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Listening Assessment

DISCUSS THIS ARTICLE

When planning an effective listening comprehension activity…

1. Choose an activity.
2. Identify what you would like students to achieve. 
3. Tailor the activity to your curriculum and to your students’ needs. 

	Ease Student Anxiety before Beginning Listening Comprehension Activities
	Before I begin a listening comprehension activity, I like to ease student anxiety with a little humor.  I don a sombrero and a poncho, play some fun Spanish music, and shout “Vámonos” or “Luces, Cámera, ¡Acción!”
	Use Material that is Comprehensible
	Spanish listening activities are most effective when they are comprehensible to students.  Otherwise, students will become frustrated and tune out and start throwing spit wads, hit Señorita Sally over the head and make her cry, and wreak havoc on your classroom.  We don’t want that to happen now do we?  So, first preview the listening passage and observe the pace, background noise, and vocabulary.  What may seem manageable to you may be too fast, distracting, or difficult for students.  Think challenging yet non-threatening.  A great way to aid in understanding is to conduct pre-listening activities.
	Incorporate a Variety of Listening Activities
	In order to accommodate different learning needs and situations, incorporate a variety of listening activities such as books on tape, conversations, instructions, interviews, lectures, movies, newscasts, radio broadcasts, songs, stories, speeches, and TV clips.  After all, isn't variety the spice of life?  Oh, and be sure to tailor them to benefit your students.  What works for some students may not work for others.
	Consider the Different Learning Styles of Students
	Keep in mind the different learning styles of your students.  Some students are better auditory learners while others are more visual or tactile.  For visual learners, I include a lot of visuals such as pictures, props, and video clips.  For kinesthetic learners, I incorporate movement such as acting out words as they listen, pointing to objects, or standing up when they hear a particular word.  I have found that incorporating visuals and actions in the beginning aids in learning and comprehension.  If students have already learned the vocabulary and concepts or if I am testing students on listening comprehension, then I do not include visual or tactile reinforcement.
	Include Interesting and Relevant Listening Activities
	Listening comprehension activities should be muy interesante so that students will be so enthralled with what is going on that they will just have to listen and remain focused.  If you don’t know what your students like, don’t sweat it!  You can find out by asking them or by giving them a survey.
	Utilize Authentic Materials with Different Native Speakers and Accents
	Provide listening activities with native speakers from different Spanish-speaking countries.  Why? So students grow accustomed to listening to different voices and accents in different contexts.  This will help students improve their listening comprehension skills in Spanish and in English.
	Prepare Students for Real World Situations
	Present real life situations where students must solve a problem or listen to high frequency situations, such as making a telephone call or obtaining directions.
	Assign Students a Task to Complete During Listening Comprehension Activities
	During each listening activity, ensure that all students are actively listening by assigning a task for students to complete. It could be as simple as giving a yes/no response or as complex as writing an essay written in Spanish.
	Do a follow-up activity
	After completing a listening exercise review the activity by going over the correct answers and by having a class discussion.  Some students will find it helpful if you provide a transcript after they have already listened to the clip and have performed some exercises.  Afterwards, play the clip again with the text in order to maximize student understanding.  Allow students to review listening clips in class, before or after school.
	Hold students accountable and assess often
	Hold students accountable for their listening by requiring them to turn in an answer sheet for a grade or by giving a quiz immediately after the lesson.  If students know that they are going to be held immediately accountable on a regular basis they will work harder and their listening comprehension skills will improve.