I don’t know whether others would agree, but I find that language learning materials are often terribly bland in their nature? In my opinion it is much more entertaining (and therefore surely more useful from a learning perspective) to listen to strong and controversial views.
If I were learning English, I would be delighted to listen to material such as the following - even though I don’t entirely agree with everything the guy says:
(Warning: the guy is a Kiwi, and some of his language is a little spicy!)
Narrow listening is a great tool to improve listening comprehension, fluency, speaking, and vocabulary; and…students enjoy it. I have been using narrow listening for 13 years with excellent results. In 1996, Steve Krashen (my professor and mentor at that time) talked to me about narrow listening, and since then I have been collecting my audio-library. I teach Spanish and since 2000 I am using an audio-library in Spanish with 72 authentic listening passages in which 23 native speakers from 12 different Spanish-speaking countries talk freely about their points of view or experiences related to the topic being discussed. There are a total of 24 topics in the Spanish audio-library. The topics are divided into three categories: personal, speculative & controversial, and informative topics. I have transcripts, comprehension, vocabulary and grammar activities for each listening passage, that will be part of a language textbook I am working on.
If you would like to have more information and use the Spanish audio-library, I will be more than happy to help you. Please feel free to contact me at vrodrigo@gsu.edu (Dr.Victoria Rodrigo, Georgia State University). Greetings to everybody.
Narrow listening is a great tool to improve listening comprehension, fluency, speaking, and vocabulary; and…students enjoy it. I have been using narrow listening for 13 years with excellent results. In 1996, Steve Krashen (my professor and mentor at that time) introduced me about narrow listening. I teach Spanish and since 2000 I am using an audio-library in Spanish with 72 authentic listening passages in which 23 native speakers from 12 different Spanish-speaking countries talk freely about their points of view or experiences related to the topic being discussed. There are a total of 24 topics in the Spanish audio-library. The topics are divided into three categories: personal, speculative & controversial, and informative topics. I have transcripts, comprehension, vocabulary and grammar activities for each listening passage, which will be part of a language textbook I am working on.
If you would like to have more information and use the Spanish audio-library, I will be more than happy to help you. Please feel free to contact me at*****(Dr.Victoria Rodrigo, Georgia State University). Greetings to everybody.
Thank you for joining us on the forum. Is there any chance that you could share some of these lessons in our library for our members to try out?This would take the form of audio and text, and a link to your website, so that those interested could pursue further services, or other activities directly with you.
The possibility also exists to sell these lessons as premium content in our library.
It’s a wonderful idea considering the fact that the more varied the lessons are, the better. Also there should be lessons recorded ( and written )in different styles in order to help learners to gain a solid foundation and help them (us) as to never get bored .
Hi Steve, thank you for the offer. I will love to do it, and I will, but i cannot right now. The audio-library I compiled has a copyright by Pearson (i am working on a second edition of a Spanish language textbook that has narrow listening as a starting point for each chapter). However, i am in the process of recording more native speakers and developing activities. These ones i will be able to share. We will keep in touch.
Hi Steve, thank you for the offer. I will love to do it, and I will, but i cannot right now. The audio-library I compiled has a copyright by Pearson (i am working on a second edition of a Spanish language textbook that has narrow listening as a starting point for each chapter). However, i am in the process of recording more native speakers and developing activities. These ones i will be able to share. We will keep in touch.
