Some applications to teaching listening skill for the 12th form student

PART A: INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale
 The more our society develops, the more quickly the process of integration and globalization takes place. It can’t be denied that today English is the most widely used language in the world. It has been used in all spheres such as external activities, world trade, and science, etc. In 2007 Vietnam became the 150th member of Workld Trade Organization (WTO), it creates both good opportunities and challenges to our country. English plays an important role in developing economy, politics, science and technology, etc. It is therefore necessary to learn English language. However, to master a language is not easy at all. Of the four language skills -Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing-that all language learners are supposed to acquire, listening is believed to be the most challenging due to the complex and subtle nature of listening comprehension in L2 or foreign language. It takes much time and effort to make progress in this skill. 
At my school, Yen Dinh 1 upper- secondary school, students are often afraid of learning listening lessons for some reasons such as the dull lectures, the unsuitable level lessons, irrelevant strategy listening, unclear sounds in tapesThis leads to their nervousness during listening lessons and they can hardly listen to anything which causes the bad result in learning the listening skill. From my experience in teaching English at Yen Dinh 1 school I realized that the well – prepared lesson plans in which teacher simplify the tasks and use strategies helps the students have better results in listening lessons. 
For above-mentioned reasons, I have decided to choose the topic “Some applications to teaching listening skill for the 12th form students”. I hope this will help both teachers and Sts to realize the factors obstacling the students in learning the English listening skill, then find out solutions to this problem.
2. Aims and objectives of the study
The objectives of this research is to simplify the tasks and use activites in listening lessons in English textbook 12 to have effective lectures, more interested in learning them and develop student’s listening skills 
3. The scope of the study
 In this paper, beacause of our limited time and knowledge, I mention to the theoretical background of listening skill and suggest some applications to teaching listening skills for upper- secondary school students. This study is conducted among the 12th form students at Yen Dinh 1 high school during the school year 2018- 2019
4. Method of the study
 I use a combination of different methods
- Collecting materials: Data are taken from various reference books, which related to listening skill. Information sources are also accessed from Internet.
- Analyzing and synthesizing:
Data are analyzed to choose important information about listening skill. After that, synthesize them.
- Consulting our supervisor and other experienced teachers.
5. Significance of the study
This study may provide insights into the process of learning the listening skill for the students. It motivates the students’ desire for learning English, and make them more confident and active in listening activities. It also gives some suggestions for other teachers for teaching listening lessons.
PART B: CONTENTS
Chapter I. Theoretical background of the listening skill
1.1. What is the listening skill?
So far, there have been a number of definitions of listening by different linguists such as Howatt and Dakin (1974); Wolvin and Coakley (1982); Pearson (1983); 
 Howatt and Dakin (1974) defined listening as 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. 
Wolvin and Coakley (1982) regarded listening "the process of receiving, attending to and assigning meaning to aural stimuli".
Pearson (1983) stated “Listening involves the simultaneous organization and combination of skills in Phonology, Syntax, Semantics, and knowledge of the text structure, all of which seem to be controlled by the cognitive process. Thus it can be said that though not fully realized, the listening skill is essential in acquiring language proficiency”.
1.2 The importance of listening
Language skills are often integrated with each other in language use. This is true with listening and speaking, so in conversations, two or more people alternate speaking and listening. Like reading, listening is a receptive skill where the purpose is to comprehend or understand what someone might be saying or writing. It is an important, active skill of spoken language as it involves various kinds of the listener's knowledge: knowledge of phonology, vocabulary, semantics of the language in use, culture of its people, his life, experience in the topic, his ability to predict and respond, etc. It decides his comprehension, content and attitude in response to the speaker's speech as well. 
 In learning English as a foreign language, students cannot develop speaking listening skills unless they develop listening skills. To have a successful conversation, they must understand what is said to them. Later on, the ability to understand the native speaker in direct conversations, on the radio or tape may be very important for them to further study the language and communicate in it. Finally, listening to spoken language is an important way of acquiring the language or "picking up" vocabulary and structures. 
1.3. Phases in the listening learning process
A listening text may be a short story, dialogue, piece of news, etc. Teaching a listening text can be divided into three main stages: pre-listening, while listening, and post-listening. Each stage has its own aims and activities. 
