Teaching Listening and

Speaking Skills






Mster Universitario en Enseanza del
Ingls como Lengua Extranjera
Universidad de Alcal

Curso Acadmico 2012/2013
1er cuatrimestre


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GUA DOCENTE

Nombre de la asignatura: Teaching Listening and Speaking skills
Cdigo: 200716
Departamento: Filologa Moderna
rea de Conocimiento: Filologa inglesa
Carcter: Obligatoria/Optativa
Crditos ECTS: 4
Cuatrimestre: 1er
Profesorado: Manuel Megas
Correo electrnico: [email protected]
Idioma en el que se imparte: Ingls

1. MODULE DESCRIPTION

The course has been designed, firstly, to make participants aware that listening is a
complex process which needs to be understood in order to teach it. Secondly, that
speaking, one of the most difficult skills language learners have to face, has
traditionally been forced into the background while many teachers of English spend
most of their classroom time trying to teach their students how to write and read.
Inside the EFL classroom, speaking and listening are frequently the skills with the
shortest time slot during class time. Conversely, outside the classroom, listening is
used twice as often as speaking, which in turn is used twice as much as reading and
writing. The aim of the course is, then, to provide useful theoretical background and
practical speaking and listening strategies to optimise the teaching and learning of
both skills.

2. AIMS

Generic competences:

- Be aware of the specific characteristics of listening and speaking skills
- Get familiar with the mental processes that intervene when listening and speaking.
- Understand the main difficulties students meet when facing listening and speaking
activities.
- Plan and evaluate effective listening and speaking lessons.
Specific competences:
After the course, participants will be expected to be able to:
- Help learners develop strategies for listening and speaking in the target language
(special emphasis will be given to communicative strategies)
- Select and/or create effective listening and speaking activities


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- Assess and evaluate oral skills according to specific criteria and the European
Framework of Reference for Language

3. MODULE CONTENTS

Units
Credits
1. Listening comprehension

1. Learning to listen
2. The process of listening
3. The signal: Characteristics of speech
4. Listening for perception
5. Listening for understanding
6. Evaluation of listening comprehension
7. Preparing learners for listening tests
9 hours (face to face
sessions)
41 hours (independent
work)
2. Speaking and oral interaction

1. The nature of speaking and oral interaction
2. Speaking: productive and interactive
dimensions
3. Communicative strategies (Facilitation and
compensation mechanisms)
4. Speaking: methodological considerations
5. Oral tasks for different purposes
6. Communicative activities in the TEFL
classroom
7. Assessment criteria for oral production
9 hours (face to face
sessions
41 hours (independent
work)


4.1. Student workload (100 hours)

Class contact hours 18
Independent study 17
Readings 20
Written assignment 15
Final essay 30

4.2. Learning activities

This is mainly a face to face module. Classes will be from 17.30 to 20.30. Course
time will be devoted to a brief theoretical presentation followed by participants
discussions on the topics introduced. Time will be allocated for analysing/designing
and carrying out practical activities. Participants will be provided with a dossier
beforehand with the contents of the module and discussions and articles to be read
(these will be uploaded on the platform WebCT). Students are expected to read
some assigned texts before they are presented and discussed in class. Their active


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participation will be one of the main components of the module as they will be able to
share opinions, beliefs, issues of concern and experiences with their classmates
(either in-service teachers or graduates).


5. ASSESSMENT

Continuous evaluation

Attendance is compulsory. Participants will be evaluated through continuous
evaluation in the following way:

1. Attendance/participation in the course (20% of the total mark)
2. Completion of specific tasks (40% of the total mark - 10% each task).
3. A personal opinion essay (2000 words) about a topic directly connected to the
course contents (40% of the total mark).

Tasks mentioned in 2 will consist on written assignments based on critical review of
articles and research provided by the teacher as well as written reflection on specific
issues. Participants will be given enough time to complete the tasks that have to be
submitted to the tutor through the platform (Blackboard)). The criteria to assess these
tasks are the following:

Understanding of the problem and identification and evaluation of conclusions,
implications, etc (critical review of articles)
Ability to reflect and originality of ideas on issues related to the theoretical and
practical contents of the module (written tasks)


The personal opinion essay mentioned in 3 (also submitted to the tutor through the
platform) will be assessed according to the following criteria:

Relevance and originality
Understanding and analysis of topic selected
Research and references
Structure, spelling and grammar

Final evaluation

According to the University regulation, if a student wants to be evaluated by a final
examination, official permission from the Masters director will be required (the
application will be submitted within the first two weeks of the course). If permission is
granted, the completion of the tasks (50%), the essay (20%) and 4 additional
questions related to the course content (30%) will constitute the totality of the mark
(100%).



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6. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bailey, K (2005): Practical English Language Teaching: Speaking. McGraw Hill.
Buck, Gary (2009): Assessing Listening, Cambridge University Press
Carter R. & Nunan D. (eds) (2001): The Cambridge Guide to Speakers of Other
Languages. Cambridge University Press
Celce-Murcia, M (2001): Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language. Heinle
and Heinle.
Field, J (2008): Listening in the language classroom. Cambridge University Press
FLowerdew, J (2005): Second Language Listening Theory and Practice. Cambridge
University Press,
Harmen, J (2007): How to Teach English. Pearson Longman
Jacobs, H (2006): Active literacy across the curriculum : strategies for reading,
writing, speaking, and listening. Larchmont, NY : Eye on Education.
Luoma, S (2004): Assessing Speaking. Cambridge University Press
McLarenm N et al (eds) (2005): TEFL in Secondary Education. Universidad de
Granada.
Rost, M (1990): Listening in Language Learning, Longman
Rost, M (1994): Introducing Listening, Longman
Thornbury S. (2005): How to Teach Speaking. Pearson Longman
Underwood, M (1989): Teaching Listening, Longman
Ur, Penny, (1984): Teaching Listening Comprehension, Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press
Watkins P. (2005): Learning to Teach English: A practical introduction for new
teachers. Delta Publishing
Wilson, J (2008): How to Teach Listening. Pearson Longman

Resource books

Gammidge, M. (2004) Speaking Extra. A Resource Book of Multi-Level Skills
Activities. Cambridge: CUP.
Hadfield, J. (1987/2003) Advanced Communication Games. Harlow, Essex:
Longman.
Hadfield, J. (1999/2003) Beginners Communication Games. Harlow, Essex,
Longman.
Hadfield, J., and Hadfield, C. (1999) Simple Speaking Activities. Oxford: OUP.
Hancock, M. (2003) English Pronunciation in Use. Cambridge: CUP.
Ludlow, K., and Riley, P. (1997) Heinemann ELT Hits. London: Heinemann.
Viney, K., and Viney, P. (1991) Grapevine Videos (level 2 and 3). Oxford: Oxford
English Video.
Rost, M. (1991) Listening in Action. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall.
Taylor, L. (1993) Pronunciation in Action. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall.