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How to Improve English Learner Listening Comprehension with the PDP (Pre-During-Post) Approach

Have you ever given your students an audio clip or a video to watch, only to see blank stares when you ask them what they understood? For English Learners (ELs), listening in a second language can feel like drinking from a firehose—too much information, too fast, with too little support. Fortunately, there’s an approach that will make your listening lessons many times more approachable and impactful that every teacher can use to make the most of your next listening exercise.

Here’s the challenge: listening isn’t just hearing. It’s an active process of making sense of language, filtering out distractions, and focusing on key ideas. If we want ELs to comprehend and engage, we need to give them a framework that supports their understanding. That’s where the Pre-During-Post (PDP) approach comes in.
At TESOL Trainers, we specialize in helping educators transform passive listening into an interactive, engaging process. When teachers use PDP, they help ELs access the information more effectively and develop their listening skills over time.

What is the PDP Approach?

A great listening lesson doesn’t just throw students into an audio clip and hope for the best. Instead, it guides them through three stages:
Pre-Listening – Set the stage for comprehension by preparing students with key vocabulary, background knowledge, and a purpose for listening.During-Listening – Provide a structured task that keeps students engaged and helps them focus on important details.Post-Listening – Give students opportunities to process, discuss, and apply what they heard to solidify their understanding.
This simple structure transforms listening from a passive experience into an active learning process—one that is especially effective for ELs.

How to Implement the PDP Approach in Your Classroom

Let’s put this into a real classroom scenario. Imagine a middle or high school history class where students are about to watch a video on the events leading up to World War I. How can the teacher ensure that ELs actually engage with and understand the content?

Step 1: Pre-Listening – Prime Listening with Vocabulary Preview

Before hitting play, the teacher activates background knowledge and introduces key vocabulary so students aren’t lost from the start. Giving ELs a preview of critical terminology scaffolds them into ownership.
  • Vocabulary Preview – Key words like alliance, nationalism, assassination, mobilization are introduced with simple definitions, visuals, and short discussions.
  • Gallery Walk Activity – The teacher places historical images around the room (e.g., maps, political alliances, key figures). Students move through them carousel-style, jotting down observations and predictions. This helps English Language Learners connect to the topic and engage with key concepts before listening begins.

Step 2: During-Listening – Give a Clear Task for During Listening

Instead of just “watching the video,” students have a clear task that keeps them focused.
  1. Timeline Activity – Each student gets a blank timeline and must sequence key events as they hear them in the video. This gives them a purpose for listening and helps them organize information in a way that makes sense. It also keeps the EL from drowning in an ocean of language.

Step 3: Post-Listening – Reinforce and Apply Learning with Consolidation Activity

After the video, students revisit and deepen their understanding through meaningful interactions.
  • Return to the Gallery Walk – Students go back to the same images they saw before—but this time, they add new information based on what they learned.
  • Paired Oral Summaries – Students pair up and verbally summarize the key events before writing a final summary on their own. Speaking first helps them process the information before putting it into writing.

Why The PDP Approach Works for ELs (and Every Student!)

By following the PDP approach, ELs don’t just hear information—they engage with it. Instead of feeling overwhelmed, they:
  • Know what to listen for (Pre-Listening)
  • Have a structured way to stay focused (During-Listening)
  • Get time to process and make connections (Post-Listening)
This method doesn’t just help ELs understand content—it also strengthens their overall listening skills, making them more confident and capable learners.

Transform Listening in Your Classroom with TESOL Trainers

At TESOL Trainers, we help teachers implement effective, research-based strategies that make listening lessons more accessible, engaging, and successful for ELs.
Ready to level up your listening instruction? Check out our TESOL Trainers professional development programs and learn how to make every listening activity a success!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the PDP approach in ESL teaching?The Pre-During-Post (PDP) approach is a structured framework that divides listening activities into three stages: pre-listening, during-listening, and post-listening. This method prepares students, engages them during the activity, and reinforces learning afterward, enhancing comprehension and retention.

How can I effectively implement pre-listening strategies? Effective pre-listening strategies include vocabulary previews and activities that activate students' prior knowledge, such as gallery walks. These techniques set the context and equip learners with the necessary tools to understand the upcoming listening material.

What are some engaging during-listening activities for English learners?  During-listening activities, such as timeline exercises or guided note-taking, help students focus on key information and maintain engagement throughout the listening task.

How does the PDP approach benefit English learners specifically?The PDP approach transforms passive listening into an active learning process, providing structure and support that helps English learners process and comprehend new information more effectively.

Where can I find professional development resources to learn more about the PDP approach? TESOL Trainers offers professional development programs that equip educators with practical strategies, including the PDP approach, to enhance listening instruction for English learners.

Our English Learner Institute will show you how. This live, remote course will help you use the SIOP® framework to set all your students up for success. 

Work with Master Trainer Dr. John Kongsvik and experience highly interactive and innovative professional development that will inspire you to take teaching and learning to the next level at your institution. Contact TESOL Trainers today and find out why so many educational institutions have decided to get TESOL Inspired!

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