1.3.1 Pre-listening 
This stage is aimed at preparing students with everything necessary for listening and understanding the listening text. Some activities are: 
Warming up the class: The teacher may motivate the class, gradually setting up a context for the listening text to be presented by asking questions to elicit students' experience, or ideas concerning the coming text or by using some sort of visual aids or their imagination. 
Introducing the topic of the listening text. Tile teacher briefly introduces the topic of the listening text so that the students may get their mind ready for it. 
 Presenting key words. The teacher only presents any word that is necessary for students to understand the text. 
Giving guiding questions: These guiding questions will help focus the students' attention on the main points of the text. They will guide the students to the better understanding of the text. Students should be allowed to make guesses at the answer to the questions before listening. 
1.3.2 While-listening 
The aim of this stage is to facilitate students' listening and check their comprehension. While the students are listening to the text for the first time, they can check their guess at and give the correct answer to the guiding questions. The teacher then gives the students some tasks to do while they are listening for the second time. They can do some of the activities such as: gap-filling, true or false statements, answering comprehension questions, matching, multiple choice, reordering, etc. The students may need to listen to the text more than once so that they can finish their while-listening activities. After checking the students' answers, the teacher should emphasize the key points of the text and explain the difficulties in vocabulary or structures that the students encounter while listening. Be sure while listening, students are not allowed to look at the tape script of the listening text. 
1.3.3 Post-listening 
 At this stage, students can have opportunities to practise using what they have 
	got from the listening text. Students can do such activities as: 	' 
Summarizing the text orally or in written form. 
Re-telling the content of the listening text. 
Role play: Students play the roles of the characters in the text. 
 Discussion: Students can discuss the points in the listening text or giving their comments about the information in the text. 
The teacher should make up and vary the activities for students to do at this stage depending on their level of English. 
Chapter II
Applications to teaching listening skill for the 12th form students 
 	Listening skills play an important role in using English to communicate. Listening skilss are one of the most difficult skills that an EST/EFT teacher will have to deal with. Moreover, the studying of these skills is not of learner’s interests. In this chapter, I suggest some activities to make teaching and learning Listening skills more attractive. I mention to the use of pictures, games in teaching and learning Listening skills
2.1. Pictures
 Pictures are illustrations that are cut from magazines, newspapers or other sources. They’re mostly photographs, but drawings, collages, maps, or other illustrations can be used for certain activities.
 We can use pictures in three stages of the lesson: presentation, practice, and production. They make the lesson more meaningful and interesting. When students learn with pictures, they are more creative.
2.2. Games 
 Games are highly motivating and competitive because they are amusing and interesting. They can be used to give practice in all language skills and be used to practice many types of communication.
2.3. Applying suggestions in teaching for 12th form sts
I myself have applied these suggestions in teaching . Below is one of my lessons in which I have applied some ways to improve the listening ability.
In the English 12 textbook, most of the listening lessons have pictures to exploit the related contents, some tasks in“ While you listen” are quite relevant, however, there are some lessons have no pictures but have quite difficult tasks, For the limit of my theme I only focus on unit 6, unit 8 as examples and give some suggestions which I find them effective
2.3.1 WARM UP. ( 5 minutes)
Besides using the pictures, handouts, I prepare some games for this parts (Hangman, brainstorming, who am I ) to save time to lead students to new lessons easily from the start
For example:
Unit 6: FUTURE JOBS
PERIOD 33: LESSON 3 – LISTENING
The purposes of this lesson is to provide listening comprehension about the American work force, the distribution and change of chosen jobs from the past to the future, the topic of this lesson is not easy because the vocabulary is difficult. So I do “Warm up” as following 
Game: Puzzles
-T divides the class into two groups.
-T sticks 8 leaves (prepared in advance) on the board.
-Ss from each group take turns to pick a leaf on the board at random. There is a puzzle at the back of each leaf.
-T lets Ss read out the puzzle to their groups and they have to guess what the job is. If the group can’t give the correct answer, the chance is given to the other group.
-The group with more points is the winner of the game.
