VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST GRADUATE STUDIES o0o ĐÀO THỊ HẢI YẾN AN INVESTIGATION INTO CONTEXTUALLY APPROPRIATE STRATEGIES FO[.]
Rationale
Many ELT professionals and researchers emphasize the need for developing contextually appropriate teaching methods, as existing ELT pedagogies are often based on idealized European and North American settings that do not reflect the realities faced by most learners and teachers worldwide Despite these calls, research exploring how to create such tailored pedagogies—especially in under-resourced environments like Vietnam—remains limited Addressing this gap requires bottom-up research grounded in input from teachers and learners, who are central to the teaching and learning process Teachers’ experiences and practices vary when they move across different contexts, influenced by local factors, teaching philosophies, and professional identities, which in turn affect their effectiveness Understanding how teachers adapt and respond within their specific environments is crucial for developing effective, context-sensitive ELT strategies.
Ninh Binh Center of Informatics and Foreign Languages (NCIFL), operated by the Ninh Binh Department of Education and Training, specializes in providing high-quality English language courses to meet the diverse needs of students and professionals in the region.
Many learners use English in their current or future work opportunities but lack access to university-level language education Consequently, the learner population is diverse, differing in language learning experience, motivation, and various physiological factors, which influence their language acquisition journey.
Learner variables present a significant challenge for English teachers at educational institutions, including Ninh Binh Center for Informatics and Foreign Languages Developing a contextualized teaching methodology tailored to these variables is essential yet complex This thesis focuses specifically on identifying effective, contextually appropriate strategies for teaching listening skills to students learning English at Ninh Binh Center, addressing this important aspect of language instruction within its scope.
Aims of the thesis
This study explores effective listening strategies tailored to learners at Ninh Binh Center of Informatics and Foreign Languages The research aims to identify the gap between teachers' teaching methods and students' preferred learning styles in developing listening comprehension skills By addressing this gap, the study seeks to enhance the effectiveness of listening instruction and improve student engagement The findings will provide valuable insights for educators to adapt their strategies to better suit learners’ needs, ultimately fostering better listening skills and academic success.
Research questions
In order to fulfill the above mentioned aims, the study tried to answer three following questions:
(1)What strategies do teachers use to develop students’ listening comprehension?
(2) What teaching strategies do students prefer their teachers to use in teaching listening?
(3) To what extent do teachers’ teaching strategies match student’s preferences?
Scope of the thesis
This study focuses on examining the gap between teaching styles and learning styles in listening comprehension instruction Its purpose is to develop contextually appropriate teaching strategies tailored to improve students' listening skills at NCIFL Understanding this relationship is essential for enhancing effective listening instruction and promoting better learner engagement.
Methods of the thesis
Because this is just a survey study, quantitative methods including questionnaires and classroom observations were used to collect and analyze the data.
The structure of the thesis
This study consists of three main parts: the introduction, the development and the conclusion
This introductory section explains the rationale behind selecting the thesis topic, highlighting its relevance and importance It clearly states the primary aims and objectives of the study, outlining the scope and boundaries of the research The methods and approach used to conduct the study are briefly described to demonstrate a systematic framework Additionally, the significance of the research is emphasized, illustrating its potential impact within the field Finally, the design and structure of the study are outlined to provide a comprehensive overview of how the research will be carried out.
Part B is the Development consisting of three chapters:
This chapter provides a comprehensive literature review on teaching listening comprehension skills and the contextual factors influencing effective learning The review aims to establish a solid conceptual framework to guide the analysis of data and inform the development of a contextually appropriate pedagogy By examining current research on listening instruction and its challenges, the chapter seeks to recommend tailored teaching strategies suitable for the NCIFL environment, ensuring more effective language acquisition outcomes.
Chapter 2 – Research methodology – provides information about the research context, the participants, the data collection instruments and data collection and analysis procedures
Chapter 3 – Data Analysis reports the results of the study in order to answer the research questions
Chapter 4- Recommendations – offers some recommendations for enhancing students’ listening comprehension skills
Part C is the Conclusion presenting the review of the study, suggestions for further research and limitations of the study
LITERATURE REVIEW
Theoretical background of listening
1.1.1 Definition of listening and listening comprehension
Listening comprehension, as defined by Underwood (1989), involves actively paying attention and attempting to derive meaning from spoken language It requires listeners to recognize and interpret various factors that convey messages, making the active engagement essential for understanding spoken communication.
Listening comprehension, as defined by Howatt and Dakin (1974), is the ability to identify and understand what others are saying This skill involves decoding a speaker’s accent or pronunciation, grasping their grammar and vocabulary, and effectively comprehending the overall meaning of spoken language.
Ronald and Roskelly (1985) highlight that listening is an active process that involves essential skills such as predicting, hypothesizing, checking, revising, and generalizing These skills are crucial for effective listening and are comparable to the processes required in reading and writing This comprehensive understanding of listening as an active engagement is adopted in this study to emphasize the interconnected nature of language skills.
1.1.2 The importance of listening comprehension in foreign language learning
Listening comprehension is a fundamental language skill, essential for effective human communication and frequently utilized in daily interactions (Anderson & Lynch, 1988; Anderson-Mejras, 1986) Numerous studies highlight its critical role in language teaching and learning, emphasizing the importance of developing strong listening skills for overall language proficiency Researchers such as Wallace and Stariha underscore the significance of listening comprehension as a core component of successful language acquisition.
