According to research conducted by Waring (2008), some of the key elements of extensive listening are the following:

1. The learner should be able to understand 90% of the content and 95% of the vocabulary and grammar.

2. They should be able to listen without pausing or replaying.

3. They should find enjoyment in the listening.

As an English as a foreign language (EFL) teacher working with A1-A2 level students for the past 5 years at a university in Japan, I have been searching for enjoyable extensive listening materials that meet these criteria—in other words, that are at the correct comprehension level for my students. After searching the internet high and low, I have found three excellent resources that I would love to share with you.

1. We Speak NYC

We Speak NYC has been my favorite resource that I have used with my classes for the past 4 years. The site offers a show that is, at present, 19 episodes long, with each episode running about 25 minutes. Created by the NYC Mayor’s Office for Immigrant Affairs, each episode offers a plethora of resources, from scripts and closed captioning to study guides and quizzes. The speakers have a wide variety of accents, which is also very helpful for students taking standardized listening exams, such as the TOEIC. The topics can lead to interesting class discussions and activities as well, ranging from worker’s rights to food pantries to health and stress and anxiety.

I have my students watch one episode each week, complete one of the provided quizzes, then create video blogs about the topics or do group discussions on the issues. My beginner students really enjoy the videos and have all felt that it was at an accessible level for them.

2. Extr@ 

Channel 4 Learning created this early 2000s sitcom for beginner English language learners. There are 30 episodes, which are each about 24 minutes long. The speech is slower paced and the vocabulary is at an appropriate level for A1-A2 students.

It is an enjoyable comedy about friends living in London with a pen pal from Argentina, so it is also a great opportunity to talk about culture shock, language immersion, study abroad, and cultural differences. This show was also made in French, Spanish, and German, so it can be used for beginner students of many languages.

Episodes of this show can be found easily on YouTube.

3. Samantha Brown’s Places to Love

Forty-three episodes of this PBS show can be found on their website. Each of the 27-minute episodes features a different location around the world and provides travel tips, history, and cultural information about the places.

I used this series with my A2-B1 students. It is a wonderful resource for students interested in traveling, studying abroad, and learning about new cultures. In my classroom, we also used it to generate more interesting discussions, research on favorite locations, and presentations on the various locations and cultures.

Samantha-Brown.com offers a study guide for 10 episodes.

Conclusion

These are some of the resources I have used successfully in my classroom. I have seen my students improve their listening comprehension skills and vocabulary while truly enjoying the content of the shows. I hope that you are able to use these resources with your students or that you are able to find and share other ones with the TESOL community.

Reference

Waring, R. (2008). Starting extensive listening. Extensive Reading in Japan, 1(1), 7–9.

Kelly Nelson, MEd TESOL, has been teaching for 12 years and is currently teaching at Tokyo International University, where she is using these extensive listening resources with her students.