VietTESOL International Convention 2025

Traditional methods of teaching listening, that mostly use scripted and graded materials, often fall short of addressing the diverse needs of ESL/EFL learners. David Nunan (2010) aptly describes listening as a “Cinderella skill,” noting that it is often overlooked by teachers who prioritize productive skills like speaking and writing. This observation underscores the need for a more phonology and sound construction focused approach, one that reflects the real-world use of English. In this session, we’ll explore a receptive phonology teaching approach and discuss various ways to teach our students to be familiar and comfortable with English speech of all speeds, so that they can perceive and understand normal everyday speech. (Cauldwell R, 2016). While doing the Trinity Dip TESOL, we both experimented with various receptive phonology teaching strategies using authentic materials to move away from scripted coursebooks’ materials and better respond to students’ actual needs. This classroom research helped us understand the importance of using authentic materials to support learners in identifying features of spoken English—such as connected speech, pauses, and fillers—and in developing their decoding skills (Field, 1997). It also highlighted the impact this approach had on our students’ uptake and engagement. Specifically, the positive reactions we noticed when immediate progress was noticed, leading to the establishment of a more engaging and conducive learning environment.