THE TEACHING OF LISTENING IN THE GRADE ONE CLASS

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Learning outcome: Listening

According to the Revised National Curriculum Statement (2002:24), the first outcome of the Languages Learning area is listening.
“ The learner will be able to listen for information and enjoyment, and respond appropriately and critically in a wide range of situations.” (National Curriculum Statement 2002:24).
Outcomes based education focuses on the desired end results of each learning process. These desired end results are called outcomes of learning and learners have to demonstrate that these outcomes have been achieved (Van den Horst et al., 1997:7). The second focus of outcomes based education is on the instructive and learning processes that are used in order to guide the learners to achieve the desired results (Van den Horst et al., 1997:7). According to Jacobs et al. (2002:102), outcomes based education is a curriculum approach to teaching and learning that needs a shift from teacher input through syllabuses to a focus on learner outcomes.
According to Jacobs, Gawe and Vakalisa (2002:29), outcome has two meanings:
“- outcome is the statement of a desired task, skill or set of behaviours which a learner should be able to demonstrate at the end of a learning experience.
– An outcome is the ability to demonstrate, at the end of a learning experience, a pre-determined task, skill or set of behaviours in a manner that involves understanding and truthfulness.”

EDUCATORS’ PERCEPTIONS OF EFFECTIVE LISTENERS

The researcher found that most grade one educators perceived listening as an important skill that the learners should possess but that they were unaware of the background knowledge related to listening. Their idea of a good listener was a child sitting quietly, looking at the person who is talking and responding appropriately. Marsh and Hallet (1999:45) state that good listening is not just sitting still and quietly. Although these may be some necessary qualities that the learner should have, these qualities are not evident of a good listener.
Good listening results in understanding, memory and response (Marsh & Hallet, 1999:45). Research according to Brent and Anderson (1993:123) has shown that good listeners are those individuals who make appropriate responses to what they hear, they actively process information, they make pertinent comments and ask relevant questins. As was stated in Chapter one, according to Funk and Funk (1989:660) the major factor contributing to the neglect of listening instruction is that many educators are unaware of how to teach listening; or perhaps the educators received very little or no training themselves in order to teach listening.

THE METHODOLOGY FOR TEACHING LISTENING

The importance of teaching the skill of listening cannot be ignored in grade one. Young children during their developmental years require this important and necessary skill in order to gain overall success in life. Spira, Bracken and Fischel (2005:225) state that the early literacy skills which children acquire in elementary school are the building blocks for future academic, social and entrepreneurial success. However, according to Burley-Allen (1995:38), young children during their developmental years do not receive training or practice in order to become better listeners.
Listening is seen as a skill and according to Gordon and Browne (2004:463), a skill possesses two qualities. These two qualities are trans-curricular and dynamic.
Listening can be seen as a skill which is firstly trans-curricular because it is a skill that can be used in a variety of learning and communication situations. Secondly, listening is seen as a dynamic skill because through listening, the child is able to respond and interact, which leads to dynamic responses. Since listening is seen as a trans-curricular and dynamic skill, children should be trained to transfer these skills within the listening situation.

