Importance of English

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Cheung, Yun Kul The Importance of Teaching Listening in the EFL Classroom 2010-08-28 24p. Guides – Classroom – Teacher English (Foreign Language); Listening Comprehension; Listening Skills; Second Language Instruction; Teaching Methods Teaching Listening Skills

This paper discusses the importance of listening comprehension in learning English as a foreign language (EFL) and argues that more emphasis should be given to listening comprehension. It cites significant research findings in second language acquisition and reviews the relationship between listening comprehension and language learning. Research suggests that listening is prerequisite to other language skills, speaking, reading, and writing, and listening should be the primary skill to be acquired in learning a new language. There are major reasons for applying the listeningfirst approach. Listening comprehension sets a foundation for the future acquisition of speaking. Emphasis on aural comprehension training, and relaxation of the requirement for oral production in the initial phase of instruction, fosters development of linguistic competence, and produces better results than those obtained through intensive oral practice.

I. INTRODUCTION Learning a foreign language is commonly associated with speaking that language, and learners are enamored with speaking the language immediately. As for teachers, they are more than likely to plunge students right into speaking. Children have months of listening to their native language before they even utter their first word. But when a person is taught a foreign language, he is expected to speak the language from day one. Listening should be the first and foremost skill to be acquired in learning a new language. Understanding spoken words is prerequisite to speaking, reading, and writing; comprehension should precede reproduction. Research has shown strong evidence that listening

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