The poor cousin? Extensive Listening

Rob WaringER Foundation World Congress Dubai

Sept 19, 2015

What is EL?

• EL is often seen as a mirror of ER except they just listen• My definition includes viewing as well as listening

– EL can be reading-while-listening

How are ER/EL similar?

• Both have similar aims – scaffold knowledge, provide extensive practice, recycling, building depth of knowledge etc.

• Can use many of the same pre- while- post- activities• Both have primary focus on fluency, ease, comprehension,

automaticity, enjoyment etc.• Both have levels – use of ‘graded’ materials• They can share a library, and borrowing systems

How are ER/EL different?

• EL is real time, ER you can review, stop and think• EL ‘levels’ are not the same as ER levels

– Often 2 levels lower

• EL materials need expensive technology

Why is EL the poor cousin?

• EL is seen as an afterthought – lack of knowledge of differences– Assumption that one’s EL level is the same as one’s ER level– EL level if often mediated with written texts, tests– We build ‘libraries’ first (admins understand money for libraries)– Libraries are equated with literature, the oral tradition is less valued

• Costs extra money for the technology to deliver the materials • Primacy of the written word in EFL/ESL e.g. textbooks• Assessment (e.g. quizzes) of EL is mostly written• Publishers write written materials first and add in listening• Available materials tend to be spoken written materials (almost an after

thought)• Listening vocab (800 core) is not the same as written vocab (1500-2500 core)• Dominance of research on ER, not EL• Publishers start with the written word, listening comes second• Etc.

What’s wrong with our current materials?

• Mostly spoken written materials• Not written with systematic phonics or pronunciation or

intonation training• Often can’t be adjusted for speed, tone etc.• Mostly monologues, few EFL ‘graded’ materials are dialogs• Not interactive (a lot of listening is interactive)• Not enough volume of materials• Audio recordings miss a lot of the natural background and

context to what they are listening to

What can we do about it?

• Mirror/replicate the canon of ER research in EL• We don’t really have a listening fluency syllabus

– ERF scale of GR exists – no listening equivalent– No commonly recognized spoken language wordlist– We have a clear phonics syllabus to help people read, where is the syllabus

to help people listen?

• Create our own materials and share them– Record conversations like www.ELLLO.org– Narrow conversation structures (i.e. chatting about a topic many times)

• Rebrand or redefine EL – give it another name????• Make listening materials downloadable for free•

Your ideas?

Thanx

See you tomorrow!

www.robwaring.org/presentations