First Listen: Catch the Gist

Worked classroom example

History

Worked example

Listen to a short account and decide whether it mainly explains a cause, an event or a consequence.

Use this example to make the language move visible. Select subject content appropriate to the class’s age and prior knowledge.

Teaching sequence

1. Provide a broad question with three plausible summaries.
2. Play or deliver the input once without pausing.
3. Learners choose a summary and name one clue that supports it.

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Prepare

Use a short spoken explanation or recording. Choose a second example that checks the same language move without repeating the original answer.

Classroom task

Ask one broad question; learners listen once and choose the best main-idea summary.

Check independent transfer

Learners choose a summary and name one clue that supports it.

Collect a response on fresh content. Note what was achieved without the model, partner or teacher prompt, then choose one next teaching step.

Teacher language

Teacher language

What was the speaker mainly trying to explain?

Respond to the learner

Identify one successful meaning or language choice. Ask about one gap, allow thinking time, then invite a revision. Check the revised move again on a fresh example.

Adjust support and challenge

Offer a brief model, useful vocabulary and partner rehearsal where needed. Keep the subject goal; reduce one prompt on fresh content and record what was independent.

Teaching this skill → · Age and language support →

More support

Use shorter chunks, purposeful replay and keyword notes. Retain captions, transcripts or other required access arrangements. Allow familiar-language notes or another response mode when checking subject understanding.

Greater independence

Change the content, evidence or audience. Remove the completed model and ask learners to explain a choice. Increase subject complexity only when it fits the curriculum and prior knowledge.

Choose the next step

If subject meaning is insecure, reteach the concept. If the concept is understood but the English is unclear, model one useful language relationship and invite a fresh response.