The early stages of development of a prototype test of listening comprehension for English-as-a-Second-Language are described, including objective setting, hardware and software considerations for speech storage and generation, general structure, student attitudes in initial field testing, and needed additional research. Proper creation and use of…

Four language class activities are suggested, including an exercise designed to involve even the most recalcitrant students in oral communication, an artist's visit to the class to discuss his work, use of an authentic document to develop understanding of figurative language, and a reading comprehension and interpretation activity. (MSE)

Reports on a study that focused on the mental processes second-language learners use in listening comprehension, the strategies they use in different phases of comprehension, and the differences in strategy use between students designated by their teachers as effective and ineffective listeners. Findings are related to implications for…

The findings from research on written and oral summarization are discussed under three headings: summarizers' strategies, improving summarizers' performance, and the assessment of summary quality. Objective measures of summary quality used by researchers are described, and ways these measures could be adapted for use in higher education assessment…

Examined the effects of taking notes during a listening comprehension test containing short monologues. A multiple-choice questionnaire surveyed student reaction to the opportunity. Allowing students to take notes had little effect on their performance, and urging them to do so significantly impaired it. (16 references) (Author/CK)

College students enrolled in an introductory French course viewed 12 French-language videos, with 1 group exposed to oral descriptions and pictures from the videos before viewing and a second group exposed to only oral descriptions. Students in the description-plus-pictures group demonstrated higher levels of comprehension than students in the…

Describes the design of multimedia computer programming for personal computers that uses moving video to assist in the development of business English listening skills for learners of English as a Second Language. Reviews the aims of the project, the basic technological requirements, and the application's key features. (12 references) (MDM)

The hearing ability and related cognitive ability of 26 adolescents and young adults with Down's Syndrome (DS) and 26 matched subjects with trainable mental retardation (MR) were compared. Results revealed greater hearing losses in DS than in other MR individuals, especially in the high-frequency range. DS subjects with poorer hearing needed more…

Discusses the course content, methodology, architecture, role of the student, and development process of a unique videodisc self-study program to teach Russian speaking, reading, and listening skills to adults. Equivalent to a 120-hour, teacher-delivered course, the course is designed to produce speaking proficiency at the Foreign Service…

Compared the ability of native language speakers of Japanese with English-speaking students of Japanese, and vice versa, in reporting sentence subjects after listening to Japanese and English word strings. The word strings consisted of one verb and two nouns each. (49 references) (GLR)

Researchers examined student listening and reading performance to determine weaknesses in listening and reading comprehension, questioning whether performances of students with such problems suggest differences in processing strategies. Results showed significant between-group listening and reading differences. Using listening to measure optimal…

Describes the process of listening within the boundaries of learning. Focuses on whole-language methods in reading that promote whole listening and can help students improve their listening as well as reading skills. (MG)

Study measured how differences in working memory capacity related to differences in comprehension and following directions in first, third, and sixth graders. The number of words recalled in word- and reading-span tests predicted comprehension for all grades. Results indicate working memory's role in following directions increases with age. (SM)

To investigate the relationship between reading and listening test scores, 3 different sets of listening items accompanied by answer sheets requiring varying amounts of reading were administered to 1,200 students in grades 3 through 8. Listening scores increased as more printed information was added to the answer sheet. (SLD)

Asserts that the acoustical environment of the classroom is an important variable in the listening and psychoeducational function, both for children with hearing loss and those with normal hearing. Reports the results of a test of a sound amplification system in two primary classes; indicates the benefits of the system. (DSK)