1. Listen and write (http://www.listen-and-write.com/) is an effective tool to create online dictations, to master listening skills and improve spelling. It has a collection of ready tasks mostly based on news stories from Voice of America.
You can start working without registration but to create your own task, you still need to register. There are three possible modes – full, quick and blank modes. I prefer the full mode and the blank mode. In the first you type the whole sentence after listening to it. In the latter you fill the blanks with the words you hear. It’s reasonable to start with the blank mode, then try the full mode. In the quick mode you need just to type the first letter of the word.
There are two help functions: hint – when a word appears letter after letter and auto complete – when a word is entered automatically after a set number of symbols. These functions are very useful so as not to stumble over spelling errors or proper names.
Among advantages of this learning tool I can mention, following Nik Peachey’s comments and analyzing my own experience, that it’s free listening practice based on authentic material available in multiple languages and graded according to the difficulty level. The next point is that help functions and structure are rational and easy to use, which makes it suitable for homework assignments. You can also use it for video dictations. It’s possible just to download video or audio file and wait for somebody to create a task, for example your best students. The disadvantage is that there are only three types of tasks and many texts are connected with news topics difficult to comprehend.
2. ESL Video ( http://www.eslvideo.com/index.php) can help your students get into a habit of having video home tasks. It’s a resource for creating interactive tests on the basis of online video. It allows you to make multiple choice questions, add transcripts or make notes. The biggest plus of the tool, to my mind, is that using a teacher code you can keep track of your students’ progress.
How to use ESL video?
· As a motivating and engaging homework different from traditional exercises.
· Students can create tests for each other. They can choose a video to their own liking according to the teacher’s guidelines (topic, type, difficulty level, absence of abusive language, etc.) Such degree of autonomy will help, on the one hand, to motivate students; on the other – it will save your time and allow to collect a library of texts adhering to your curriculum.
· How to videos is a good way to get acquainted with different web tools for learning English. Creating tests based on how-to videos you won’t need to explain the details of using a new tool in class and develop your students’ digital literacy.
The site already has a big collection of video tests for different levels (beginner, low intermediate, intermediate, high intermediate), so you can start using ready tasks, then try to create your own, then ask students to do so. Registration allows you to save favorite videos in your account, choose a teacher code (to be able to see students’ results). Before creating your own quiz it is a good idea to look through tips on the website. You can use YouTube to find a 1-2 minute video. After you enter a video code and describe the video, you make comprehension questions.
3. English Language Listening Library Online (http://www.elllo.org/) is a collection of videos and other materials for listening comprehension recorded by people with diverse accents. There are several functions like captions in video or audio slide quiz that will help to develop listening skills through regulating the degree of difficulty and creating a success orientation task. The variety of topics and continuously updated content will help to follow simple rules for success such as listening as often as you can and dividing it into short pieces (2-5 minutes).
The advantages of using elllo.org for autonomous work:
· the web site is constantly updated;
· it contains recordings of ordinary people from different parts of the world which gives an opportunity to practice understanding of various dialects, which corresponds to the aims of teaching English as an international language;
· the videos have transcripts and vocabulary notes;
· the videos are often accompanied by audio task related to the same theme;
· you can find out the speaker’s nationality (there is an icon with a country’s flag near);
· such short simple tasks can help create the situation of success and get rid of ‘I-don’t-understand-anything complex’;
· It is possible to look through the transcript or use captions function in videos, which allows to regulate the degree of difficulty;
· audio slide quizzes are good for beginners as the whole listening text is divided into fragments. Each fragment corresponds to only one question.
Among features that could be improved I would mention the absence of search function and overall simplicity of comprehension questions. Without search function it takes much more time to find a relevant task as you need to look through the all titles and there are more than a thousand videos stored there. The simplicity of comprehension questions makes it a good resource for elementary and pre-intermediate level but for more advanced levels (intermediate, upper-intermediate) I sometimes have to make the comprehension questions myself.
4. Randal’s ESL lab (http://www.esl-lab.com/) is another resource with authentic listening material and ready-to-use tasks which was initially developed as an autonomous learning site, as the creator Randall Davis comments.
Some of the advantages include
· a search function, though the contents are on the home page and it’s easy to look through it;
· the possibility to use the site without registration;
· the form of the material being mainly short dialogs related to everyday topics;
· marked level of difficulty (easy, medium, difficult) on the basis of background noise, use of idioms, speech rate.
To use the resource effectively, first, introduce it to the students in your computer lab and show them how they are to navigate the site.
Second, don’t omit pre-listening activities. This part also usually has a picture that helps to discuss the topic. You can do pre-listening in class, for example making questions about the picture. Such an activity helps to develop critical thinking skills which are necessary not only to pass exams but in everyday life, work and study. On the web site you can find a good example of using different modal words to ask questions about a picture. Third, ask students to look through the questions before listening. After listening they should look through the transcript, learn key vocabulary, do vocabulary exercises. Post-listening exercises have topics and questions for discussion and online investigation that also can be used.
These tools can be adapted for different age groups and skill levels. But often we do not have enough class time. If we consider using such tools for autonomous learning, we should regularly assess the students’ progress and check what they have done on their own. One way is to introduce listening journals and check them regularly. Here are some tips for listening journals suggested by Robert Norris. Listening Journal
1. Write the date, time started, time finished, and type of material used.
2. Write down new words and expressions you hear.
3. Take dictation on a one or two minute section of the tape or program you are using. Replay the tape as often as necessary.
4. If you are listening to a song, take dictation on as much of it as you can. Compare your dictation later with the lyrics.
5. Before you start listening, write down some words or expressions you expect will be used. Put a check by the ones that are used.
6. Rate the degree of difficulty for the listening passage on a scale of 1-10.
7. Rate your level of interest on a scale of 1-10.
8. Do you recommend this material for other students?
9. Listen to the tape once more. This time don't write anything. Relax. Don't try to understand everything.
10. Write a brief summary of what you think you understood.
When listening, you can focus on the grammar phenomena you study or, as Robert Norris suggested, on reduced forms. Just add several points in the task, such as “Concentrate on listening for stressed words and reduced forms you have learned” or “Make a note of reduced forms you recognize”.
Tips for teachers/ Randall Davis - http://www.esl-lab.com/tips.htm Car repair -http://www.esl-lab.com/tips.htm 