Listening skills are crucial for effective learning and communication, as they enable students to acquire insights and information necessary for success (Walberg, 2004) According to Nunan (1998, cited in Hayati, 2009), listening is the fundamental skill in language learning; without it, learners cannot develop effective communication abilities.
Regarding the frequent use of listening in communication, a study by Wilt
(1950) found that people listen 45% of the time they spend communicating; 30% of communicating time was spent on speaking, 16% reading and 9% writing
Listening is the most-used language skill in daily life, with individuals typically listening twice as much as they speak, four times more than they read, and five times more than they write According to research by Rivers (1981) and Weaver (1972), cited in Murcia (1991), listening plays a vital role in effective communication and language acquisition Developing strong listening skills is essential for real-world language use and understanding.
Feyten (1991, cited in ZoranaVasiljevic, 2010:41) claims that “more than 45% of communicating time is spent listening, which clearly shows how important this skill is in overall language ability.”
Thus, listening provides input for not only speaking, but also reading and writing
Effective listening is essential for developing strong speaking skills, as you cannot speak coherently without proper input Brouwer (2002) emphasizes that listening is an interactive process that often occurs simultaneously with speaking, highlighting the close relationship between these skills Good listening skills improve pronunciation, intonation, rhythm, stress, and expand vocabulary, serving as the foundation for successful spoken language reproduction.
Listening is closely linked to reading, another important receptive skill A significant L1 study by Neville (1985) involving 6,000 schoolchildren revealed that performance in reading and listening comprehension was highly correlated, as evidenced by consistent results in cloze tests at ages 8 and 11, highlighting the strong connection between these two skills.
Research indicates a strong correlation between listening and reading skills, with effective listeners typically being proficient readers This connection is rooted in the shared ‘language processing skill’ required for both activities, as highlighted by Garrod (1986), who noted that both involve sequential processing—sampling one word at a time Successful comprehension in listening also requires analyzing larger segments of input, such as phrases, sentences, and paragraphs Neville’s (1985) study further supports this by examining the types of errors listeners make when processing texts across different genres, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive language processing in both listening and reading.
Listening significantly influences writing by providing a rich source of raw materials, such as vocabulary and ideas It helps learners not only acquire language but also develop a deeper understanding of ideas through cues like the speaker’s voice, body language, and delivery style This sensory engagement enables learners to reproduce language in a more lively and authentic written form, highlighting the key difference between perceiving information through reading versus listening.
Listening is one of the most challenging yet essential skills for learners to develop Improving listening skills enhances overall language proficiency, making learners more independent in their learning journey Accurate listening enables learners to reproduce and refine language more effectively, leading to better communication and understanding Developing strong listening skills is crucial for achieving language mastery and confidence.
8 understanding of grammar and develop their own vocabularies All of these factors are the prerequisite to assure their better ability to speak, read and write in English
Listening comprehension is an active process where individuals focus on specific aspects of auditory input, derive meaning from passages, and connect what they hear to their existing knowledge (Gilakjani & Ahmadi, 2011) It involves key skills such as attending, understanding, interpreting, responding, and remembering (Lisa, 2008) Developing effective listening skills enhances overall language proficiency and facilitates better communication.
Understanding involves deriving meaning from a message, while responding entails providing feedback to the speaker; however, in many listening activities, responding is often omitted because learners primarily focus on listening and completing exercises without the opportunity to reply Remembering is a crucial step, as it enables learners to recall information from memory, which is essential for successfully completing listening tasks Incorporating all five steps—understanding, responding, and remembering—can enhance listening comprehension and overall language learning.
Listening comprehension is a complex and active process that requires the listener's conscious engagement, challenging the misconception that it is purely passive Over the past four decades, numerous studies by researchers such as Clark and Clark (1977), Nagle and Sanders (1986), Underwood (1989), Rost (1990), and Buck (2000) have offered various perspectives on how listening comprehension functions Despite differing viewpoints, there are three common themes that emerge from these studies, highlighting key insights into the active nature of listening.
Underwood (1989) describes the listening process as comprising three distinct stages: perceiving sounds, processing information through short-term memory, and transferring knowledge to long-term memory In the first stage, sounds are stored briefly in the echoic memory, where they are organized into meaningful units based on the listener’s language knowledge, although this fleeting storage can make it challenging to accurately interpret what was heard The second stage involves short-term memory processing, where words or groups of words are compared with existing long-term memory, allowing the listener to extract meaning; however, the actual words are usually forgotten, leaving only the gist of the message In the final stage, after constructing meaning from the utterance, the listener may transfer this information to long-term memory for future retrieval, typically retaining the overall message rather than the specific words spoken.
Stages of carrying out a listening lesson
Mary Underwood (1989) describes the listening comprehension teaching process as having three key stages: pre-listening, where students activate their vocabulary and background knowledge; while-listening, during which they develop the skill of understanding the messages; and post-listening, which involves extending and developing the skills gained from the listening activity.
Pre-listening is a crucial preparation stage that sets the foundation for effective listening comprehension Its primary goal is to provide context and motivation, helping learners understand the purpose and focus of the upcoming listening activity, which increases their interest and concentration Activating learners' background knowledge through preparatory discussions and familiarizing them with key vocabulary enhances their engagement Additionally, pre-listening helps learners develop essential micro-listening skills, such as predicting content, understanding the main idea, and extracting specific information, all of which contribute to more successful listening outcomes.
12 specific information, extracting detailed information, and making inferences so that they can better deal with listening tasks in following stages
According to Underwood (1989: 45), while-listening activities are tasks students perform while listening to a text These activities aim to enhance listening comprehension by helping learners develop the skill of extracting messages from spoken language Engaging in such exercises is essential for improving overall listening skills and understanding spoken communication effectively.
