In 5th grade, we have started to use more time on practicing the student´s listening skills. We are used to practice listening while working with texts and talking, but have not worked with it in the way of using it to answer questions after listening.
I started up by using the webpage www.talkenglish.com about a month ago. To every task there is a dialog the students has to listen to, and after that, they have to answer four questions about the dialog. They can check if they have all four answers correct, and if they are, they can go on. The good thing about the questions is that the questions are in chronological order, so it makes it easier for the students with challenges in English.
The students all started at the same level in the basic section. We made the first assignment together in class and after that, the students worked individually. We work about 10-15 minutes a week with the listening tasks, and the students inform me how far they are every week. When they are finished with the basic tasks, they move on to the intermediate level and later the advanced level.
The students in 5th grade mostly think it is a little easy at the basic level and at the start of the intermediate level. They have not tried the advanced level yet. They think the website will be good to use in a 4th grade and as a start for listening and then remembering what they have heard by answering questions.
They think the tasks are good, and the website is easy to use and it is easy to find the tasks they have to do. It is also positive, that the answers to the questions are in the end of each task, and that is good for the students with difficulties in English. The only bad thing is that it is a free website, so there are commercials, which can be a bit annoying.
My plan is to use another webpage after the next TOEFL test. I will use the webpage https://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/. At the webpage, you can work with your English skills in listening, reading, writing and speaking and the students can work with the skills regarding to their CEFR level.
To every big task, there is a preparation task, the actual text/dialog, and then tasks to do afterwards. There is also the posibility to dowload worksheets and more.
When I get the result from the new TOELF test, the students will know their current level through the feedback from me. They can then work with the English skills on the level just perfect for them. The students will work with the listening skills but also the reading skills. We will use the reading tasks instead of the free reading we have been doing so far, but they can still read on other times in the lessons. The students have to work at their own pace and cross of on a schema whenever they are finished with a big task. If the student finishes the tasks in their own CEFR level, the plan is that they can go a level up, if they feel comfortable with it. My idea is that we will continue with the work after the summer holiday also, so it will be an ongoing process.
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