There are three stages of working with an audiotext:
This stage does not involve listening. It has two functions:
– lead-in, i.e. it prepares learners to the topic of a recording (Do you like to travel?)
– emphasis on the language that cannot be understood through questions, including some proper names, historical events and the like
This stage is the only one that involves listening process and includes listening to an audiotext and doing exercises that require listening. Scholars proved that the optimal time of the recording is less than two minutes and learners should listen to it at least twice.
Stage 1. Listening for gist
Stage 2. Listening for specific information
Stage 3 (optional). Detailed listening
NOTE! All tasks should be given BEFORE listening so that learners should know WHY they listen and be motivated.
At this stage learners work with ideas, and mostly productive skills are developed (writing and speaking), e.g. writing an essay, discussions, debate on problems raised in the text.