The while-listening stage aims to enhance learners’ listening skills and assess their comprehension During this phase, students listen to recordings multiple times, allowing them to improve understanding and focus on specific details This stage also provides opportunities for learners to demonstrate their listening ability by completing relevant tasks while listening, thereby reinforcing their auditory skills and comprehension.
Temple and Gillet (1989:55) suggest several while-listening processes These processes are as follows:
To connect: make connections with people, places, situations, and ideas they know;
To find meaning: determine what the speaker is saying about people, places, and ideas;
To question: pay attention to those words and ideas that are unclear;
To make and confirm predictions: try to determine what will be said next;
To make inferences: determine speaker’s intent by “listening between the lines”, infer what the speaker does not actually say;
To reflect and evaluate: respond to what has been heard and pass judgments;
Teachers should also do the checking afterwards to ensure students’ success in completing the given tasks
Effective listening instruction involves teachers explicitly or implicitly teaching essential listening strategies, such as making educated guesses, drawing inferences from contextual clues, asking for clarification, and tolerating ambiguity Research by Field (1998) and Anderson & Lynch emphasizes that mastering these strategies is crucial for developing learners into successful and autonomous listeners, both in the classroom and real-life situations Incorporating these strategies helps students become more effective listeners by enhancing their comprehension skills and confidence in diverse communication contexts.
Post-listening is a crucial stage in the listening comprehension process, serving as an effective follow-up to reinforce learning According to Underwood (1989), post-listening activities involve all tasks related to a listening text that are completed after listening, including extensions of pre- and while-listening activities or activities loosely connected to the text These activities encourage learners to apply what they have heard, clarify meanings, and expand their thinking, enhancing their overall English proficiency through integrated skills development During this phase, students engage in collaborative discussions, reading, or writing on related topics, which deepens their understanding and promotes active learning It also provides an opportunity for learners to review and analyze linguistic features, enabling them to use language more accurately and naturally in real-life situations For teachers, post-listening activities foster interaction and meaningful practice that solidify listening skills and language acquisition.
The 14 listening stage is a crucial phase where teachers assess students' comprehension and listening skills, evaluating their ability to use effective listening strategies It provides an opportunity to measure students’ success in completing listening tasks and extend their understanding to different contexts In summary, the post-listening phase not only concludes the current lesson but also serves as an introductory bridge to upcoming lessons, reinforcing learning and preparing students for new topics.
A typical listening lesson framework helps motivate students by making listening more engaging and enjoyable While not the only method, it is an effective approach to boost learners' interest and confidence in developing listening skills This structure encourages students to experience success in listening, which is often regarded as the most challenging skill to master Ultimately, it aims to help learners become more effective listeners in real-life communication situations, enhancing their overall language proficiency.
The Shift to the Context-Based Pedagogy
According to Bax (2003), context is defined as "the environment in which learning and teaching take place." He advocates for replacing Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) with a "Context Approach" that places the learning environment at the center of language education Bax emphasizes that the first priority should be understanding the learning context, which involves identifying key aspects such as students’ individual needs, learning styles, and strategies, along with factors like course books, classroom culture, school culture, and broader cultural influences Recognizing these elements helps tailor teaching methods to better suit the specific environment and learners.
Stephen Bax in advocating the context-approach in language teaching believes that effective teaching is shaped not by teaching methodology alone
In 2003, it was emphasized that teachers must consider various contextual factors, including students' needs, school culture, syllabuses, school policies, and the broader socio-political environment, to ensure effective teaching and learning.
Barkhuizen (2008) emphasizes the importance of the teaching context in developing teachers’ knowledge, stating that understanding the context "would enable teachers to make more informed decisions about their practice and the students’ learning" (p 232) This highlights how contextual awareness is crucial for effective teaching and improved student outcomes.
Barkhuizen emphasizes that effective teaching and learning occur when classroom environments align with students' backgrounds, beliefs, and expectations, highlighting the importance of contextual relevance His perspective extends beyond traditional school settings to encompass the teacher's personal context, including their inner thoughts, ideas, and theories Additionally, Barkhuizen considers the broader sociopolitical influences on education, such as national language-in-education policies, mandated curricula from the Ministry of Education, and regional socioeconomic conditions, all of which shape the teaching and learning experience.
1.3.2 Contextual factors that affect listening comprehension in English language learning
Listening comprehension in English language learning is a complex process that involves the integration of various linguistic and informational sources Understanding this complexity highlights the importance of considering all factors influencing listening skills By addressing these factors, learners can enhance their ability to comprehend spoken English effectively.
Different linguistic methodologists and experts have different ideas about these factors Following is the summary of the most salient factors suggested by Boyle (1984)
1 Experience/ practice in listening to the target language: use of the media (cinema, TV, radio, etc.)
3 General background knowledge of the world
4.2 home background, size of family
4.3 educational background and type of school
5.1 knowledge of the target language in its various aspects: phonology, lexis, syntax, and cohesion
5.2 powers of analysis and selection: ability to distinguish between main and supporting points
5.3 knowledge of the specific topic or subject
5.4 memory (short term and long term)
6.1 Motivation and sense of purpose while listening
6.2 Attitude of the listener to the speaker
6.3 Attitude of the listener to the message: level of interest
6.4 Listener’s power of attention and concentration
Table 1: Contextual factors that affect listening comprehension in English language learning in the literature (cited in Boyle, 1984:35)
Listeners play the most crucial role in listening comprehension due to their active engagement with the texts, as highlighted in Joseph P Boyle’s study on factors affecting listening comprehension Research by Joan Rubin indicates that there is limited and inconclusive evidence regarding the impact of gender on listening skills, with only three studies addressing this link Age, however, has garnered more research interest; for example, a study in Quebec found that younger adults (average age 22.76) demonstrated greater listening comprehension improvements than older adults, aligning with prior findings that younger individuals tend to acquire second language skills more rapidly Despite these insights, Rubin emphasizes that the influence of age on listening comprehension remains a controversial topic, requiring further investigation to fully understand its effects.
