Download Target Listening with Dictation – PDF (high quality), audio, answer key, transcript, word list, lesson plan

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Download Target Listening with Dictation – PDF (high quality), audio, answer key, transcript, word list, lesson plan

Target Listening with Dictation Series: Enhancing Listening and Vocabulary Skills for High-Intermediate and Advanced Learners

Listening comprehension is one of the most challenging skills for English language learners to master. Whether preparing for exams or aiming to improve conversational fluency, learners often struggle to understand spoken English, especially when it comes to real-life contexts, fast-paced conversations, or unfamiliar vocabulary. The Target Listening with Dictation series by Compass Publishing is an exceptional resource designed to tackle these challenges head-on. With its practical listening exercises, engaging real-life themes, and focus on dictation as a tool for reinforcing listening skills, this series offers a comprehensive solution for high-intermediate and advanced students looking to improve their listening comprehension.

In this review, we will explore the features, structure, and benefits of the Target Listening with Dictation series, highlighting why it is a great choice for learners aiming to enhance their listening and speaking skills.

Overview of the Target Listening with Dictation Series

The Target Listening with Dictation series includes two levels, each tailored for high-intermediate and advanced learners:

• Target Listening with Dictation – Student Book 1 (CEFR Level: B1/B1+)
• Target Listening with Dictation – Student Book 2 (CEFR Level: B1+/B2)

Written by Jeff Zeter, this series focuses on developing listening comprehension through authentic, real-world listening tasks, while also reinforcing vocabulary and sentence structure. The series emphasizes natural, conversational English that students are likely to encounter in everyday situations. Each unit provides a balance of listening practice, vocabulary development, and dictation exercises to help students build confidence in their listening and speaking abilities.

Key Features of the Target Listening with Dictation Series

The Target Listening with Dictation series stands out for its combination of real-life listening tasks and vocabulary-focused activities. Below are the key features that make this series particularly effective:

1. Real-Life Listening Situations

One of the strengths of Target Listening with Dictation is its focus on real-life situations. Each unit presents listening tasks through natural conversations, such as ordering food at a restaurant, giving directions, or making small talk. This makes the material more relevant and applicable to students’ everyday lives. By hearing and practicing these types of conversations, students become better equipped to understand spoken English in a variety of social and professional contexts.

2. Vocabulary Reinforcement

The series emphasizes the importance of vocabulary acquisition by incorporating practical vocabulary words in all listening exercises. Each dialogue features words and phrases that students are likely to encounter in their daily lives. The vocabulary is recycled throughout the series, ensuring that students have multiple opportunities to encounter and internalize new terms. This repetitive exposure helps reinforce comprehension and retention of important vocabulary.

3. Dictation for Skill Reinforcement

Dictation is an integral part of the Target Listening with Dictation series. Dictation exercises require students to listen carefully and write down what they hear, which reinforces both listening and spelling skills. This exercise helps students focus on the details of spoken language, including word choice, pronunciation, and intonation, which are crucial for achieving fluency. Additionally, dictation helps improve students’ ability to catch every word in a conversation, improving their overall listening comprehension.

4. Full-Color Illustrations

Each unit features vibrant, full-color photographs that complement the listening material. These images not only make the content visually engaging but also help students connect the spoken language to real-world contexts. Visual aids are especially useful in enhancing comprehension, as they provide clues about the conversation’s context, making the listening task more accessible.

5. Accompanying Audio Materials and Transcripts

To further enhance the listening practice, the Target Listening with Dictation series comes with accompanying audio recordings of the dialogues. These recordings feature natural, conversational English spoken by native speakers, helping students become familiar with various accents, speech patterns, and levels of fluency. Transcripts are also provided, so students can review the dialogues after listening and verify their answers. This combination of audio and written material makes it easier for learners to understand and engage with the content.

Unit Structure and Learning Approach

The Target Listening with Dictation series follows a well-organized unit structure that ensures gradual skill-building and consistent reinforcement. Each unit is designed to be self-contained, focusing on a specific theme or real-life situation. Below is an outline of the typical unit structure:

1. Vocabulary Preview

Each unit begins with a vocabulary preview section, where students are introduced to key words and phrases they will encounter in the listening tasks. These words are explained with definitions and examples to ensure understanding. The vocabulary preview also includes pronunciation tips, helping students pronounce the new words accurately.

2. Listening Comprehension

After the vocabulary preview, students listen to the main dialogue, which presents the vocabulary in a natural, real-world context. The listening task is followed by comprehension questions that test students’ understanding of the conversation. These questions focus on both the general meaning and specific details, ensuring that students develop a well-rounded listening comprehension.

3. Dictation Exercises

In the dictation section, students listen to short excerpts from the dialogue and write down what they hear. This exercise helps improve both listening and writing skills. The dictation process encourages students to focus on the details of spoken language, improving their attention to pronunciation and word usage. It also helps with spelling and grammar, as students learn to accurately transcribe spoken words into written form.

4. Post-Listening Activities

To further reinforce learning, each unit includes post-listening activities such as sentence construction, vocabulary quizzes, or follow-up discussions. These activities encourage students to use the vocabulary and grammar they have learned in new contexts, promoting active use of the language.

5. Review and Assessment

At the end of each unit, students can complete a review section that revisits the key vocabulary, grammar, and listening tasks. This provides an opportunity for students to assess their progress and identify areas where they may need additional practice. The review exercises help consolidate learning and ensure that students have a thorough understanding of the material.

Why Choose Target Listening with Dictation?

The Target Listening with Dictation series offers a comprehensive and engaging approach to improving listening comprehension for high-intermediate and advanced students. Here are some of the reasons why this series is an excellent choice for learners:

1. Authentic Listening Practice

The use of real-life dialogues in everyday situations helps students prepare for practical communication. This approach makes listening practice feel relevant and applicable, motivating students to engage more fully in the material.

2. Focused Vocabulary Development

By integrating targeted vocabulary into listening exercises, the series ensures that students not only understand the meaning of new words but also learn how to use them in context. The vocabulary is reinforced throughout the series, making it easier for students to retain and recall new terms.

3. Effective Skill Reinforcement with Dictation

Dictation exercises are an excellent way to reinforce listening comprehension, improve spelling, and build writing skills. This technique helps students focus on the details of spoken language, making them better listeners and more accurate writers.

4. Flexible Learning for Classroom and Self-Study

The Target Listening with Dictation series can be used in both classroom settings and for self-study. The structured format and clear explanations make it easy for learners to study independently, while the accompanying audio materials and transcripts provide additional support.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Target Listening with Dictation series by Compass Publishing is a valuable resource for high-intermediate and advanced learners who want to improve their listening comprehension and vocabulary. With its focus on real-life listening tasks, engaging dialogues, and effective dictation exercises, this series provides a comprehensive approach to language learning. Whether preparing for exams or looking to improve conversational fluency, students will find this series an invaluable tool for mastering English listening skills.

Book list:

Download Target Listening with Dictation 1 – PDF (high quality – student book), audio, answer key, transcript, word list, lesson plan

Download Target Listening with Dictation 2 – PDF (high quality – student book), audio, answer key, transcript, word list, lesson plan

Another book for Listening:

Download Dynamic Listening & Speaking – PDF (high quality), audio, answer key, transcripts

Download Listening Jump for Better Speaking with Dictation by Compass – PDF (High quality), Audio, Answer key, Transcript, Word list

Download Listening Practice Through Dictation – PDF (high quality), audio, Answer key, Wordlist, Transcript