2. Listening Comprehension Activities for Advanced Learners

Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing is the act of reproducing a speech sample in the learner's own words and is used to check comprehension. Repeating a passage word-forword is not the intent - what is important is for the learner to communicate the main idea of the message presented.

Paraphrasing exercises can be difficult to develop for a number of reasons. First of all, the passage that you ask your learner to repeat cannot be too short. If it is too short, there is a tendency to simply restate what was heard. If it is too long or contains too many diverse topics, it can be extremely difficult for the learner to paraphrase. Your ability to choose the right material and stop at the right intervals will improve as you get to know your learner.

Example of a paraphrasing activity

Material necessary: A cassette tape featuring a story.

Tape:

It was late. She was tired, hungry and angry. She spent the entire day babysitting five children and all she wanted to do now was rest.

Learner:

She was tired after babysitting five kids.

Tape:

Once she got home, she had a shower and soaked in the bathtub. She read a book and started... for the first time all day, she started to relax.

Learner:

She took at bath, read and relaxed.

Tape:

All of a sudden, there was a loud noise, like glass breaking and footsteps. She was startled and jumped out of bed. Her heart was pounding loudly; she felt nauseous, thinking about the stories she had heard in the recent news.

Learner:

Maybe, there was someone in her house. She is very scared.

Applying the skill to the "real world"

Paraphrasing is useful for learners to practice because it can be used as a tool for clarification. If the learner is uncertain of a speaker's intended message, she can paraphrase what she has heard. This will enable the speaker to clarify any misunderstood information.