Listening Activity

Level and number of Students: Advanced Level - 20 students

Approach and goal of the activity (what you want students to learn and how you want to
teach it): The goal of the activity is for students to effectively communicate knowledge and
understanding based on listening. This will be accomplished through conversations between
teacher and students and group work amongst students.
Materials Needed (include and attach all materials):
Red and blue construction paper
Markers
Expected Problems: (how students may struggle or challenges they may have doing the
activity)
Students who do not have any knowledge on the topic may struggle in the first part of
the activity. Luckily, the audio will provide enough content for them to be able to
actively participate in the group discussions once played.
Stages: (how you will introduce the activity, set it up with some pre-teaching of language
students will need, and the steps of the activity. Think of it as instructions someone could
follow if you had to hand the activity to another teacher.) : Prior to playing the audio, students
will be divided into four groups of 5. Each group will be given a piece of yellow construction
paper and piece of blue construction paper. On the red one they will come up with questions
they have about applying for college in the United States, and on the blue piece of paper they
will write things they already know about the application process. This part will measure
students ability to listen to instruction. After all groups have finished writing down their
questions and statements, the audio will be played. Once the audio is played students will
discuss within their groups how what was said in the audio fits into what they knew or didnt
know about enrolling in an American university. Groups will then exchange both their
questions (yellow construction paper) with a neighbor group. The audio will be played a
second time for a more intensive listening approach. Students will then discuss within their
groups how the audio answers or doesnt answer the questions written down by their peers.
To conclude, each group will share whether or not the audio provided the answers for their
peers questions and if by chance they had the answers already in their blue paper.
Time

Instructions to students

What the teacher will be doing

10

Divide into groups / Listen to activity

instructions

Initiate conversation about studying

in American Universities to introduce
the topic / Monitor students as they
form their groups /Give activity
instructions

15

Write down questions on yellow paper

Write down existing knowledge of
enrollment process on blue paper

Monitor groups

Listen to audio (extensive listening)

Play audio

Groups will discuss amongst

themselves what they heard in the
audio and if it fits with what they wrote
on the blue paper or answer questions
in yellow paper. Then groups will
exchange yellow papers.

Give instructions / Monitor students

Listen to audio (intensive listening)

Play audio

8 (or more)

Groups will discuss how the audio

answers the questions in their peers
yellow paper. Then they will share their
findings with the class.

Assess students listening / Initiate

class discussion / Answer any further
questions

Rationale and how this activity fits into a series of lessons: This activity fits perfectly into
a series of lessons guided towards advanced EFL/ESL students, especially as a way to help
students plan for possible future plans. The activity is also very relevant to students and helps
them deal with a real life situation in a practical manner. By limiting the teachers participation,
and having students rely on what they hear on the audio to create conversations amongst
themselves is a good way to assess multiple abilities. In other words, this is a good activity to
close an academic year or semester (or unit). In terms of listening, the extensive part focuses
on students existing knowledge. The intensive part forces students to listen carefully to try and
find the answers to not just their questions but also their peers.