Learning and Using English Monologues- Active Listening Practice

Learning and using English monologues active listening practice

Talk about one (real) experience of when you used English or tried to learn English, e.g. one of the topics below like the last conversation that you had in English. Talk about it as long as you can. Your partner will listen and try to use as many active listening phrases as they can while they are listening.

Suggested topics to talk about

a book a CD a children’s… a coffee shop lesson a complaint a conversation (with a native speaker/ with another non-native speaker) a conversation exchange a cram school lesson a date a debate a dialogue a dictionary a documentary a graded reader a lecture a lesson/ a workshop a list of phrases a magazine/ a journal a (business) meeting a movie a newspaper a phrase book (for travellers) a podcast/ an mp3 a poem a radio programme a report a request a self-study book a service exchange (in a shop etc) a Skype conversation a smartphone app(lication) a social interaction a song a speech a story a successful attempt to communicate

a successful attempt to learn something a tablet app(lication) a teleconference/ a video conference a telephone call a TV programme a vocabulary list a website an academic paper an article an email exchange an English conversation club an English language exam an enquiry an essay an interview an offer an unsuccessful attempt to communicate an unsuccessful attempt to learn something some comedy some error correction some exam practice some grammar study some idioms some online chat some online training some pronunciation practice some self-study some slang some software some vocabulary study something I learnt by heart using some flashcards using English at work using English as a volunteer

Were there any active listening phrases which you couldn’t use? Work together as a class to use them as your teacher talks about their language learning.

 

Suggested active listening phrases

Inviting someone to tell their anecdote/ continue their anecdote

Showing you’re listening/ Not listening in silence

-        And did you/ she/ he/ they? -        And then? -        But why? -        Carry on! -        Do tell! -        Go on! -        How did… feel about that? -        How did… react? -        So, did…? -        So, what did… say (about that)? -        So,… right? -        Tell me more! -        What did you do (next)? -        What happened (next/ then)?

-        Absolutely! -        Are you?/ Is he?/ Is she?/ Are they? -        Did you?/ Did he?/ Did she?/ Did they? -        Do you?/ Does he?/ Does she?/ Do they? -        Do you (really) think so? -        Good idea. -        Got it. -        Honestly?/ Seriously? -        I know (just) what you mean. -        I know! -        I see what you mean. -        I suppose so, yeah. -        I’m shocked! -        Is that right?/ Is that a fact? -        Is there?/ Was there? -        Makes sense. -        Me too. -        Mmmm hmmm. -        No kidding. -        No (way)! -        Of course./ Sure. -        Oh yeah? -        Okay. -        Really? -        Right. -        (That’s) (so) amazing/ nice/ great/ interesting! -        (That’s) no surprise./ You don’t surprise me. -        (That) sounds great/ awful/ terrible. -        That’s such (a)… -        (That’s) too bad./ That’s a pity./ That’s a shame. -        Urgh! -        Were you?/ Was he?/ Was she?/ Were they? -        Wow! -        Yeah (yeah) (yeah). -        You did what (now)? -        You didn’t!/ He didn’t!/ She didn’t! -        You surprise me! -        You think so? -        You’re kidding? -        Yuck! -        Yup.

Brainstorming active listening phrases

Without looking above, brainstorm suitable phrases into the gaps below. Phrases not above are also possible.

Inviting someone to tell their anecdote/ continue their anecdote	Showing you’re listening/ Not listening in silence

Use the mixed phrases on the next page to help with the task above, then check with the second page. Note that many could go in either column, but if they are clearly asking someone to speak they are written in the right-hand column.

 

Mixed active listening phrases

Absolutely!                                                                              And did you/ she/ he/ they?

And then?                                                                                Are you?/ Is he?/ Is she?/ Are they?

But why?                                                                                  Carry on!

Did you?/ Did he?/ Did she?/ Did they?               Do tell!

Do you (really) think so?                                                       Do you?/ Does he?/ Does she?/ Do they?

Go on!                                                                        Good idea.

Got it.                                                                                        Honestly?/ Seriously?

How did… feel about that?                                                   How did… react?

I know (just) what you mean.                                 I know!

I see what you mean.                                              I suppose so, yeah.

I’m shocked!                                                                            Is that right?/ Is that a fact?

Is there?/ Was there?                                              Makes sense.

Me too.                                                                                    Mmmm hmmm.

No (way)!                                                                                 No kidding.

Of course./ Sure.

Oh yeah?

Okay.

Really?

Right.

So, did…?

So, what did… say (about that)?

So,… right?

Tell me more!

(That) sounds great/ awful/ terrible.

(That’s) no surprise./ You don’t surprise me.

(That’s) (so) amazing/ nice/ great/ interesting!

That’s such (a)…

(That’s) too bad./ That’s a pity./ That’s a shame.

Urgh!

Were you?/ Was he?/ Was she?/ Were they?

What did you do (next)?

What happened (next/ then)?

Wow!

Yeah (yeah) (yeah).

You did what (now)?

You didn’t!/ He didn’t!/ She didn’t!

You surprise me!

You think so?

You’re kidding?

Yuck!

Yup.

Ask about any topics above which you have questions about as a class, using active listening phrases as your classmates and teacher share their experiences and opinions, this time without lists of active listening phrases to help.