* Expected puzzles: 
1. I play music. Who am I (musician)
2. I direct traffic at the crossroads. (policeman / traffic warden)
3. I fly a plane. (pilot)
4. I protect the country. (soldier)
5. I travel a lot and show tourists around interesting places. (tour guide)
6. I help people when they are sick. (doctor)
7. I advise people about the law. (lawyer)
8. I keep or check financial accounts. (accountants)
Lead-in: 
-Teacher ask students to list some more 
1. Beside these jobs, Can you make a list of some other jobs?
- Teacher lead students to 2 group jobs
+ Manufacturing jobs : tailors/ car makers .
+ Service jobs : seller/ accounting/ transportation .
2. In your opinion, Which is the most popular job in Vietnam?
From the answers of students .Teacher lead in the topic ►listening lesson today is about the job market in the US. 
Unit 8: LIFE IN THE FUTURE
PERIOD 45: LESSON 3 – LISTENING
The purposes of this lesson is to provide the listening comprehension about people’s life expectancy in the future. The topic is very popular however, students will have difficulties in listening because the vocabulary is unfamiliar and two voices in tapes are similar. So I combine pictures and some open questions to lead to the topic
-Teacher ask students to answer the question and show some pictures
Which of the following factors do you think might help people have a long and healthy life?
1) eat vegetables & fruits
2) drink enough water
3) do exercises
4) do not drink beer or wine
5) do not smoke
- From the answers of students, teacher lead in the topic ►listening lesson today is about people’s life expectancy in the future.
2.3.2. BEFORE YOU LISTEN. ( 10 minutes )
This is an important step so as to provide students with some vocabulary and related background and I do as follow
Unit 6: FUTURE JOBS
PERIOD 33: LESSON 3 – LISTENING
From “Warm up” part I have introduced:
 + Manufacturing jobs : tailors/ car makers . 
+ Service jobs : seller/ accounting/ transportation . 
I lead students to understanding that manufacturing and service jobs make “ workforce” 
- I provide the vocabulary vendor/ seller (n) from here I lead students to the words “wholesale” and “retail”
Unit 8: LIFE IN THE FUTURE
PERIOD 45: LESSON 3 – LISTENING
- Activity 1: Pre-teaching vocabulary
-T elicits some new words that Ss will hear in the listening exercise.
+ incredible (a) (synonym): fantastic, unbelievable, surprising
+centenarian (n) (definition)
+ fatal (a) (context) Many cures for fatal diseases have been found.
+ eradicate (v) (synonym): eliminate, get rid of
+ life expectancy (n) (synonym): life span
+ eternal (a) (synonym): everlasting, never-ending
+ mushroom (v): (translation)
- Activity 2: Checking – Matching
-T asks Ss to match the words/phrases with their Vietnamese meaning.
2.3.3. WHILE YOU LISTEN ( 25 minutes )
Unit 6: FUTURE JOBS
PERIOD 33: LESSON 3 – LISTENING
Task in textbook
Simplify the task
Task 2: Listen again and decide whether the statements are true (T) or false (F).
Statements
T
F
1. American workers have changed from manufacturing jobs to service jobs.
2. Manufacturing jobs are jobs in which workers make something.
3. Personal services are one of the five service jobs.
4. 70% of workers produced goods one hundred years ago.
5. 80% of workers will work in the service sector by the year 2020.
Task 2: Listen again and choose the best answer
1. American worker have changed __________________
A. from manufacturing jobs to service jobs. 
B. from service jobs to manufacturing jobs.
C. Into manufacturing jobs. 
2. ____________are jobs in which people make something or produce things 
A. Service jobs 
B. Manufacturing jobs 
C. personal services
3. Generally, service jobs are grouped into ______categories 
A. four B. three C. five
4. One hundred years ago, _____ of workers produced goods 
A. 18 % B. 80% C. 30%
5. By the year 2020, __________ workers will work in service jobs. 
A. Five out of every ten 
B. Eight out of every ten 
C. Nine out of every ten 
Expected answers: 
 1A 2B 3C 4B 5D
Unit 8: LIFE IN THE FUTURE
PERIOD 45: LESSON 3 – LISTENING
Task in textbook
Simplify the task
Task 2 - Listen again answer the questions.