Research indicates that intellectual and psychological factors, such as linguistic and background knowledge and motivation, significantly influence listening comprehension Boyle’s study revealed that two-thirds of students valued general ability in English, and the same proportion highlighted vocabulary and idiom knowledge, while one-third of teachers acknowledged the importance of target language knowledge Extensive research by Long, Mueller, Markham & Latharn, O’Malley et al., Chiang & Dunkel, Tsuj & Fullilove, and Sadighi confirms that background or prior knowledge enhances listening understanding Furthermore, motivation is recognized as a crucial factor, with Boyle's findings showing that one-sixth of students and one-third of teachers consider motivation vital for improving listening skills.
Key factors related to the intellectual and psychological aspects of effective listening include memory, sense of purpose during listening, and the listener’s attitude toward the speaker Additionally, the listener’s interest in the message, attention, and ability to concentrate are crucial for enhancing comprehension and retention.
In short, there are quite a great number of factors that more or less have influence on the ability to comprehend the listening texts of learners
Teachers must recognize the significant impact of various factors on students' listening skills to effectively support their learning Understanding these influences enables educators to help students overcome difficulties and improve their comprehension of listening texts Focusing on these key factors enhances students' ability to understand and engage with listening materials thoroughly.
According to Kuchah (2013:181), context-appropriacy is defined by three key factors: whether a practice is considered good, whether it is feasible to implement, and whether it is deemed worth doing These elements collectively determine the suitability of a particular practice within a specific context, emphasizing the importance of aligning actions with contextual relevance and practicality Understanding these criteria helps educators and practitioners ensure that their methods are both effective and appropriate for their specific environment.
Top-down educational policies and debates around methods, post-method, and best practices have yet to fully address the complex challenges faced by classrooms worldwide, especially in difficult or unfavorable contexts Factors such as large class sizes, lack of essential resources like textbooks and technology, the pressures of high-stakes exams, and the multilingual backgrounds of students make teaching extremely challenging In such environments, teachers often have to develop pragmatic, context-specific solutions to manage their classrooms effectively (Kuchah, 2013; West, 1960; Kuchah & Smith, 2011).
Some researchers and language educators question the usefulness of the concept of methodology, noting that different classroom practices categorized under various methodologies can be very similar (Brown, 2000; Swaffar, Arens, & Morgan, 1982) Others argue that methodologies fail to accurately capture teachers’ actual thinking or reflect what truly occurs in classrooms (Katz, 1996) Additionally, some critics point out that methodologies often embody a top-down approach to teaching, which can marginalize the nuances of actual classroom dynamics.
20 the role of teachers by prescribing for them what and how to teach (Richards,
Methodologies in language teaching are often criticized for being based on assumptions rather than solid research, which makes it difficult to accurately assess their effectiveness (Richards & Rodgers, 2001; Ellis, 1994) Comparative studies frequently yield inconclusive results, highlighting the challenge of determining the most effective approach (Freeman & Richards, 1993) Additionally, some experts argue that searching for the "best" methodology is futile due to the diverse teaching and learning contexts worldwide (Bartolome, 1994; Tedick & Walker, 1994) Furthermore, Western-origin methodologies are often critiqued for reflecting politically and culturally imperialist perspectives, raising concerns about their appropriateness across different cultural settings (Pennycook).
Richards (1987) emphasizes that the language teaching profession should move beyond traditional methodologies to explore the underlying nature and conditions that facilitate effective teaching and learning Similarly, Kumaravadivelu (1994) advocates for a paradigm shift from conventional methods towards a "postmethod condition," encouraging flexible and context-sensitive approaches to language education.
“motivates a search for an open-ended, coherent framework based on current theoretical, empirical, and pedagogical insights” (p.27).
Previous research on contextually appropriate pedagogy in ELT
There has been very little research that shows how contextually appropriate ELT pedagogies can be developed Bax S conducted the article
In "The End of CLT: A Contextual Approach to Language Teaching" (2003), the author emphasizes the importance of considering contextual factors such as student needs, school culture, syllabuses, policies, and the broader socio-political environment to enhance language teaching effectiveness Similarly, Patrick Ng and Esther Boucher-Yip’s 2014 study, "Local Contextual Influences on Teaching: Narrative Insights from ESL and EFL Professionals," highlights how local contextual factors shape teaching practices and outcomes in diverse language learning settings Recognizing these influences is essential for developing more responsive and effective language education strategies.
Barkhuizen (2008) emphasized the importance of understanding the teaching context to enhance teachers’ knowledge and improve instructional decisions He stated that "doing so would enable teachers to make more informed decisions about their practice and the students’ learning" (p 232) While many studies have explored how contextual factors influence language teaching overall, they have largely overlooked the specific impact of context on teaching particular language skills Recognizing these nuances can lead to more targeted and effective language instruction.
