STRATEGIES
IN TEACHING LISTENING
The reviewer has already read five books that
contains of strategies in teaching listening. Reviewer interested at strategies
in teaching listening because reviewer experienced in listening class found
that listening is kind of boring activity. Teaching in listening classroom
should have strategies to increase students’ interest. The title of the first
book is Second Language Listening : Theory and Practice which is written by John Flowerdew and Lindsay Miller published in 2005 by
Cambridge University Press that is mention about
teaching listening through technology. The second book is about Learning the
Secret Language of Focus Group which is written by Bonnie Goebert and published in 2002 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York. The reviewer also find strategies in teaching listening is focus groups. The third book is about
A Framework for Teaching Across Differences which is written by Katherine
Schultz and the published in
2003 by Teachers College Press, that also mention about focus
groups. The fourth is about Listening in the Language Classroom which is
written by John Field, the published in 2008 by Cambridge University
Press
that
also explain about focus groups. The last is about Teaching and Researching
Listening which is written by Michael Rost and published in 2002 by Pearson Education Limited, that contains of both
speakers and listeners make strategies that they assume will make the
interaction smoother and the content more comprehensible. From the books above,
the reviewer is interested in Second Language Listening which is explain about
strategies in teaching listening.
Second Language Listening have many chapters on it,
but the reviewer interested in the chapter 3 that is about strategy in teaching
listening. In this chapter, the author clasify of technology that can be used
in teaching listening. For example, teaching by using radio, audio tapes,
language laboratory, video, CALL. The technology can be used together. For
example, lecture using language laboratory that is consists of radio, audio
tapes, video, and CALL. Language laboratory developing listening skill. It is
because (1) material writers have produced quality materials that can be used
in the laboratory, and (2) students have been encouraged to take more
responsibility for their learning, and they can control the type of listening
exercises they wish to do in the language laboratory, which in many
institutions has taken on features of a self-access center ( Gardner and
Miller, 1999). The
consideration of the reviewer is by using technology, the material is easy to
deliver. Reviewer also found that technology develop students’ comprehension
and students’ interest.
In the second book is Learning the Secret Language of Focus Group, the reviewer found
that another strategy in teaching listening is focus groups. It means that, groups
are important in teaching listening, because focus groups make regular thinking
for students. Usually, a good around of focus groups give rise to more
questions, but they will be more precise. Then, that is supported by John
Field (2008) that is state when students work in the group, they comprehend
better because they have some discussion after listening activity. Another
advantage is that the learner becomes more active speaker since they discuss
their understanding to each other. So,
the reviewer thinks that the
group works are better to increase students’ ability that is explain in the
above.
In order to divided students into a group, the
reviewer thinks lecturer should know the comprehend of students which they are
allowed in the group. It means that, lecturer should know the students’ ability
first. Katherine Schultz (2003)
added that, lecturer have to know students based on the social, cultural, and
community contexts of students lives. To achieve this contexts, lecturer should
have do an activity is called interaction. Michael Rost (2002) said that interaction
can take many forms and serve many purposes, but it is the kind of interaction linked to input
processing that is of most interest in the development of listening ability. So, between teacher and
students should have interaction in listening class in order to develop
students’ ability.
In conclusion, lecturer has to know some strategies
to improve students comprehension. Technology and focus group are something
that cannot be separated. Because in listening, technology is an important
aspect to study but focus group also needed to make students more confidence in
order to answer the questions. Teaching listening also means teaching students
to comprehend the lessons. So by using strategies which is use technology and
focus group, lecturer know about students community in order to develop
students’ ability.
