This book is about developing listening comprehension skills in the language classroom. It is organised into two parts. Part I deals with some essential background issues. It defines the characteristics of real-life listening, analyses the problems encountered by language learners, and discusses the considerations involved in planning successful classroom listening practice. Part II contains a wide variety of exercise types. The activities range in level from elementary to advanced and illustrate techniques appropriate for both adults and children. The exercises can be used as they stand, or they can serve as models for teachers who wish to design their own materials.