listening situations include face-to-face conversations and telephone calls, in which we are alternately listening and speaking, and in which we have a chance to ask for clarification, repetition, or slower speech from our conversation partner.

Some Non-interactive listening situations are listening to the radio, TV, films, lectures, or sermons. In such situations, we usually don't have the opportunity to ask for clarification, slower speech or repetition.

MICRO-SKILLS IN LISTENING

The following are the micro-skills involved in understanding what someone says to us. The listener has to:

• Retain chunks of language in short-term memory
• Discriminate among the distinctive sounds in the new language
• Recognize stress and rhythm patterns, tone patterns, intonational contours.
• Recognize reduced forms of words
• Distinguish word boundaries
• Recognize typical word-order patterns
• Recognize vocabulary
• Detect key words, such as those identifying topics and ideas
• Guess meaning from context
• Recognize basic syntactic patterns
• Detect sentence constituents, such as subject, verb, object, prepositions, etc.,

STRATEGIES FOR DEVELOPING LISTENING SKILLS

Language learning depends on listening. Listening provides the aural input that serves as the basis for language acquisition and enables learners to interact in spoken communication.

Listening strategies are techniques that contribute directly to the comprehension and recall of listening input. Listening strategies can be classified by how the listener processes the input.

Top-down strategies are listener based; the listener taps into background knowledge of the topic, the situation or context, the type of text, and the language. This background knowledge activates a set of expectations that help the listener to interpret what is heard and anticipate what will come next.

Top-down strategies include:

• Listening for the main idea
• Predicting
• Drawing inferences
• Summarizing

Bottom-up strategies are text based; the listener relies on the language in the message, that is, the combination of sounds, words, and grammar that creates meaning.

Bottom-up strategies include:

• Listening for specific details
• Recognizing cognates
• Recognizing word-order patterns

The 10 Principles of Listening

A good listener will listen not only to what is being said, but also to what is left unsaid or only partially said. Effective listening involves observing body language and noticing inconsistencies between verbal and non-verbal messages.

For example, if someone tells you that they are happy with their life but through gritted teeth or with tears filling their eyes, you should consider that the verbal and non-verbal messages are in conflict, they may don't mean what they say.

1. Stop Talking

“If we were supposed to talk more than we listen, we would have two tongues and one ear.” Mark Twain.

Don't talk, listen.  When somebody else is talking listen to what they are saying, do not interrupt, talk over them or finish their sentences for them. 

2. Prepare Yourself to Listen

Relax.  Focus on the speaker.  Put other thoughts out of mind and concentrate on the messages that are being communicated.

3. Put the Speaker at Ease

Help the speaker to feel free to speak.  Remember their needs, use other gestures/words to encourage them.  Maintain eye contact but don’t stare.

4. Remove Distractions

Focus on what is being said: don’t doodle, shuffle papers, look out the window, pick your fingernails and avoid unnecessary interruptions. 

5. Empathise

Try to understand the other person’s point of view.  Look at issues from their perspective.

  

6. Be Patient

Be patient and let the speaker continue in their own time.  Never interrupt or finish a sentence for someone.

7. Avoid Personal Prejudice

Try to be impartial. Focus on what is being said and try to ignore styles of delivery.

8. Listen to the Tone

Volume and tone both add to what someone is saying to keep an audience attentive to understand the emphasis of what is being said. 

9. Listen for Ideas – Not Just Words

Get the whole picture, not just isolated bits and pieces. With proper concentration, letting go of distractions, and focus this becomes easier.

10. Wait and Watch for Non-Verbal Communication

Gestures, facial expressions, and eye-movements are important.  We don’t just listen with our ears, but also with our eyes to pick up the information from non-verbal communication.