Listen @ Surrey is series of web information pages for advanced learners, which gives practice in the skill of listening. It is specially designed for students of GCE AS level, but the texts and exercises may be used at higher or lower levels, depending on the ability of the learner.

This series is currently available in the following languages:

• French – compiled by Juliet Jackson
• German – compiled by Birgit Linton
• Spanish – compiled by Leila Farage

Learning to listen

What is special about spoken language?

When people speak, the nature of their language is dictated by the situation they are in. In a formal situation, as when reading from a script or lecture notes, they will plan carefully what they are going to say; in an informal situation they are more likely to speak spontaneously, as when discussing a subject or chatting. The language in the "Listen to French @ Surrey" series is of the latter kind: it is unscripted, mostly in dialogue form and has little pre-meditation. It is like the language you would hear in a bar or at a party, generated by the speakers as the thoughts come to them. Since this "natural" language is the kind that learners will encounter most frequently when visiting the country where the language is spoken, every language learning programme should take it into account.

We believe that it is important for learners to develop the strategies necessary for extracting information from colloquial language spoken at a normal pace. The speed of utterance of the language heard on the audio files is therefore a natural one.

Spoken language which is created spontaneously is not as organised as the language of the formal lecture, and is subject to adjustments of thought and of expression. Such language is characterised by a number of features:

• The grammatical structures used tend to be simpler than those found in writing.
• The speakers frequently fail to complete a thought, whether as a result of interruption by another speaker or because they have not thought through the idea completely.
• Hesitation and the use of "fillers" {"well", "I don't know", "let me see") which give speakers time to plan their speech are common in unplanned spoken language.
• Repetition of key words and ideas is usual in colloquial speech; speakers frequently reinforce in this way
• Expressions showing agreement, opinion, reinforcement of an idea etc., such as "of course (not)", "I (don't) think/like", "the fact is that" are commonplace.

How can successful listening be achieved?

Listening is not the same as hearing. When you simply "hear" a piece of information, you do not automatically internalise the details or meaning in order to understand them. Listening, on the other hand, implies a kind of "mental processing" to enable the listener to take in what is heard. When we listen we do so with a purpose in mind; the listening activity requires concentration and selectivity. If, for example, the weather forecast is being broadcast on the radio you may hear all of it, but only listen to the forecast for your area, and this is the information that you retain.

It is important for learners to bear in mind that the meaning of a piece of language can be successfully grasped without the need to understand each and every word. The approach to listening which insists that all detail must be understood is a misguided one and will lead to a great deal of frustration. If learners attempt to grapple with every word, they will quickly lose track of what is being said. They are also likely to become anxious, which will be counter-productive.

What strategies should the learner adopt for successful listening?

The following guidance for students is proposed:

• Good concentration is essential and so the conditions for listening to the audio files should be favourable (ie. a calm and quiet environment).
• Start with a short extract and build up gradually to longer ones.
• Think first about the context of the extract. What language and ideas are likely to come up in relation to the topic and to the particular title of the extract?
• Assume that you will only have a very general understanding of the extract the first time you listen. Don't try to decipher every word.
• Try to grasp the gist of an extract before focusing on the detail.
• Note down key words and phrases.
• Listen for 10 – 15 minutes per day. It is essential to develop the listening habit. The golden rule is to listen "a little but often".
• Listen to an extract as many times as you need to. Your ear needs to tune in again to the language each time you listen.
• Don't get frustrated if the language seems too fast; the more you listen to an extract the more it will appear to "slow down" and make sense.
• Return to the same extract a week or two later and see how much better you understand it.