Our Unit 871 Instructor, Cedric, describes the structure of Lana’s English listening improvement course – a path to proficiency.
In today’s interconnected world, effective communication across borders is crucial, especially for military officials engaged in international training. Understanding this need, we embarked on developing a specialized language improvement course designed to enhance English listening skills for military personnel. This 11-week, immersive course, entailing a structured curriculum and active engagement, focuses on ensuring officials have a path to proficiency for follow-on-training (FOT) in English-speaking environments.
Course Framework and Objectives
Duration and Structure
The course spans 11 weeks, requiring commitment of 1 hour/day, 4 days a week, totaling 44 hours of intensive listening practice. The course strategically builds from foundational phonetics to complex dialogues, ensuring a gradual increase in challenge and skill reinforcement.
Weekly Breakdown
Weeks 1-2: Introduction to English Sounds
The journey begins with understanding English phonetics. Participants engage in sound recognition drills and phonetic exercises, aided by interactive tools like online phonetic charts. Visual aids play a crucial role in pairing sounds with words, laying the foundational auditory skills necessary for subsequent lessons.
Weeks 3-4: Basic Greetings and Simple Conversations
Focusing on everyday conversations, these sessions involve listening to recorded dialogues and practicing role-play scenarios. For example, we integrate interactive games to create a dynamic environment, promoting natural use and understanding of common phrases.
Weeks 5-6: Contextual Listening and Vocabulary Building
Here, the course delves into thematic listening sessions based on familiar topics such as shopping or weather, bolstered by vocabulary exercises. Picture stories and thematic vocabulary lists are utilized to foster contextual comprehension and vocabulary expansion.
Weeks 7-8: Everyday Situations and Expanded Listening
Participants practice situation-based dialogues and analyze short audio segments. We engage with media clips, such as news snippets or movie excerpts, to further enhance skills to understand main ideas and details.
Week 9: Exposure to Different Accents
This week is dedicated to broadening auditory exposure by familiarizing learners with various English accents. Accent matching exercises and cultural context discussions help participants appreciate the diversity and adaptability required in real-world interactions.
Week 10: Critical Listening Skills
Focus shifts to inference and understanding implied meanings. For example, we use inference exercises and discussion-based listening, introducing common idioms and expressions to refine comprehension and analytical skills.
Week 11: Review and Assessment
The course culminates with a comprehensive review and listening comprehension test. Participants receive feedback sessions to identify strengths and areas for improvement, reinforcing their learning journey.
Resources and Methodology
Above all, through a diverse array of resources—ranging from educational podcasts and language learning apps to visual aids and supplementary worksheets—the course ensures an engaging learning experience. Key methodologies include blending listening activities with speaking drills, gradually increasing task complexity, and incorporating regular feedback to tailor the course to individual needs.
In conclusion, this course is meticulously crafted to foster essential listening skills, paving the way for military officials to excel in English-based training environments. By transitioning from foundational sounds to complex dialogues, participants not only gain proficiency but also the confidence to engage effectively in their professional endeavors.