Listening to English as a foreign language

Listening for English as a foreign language is different from listening English as a native language. For foreign language learner, listening to English language is not seems like listening their own language. They listen not only to get some information or to enjoy what they listen but also it has some another meaning for the listener.

According to Tricia Hedge, most of EFL student should undergo some uncertainties that is challenging for them as one term of their learning process. Basically they are difficult for second language listener to make sense of an ambiguous message in which the speaker has given the explicit information. Well, some of these uncertainties are:[1]

a.       Uncertainties of confidence

b.       Uncertainties of deriving from the presentation of speech

c.        Uncertainties because of the gaps of the message

d.       Uncertain strategies

e.        Uncertainties of language

f.         Uncertainties of content, and visual uncertainties

                  Anyways, every problem might have solution. As Jim Scrivener has explained some tips that helps EFL student especially to listen better in English as follow:[2]

a.       Keep the recording short, not more than two minutes or so.

b.      Play the tape a sufficient number of times, or the teacher did not give the students enough opportunities to hear the tape.

c.       Let the student discuss their answer together

d.      Don’t immediately acknowledge correct answer with words or facial expression. Throw the answer back to the class.

e.       Aim to get the students agree together without your help. Until they agree, play the tape again whenever they need to hear it, to confirm their idea.

f.        Play little bit of the tape (a word, a phrase, a sentence) again and again until it is clear.

g.       Give help if they completely stuck, but still with the aim of getting them to work it out if at all possible rather than giving them the answer.

h.       Give them control of tape recorder, to listen as what they wish

i.         Don’t let them lose heart, try to make sure the task is just within their abilities.

                  We can conclude that listening to English speech is not easy for EFL student. They should be patient and learn in a series of process. Also they should do it continuously and placidly. In the similar way, the greater exercise in listening it would make the greater result.

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[1] Tricia Hedge, Teaching And Learning In The Language Classroom (Oxford, Oxford University Press: 2000) pp 237-242

[2] Jim Scrivener, Learning Teaching (Oxford: Heinemann Publishing Limited, 1994) p 149