Reading on Listening

I thought about the listening and it made me think of minimal pair work. That is "simply" listening and repeating, however it is listening with a very specific purpose. I also thought about how I always try to give my students a reason/goal with reading I also try to have something in a listening exercise. If my students are giving speeches then the audience has to write down a plus and a minus with specific things that were good or needed work. That way they have to pay attention to how the others are speaking. I like that listening lessons lend themselves to entertaining activities such as games and stories, rather than lecture...although that is a huge part as well.