This chapter provides essential theoretical background for the study, beginning with an overview of listening comprehension and teaching techniques It explores the processes involved in listening comprehension and the factors that influence them, including the role of context and contextual factors affecting teaching and learning Additionally, it discusses the importance of contextually appropriate pedagogy to enhance listening skills The chapter also reviews relevant research to provide valuable insights and establish a foundation for subsequent chapters Overall, this knowledge forms a crucial basis for further investigation and analysis in the study.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The setting of the study
The study was conducted at the English Department of Ninh Binh Center of Informatics and Foreign Languages (NCIFL), located in Ninh Binh province As with most foreign language centers in Vietnam, NCIFL exhibits both strengths and weaknesses in its teaching and learning processes.
The Ninh Binh Center of Informatics and Foreign Languages currently employs a team of four qualified English teachers, aged between 28 and 35, including one male and three females, all graduates of the University of Language and International Studies, VNU, Hanoi The center features eight well-equipped classrooms—six for Informatics instruction with computers and two for English language teaching—each fitted with projectors, fans, neon lamps, desks, chairs, and a security camera to monitor teaching activities, student engagement, and examination integrity Additionally, reliable internet access is readily available, supporting an effective learning environment.
Learners in Ninh Binh are diverse, including non-English teachers from primary, lower secondary, and upper secondary schools, as well as students from various colleges like Medical College and LiLaMa Vocational College Additionally, they comprise factory workers and officials across different age groups ranging from 18 to 40 years old This wide variety of learners presents unique challenges for teachers in addressing their distinct needs and learning styles.
23 monitoring work, giving feedback, setting up communicative tasks as well as paying attention to all students during class time
At NCIFL, both teachers and learners utilize photocopied versions of internationally renowned textbooks like the New English File series for teaching and learning Despite using these photocopies, the quality of the listening comprehension CDs remains high, enhancing students' auditory skills effectively.
Research participants
A total of sixty students and three teachers participated in this study, comprising a diverse group age range from 18 to 45 years old, including both males and females Among the learners, twenty had studied English for nearly four years—three years in high school and approximately one year at university Additionally, fifteen participants were school teachers of other subjects working in Ninh Binh province, along with twenty-five learners who were also employed in the same region Demographic details of the participants are visually summarized in Figure 1.
Figure 1 Student participants in the study
The three English teachers participating in this study were teaching at NCIFL One was male and two were female They were from 28 to 35 years
24 old They all graduated from ULIS, VNU, Ha Noi They had been teaching in NCIFL for about five to eight years.
Data Collection Instruments
Two instruments were used to gain information for the study: the student questionnaire, the teacher questionnaire and classroom observation
In this study, a questionnaire was selected as the primary data collection tool due to its numerous benefits, including cost-effectiveness compared to recording or videotaping It allows for quick data collection within a short timeframe, offering respondents the flexibility to complete it at their convenience Additionally, using a questionnaire ensures respondent anonymity, encouraging honest and unbiased answers As a result, the data obtained is expected to be more accurate and objective, enhancing the overall reliability of the research findings.
502 Bad GatewayUnable to reach the origin service The service may be down or it may not be responding to traffic from cloudflared
502 Bad GatewayUnable to reach the origin service The service may be down or it may not be responding to traffic from cloudflared
502 Bad GatewayUnable to reach the origin service The service may be down or it may not be responding to traffic from cloudflared
All eighteen questions were meticulously crafted and validated through a pilot survey to eliminate misunderstandings or misinterpretations This thorough testing process ensured the reliability and validity of the data collected, enhancing the overall accuracy of the research findings.
To gather insights into teachers’ classroom practices, three teachers were observed across a total of nine lessons During each lesson, the author noted the teacher’s preparation of teaching aids, presentation skills, and teaching strategies This comprehensive observation aimed to analyze effective instructional methods and enhance classroom engagement.
The observation aimed to gather insights into the strategies teachers employed during their listening comprehension lessons This analysis was intended to identify the gap between students’ expectations and the teaching approaches used by educators Understanding this discrepancy can help improve listening instruction and enhance student engagement and learning outcomes.
Data collection procedures
A questionnaire was distributed to students across three different classes to gather insights on their perceptions of listening skills and their experiences with the "New English File Pre-intermediate" listening texts The survey aimed to identify students’ difficulties in listening comprehension, gather their opinions on teachers’ methods for teaching listening tasks, and uncover their preferred strategies for effective listening instruction.
The questionnaire was distributed to teachers to gather insights on their perceptions of listening skills, identify challenges they face in teaching listening comprehension, and explore the strategies they employ to enhance students' listening abilities.
This study involved observing and recording listening lessons to analyze teaching strategies and student performance In each class session, the researcher observed three listening lessons, focusing on the methods teachers employed to develop listening skills and assessing how well learners performed during these sessions.
To gather additional insights supporting the survey findings, informal discussions with learners during short breaks and casual conversations with teachers after staff meetings were also conducted.
Then, the data was collected and prepared for the next step of the analysis
This chapter outlined the study's context, detailed the research participants, and described the methodology used The upcoming chapter will provide a comprehensive descriptive analysis of the collected data, offering insights into the research findings.
