scholarly journals Listening Comprehension as a Key Component towards the Success of Foreign Language Learning

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-43
Author(s):  
Evans KOKROKO ◽  
James Kwaku DUMENYAH

The objective of this article is to clarify the importance of using listening comprehension to facilitate the process of teaching and learning a foreign language. The approaches underlying the trends supporting listening comprehension teaching and learning, coupled with the literature review point to the development of listening skills as a sure way of smooth foreign language learning. The success of developing listening comprehension skills is hedged on involvement of the learner in well thought out activities by the teacher, their effort and practice, as well as the use of ICT. Researchers in the study exhibit components of oral speech communication which provides the basis for development of other speech aspects and cognitive development. Those findings suggest that oral speech communication is a prerequisite for language acquisition

Author(s):  
I. N. Kosheleva

Listening is not only one of the most important language skills, which is necessary for everyday communication, but an integral part  of foreign language learning. It is evident that the students need an  effective training in building auditory skills. However, proper  attention is seldom paid to the process of listening to the English  speech, altering phoneme recognition in the stream of speech, which  often causes difficulties in audio-comprehension. The subject  of this research is facilitation of teaching listening comprehension to  the students of non-linguistic universities. The purpose of the article is to identify the core phonological features of coherent  English speech and provide the examples of activities aimed at their  recognition. The methodological framework of the conducted  research is represented by bottom-up approach to teaching listening  and the tenet that speech perception and comprehension by ear is a  process. Therefore, the ability to correctly decode phonemes, words,  phrases and infer meaning plays an utmost role. In thiscontext the students’ wrong answers should be analyzed, it contributes to determining the point of misunderstanding. It is  shown that making students aware of phonological features  of  coherent English speech helps them to overcome difficulties in  audiotext perception and thus enhances teaching listening  comprehension. The results of the research can be of interest to  both foreign language teachers and to the researchers dealing with  English phonetics learning. Finally, the conclusions are drawn that a  successful development of listening skills requires a combination of  the bottom-up and top-down approaches. This enables teaching staff  to create favorable conditions for acquisition of one of the most challenging language skills.


Author(s):  
Foo Terng Hoe ◽  
◽  
Teck Heng Lim ◽  
Boon Yih Mah ◽  
◽  
...  

Listening skills are important skills that need to be mastered by foreign language learners. Listening skills have, however, often been neglected in the teaching and learning process. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of using WhatsApp messenger as an instructional tool in enhancing listening skills. This experimental research employs the two-group pre-test post-test design. Two groups of 30 students who enrolled in the Introductory Mandarin course in one of the public universities in Malaysia took part in the study. During the study, the experimental group of 30 students underwent listening drills and exercises using WhatsApp messenger as the treatment, while another 30 students in the control group were taught by another lecturer using the conventional method of teaching listening skills. Listening test scores of before and after the treatment were compared and analyzed using Independent Samples t-Test to identify the significant level of the difference between the scores of these two groups. The findings show no significant difference in the listening pre-test scores between both control and experimental groups. However, after the treatment, the listening scores of the experimental group students are significantly better than that of the control group students. These results indicate that WhatsApp messenger is a useful instructional tool to teach listening skills in foreign language. The findings of this study could be used as a reference for further development of WhatsApp messenger as an instructional tool to enhance listening skills, overcome the constraints on teaching time, and improve the pedagogy as well as the instructions of foreign language learning.


Author(s):  
E.V RUBTSOVA ◽  
◽  
N.V DEVDARIANI ◽  

This article deals with the special fork of speech activity - listening (hearing). The focus is on the receptive nature of this component of learning a foreign language. Based on the methodology of studying the problem, in this study, listening is understood as the internal form of the human activities associated with many aspects of mental properties of the person. Noting the multidimensional nature of hearing, the authors emphasize the involvement in the processes of perceptual (perception), thinking (analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction, etc.) and mnemonic activity (the formation of certain images, the ability to learn and recognize them as the result of pattern matching in memory). Studying the direct relationship of listening comprehension with verbal communication within the communicative approach to foreign language learning, the authors argue the need for the development of listening skills, without which the process of communication in the language impossible. The formation of listening skills promotes thinking by using visual and sound images, helping to recreate a complete picture of what is happening. Based on my own pedagogical experience, the study authors believe it is necessary to pay attention to non-verbal supports in the process of communication and perception of information aurally much attention, such as gestures, facial expressions, touch and other, which are designed to reinforce auditory sensation, and to facilitate the process of perception and information processing.