1. What are factors that help people have longer life expectancy according to Dr. Davis?
1. What are factors that help people have longer life expectancy according to Dr. Davis?
3. What does Dr. Davis mean when he says the development in medical science is the most important factor of all?
Task 2 - Listen again and choose the best answer for the following questions.
1. What are factors that help people have longer life expectancy according to Dr. Davis?
A. eating more meat and vegetables
B. eating more healthily, cutting down on things like butter, alcohol, and cigarettes.
C. doing exercise regularly
2. Which factor is the most important one?
A. the development in medical science.
B. the development in technology
C. the development in food production
3. What does Dr. Davis mean when he says the development in medical science is the most important factor of all?
A. nobody dies from old age
B. nobody dies from disease
C. a and b are correct
4. What will we have been able to do about AIDS in ten years’ time?
A. eradicate AIDS
B. cure AIDS patients
C. bring AIDS under control
AIDS: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
HIV: Human Immunodeficiency Virus
Expected answers:
1.B 2. A 3. C 4. C
2.3.4 AFTER YOU LISTEN ( 5 minutes)
The aim of this part is to check students’ listening comprehension via the speaking skill or writing skill. It depends on the lessons and the learners to give suitable tasks
 In this part, I often give questions to cover the gist of the lesson or make use of the questions in previous tasks for class’ discussion and presentation in front of class
Examples: 
Unit 6: FUTURE JOBS
PERIOD 33: LESSON 3 – LISTENING
Questions:
Which is the main workforce in America?
How many categories are grouped in service jobs?
As following the prediction, how many percents of workers will work in service jobs?
In the future, what kind of job do you want to do, manufacturing or service jobs? Give some reasons? 
Unit 8: LIFE IN THE FUTURE
PERIOD 45: LESSON 3 – LISTENING
- Work in groups to answer the question:
1. How long will we be able to live in the 21st century according to scientists?
2. How many percent of cancers are curable within 30 years?
Expected answers: 1. 130 years old
 2. 80%
2.4. Result after applying the research
Since I applied this research for my teaching at Yen Dinh 1 high school I have got better results: Students increasingly desire listening lessons, they become creative and active in developing their listening skills.
In the year 2017-2018, I taught 12A8. I didn’t use these applications. The number of students who are good at this skill is very low. However, in the year 2018- 2019, when I taught 12A11 after using some applications to improve the listening ability, I asked my sts to do a mini – listening test. The result is very high.
The result at the end of school year 2017- 2018
 (not applied the research)
Grade
Number of
Student
Mark (from 8 to 10)
Mark (from 6.5 to 7.9)
Mark (from 5 to 6.4)
Mark (from 3.5 to 4.9)
Mark (from 0 to 3.4)
SL
TL
SL
TL
SL
TL
SL
TL
SL
TL
12A8
 45
3
7,5 %
11
15 %
17
42,5 %
9
22,5 %
5
12,5 %
The result at the end of school year 2018- 2019
(applied the research)
Grade
Number of
Student
Mark (from 8 to 10)
Mark (from 6.5 to 7.9)
Mark (from 5 to 6.4)
Mark (from 3.5 to 4.9)
Mark (from 0 to 3.4)
SL
TL
SL
TL
SL
TL
SL
TL
SL
TL
12A11
 43
7
15 %
13
17.5 %
16
37.5 %
4
10 %
3
7,5 %
Part C: CONCLUSION
Being one of the teachers of English at Yen Dinh 1 high school, I can see clearly the current situation of learning English here. The listening skill is considered the most difficult to achieve among the four skills. Therefore, I have conducted this with a view to finding out difficulties encountered by the 12th form students and helping them have better listening skills.
Although I have tried best to offer some insightful findings through the study; however, the limitations are unavoidable because of the limitation of our knowledge, time and materials for my studying.
 I hope that this study will benefit teachers and learners in teaching and learning listening skills. I have also received much enthusiastic help and encouragement from other teachers as well as my friends. Therefore any comments and suggestions will be highly appreciated so that I can perfect my later study. 
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Hiệu trưởng
 Nguyễn Đức Hải
Thanh Hoá, ngày 24 tháng 05 năm 2019
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REFERENCES
Anderson, A. & Lynch, T., Listening, OUP, 1998.
Brown, G, & Yule, G., Teaching Spoken English, CUP, 1983a.
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