Listening skill:
Features of listening texts

Listening texts, whether they’re conversations, lectures, or announcements, are packed with features that help convey meaning. These features—such as tone, stress, intonation, and pauses—give clues about the purpose of the speaker’s utterances and make the message clearer. As teachers, understanding these features allows us to help students become better listeners. In this lesson, we’ll explore the key features of listening texts and show how you can use this knowledge to enhance your teaching.

What are the key features of listening texts?

Listening texts are more than just words—they’re a combination of verbal and non-verbal cues that help convey meaning. Here are some of the most important features:

Tone of voice:

The speaker’s tone can indicate emotions, attitudes, or intentions. For example, a cheerful tone might suggest happiness, while a sarcastic tone might imply criticism.
Example:
A teacher saying, “Great job!” in an enthusiastic tone conveys praise, while the same words in a flat tone might sound insincere.

Stress and intonation:

Stress refers to the emphasis placed on certain words or syllables, while intonation is the rise and fall of the voice. These features can change the meaning of a sentence.
Example:
The sentence “I didn’t say he stole the money” can have different meanings depending on which word is stressed.

Pauses and pace:

Pauses can signal the end of a thought, create suspense, or give the listener time to process information. The speed of speech (pace) can also affect understanding.
Example:
A slow, deliberate pace might be used to explain a complex idea, while a fast pace might convey excitement or urgency.

Context and background knowledge:

The setting and the listener’s prior knowledge play a big role in understanding a listening text. For example, knowing the topic of a conversation helps listeners predict what might be said.
Example:
In a conversation about travel, words like “flight,” “ticket,” and “boarding pass” are likely to come up.

Non-verbal cues:

In face-to-face or video interactions, gestures, facial expressions, and body language add meaning to the words.
Example:
A speaker shaking their head while saying “no” reinforces the message.

Repetition and paraphrasing:

Speakers often repeat or rephrase key points to emphasize them or ensure understanding.
Example:
A teacher might say, “In other words, the main idea is…” to clarify a concept.

Fillers and hesitations:

Words like “um,” “uh,” or “you know” are common in natural speech. While they might seem unimportant, they can signal that the speaker is thinking or unsure.
Example:
“So, um, the next point is…” indicates the speaker is organizing their thoughts.

How to use these features of listening in teaching

Now that we’ve identified the key features, here’s how to help students use them to decode meaning:

Teach tone and emotion:

Show how stress and intonation change meaning. Use activities like sentence stress drills or intonation practice.
Example:
Say the sentence “I didn’t say he stole the money” with different stress patterns and ask students to explain the meaning each time.

Focus on stress and intonation:

Show how stress and intonation change meaning. Use activities like sentence stress drills or intonation practice.
Example:
Say the sentence “I didn’t say he stole the money” with different stress patterns and ask students to explain the meaning each time.

Highlight pauses and pace:

Teach students to listen for pauses and adjust to different speaking speeds. Use slow and fast audio clips to practice.
Example: Play a fast-paced conversation and ask students to identify key words, then play it again at a slower speed for detailed understanding.

Activate background knowledge:

Before listening, discuss the topic and activate students’ prior knowledge. This helps them predict what they might hear.
Example:
Before listening to a weather forecast, ask students to brainstorm weather-related vocabulary.

Use visual cues:

For face-to-face or video listening, teach students to pay attention to gestures, facial expressions, and body language.
Example:
Show a video clip and ask students to describe the speaker’s non-verbal cues and how they add meaning.

Teach repetition and paraphrasing:

Help students recognize when speakers repeat or rephrase key points. Use activities where students identify the main ideas in a listening text.
Example:
Play a lecture and ask students to note any repeated phrases or paraphrased ideas.

Normalize fillers and hesitations:

Explain that fillers are a natural part of speech and teach students to listen past them. Use authentic materials with natural speech patterns.
Example:
Play a casual conversation and ask students to focus on the main ideas, ignoring fillers like “um” or “uh.”

Practical activities for teaching
features of listening

Here are some classroom activities to help students practice decoding meaning using the features of listening texts:

Tone identification:

Play audio clips with different tones (happy, sad, angry) and ask students to identify the emotion.

Stress and intonation practice:

Use sentences with multiple meanings based on stress. Have students practice saying and interpreting them.

Pause and pace awareness:

Play a fast-paced dialogue and ask students to note key words, then replay it slowly for detailed understanding.

Context prediction:

Before listening, provide the topic and ask students to predict vocabulary or ideas they might hear.

Non-verbal cue analysis:

Show a video clip without sound and ask students to guess the conversation based on gestures and facial expressions.

Repetition and paraphrasing:

Play a lecture and ask students to identify repeated or rephrased points.

Filler filtering:

Play a casual conversation and ask students to focus on the main ideas, ignoring fillers.

Real-world examples in the classroom

Tone identification:
A student listens to a customer service call and identifies the agent’s tone as polite and helpful.

Stress and Intonation:
A student practices saying, “I didn’t say he stole the money,” with different stress patterns to understand the nuances.

Pause and pace awareness:
A student listens to a fast-paced news report and notes the key points, then listens again at a slower speed for details.

Non-verbal cues:
A student watches a video of a job interview and analyzes the candidate’s body language to gauge confidence.

Final thoughts

Listening texts are rich with features that help convey meaning, and by teaching students to recognize and interpret these features, we can help them become more effective listeners. Whether it’s understanding tone, decoding stress patterns, or using context clues, your guidance can make all the difference.

So, the next time you plan a listening lesson, remember to highlight these features and provide plenty of opportunities for practice. Happy teaching!

To your CELTA journal:

What’s your favorite way to teach listening features?
How do you prefer to teach listening features (e.g., connected speech, intonation, stress)? Reflect on your experiences in your CELTA journal, including any challenges you faced and how you addressed them.

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Listening skill:Features of listening texts