Nine infants with Down's syndrome, seven nonhandicapped infants, and one severely handicapped infant were given the choice of listening to familiar nursery rhymes or to the same rhymes with each word reversed so that the rhythms, intonation and stress patterns were kept intact but the words became nonsense. (RH)

Novice listeners have difficulty perceiving form in music because they experience music episodically, not holistically; and because conditioned by popular music to respond emotionally, they see no reason for intellectual analysis. To achieve aesthetic literacy, students must be taught both analytic and aesthetic perception, utilizing both brain…

Reports on an experiment which sought to use the cloze procedure to test progress in listening skill development in German-speaking students of English. (AM)

Describes a unit that is appropriate for upper elementary and middle school students that focuses on jazz music using biographies about jazz musicians. Discusses the five sections of the unit. Includes a list of "Suggested Jazz Listening Samples," jazz videos, and a bibliography of resources related to jazz music. (CMK)

Presents the results of a study in which prospective music and elementary school teachers were observed to examine their ability in following visual representations used to enhance music listening experiences. Explains that the focus is on the use of listening maps (iconic representations of musical samples). (CMK)

Discusses how band conductors can develop student skills in three areas: (1) when the conductor stops the band; (2) teaching the students to pay attention and watch the conductor; and (3) improving the student listening skills. Includes information on instructing students to play chorales. (CMK)

Critiques an investigation of the possibility of applying a Neo-Piagetian task to music. Contends that the task could be used as a criterion measure in determining a developmental sequence for auditory pitch discrimination. Details the Neo-Piagetian positions that make Piaget's theory more compatible with current cognitive psychology trends. (LS)

Describes several techniques for using authentic materials to improve foreign language (French) listening skills, particularly through enhancement of "skimming" and "scanning" listening techniques. (CB)

This study, involving 40 normal-hearing 6 year olds, substantiates the form equivalence of the Selective Auditory Attention Test. Analysis shows equal mean difficulty and significant correlations between lists in quiet and between lists presented with competing speech. (Author/JDD)

It is argued that listening comprehension must be developed in second-language learners as actively as oral expression has been for many years. Exercises specifically for beginning language learners are described. They include physical response to commands, discovery and location activities, and group recitation or storytelling. (MSE)

Presents 10 classroom activities for young children that involve or explore sound. Includes lists of teacher/caregiver resources and books for children. (KB)

Provides strategies, designed to achieve a high aural and artistic level, to help students who hear without really listening. Stresses the importance of addressing Standards 6 and 7 of the National Standards for Music Education (CMK)

Discusses a survey of language instructors that was conducted to examine the relationship between second-language (L2) listening research, pedagogical theory, and practice. Descriptive and qualitative analyses of the responses suggest that there are gaps between L2 listening research and practice. Suggestions for closing this gap are proposed.…

This article outlines a small-scale study of metacognitive instruction for young second language listeners and discusses the value of lessons that highlight the listening process. Ten primary school pupils participated in eight specially designed listening lessons that included traditional listening exercises, individual post-listening reflections…

It is widely believed that listeners understand some dialects more easily than others, although there is very little research that has rigorously measured the effects. This study investigated whether listeners experience more difficulty with regional, ethnic, and international dialects of English than with Standard American English. The results…