With the desire to find out problems in 6th grade students’ listening skills in particular and the students of Lien Au My English Center in general, I have tried my best to perform this
INTRODUCTION
RATIONALE OF THE STUDY
The primary goal of learning a language is to achieve fluent communication To reach this goal, learners must acquire essential linguistic knowledge, including grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation In addition to mastering these language systems, it is crucial to practice the four key skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing Among these, listening is often regarded as the most challenging due to the complexity of understanding spoken language in a second or foreign language.
As a final year student specializing in teaching English, an English teacher at Lien Au My English Center (LEA), and a researcher, I am passionate about exploring the challenges students face in learning English listening skills My thesis titled "An investigation on difficulties in learning English listening of grade 6 students at Lien Au My English Center (LEA)" aims to identify key obstacles hindering students' listening comprehension I chose this topic due to my firsthand teaching experience and desire to improve listening instruction methods, ultimately helping students overcome their difficulties in mastering English listening.
English is an essential global language widely used for communication in various fields such as business, media, travel, and economics, making it a popular trend among young people Since the early 1990s, English has been a compulsory subject in Vietnam’s national education system, with listening being the most crucial skill for real-life communication Listening and speaking are closely interconnected, as effective conversations depend on understanding spoken language; without comprehension, important information may be missed, leading to misunderstandings Additionally, listening provides students with accessible input and plays an vital role in the language learning process Therefore, focusing on developing English listening skills is essential for students’ language proficiency and future success.
Listening is often considered one of the most challenging skills for English learners due to its complexity as a receptive skill Despite sharing similarities with reading, listening tends to be the most frustrating aspect of language acquisition From my experience in teaching and learning English, I have observed that developing effective listening skills requires targeted practice and patience Improving listening ability is crucial for achieving fluency and understanding native speakers in real-life conversations.
Reading offers learners the advantage of reviewing text multiple times to enhance understanding, a benefit that listeners typically lack in most listening contexts such as TV shows, meetings, discussions, lectures, or conversations During my teaching at Lien Au My English Center (LEA), I have observed that many students, especially 6th graders, struggle with listening skills and tend to overlook this area, concentrating instead on grammar, vocabulary, or reading This neglect often leads to a decline in their listening abilities over time, making the skill more difficult and less engaging to learn.
I choose this topic to point out the main difficulties grade 6 students are facing and to find out their causes.
THE AIMS OF THE STUDY
The study is done with the following aims:
Many 6th graders at Lien Au My English Center (LEA) struggle with developing effective English listening skills This research aims to identify the main difficulties these students encounter during their listening comprehension process Understanding these challenges is essential for improving teaching methods and supporting students in overcoming barriers to English listening proficiency.
What is more, I also want to explore some of the causes of those difficulties for grade 6 students in learning English listening at LEA English Center.
THE SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This study examines the challenges 6th graders face in learning English listening skills at Lien Au My English Center (LEA) Effective communication in English relies on four interrelated skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing, with listening and speaking being particularly crucial The research emphasizes that good speaking skills cannot be developed without strong listening abilities, as listening is essential for effective verbal communication Due to limitations in time, resources, and reference materials, the study focuses specifically on identifying common difficulties students encounter in developing their listening skills.
This thesis focuses on sixth-grade students aged 11 to 12 years old enrolled at Lien Au My English Center (LEA) in Tan Uyen Town, Binh Duong Province These students are the primary objects of the study, providing valuable insights into their language learning experiences at LEA.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The thesis mainly focuses on answering the three following research questions:
1 What are the students’ opinions in grade 6 at Lien Au My English Center (LEA) about English listening skills?
2 What are the difficulties for grade 6 students in learning English listening at Lien Au My English Center (LEA)?
3 What are the reasons why 6th graders at Lien Au My English Center (LEA) have difficulty in learning English listening?
THE METHOD OF THE STUDY
The research will be conducted using both quantitative and qualitative methods The research includes survey questionnaires and interview questions for grade 6 students at Lien Au My English Center (LEA)
Once the results are received, the researcher will use tables and charts to present the data collected.
THE ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY
This study employs a comprehensive research methodology, detailing the research approach, participant selection, data collection instruments, and data analysis procedures Chapter 4 presents the key findings of the study alongside a thorough discussion of these results, providing insights into their significance In Chapter 5, the study is summarized, highlighting main conclusions, acknowledging limitations, and offering valuable suggestions for future research to build upon these findings.
