Elementary ESL Listening Activities

We’ve released our first 5 Elementary ESL Listening Activities!

We were motivated to extend our listening actives series after the positive teacher-feedback we received from our Beginner ESL Listening Activities set (30 lessons).

Each Elementary ESL Listening Activity contains multiple recordings of authentic, graded English conversation by native speakers. We generally start the lessons with a warm-up to elicit some of the vocabulary and grammar principles that will be heard during the recordings. We then play the recordings multiple times asking students to listen for specific information contained within. You can read more about how to use our ESL listening activities here.
Here’s a summary of what you’ll find in our first 5 Elementary ESL Listening Activities:
LA101 – Intensifiers-Very-Really-Pretty-So
In LA101 we introduce the use of intensifiers before adjectives (and sometimes verbs). We pay special attention to word stress that native ESL speakers will often use when expressing intensifiers. We also caution students that excessive use of intensifiers is only acceptable in informal conversation.

LA102 – Going-To+Verb-Pronunciation
In LA102 we model the pronunciation of going to + base verb. We pay special attention to the different forms of pronunciation when going to is followed by a verb (e.g. I’m gonna play football) and when going to is followed by a noun (e.g I’m going to the office).

LA103 – How-Much-How-Many-Expressions-of-Quantity
In LA103 we introduce the use of how much with uncountable nouns and how many with plural countable nouns. The majority of the lesson is centred around different items that one buys on a shopping trip (e.g. to prepare a favourite meal). Many expressions of quantity and containers related to food are also introduced.

LA104 – When-Things-Don’t-Work-Returns-and-Repairs
LA104 introduces the vocabulary needed when possessions or fixtures break and a repair is required. The lesson uses a recording that simulates calling a land agent for repairs in an apartment and another recording which involves taking a coffee machine back to a store for return.

LA105 – Can-Can’t-Could-Couldn’t-Ability-Permission-Probability
In LA105 we focus on modals used to talk about general abilities. We also introduce the idiom ‘can’t stand’ to express strong dislikes. We close the lesson by introducing the concepts of permission and possibility.

We hope that you get as much use out of our Elementary ESL Listening Activities as we’ve had with our students.

As we expand our listening activities to more advanced levels, let us know if you have any requests for specific lessons. Maybe you have an idea for a listening activity at the Pre-Intermediate level? Advanced? Let us know!