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Listening using a CLT Approach

Catherine L. Peralta

Universidad Casa Grande

Communicative Language Teaching

Ms. Kari Miller

July 8th, 2021

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Listening using a CLT Approach

Over the years, listening skills have been disregarded by speaking ones. Teaching

methods emphasize productive skills rather than acknowledge the importance of

'receptive-productive' ones (Richards & Renandya, 2002). The CLT approach can

provide learners with the proper tools to improve their listening skills. In this specific

class, we count with a group of young adults training to become navy marines. These

students belong to an A1 level and do not have a positive background with the

language.

According to Richards & Rodgers (1999), contextualization is a basic premise

within the CLT approach, and many proponents have advocated using realia in the

classroom. Therefore, the redesigning of the unit would start with a popular movie or tv

show extract that students could relate to and provide exposure to authentic language

(Richards, 2006). In the beginning, the scene would be played silently, and in groups,

they would have to predict and infer about what is happening. At the end of this task,

students have to change the ending and act it out. It is crucial to remember that tasks

should include opportunities for learners to play an active role in their own learning

(Nunan, 2002). Listening demands listener engagement. If students are not interested, it

would not only be demotivating, but also, they might switch off, and then is when we

lose comprehension and listening becomes worthless (Harmer, 2001).

In addition, Richards & Rodgers (1999) state, "language is acquired through

communication, so that is not merely a question of activating an existing but inert

knowledge, but of stimulating the development of the language system itself." In order

to honor this statement, the unit would continue with an interview stage. After students

role-played the alternative ending, they have to conduct a series of interviews

pretending to be famous Ecuadorian actors and interviewers, each of them facing a

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different problem/situation. This activity would be done in pairs, where one student

plays the actor and the other the interviewer. The purpose of the activity is to create

reciprocal listening. In regular lessons where we make students listen to a recording, the

listening is nonreciprocal, meaning the student has no opportunity of answering back,

clarifying understanding, or checking that he has comprehended correctly, often leading

to student's frustration (Richards & Renandya, 2002).

Additionally, the last part of the unit would focus on music. Students would listen to

a song (the show or movie’s theme song). During the first part, they would listen to the

song a couple of times and discuss some questions about the song (inferring questions).

Next, students have to change the chorus in the same groups to make it funnier, more

romantic, catchier, etc. At the last part of the activity, students have to draw a cover that

represents the song. As teachers, we should help learners in any way that motivates

them to work with the language (Richards & Rodgers, 1999). Communication should be

spontaneous and applied principles such as learning by doing (Roberts, 2004).

Therefore, based on the Ecuadorian National Curriculum Standards, the new unit

would meet three specific ones, which are: to Create supportive, welcoming classroom

environments, to Develop students’ listening skills for a variety of academic and social

purposes, and to Select, adapt, and use culturally responsive, age-appropriate, and

linguistically accessible materials (Ministerio de Educacion del Ecuador, n.d.).

Consequently, the use and restructuration of the unit using the CLT approach are

necessary to improve listening skills and engage students in the process. If a teacher

feels the students are not enhancing their skills, it is time to challenge ourselves and

bring new methods to the class instead of focus on textbooks only. We cannot forget we

are doing this for our students and their needs.

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References

Harmer, J. (2001). How to Teach English: An introduction to the practice of English

language teaching. Harlow. England: Longman.

Ministerio de Educacion del Ecuador. (n.d.). Ecuadorian In-Service: The English

Language Learning Standards. Retrieved from: https://educacion.gob.ec/wp-

content/uploads/downloads/2012/09/estandares_2012_ingles_opt.pdf

Nunan, D. (2002). Listening in Language Learning. In Richards, J. C., & Renandya W.

A (Ed.), Methodology in Language Teaching: An Anthology of Current Practice.

(pp. 238-241). Cambridge. UK: Cambridge University Press.

Richards, J. C. (2006). Communicative Language Teaching Today. New York. USA:

Cambridge University Press.

Richards, J. C., & Renandya W. A. (2002). Methodology in Language Teaching: An

Anthology of Current Practice. Cambridge. UK: Cambridge University Press.

Richards, J. C., & Rodgers T. S. (1999). Approaches and Methods in Language

Teaching. Cambridge. UK: Cambridge University Press.

Roberts, J. T. (2004). The Communicative Approach to Language Teaching: The King

is dead! Long live the King! International Journal of English Studies, 4 (1), 1-

37.