Pre-Listening:
Activate Background Knowledge
When?
Before students engage in a listening-heavy task, provide an opportunity for students to discuss what they already know about the topic at hand.
How?
There are several different strategies teachers can use to activate prior knowledge:
1. Complete a KWL chart with students
2. Facilitate a turn and talk where students discuss what they already know about a topic
3. Provide visuals for students to view before hand to give them a place to start
4. Facilitate a quick summary of what students will listen to using social language
5. Pre-teach any difficult words that are absolutely necessary for comprehension
Materials?
Why?
All students are better able to absorb knowledge when they can connect what they are hearing to what they already know. These activities all provide opportunities for ELs to draw on their background knowledge to prepare them for a listening task such as a lecture or movie. Visual images can provide background knowledge for students who may not have prior knowledge on the topic. A summary in basic social language will also prepare students to listen successfully to information given in an academic register.
Before students engage in a listening-heavy task, provide an opportunity for students to discuss what they already know about the topic at hand.
How?
There are several different strategies teachers can use to activate prior knowledge:
1. Complete a KWL chart with students
2. Facilitate a turn and talk where students discuss what they already know about a topic
3. Provide visuals for students to view before hand to give them a place to start
4. Facilitate a quick summary of what students will listen to using social language
5. Pre-teach any difficult words that are absolutely necessary for comprehension
Materials?
- KWL Chart
- Images
Why?
All students are better able to absorb knowledge when they can connect what they are hearing to what they already know. These activities all provide opportunities for ELs to draw on their background knowledge to prepare them for a listening task such as a lecture or movie. Visual images can provide background knowledge for students who may not have prior knowledge on the topic. A summary in basic social language will also prepare students to listen successfully to information given in an academic register.