Customer Reviews

Teaching and Researching Listening (Applied Linguistics in Action)

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I teach graduate students studying to be language educators in Japan. My students need some basic theory which can be applied to the nuts and bolts challenges of the classroom. I like this book because it provides theory that serves as a base for learning how to effectively teach listening. Without understanding the listening process, teachers can not create effective listening activities. The book is in three sections: 1) defining listening; 2) teaching listening; 3) researching listening. The first and second section are what I find especially useful. Chapters 10 and 11 (Instructional design and methods for assessing listening)are especially practical, and can be applied directly to the classroom. The third section, which mostly introduces examples of action research projects, is more of a sampler to give a taste of research, and not really a complete approach to doing it. The author seems to be attempting to write three books in one, and as a result, he covers a lot of ground in a limited number of pages. That's perfect for me, however, since I am working with teachers, not linguists. The writing is clear and accessible, and the content flows well. I am familiar with the author's work as an editor and author of English learning materials and have heard him speak at professional conferences. He seems to understand quite well the daily needs of practicing teachers, and has chosen the content for this book with them in mind. It's really a nice blend of theory and practice.