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTORY ORIENTATION
1.1. INTRODUCTION
1.2 AIM OF THE RESEARCH
1.3 ANALYSIS OF THE PROBLEM
1.3.1 FACTORS LEADING TO THE LACK OF LISTENING
1.3.2 INTRODUCTION
1.3.3 PHYSICAL FACTORS LEADING TO THE LACK OF LISTENING
1.3.3.1 Hearing loss
1.3.3.2 Ear infection
1.3.3.3 Auditory Processing Disorder
1.4 SOCIAL FACTORS LEADING TO THE LACK OF LISTENING
1.4.1. Parent-Child Interaction
1.4.2 Effects of television
1.5 ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS LEADING TO THE LACK OF LISTENING
1.5.1 The classroom environment
1.5.2 The effects of a noisy classroom
1.6. COGNITIVE FACTORS LEADING TO THE LACK OF LISTENING
1.6.1. Language development
1.6.2 Listening and second language learners
1.7 FACTORS RELATED TO THE EDUCATOR
1.7.1 Lack of instruction
1.8 THE IMPORTANCE OF EFFECTIVE LISTENING
1.9 LISTENING AS THE FIRST LEARNING OUTCOME
1.9.1 THE ASSESMENT STANDARDS OF THE LEARNING OUTCOME OF LISTENING
1.10 MOTIVATION FOR THE STUDY
1.11 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
1.12 TERMINOLOGY
1.12.1 Listening
1.12.2 Learning Outcome
1.12.3 Assessment Standards
1.12.4 Literacy Learning Program
1.12.5 Foundation Phase
1.12.6 Grade One Learner
1.13 PROGRAM OF RESEARCH
1.14 SUMMARY
CHAPTER TWO THE PROCESS OF LISTENING
2.1 INTRODUCTION
2.2 THE PHYSIOLOGICAL PROCESS OF LISTENING
2.3 THE STRUCTURE OF THE EAR
2.3.1 The Outer Ear
2.3.2 The Middle Ear
2.3.3 The Inner Ear
2.4 THE PSYCHOLOGICAL PROCESS OF LISTENING
2.4.1 Receiving
2.4.2 Attending
2.4.2.1 Selective Attention
2.4.2.2 Strength of Attention
2.4.2.3 Sustainment of Attention
2.4.3 Understanding
2.4.4 Remembering
2.4.4.1 Short Term Memory
2.4.4.2 Long Term Memory
2.4.4.3 Sensory Register
2.5 THE SOCIOLOGICAL PROCESS OF LISTENING
2.5.1 Listening, the Receptive Skill
2.5.2 Speaking, the Expressive Skill
2.6 HEARING AND LISTENING
2.7 TYPES OF LISTENING
2.7.1 DISCRIMINATIVE LISTENIN
2.7.2 Factors that influence Discriminative Listening
2.7.2.1 Hearing ability
2.7.2.2 Awareness of Sound Structure
2.7.2.3 Detecting and Isolating Vocal Cues
2.7.2.4. Recognizing Environmental Sounds
2.7.2.5 Environmental Skills
2.8 CRITICAL LISTENING
2.8.1 The link between Critical Listening and Critical Literacy
2.8.2 Vocabulary
2.8.3 Concentration
2.8.4 Memory
2.9 APPRECIATIVE LISTENING
2.10 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER THREE THE TEACHING OF LISTENING IN THE GRADE ONE CLASS
3.1 INTRODUCTION
3.2 THE COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT OF LEARNERS IN THE GRADE ONE CLASS
3.3 WHY TEACH LISTENING SKILLS?
3.4 OUTCOMES BASED EDUCATION IN SOUTH AFRICA
3.5 THE SOCIO-CONSTRUCTIVIST LEARNING PERSPECTIVE
3.5.1 Characteristics of a Socio-Constructivist Curriculum
3.5.2 Teacher Behaviour in a Socio-Constructivist Curriculum
3.5.3 Teacher Behaviour in a Socio-Constructivist Classroom
3.6 LEARNING OUTCOMES
3.6.1 LearningOutcome: Listen
3.7 ASSESSMENT STANDARDS FOR LISTENING
3.8 EDUCATORS’ PERCEPTIONS OF EFFECTIVE LISTENERS
3.9 THE METHODOLOGY FOR TEACHING LISTENING
3.9.1 The use of Strategies to teach Listening
3.9.2 Teaching Responsively
3.9.3 Stimulating Tasks
3.9.4 Reading Aloud as a Method to Teach Listening
3.9.5 Creating a Purpose for Listening as a Learning Strategy
3.9.6 Setting the Stage for Listenin
3.9.7 Modeling as a Strategy used by the Educator
3.9.8 A Diagnostic Approach to the Teaching of Listening
3.9.9 Visual as a Support to Listening
3.10 PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEARNERS TO PRACTICE EFFECTIVE LISTENING SKILLS
3.10.1 Authors Chair
3.10.2 Reading Aloud to the Class
3.10.3 Writing Workshop
3.10.4 Co-operative Groups
3.10.5 Readers Theatre
3.10.6 Retelling
3.11 WHEN TO TEACH LISTENING SKILLS
3.12 PROBLEMS FACED BY YOUNG LISTENERS
3.12.1 The difference between Hearing and Listening
3.12.2 The Importance of Message Quality
3.12.3 Other distortions faced by Young Learners
3.13 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER FOUR THE RESEARCH DESIGN
4.1 INTRODUCTION
4.2 RESEARCH PROBLEM
4.3 AIM OF THE RESEARCH
4.4 RESEARCH DESIG
4.5 THE NATURE OF QUALITATIVE DESIGN
4.6 RESEARCH PARADIGM
4.6.1 Positivist Social Sciences
4.6.2 Critical Social Science
4.6.3 Interpretive Social Science
4.7 RESEARCH METHOD
4.7.1 Data Collection
4.7.2 Ethical Measures
4.7.3 Avoidance of Harm
4.7.4 Informed Consent
4.7.5 Violation of Confidentiality
4.7.6 Participants in he Study
4.7.7 Procedure of the Interviews
4.7.8 Validity and Reliability (Trustworthiness)
4.7.9 The Questionnaire
4.8 DATA ANALYSIS
CHAPTER FIVE ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF DATA
5.1 INTRODUCTION
5.2 CATEGORY ONE: PROBLEMS EXPERIENCED BY GRADE ONE EDUCATORS WITH CHILDREN’S ABILITY TO LISTEN
5.2.1 Sub Category One
5.2.1.1 English as a Second Langua
5.2.1.2 Focusing on the Teacher’s Voice
5.2.1.3 Listening to Instructions
5.2.1.4 Home Background
5.2.1.5 Age Maturity
5.2.1.6 Viewing of Television, Play Station andomputer Games
5.2.1.7 Parental Interaction with Children
5.2.1.8 Reading of Stories to Children
5.3 CATEGORY TWO: ACTIVITIES THAT ENHANCED LISTENING
5.3.1 Sub Category Two
5.4 CATEGORY THREE: THE PRE-PLANNING OF ACTIVITIES THAT ENHANCED LISTENING
5.5 CATEGORY FOUR: THE USE OF ASSESSMENT STANDARDS THAT ARE RELATED TO THE OUTCOME OF LISTENING
5.6 CATEGORY FIVE: PROBLEMS EXPERIENCED BY EDUCATORS WITH THE TEACHING OF LISTENING
5.8 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER SIX CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
6.1 INTRODUCTIO
6.2 THE PROGRAMME OF INVESTIGATION
6.3 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
6.3.1 Problems that Grade One Educators experience with Children’s Ability to Listen
6.3.2 THE ROLE OF PARENTS
6.3.3 THE ROLE OF THE EDUCATOR
6.3.4 THE ASSESSMENT STANDARDS RELATED TO THE OUTCOME OF LISTENING
6.3.5 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH
6.3.6 SHORTCOMINGS OF THIS RESEARCH
6.3.7 CONCLUDING REMARKS
BIBLIOGRAPHY