Parenting - Randall's ESL Cyber Listening Lab

Level	Topic	Speakers	Length
Intermediate	Parental Guidance	Man – Young Woman	01:13

Pre-Listening Exercise

What are some of the greatest challenges that face parents when raising children in today’s world? What are some specific challenges or issues dealing with child rearing that are unique to your culture or part of the world (e.g., education, freedom, religion, dress, discipline, etc.)

Agree or Disagree? Let’s Spark Some Conversation!

These statements are designed to get everyone thinking, moving, and talking! The goal is to explore ideas, share opinions, and get ready for the next part of the lesson.

In a face-to-face classroom: Read each statement aloud. If you agree, move to one side of the room; if you disagree, move to the other. Talk with your group—why do you feel that way? Then, pair students with members of the other group and have students explain their reasons. Rotate partners for more practice.
In an online classroom: Use polls, emojis, or the chat box in your online platform to show your opinion. Then, join the conversation as a group or in breakout rooms. What do others think? Do you agree or disagree with them?
For independent learners: Read each statement and think about your opinion. Then say your answer out loud and explain your reason, as if you’re talking to a classmate. This helps you get ready to speak and join real conversations in English. Consider recording your ideas and check your progress.

Children should have strict rules at home to grow up well.
Parents should always let children make their own decisions.
Technology (phones, tablets, video games) is harming children today.
Parents should focus more on emotional support than academic success.
Children learn better from mistakes than from guidance.
Discipline should always be consistent, no matter the situation.
Working parents can raise children just as well as stay-at-home parents.
Children should be shielded from adult problems.
Parents should spend more time teaching life skills than supervising schoolwork.
Modern parenting is too focused on making children happy instead of teaching responsibility.

Idioms

“Rack your brains” = think very hard
“We racked our brains all weekend trying to come up with a solution to our problem.”

“horse around” = play around in a silly, improper, or lazy manner
“Sometimes, my kids just horse around and don’t get their chores done.”

Listening Exercise

A. Listen to the recording and answer the questions.

Vocabulary Practice

Do the vocabulary quizzes with the words from the conversation for more practice:

Mixed-Up Sentence | Multiple-Choice Questions | Sentence and Vocabulary Matching

Post-Listening Exercise

Parenting is one job people take on without any experience. It is not like working at a restaurant. Therefore, in what ways can new parents prepare for the new adventure as parents? What challenges do parents face in raising and caring for new infants, toddlers, teenagers, and even adult children?

Online Investigation

Use the internet to find three specific suggestions on raising and understanding teenagers. Do you think that these recommendations are applicable to all situations, families, and nationalities? Why or why not?

See Listening Script

Back to Intermediate Quizzes

General Listening Quiz