ELT365 · Day 158 — While-Listening Tasks That Actually Work

Idea — Good while-listening tasks focus attention without demanding so much cognitive load that learners stop listening. Multiple-choice with four options, long-form note-taking, and reading dense text while listening all compete for processing.

Example — Simple ticking tasks, ordering, and single-word gap fills work well. They guide attention without hijacking it.

Try — Audit one while-listening task you use. Count how many words learners must read while also listening. If it’s more than 30, redesign it.

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