Listen-Then-Report

Student A listens to a recording then reports back to Student B, who has a task that can only be completed through listening to the report — not by accessing the original audio.

Procedure

1. Prepare a 1–2 minute audio clip and a task sheet for Student B (e.g. a map to complete, a decision to make, questions to answer about the content).
2. Student A listens to the recording while Student B prepares questions to ask.
3. Students sit facing away from each other or with a barrier between them. Student A reports what they heard; Student B completes their task using the report.
4. Students compare results: did B's task sheet match the audio information? Where did communication break down?
5. Both students listen to the recording together and discuss the gaps.

Tips

• The barrier between students is essential: it forces genuine listening rather than shared note-comparison. Without it, students often show each other their papers and the task collapses into a reading activity.
• The gap in Step 4 is productive: it reveals which listening details mattered communicatively and which were missed — a discussion that rarely happens in traditional listening comprehension.
• Use topics with concrete, verifiable information (prices, directions, schedules, timetables) so the task outcome is unambiguous and the communication gap is clear.
• The speaking demand on Student A is as important as the listening demand: they must select, organise, and relay information clearly under time pressure.