Approaches to Teaching Listening Skills

Approaches to Teaching Listening Skills Among the other four skills, listening is the one that has been most forgotten and neglected in second language classrooms. So teachers don’t pay much attention to this skill and teach it carelessly. In the field of language teaching and learning proficiency has tended to be viewed as the ability of speaking and writing in language in question. Listening and reading skills are in the second position. One reason for this situation might be the demanding characteristic of the listening skill. Listening has gained a new importance in language classrooms after spreading IT technology based information in society in Iran. Moreover it should be mentioned that most of the students’ class time is devoted to the listening. Despite this, we often take importance of listening for granted, and it is the most overlooked skill among other skills. In natural order of learning any language, listening stands at first rank. Without any reception one can not produce anything. Though, if a teacher wants to have fluent and productive students, he/she should pay much and necessary attention to teaching listening skill. Listening Some of the teachers believe that speaking should be actively discouraged. One of the reasons of emphasizing listening and delaying speaking is based on an opinion. Those who give importance to speaking view the language as a product and think that language is a behavior and speaking is the manifestation of this learning or happening. On the contrary, there are approaches that gave more importance to listening Nation, Newton (2009). in this approach of language learning , listening is at the center. All of the information necessary for building up the knowledge for using language comes from receptive skills: listening, and reading. When the knowledge of language in this regard is built the learner can write and speak. In other words, with out any input, the outcome or output should be nothing. Gray and Gray (1981) described the benefits of del aying speaking and concentrating on listening. These benefits include the following: † 1. The learner is not overloaded by having to focus on two or more skills at the same time-a cognitive benefit. 2. Speed of coverage -receptive knowledge grows faster than productive knowledge. 3. It is easy to move very quickly to realistic communicative listening activities. 4. L earners will not feel shy or worried about their language classes. Having to speak a foreign language, particularly when you know very little, can be a frightening experience. 5. Listening activities are well studied to independent learning through listening to readings.† Critics believe that producing a language is not sufficient for learning. In language learning substantial quantities of receptive activity should be included in the mind for future use. To speak communicatively and to convey and understand the meaning, one should have a previous language knowledge and information in his/her mind. Models of listening Traditionally listening was viewed as a passive skill through which the listener or hearer received information sent by message senders. More recently listening is viewed as an active and interpretive process by which the message is not fixed but is made or created by participants. (Newton,Nation.2009)

Effects of Globalization on Brazil 1163 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Effects of Globalization on Brazil 1163 - Essay Example e increased imports causing job losses, rising inequality and homogenization of tastes which may impact local producers adversely (Held and McGrew, 2007). There are multiple causes of globalization like improvement in information technology, opening up of trade, creation of multiple trade regulatory bodies and growth of multinational companies to name a few (Woo, 2009). Brazil, the largest country of South America, was under a military government regime till 1985. Brazil is regarded as a rapidly growing developing country of South America. Brazilian economy is largely dependent on its strong agricultural sector and the industrial sector comprising mining and manufacturing activities (Bengoa and Sanchez-Robles, 2003). Globalization has a massive impact on the economy of Brazil as a whole. Globalization has increased the stability of the Brazilian economy. Increased stability has enhanced the flow of foreign direct investment in the country and many multinational companies have ventured into Brazil. Foreign trade in Brazil have received huge boost from the year 2000 onwards and many researchers have confirmed this to be plausible source of growth of the economy (Bengoa and Sanchez-Robles, 2003). The sudden fall in the global demand had affected Brazil adversely and the export sector had been maligned badly. There was a fall in the price of raw materials and sales of exported goods exacerbated the conditions in Brazil. Brazil has been badly bruised by the global financial crisis. The crisis has highlighted the negative aspects of over-dependence (Kaltenbrunner and Painceira, 2009). Globalization had a positive impact on the healthcare systems of Brazil by raising the commitment of government to prevent environmental degradation. The aim of the government is to reduce emission level by 40% till 2020. Protecting the agricultural sector and environment is an important concern for Brazil in the era of globalization (Alkmim, et al., 2012). Negative impacts of

Answers follow questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Answers follow questions - Essay Example 2. There was growing tension in the college after one of our beloved student was mugged and killed by people believed to be from the surrounding community. Students planned a peaceful demonstration to pass their messages of condolences and bereavement. The peaceful demonstration turned into a riot. As a student leader, I was able to influence the rioting students and controlled the tempers. I reminded them of the importance of dialogue in solving such problems. Striking and demolishing properties would not help bring our friend back but only cause more harm to our surrounding community. The students adhered to my speech and continued with a peaceful demonstration. 3. I come from a poor community where most of the students are unable to raise fee for their education. I am a good example of those helped by Imani Education Fund Group for needy students to attain their education. Every year the group conducts a thanks-giving ceremony. The ceremony provides a platform for raising more funds for needy students. I have been participating actively in this activity by soliciting funds and encouraging the society to contribute and help raise the next generation. With the help of my friends, I also organize and visit children orphanages. We usually give them our physical, mental, and spiritual support. 4. Once I am through with my college, I intend to be employed by big companies like Google, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and Microsoft and may others in the department of marketing or human resource manager. Completion of my education successfully will furnish me with good skills and knowledge on how handling such multinational companies in terms of human resource management and marketing. My knowledge of management will help me in controlling, directing, staffing, evaluating my staff at work. My knowledge of marketing will furnish me with knowledge of understanding the aspects of supply chain, comparative