DATA ANALYSIS
Findings of the students’ responses
3.2.1 Students’ attitudes towards listening skills
Questions 1, 2, 3, 4 in the questionnaire ask the students about their attitudes towards the role of listening in their English language learning Their responses are presented in Table 2 below
1 The role of listening comprehension to second language learning is very important
2 You can you learn English well without learning listening skills
3 Listening comprehension is very difficult so you don’t need to study
4 Listening skill is the most difficult compared with reading, writing and speaking
Table 2: Students’ attitudes towards listening skills
As indicated in Table 2, an overwhelming majority of the respondents (91.7%) were aware of the importance of listening skills in their English language learning
A significant 63.3% of respondents (38 out of 60) identified listening as the most challenging of the four basic language skills to master, highlighting its difficulty in foreign language acquisition Additionally, 20% (12 out of 60) agreed that listening is a particularly difficult skill, while 16.7% (10 out of 60) considered it less difficult compared to writing, speaking, and reading Overall, these findings indicate that listening remains the most difficult skill for learners in learning a foreign language, emphasizing the need for targeted listening practice in language education.
3.2.2 Students’ self-reported difficulties in learning listening skills and possible sources of difficulties
Figure 2: Students’ self-reported difficulties in learning listening skills Notes:
A: listening and understanding the main idea of listening text
B: listening and understanding the detail information
E: not guessing the meaning of new words
The most significant difficulty faced by learners was understanding and memorizing new words or ideas, affecting 81.67% of respondents, indicating a major challenge in vocabulary acquisition Following this, 76.67% struggled with guessing the meaning of unfamiliar words, highlighting vocabulary comprehension as a key obstacle Summarizing and note-taking were also notable issues, with 68.33% and 61.67% of learners respectively indicating difficulties, which impacts effective information processing Additionally, 56.67% reported challenges in extracting specific information from texts, while 51.67% found inferencing problematic, underscoring comprehension and analytical skills as areas needing improvement Conversely, understanding the main ideas and overall gist of listening texts was less problematic, with only 21.67% indicating difficulty, suggesting learners could identify focal points during listening However, 38.33% admitted that concentration posed challenges, especially when tired or distracted by external noise, affecting their listening performance Overall, learners primarily struggle with new vocabulary, detailed information extraction, inferencing, summarizing, and note-taking, which are crucial skills for language development and comprehension.
The above difficulties were rooted from following sources which were reported from learners’ personal views
Figure 3: possible sources of difficulties Notes:
B: I lack background knowledge about the topic
D: The local accent of the speaker(s) causes trouble for me
E: The teacher does not teach me to use listening strategies
The primary reason for listening difficulties among respondents was a lack of vocabulary, with 71.67% (43/60) citing it as the main challenge, which hindered their ability to understand detailed information despite general comprehension The second and third most common issues were the absence of specific listening strategies taught by teachers (E), reported by 70% (42/60), and limited background knowledge on the topic (B), noted by 51.67% (11/60) Additionally, unfamiliar local accents (D) posed a significant challenge, with 43.33% (26/60) of respondents indicating it as a difficulty Confidence and interest levels (C) also played a notable role, affecting 38.33% (23/60) of participants' understanding of listening texts.
3.2.3 Students’ opinion on teachers’ ways of teaching listening tasks
3.2.3.1 Teachers’ frequency of organizing three-stage listening lessons
Figure 4: Frequency of teachers’ organizing 3-stage listening lessons
Most teachers typically follow a 3-stage listening lesson structure, with 61.67% (37/60) reporting that they usually guide students through all three stages However, no respondents indicated they always implement this approach in every lesson Small talk with three teachers confirmed that, due to time constraints, educators often omit the post-listening phase or skip warm-up activities, directly focusing on listening tasks This indicates a lack of consistent application of the three fundamental stages in listening lessons, which may limit the effectiveness of task-based listening instruction.
3.2.3.2 Students’ opinion on teachers’ ways of organizing listening activities
Figure 5: Students’ opinion on teachers’ ways of organizing listening activities
Many students expressed positive attitudes toward their teachers’ listening activities, highlighting effective engagement strategies Specifically, over 50% of respondents found these activities interesting, and 40% found them motivating, indicating successful instructional approaches However, nearly 20% of students considered the methods boring, and approximately 8.33% found some activities demotivating, suggesting areas for improvement in lesson design.
3.2.3.3 Students’ preferences for teachers’ activities in pre-listening stage
Figure 6: Students’ preferences for teachers’ activities in pre-listening stage
A encouraging you to activate your previous knowledge into listening topic
B creating comfortable environment for you to exchange information before listening
C providing you with certain key words
D explaining clearly about the listening contexts
E emphasizing the purpose of every listening task before listening
F suggesting you essential strategies needed for each kind of listening tasks
G using visual aids to introduce the topic of the text
H other things that you want your teacher to do
Most respondents appreciated all the activities suggested by their teacher during the pre-listening stage, with 80% (48/60) indicating a preference for activities such as explaining the listening contexts clearly and suggesting essential strategies tailored to each listening task Using visual aids to introduce the listening topic was also highly favored, with 70% (42/60) of learners supporting this approach Additionally, 30% (18/60) of students preferred their teacher to incorporate games into the pre-listening activities to enhance engagement and understanding.
34 introduce the topic of the text or ask pre-listening questions to lead to the content of the listening text
3.2.3.4 Students’ preferences for teachers’ activities in while-listening stage
Figure 7: Students’ preferences for teachers’ activities in while- listening stage
A Having you listen for main ideas to deal with listening for gist
B Having you listen for specific information
C Having you listen for detailed comprehension
D Offering you as many chances for you to listen again as you expect
E Pausing sometimes to explain every new word
F Pausing sometimes to ask you to repeat every sentence
G Pausing sometimes to ask you to translate sentences into Vietnamese
H Pause sometimes to explain grammatical structures
Most respondents (over 70%) favored teacher activities during the while-listening stage, such as playing CDs multiple times, pausing to explain new words, and asking students to repeat sentences Less than 15% of learners disapproved of frequent CD playback or pausing for explanations Additionally, approximately 30% of students preferred their teachers to clarify grammatical structures within the listening text to enhance comprehension.