LITERATURE REVIEW
OVERVIEW OF LISTENING
Effective language learning goes beyond just speaking; listening skills are equally essential Many people assume that speaking a language indicates full understanding, but listening comprehension is crucial to truly grasp and interpret spoken words Being able to listen to a sentence confidently means understanding its meaning, making listening a vital component of language proficiency Developing strong listening skills not only enhances overall language ability but also serves as a key indicator of one’s proficiency in English or any other language.
Listening is a crucial skill for mastering both native and foreign languages and is gaining increasing recognition in language education Numerous linguists, including Howatt and Dakin (1974), Pearson (1983), Bowen, Madsen, and Hilferty (1985), Purdy (1997), Brown (2001), Helgesen (2003), Lindsay and Knight (2006), Rost (2009), and Jafari and Hashim (2015), have provided various definitions of listening, highlighting its significance in effective language learning.
Listening, as defined by Howatt and Dakin (1974), is the ability to identify and understand what others are saying, including their accent, pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary Effective listening involves grasping the speaker's intended meaning, making it a crucial skill for language comprehension and communication.
Listening is a complex cognitive process that involves the simultaneous organization of skills across phonology, syntax, semantics, and understanding of text structure According to Pearson (1983), these interconnected skills are essential for language proficiency, highlighting the importance of developing strong listening abilities for effective language acquisition.
Listening, as demonstrated by Bowen, Madsen, and Hilferty (1985), involves understanding oral language through processes such as hearing speech, segmenting sounds, and classifying them into lexical and syntactic units to comprehend the message It is an active process that includes receiving spoken words, interpreting and negotiating meaning with the speaker, and responding appropriately Effective listening also entails creating meaning through participation, creativity, and empathy, making it a dynamic and essential component of communication.
According to Purdy (1997), listening is the process of receiving, making
5 meaning from, and answering to spoken and/or nonverbal messages
According to Brown (2001), listening is not merely the passive reception of sounds but involves a complex psychomotor process where sound waves are received through the ear and transmitted as nerve impulses to the brain Listening comprehension includes three essential elements: the sender, the message, and the listener Developing effective listening skills is crucial for enhancing communication and language understanding.
According to Helgesen (2003), listening is an active and purposeful skill that involves more than just hearing words; it requires individuals to connect new information with their existing knowledge Effective listening also entails understanding the underlying implications behind the spoken words, making it a critical component of communication.
Lindsay and Knight (2006) emphasize that listening is primarily a skill for acquiring language rather than creating it, highlighting its role in language learning They clarify that listening is not always a passive activity; its nature depends on the listener’s engagement When a listener actively participates in a conversation—pausing to ask questions or seek clarification—listening is considered an active skill Conversely, listening to mass media such as radio or TV, where there is little interaction, tends to be more passive These distinctions illustrate the varying degrees of active and passive listening in different communication contexts, making listening a versatile and essential component of language proficiency.
According to Rost (2009), listening helps us to understand the world around us and is one of the necessary elements in creating successful communication
Jafari and Hashim (2015) emphasized that listening is a channel for comprehensible input and more than 50 percent of the time learners spend in learning a foreign language is devoted to listening
In conclusion, all definitions are given for the purpose of clarifying the nature of listening skills, which are essential in learning a native or foreign language
2.1.2 The importance of listening skills:
Listening is a vital life skill that enhances your understanding of both yourself and the world around you It allows you to gain deeper insights and foster meaningful connections with others As one of the most important ways to experience and live life fully, effective listening helps improve communication and emotional intelligence In everyday life, people tend to listen more than they speak, emphasizing the importance of honing this skill for personal growth and better relationships.
Listening is an essential skill we use constantly in our daily lives, whether at home, school, or work We listen to news, watch movies, participate in conversations, and absorb information from various sources In educational settings, students rely on listening to teachers, and in professional environments, employees need to listen attentively to new plans and directives Without effective listening, individuals risk becoming outdated or disconnected, highlighting the critical importance of listening for personal and professional success.
Developing strong listening skills is essential for learning English, as it not only enhances understanding but also facilitates the mastery of vocabulary, sentence structure, grammar, and pronunciation similar to native speakers According to Dr Hossein Bozorgian's research involving over 700 IELTS students, listening skills are more closely correlated with overall language proficiency than other language skills Improving listening abilities is a foundational step in language acquisition, enabling learners to speak fluently and comprehend effectively in real-life conversations Mastering listening skills ultimately accelerates progress across all aspects of learning English.
