In the foreign language classroom the tape recorder and video seem to be the only source of “real” spoken language apart from the teacher himself. That is why he or she should encourage students to listen and expose them to as much authentic speech as possible. Listening does not only mean paying attention to what the speaker is actually saying. It also involves the ability to comprehend the meaning from what is said. Therefore, when it comes to foreign language, teachers should provide their students with the best possible conditions for receiving the language. This may involve the accent of the speaker, good quality and accurate length of the recording and above all context. As pointed by Underwood (1990:2) comprehension occurs only when the listener is able to place what he hears in a context.
In students’ native language it does not take much to decide when or where the interaction takes place and who the participants are but in a foreign language it seems a lot more complicated. Introducing a piece of footage to students perfectly overcomes the problem of context as one does not have to imagine it any more. It clearly shows the setting, participants or channel and moreover what the speakers are wearing, how they are behaving, gestures, mimes etc. These features contribute to something what is termed “visual context” (Harmer 1996:214).
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