3.2.3.5 Students’ preferences for teachers’ activities in post-listening stage
Figure 8: Students’ preferences for teachers’ activities in post- listening stage
A Asking you to discuss the ideas mentioned in the listening text
B Providing you with similar situations and ask you to role play those
C Asking you to make up sentences using structures in the listening text
D Asking you to translate the listening into Vietnamese
E Having you answer teacher’s questions
F Having you summarize the listening text
G Providing tasks for you to do at home
Over 68% of learners preferred discussing ideas from the listening text during the post-listening stage, indicating a strong preference for interactive comprehension activities Additionally, 80% of respondents favored teachers providing similar situations for role-playing, which enhances practical language skills About 70% liked making up sentences using structures from the listening text, supporting active language production Conversely, less than 30% of learners preferred translation tasks, answering questions, or summarizing the listening text, showing a lower inclination towards translation-centered activities Furthermore, only 15% favored at-home tasks assigned by teachers, suggesting most students prefer in-class engagement over take-home assignments.
Findings of the Teachers’ responses
Teachers play a crucial role in students' development of listening skills, making it essential to explore their attitudes towards listening comprehension and related tasks Understanding teachers' perceptions, challenges they face in teaching listening, and their instructional strategies can significantly enhance the effectiveness of listening skill instruction Investigating these aspects helps identify obstacles and opportunities for professional development, ultimately improving learners' listening abilities and academic success.
3.3.1 Teachers’ experience in teaching English at NCIFL
The English teaching staff at Ninh Binh Center of Informatics and Foreign Languages comprises four experienced teachers aged between 28 and 35, including one male and three females, all graduates of the University of Language and International Studies, VNU, Hanoi With over five years of teaching experience at NCIFL, these educators demonstrate a solid academic background and familiarity with the institution Despite their similar qualifications and tenure, their teaching methods and knowledge vary, bringing diverse approaches to language instruction.
3.3.2 Teachers’ attitude towards listening skills
All three English teachers at NCIFL identified listening as the most challenging skill and emphasized their efforts to find more effective methods for teaching listening comprehension They highlighted that the primary goal of language learning is to enhance communication skills Additionally, the teachers believed that acquiring new vocabulary and imitating natural speech are essential strategies for improving overall communication proficiency.
3.3.3 Teachers’ difficulties in teaching listening skills
According to the data from question 3, teachers identified learners’ age and proficiency level as the most significant factors affecting their listening skills instruction Learners’ experience and background also play a crucial role in shaping teaching effectiveness Additionally, challenges such as classroom noise and the complexity of listening texts can further impact the success of teaching listening skills Addressing these key factors is essential for improving listening comprehension in language education.
3.3.4.1 Teachers’ activities in pre-listening stage
A encouraging learners to activate their previous knowledge into listening topic, predict the content based on the title of the text
B having learners work in groups/pairs to discuss questions related to the listening topic 11.11
C providing learners with certain key words, drilling pronunciation
D explaining clearly about the listening contexts 77.78
E emphasizing the purpose of every listening task before listening 88.89
F suggesting learners essential strategies needed for each kind of listening tasks 44.44
G using visual aids to introduce the topic of the text 66.67
H providing learners with every new word 22.22
I explaining new structures to learners 11.11
J using games to introduce the topic of the listening text 44.44
Table 4: Teachers’ activities in pre-listening stage
Pre-listening activities are essential preparatory steps carried out before while-listening to stimulate learners’ interest, set clear expectations, and help them achieve listening purposes Teachers at NCIFL recognize the importance of creating diverse activities to support students in overcoming listening comprehension challenges, with most lessons including vocabulary introduction and pronunciation practice to aid imitation of stresses and accents Before listening, teachers emphasize the purpose of each task, though only a few provide essential strategies for different types of listening activities Notably, some teachers still adopt a teacher-centered approach by consistently explaining new words and structures during pre-listening, indicating a traditional teaching style persists at NCIFL.
Most teachers rarely encouraged students to work in pairs or groups to discuss questions related to the listening topic, highlighting a need for more interactive activities All teachers reported that they sometimes asked learners to predict the content based on the title, fostering pre-listening anticipation Visual aids, such as pictures and video recordings, were commonly used to introduce the listening topic and clarify the listening context during the pre-listening stage, as confirmed by classroom observations In four observed lessons, teachers employed games to introduce the listening topic, which engaged students and contributed to a positive learning atmosphere However, one lesson was observed without any pre-listening activities, indicating inconsistency in teaching practices.
3.3.4.2 Teachers’ activities in while-listening stage
A Having learners listen for specific information 100
B Having learners listen for main ideas to deal with listening for gist 100
C Having learners listen for detailed comprehension 88.89
D Pausing sometimes to explain every new word 11.11
E Pausing sometimes to ask learners to guess meanings of new words / structures 11.11
F Pausing sometimes to ask learners to translate sentences into Vietnamese 11.11
Table 5: Teachers’ activities in while-listening stage
While-listening activities involve students engaging actively with the spoken text to develop their listening comprehension skills The primary goal of this stage is to help learners effectively extract meaning from spoken language Success in this phase depends largely on students' active participation and focus during the listening process.
