There are strong arguments for using recordings with some of the features listed on the right with learners at lower levels, particularly when the purpose of the listening is for input and the text presents grammar,vocabulary, and certain phonological features. However, if another purpose is to develop the ability to deal with listening outside the classroom, then texts will be needed which present natural language. And this implies familiarizing students with colloquial speech and variety of pace and accent, developing their vocabulary, developing their awareness of how referring expressions such as pronouns are used, and helping them to use any markers in the discourse which will aid prediction.
Chaudron and Richards (1986), for example, found that the use of 'macro-markers' in lectues, such as:
What I'm going to talk about today is ...
One of the problem was...
Another interesting developing was ...
You can imagine what happened next ...