[Manuela]

I think music makes good listening practice too. I find it works quite well when some of the words are blanked out and students have to concentrate on hearing the missing words. I tell my students I consider them successful just for following the lyrics without filling in the blanks. So after one listening I let students dictate to me the missing words and I write them on the board, numbered. They usually manage as a class to produce most of the words.Then we explain anything that needs explaining and during the second listening they can sing along. As the school year unfolds I find that my students listening skills and their attitude towards listening improve. Especially with students in whose native tongue the duration of stressed and unstressed syllables is equal
listening to English, where the unstressed part of the words melts away, is very tough.