Good while-listening activities help students find their way through the listening text built upon the expectations raised by pre-listening activities
In all nine lessons observed, teachers consistently prompted learners to listen for main ideas or specific information based on the listening task, while also ensuring students understood detailed content In one lesson, teachers paused the CD to clarify new vocabulary or encourage students to infer meanings of new words and structures Occasionally, teachers paused to have students translate sentences into Vietnamese, but none paused to explain new grammatical structures or to have students repeat every sentence Importantly, 100% of teachers never allowed students to listen passively without interactive engagement.
CD as much as they want This was right because there is a specific exercise for each time of listening
3.3.4.3 Teachers’ activities in post-listening stage
A Providing learners with similar situations and ask them to role play those 66.67
B Asking learners to discuss the ideas mentioned in the listening text 11.11
C Asking learners to make up sentences using structures in the listening text 44.44
D Having learners answer teacher’s questions 88.89
E Having learners summarize the listening text 11.11
Table 6: Teachers’ activities in post-listening stage
Analysis of the observed lessons reveals that most teachers engaged students with comprehension questions or role-play activities based on listening or similar scenarios, which were appropriate and easy for students to implement Additionally, about half of the teachers encouraged learners to create sentences using structures from the listening text, while notably, no teachers required students to translate listening passages into Vietnamese More challenging activities, such as discussing ideas or summarizing listening content, were rarely conducted, likely due to the difficulty level for NCIFL students Interestingly, none of the teachers assigned listening tasks for homework, and one teacher did not include post-listening activities in their lessons.
3.3.5 Teachers’ attitudes towards the exploitation of materials to teach listening
All teachers unanimously agree that the New English File materials used for teaching listening lessons at ED – NCIFL are appropriate and engaging, with none considering the content boring or monotonous These resources effectively capture students' interest and provide diverse, stimulating listening practice The positive feedback highlights the suitability and variety of the materials, contributing to an effective learning environment.
Most teachers rely on Internet-based materials alongside course books to enhance listening skills, with 100% of educators incorporating additional published listening resources into their lessons This suggests a high level of satisfaction with current listening materials However, teachers make dedicated efforts to select materials that are appropriate for students’ listening levels, aiming to engage learners, foster motivation, and improve overall listening comprehension skills for more effective language learning.
Discussion
The classroom observations at NCIFL revealed that teachers recognize the importance of diverse activities to enhance students’ listening comprehension skills During the pre-listening stage, teachers provided new vocabulary, drilled pronunciation, and emphasized the purpose of each task, although the frequency of strategy use was low They explained new structures and vocabulary but rarely engaged students in group or pair discussions or prediction activities based on the listening text's title Visual aids such as pictures and videos were commonly used to introduce topics and clarify listening contexts Notably, some lessons incorporated games to introduce the listening materials, which students responded to enthusiastically, indicating engaging and effective pre-listening activities.
During the while-listening stage, teachers typically direct learners to identify main ideas or specific details based on the listening task type, fostering detailed comprehension skills However, teachers rarely allow students unlimited access to the CD, often limiting listening sessions Additionally, teachers seldom pause the CD to ask students to explain new vocabulary or to infer the meanings of unfamiliar words or structures, which may impact active engagement and vocabulary development during listening activities.
CD and asked students to translate sentences into Vietnamese No teachers
Tải bản FULL (106 trang): https://bit.ly/3HFsStn
Dự phòng: fb.com/TaiHo123doc.net
43 paused CD to explain new structures or to ask students to repeat every sentence
In most observed lessons, teachers engaged students in post-listening activities such as answering questions or role-playing similar situations, which were appropriate and easy for students to perform Additionally, in four out of nine lessons, teachers encouraged learners to make up sentences using structures from the listening text, while consistently avoiding translation into Vietnamese Less frequently, teachers asked students to discuss ideas from the listening or summarize the content, likely due to the difficulty level for NCIFL students Notably, none of the teachers assigned listening tasks for students to complete at home, highlighting a gap in extending listening practice beyond classroom activities.
The questionnaire results indicated that teachers did not consistently guide students through all three stages of each listening lesson Most learners favored the pre-listening activities provided by their teachers, with clear explanations of the listening context and suggestions of essential strategies being the most preferred Using visual aids to introduce the topic ranked second in popularity Additionally, 30% of students preferred teachers to use games or pre-listening questions to engage students and prepare them for the listening content.
Among teachers’ activities in the while-listening stage, three activities which were preferred by most of the respondents (above 70%) were having
Tải bản FULL (106 trang): https://bit.ly/3HFsStn
Dự phòng: fb.com/TaiHo123doc.net
In a recent study, 44 students practiced listening skills by focusing on main ideas, specific information, and detailed comprehension While these methods aimed to improve listening proficiency, less than 15% of learners preferred the teacher to repeatedly play or pause the CD for explanations, repetitions, or translations into Vietnamese Additionally, approximately 30% of students expressed a desire for the teacher to clarify grammatical structures used in the listening texts to enhance understanding and overall comprehension.
In the post-listening stage, over 68% of learners preferred discussing the ideas presented in the listening text, highlighting their engagement with comprehension and critical thinking Additionally, 80% favored teachers providing real-life situations for role-playing activities, which enhance practical language use About 70% of students preferred creating sentences using the structures from the listening, indicating an emphasis on active language production Conversely, less than 30% of learners wanted their teachers to focus on translation into Vietnamese, answering questions, or summarizing the listening content, showing a lower interest in direct translation tasks Notably, only 15% of students preferred receiving homework tasks, suggesting a tendency towards in-class or interactive learning methods This data underscores the importance of communicative and practical activities in post-listening teaching strategies.