Listening is the receptive use of
language, and since the goal is to make
sense of the speech, the focus is on
meaning rather than language (Cameron
2001). Sarıçoban (1999) states
that listening is the ability to identify and
understand what others are saying. For learners,
listening is how spoken language becomes
input (i.e., it is the first stage of learning a
new language). In the classroom, this happens
by listening to the teacher, a CD, or other
learners. It is the process of interpreting messages—
what people say.