Author(s):  
Abdullah Coşkun ◽  
Zoe Marlowe

As technology improves, such trends as technology-assisted language learning (TALL) have dominated the field of foreign language teaching in the new millennium. This chapter aims to review research studies incorporating different aspects of computer and mobile-assisted foreign language learning to enable English as a foreign language (EFL) learners to improve their listening skills. The literature review is based on studies of experimental research design in which the experimental group was exposed to computers or mobile devices to increase EFL learners' listening skills. Additionally, attitudinal studies dealing with EFL learners' perceptions about the integration of technology into EFL listening instruction were reviewed. From the literature review, it was realized that TALL helps EFL learners to improve their listening performance, and students hold favorable attitudes towards its use. At the end of the chapter, two useful mobile applications with the potential to enhance EFL learners' listening skills are introduced, and some recommendations are made.


e-mentor ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 92 (5) ◽  
pp. 26-35
Author(s):  
Olena Davydenko ◽  

The emergence of podcasts in an English foreign language (EFL) setting is seen as a helpful aid to foreign language learning. Using podcasts might help improve language learning efficiency. This research addresses how podcasts can be an alternative means of improving English listening comprehension for university students. The study was carried out at Nizhyn Gogol State University, Ukraine, using quantitative and qualitative methods of analyzing data. To collect the data, research tools such as a questionnaire, initial and final testing, and observation were used. The procedure was introduced for a group of first-year students and implemented for six weeks. Special BBC Learning English podcast activities were designed and offered to the students. The main stages have been specified in the process of developing students’ listening skills. In the pre-listening stage, students do preparation activities to prepare for the podcast using their background knowledge. The while-listening stage is aimed at listening for gist, listening for details, making inferences, and summarizing. In the post-listening stage, the listeners are taken beyond the podcast content and set tasks which contribute to integrating other language skills. Samples of activities which correspond to these three stages are provided. A balanced approach to choosing top-down or bottom-up processing within the stages improves the process of forming competencies in listening of first-year students. Hence, based on the positive results of this study, BBC Learning English podcasts with meaningful, appropriate, and interesting activities attract the students’ attention, increase their motivation, and improve their listening comprehension.


2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 173-199
Author(s):  
Mahrus Asʾad ◽  
Ahmad Bukhori Muslim ◽  
Wagdi Rashad Ali Bin-Hady

Abstract Similar to other theistic texts, the Qurʾan has some figurative languages which require deep thought for good comprehension. However, how these rhetorical imageries can inspire the development of higher order thinking skills (HOTS) and religious tolerance among language learners, two necessary skills in the information-laden era, is still less known. This study explores how the Qurʾan’s figurative languages serve as an inspiring basis to develop Bloom’s revised taxonomy of analyzing and evaluating thinking skills in foreign language learning. Document analysis shows that many verses in Sura (Chapter) Joseph and other five chapters contain some simile, personification, and metaphor in recounting past prophetical and scientific events humans need to learn for life. Incorporated into learning materials, these figurative languages require the foreign language learners to use their skills of sensing, imagining, and making logical reasoning to discern the real meanings. The discussion of Sura Joseph in the Qurʾan which recounts some prophets of Abraham’s descendants can also increase religious tolerance among young followers of Abrahamic religions. The study recommends some strategies on how language teachers base their teaching and learning practices on these religious scriptures to develop students’ critical thinking and create a more harmonious global citizenship.


Author(s):  
Andrea Facchin

The neurological bimodality theory, espousing the principles of directionality and cerebral hemisphericity, has led to a series of expedients in the field of foreign language teaching, like the use of inductive strategies. Accordingly, this contribution focuses on a methodological proposal stemming from the aforementioned theoretical perspectives and tackles the question of reading in the early phase of Arabic as Foreign Language learning. In doing so it questions how to teach Modern Standard Arabic at beginner level and proposes solutions to it through the use of new technological tools in the service of languages. Specifically, the focus is set on Pre-A1 and A1 levels of the recently issued Companion Volume to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. As a result of theoretical reasoning, the ‘Whole-Part-Whole’ method teaching philosophy is presented, theorized and verified in relation to the study of Arabic by non-Arab beginner learners.


2018 ◽  
Vol 53 ◽  
pp. 04005
Author(s):  
Al-Muslim Mustapa ◽  
Zulkifli Nawawi ◽  
Salamiah Ab. Ghani ◽  
Maryam Abdul Rahman ◽  
Zuraida Shaadon ◽  
...  

Today’s changing learning landscape urges the integration of mobile phone technology and Arabic learning as a foreign language. Learning through mobile phones is seen as a potential teaching aids which demonstrate effectiveness in teaching and learning activities. A QiraahBot prototype was built to aid the implementation of extensive Arabic reading activities. The user’s perspective on QiraahBot’s usability is essential for the effectiveness of learning through mobile phone applications. This study aims to identify the level of usability of the QiraahBot application prototype and to explore the deeper experience of users using the application. Therefore, a group of 30 student users was involved in the study. They were assigned tasks to be completed within the specified periods via the application, and then given an open-ended questionnaire adapted from the System Usability Scale. The findings show that the QiraahBot usability level is moderate. The study also revealed some of the advantages of QiraahBot as easy to use and the ability to help the learning process. In addition, there are weaknesses in applications, especially aspects of application usability, which needs to be improved in the next version. The researcher has provided some suggestions for further studies that are more comprehensive in the future.


2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jörg Roche ◽  
Ferran Suñer

Abstract Despite the need for transparency and efficiency in explaining grammatical features to learners of a foreign language only very few systematic attempts have been undertaken to demonstrate the pedagogical added value of concept-based approaches to grammar instruction. The purpose of the paper is (1) to discuss the theoretical underpinnings of such an approach, to (2) present relevant theories of multimedia learning and (3) to summarize some empirical evidence on the efficiency of such an approach to language teaching and learning. The concept-based animated grammar, developed for German, uses a broad range of cognitive linguistic principles for foreign language learning in such areas as, for example, modal verbs or the passive voice.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document