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doesn’t happen in real-time. such, being able to listen to audio and audio-vi-
sual contents in English is a significant tool
Such media have changed the landscape of in developing key skills and acquiring pro-
language education dramatically. Suppose you ficiency in the language. Apart from regular
wish to learn about English speech sounds or media content that is available online, there
pronunciation. You might go online and access are many digital platforms where educational
the English learning webpage of the BBC, resources for advancing listening skills are
which provides a series of comprehensive available.
videos where instructors demonstrate proper
pronunciation. These videos were produced by 2�2�2�1 YouTube
the BBC at a particular time and place, and YouTube is an online audio-visual archive,
uploaded online; you, the learner, may make or a digital collection of videos, that can be
use of this facility at a time and place of your accessed from anywhere in the world. Listen-
convenience. The development of digital tech- ing to the audio/audio-visual content available
nology has thus enhanced the facilities avail- in the platform allows learners to practise their
able for teaching the English language, and the pronunciation and improve vocabulary. There
core skill of listening along with it.
are also resources dedicated to the teaching of
2�2�2 Digital Platforms the English language. For instance, consider
The internet is often referred to as the ‘net- the following screenshot from a YouTube
video (Fig.2). You can see that it is a resource
work of networks.’ This is because of the vast for an English listening exercise. Such You-
amount of data and resources that become Tube channels offer non-native learners differ-
accessible over the internet. We can access ent exercises and tips for the wholistic devel-
any video, produced in any language or in any opment of listening skills.
part of the world, from wherever we are. As

Fig. 2.1.2 Screenshot from a YouTube video https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=QxQUapA-2w4.
2�2�2�2 Vimeo listening as a language skill. Being an asyn-

Vimeo is a platform that is similar to You- chronous platform, the audio-visual media on
Tube, with an online collection of audio-visual Vimeo can be used according to the learners’
content. It provides necessary access to educa- convenience. Even videos uploaded for the
tional material related to the development of purpose of entertainment, such as movies,

SGOU - FYUGP - SLM - English for Communication 61