Listening Activities: Guests Stars

A lot of students consider that listening activities are a real problem because they do not understand all. Sometimes the cause of the disinterest is pretend to understand everything and focused on audio listening only. Well, you have other options that can help your students to be relaxed; it can do that they don’t realize that they’re in a listening activity. For example the guest stars, live listening, etc.

P1. Listen to the guest. In order to guess who she/he is.

P2. Stars. You can be an actor, a singer, a soccer player, etc.

I consider that an excellent option is the Guest Stars because it’s funny and useful. For example, if you want that students practice listening, and also speaking. You should use it. First, Prepare notes for a short monologue in character, for example, you’re Shakira. In class announce that a guest star is coming today, do not say who it is. Next, the learners should listen and think who the guest is. They can write in a piece of paper what they are guessing. Then, The guest start have to chat naturally for a minute or two in character about his or her life, a typical day, how you feel etc. At the end when the guest finish students should compare their guesses in small groups and then check with their teacher. Finally, the teacher says the name of the guest but first ask for the students opinions.

P3. Work in groups. In order to guess.

As a conclusion, I think that is an enjoyable activity that can help a lot of students because they are talking naturally. They won’t feel stress. In addition, it’s a moment that you can notice if your student can get information from their partners and if they can use their speaking well too. It’s important that students can feel comfortable in a listening activity in order that they do not notice that they are in an evaluation. If you work naturally you can obtain great results.