Listening is a crucial skill in language learning, as it transforms hearing from a passive sense into an active process of understanding, supporting the development of other language abilities According to Nord (1980), listening provides learners with essential information to build the knowledge needed for effective language use, enabling them to start speaking confidently Nation (1990) emphasizes that the listening-only phase serves as a foundational period of observation and learning, upon which speaking and other skills are built Since most language learners spend more time listening than speaking, developing strong listening skills is vital; without understanding spoken language, learners risk missing important information or responding inaccurately Therefore, consistent listening practice is essential for transitioning from classroom English to real-world language use efficiently and effectively.
Listening is a vital psychological skill that promotes self-controlled learning and fosters learner independence As a crucial form of communication, effective listening enhances understanding and interpersonal connections As the saying goes, "We were given two ears but only one mouth," highlighting the importance of listening more than speaking to truly comprehend others.
7 one mouth; this is because God knew that listening was twice as hard as talking=
It helps students make the transition from classroom English to the real-life English more easily and effectively.
DIFFICULTIES IN LEARNING ENGLISH LISTENING
2.2.1 What problems do students have with listening?
Listening serves different purposes, such as relaxation and entertainment, which require minimal skill, like listening to music However, when the goal is to acquire information—particularly in learning a foreign language—listeners need specific skills, including judgment before listening, focused concentration, and the ability to identify key words to grasp main ideas Effective listening also involves analyzing and synthesizing the information received, highlighting that listening comprises a range of essential skills for successful comprehension.
Many learners find written texts easier to process than spoken language, as reading allows for better understanding and control over information flow However, they often experience significant challenges when listening to spoken content, struggling to grasp the main ideas and key details These difficulties in developing listening skills stem from factors such as rapid speech, intonation, and lack of visual cues, which can hinder comprehension Experts argue that understanding these obstacles is essential for improving listening proficiency, highlighting the need for targeted strategies to enhance learners’ audio processing abilities Developing effective listening skills is crucial for overall language mastery and communication success.
According to Underwood (1989) in the book *Teaching Listening*, learners often face several difficulties when listening, including challenges such as struggling to keep up with the speaker’s speed, limited vocabulary hindering comprehension, and difficulty recalling all the information heard Other common issues involve failure to grasp key details, inability to concentrate, and trouble developing effective listening habits These obstacles highlight the importance of targeted strategies to improve listening skills for language learners.
According to Ur (1996), language learners often face several listening challenges, including difficulty recognizing English sounds, and a tendency to expect understanding of every word to grasp the overall meaning They also struggle with comprehending natural, fast speech, highlighting the importance of extensive listening practice Additionally, learners find it hard to absorb all information and often cannot predict the speaker’s next words, which hampers comprehension Prolonged listening sessions may lead to fatigue and decreased concentration, making consistent practice essential for improvement.
According to Goh (1999), the most common problems students encounter
Many learners experience rapid forgetting of what they hear, struggle to recognize familiar words, and understand the message but miss the intended meaning They often skip parts of the speech while fixating on the overall message and find it difficult to form words from auditory input Additionally, Goh highlights issues related to focus and concentration when listening He recommends investigating learners' attitudes toward their listening challenges and exploring effective strategies they use to overcome these problems to improve listening comprehension.
According to Field (2003), a major issue in listening comprehension is that learners often know the written form of words but struggle with their spoken counterparts Phonetic variations—such as reduction, assimilation, elision, gasification, and recombination—confuse learners and hinder understanding Additionally, learners find it challenging to process connected speech, especially during conversations spoken at a natural pace, making accurate comprehension difficult.
Learners face significant challenges when developing audiovisual skills, as highlighted by Hoang Van Van, Nguyen Thi Chi, and Hoang Thi Xuan Hoa in their 2006 book These difficulties include struggles with hearing English sounds, the necessity to understand every word to grasp the speaker's intent, and challenges in understanding native speakers when they speak quickly Additionally, learners often need to listen repeatedly, find it hard to absorb all information or anticipate upcoming content, and may struggle with maintaining concentration during listening activities Overcoming these challenges is essential for effective language acquisition and improving audiovisual comprehension skills.
Learners often encounter common challenges when developing English listening skills, including difficulty recognizing English sounds and limited vocabulary Additionally, a lack of concentration during listening activities hampers understanding, and many students struggle to grasp the main idea of the listening texts Furthermore, repeated listening is often necessary to comprehend the content effectively Overcoming these issues is essential for improving overall listening proficiency.
(6) Failure to keep up with the speaker’s speed
2.2.2 What makes listening so difficult?
There are eight characteristics of spoken language that make it difficult to listen (Brown, 2001, p.252)
1 In spoken language, due to memory limitations, we break down speech into smaller groups of words These are called clustering Examples are