The scope of the study
This study focuses on the listening skills of second-year English students at HDU, specifically exploring the common difficulties they encounter due to time constraints, limited knowledge, and a shortage of reference materials, acknowledging that it does not cover the entire scope of listening skills.
The methods of the study
The study will be conducted using quantitative, qualitative methods The study includes survey questionnaires and interview questions for students only of K22 at the FFL
After getting the results, the researcher will use the tables and charts for presenting the collect data.
Research questions
This study is carried out with the purpose of finding out the answers to the following research questions:
1 What are the difficulties in the second-year students Faculty of English at HDU?
2 What are some solutions to improve their English listening skill?
Design of the study
The study is organized into three parts:
This study delves into [Topic of Study], driven by the rationale of [Rationale] Its primary objectives are to [Objectives of the Study], within the scope of [Scope of the Study] The research seeks to answer the following key questions: [Research Questions], employing [Methods Applied] to achieve comprehensive insights.
Chapter one focuses on the literature review, presenting theoretical backgrounds related to English listening skills, common difficulties encountered, and effective strategies to improve listening comprehension.
+ Chapter two deals with the development of the study This chapter summarizes the research questions and gives the discussion of the study
Finally, the study closes with part three, the conclusion, which gives a summary of the whole study, carries out the limitation of it and provides suggestions for further study.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Overview of listening
Listening is a critical component of effective oral communication, essential for both native and second language development Its importance is reflected in the numerous definitions and studies dedicated to understanding listening skills.
According to Howatt and Dakin (1974), listening is “the ability to perceive and understand what is being said This process includes speech perception, pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, and transmitted content.”
In addition ,Wolvin and Coakley (1982) regarded listening as "the process of receiving, attending to and assigning meaning to aural stimuli"
Listening, as Pearson (1983) noted, is a multifaceted skill integrating phonology, syntax, semantics, and text structure knowledge, all orchestrated by cognitive processes This intricate combination underscores listening's crucial, yet often underestimated, role in achieving language proficiency.
According to Hirsch (1986), listening is a multifaceted skill encompassing neurological responses, sound interpretation, and meaning construction through reaction, selection, memory, attention, analysis, and integration of prior experiences.
Bentley and Bacon (1996) defined listening as an active process where listeners construct meaning from oral input, highlighting its importance in second language learning.
Listening, as defined by Helgesen (2003), is an active and purposeful skill that involves grasping the explicit content and connecting it with the implicit implications behind the words.
Lindsay and Knight (2006) position listening as a language acquisition skill, yet listening's active or passive nature hinges on the listener's engagement Active listening involves conversational participation, allowing listeners to seek clarification, while passive listening occurs with mass media, requiring less interaction.
Listening comprehension is a complex problem-solving skill It's an active skill focused on identifying messages within words and linguistic elements, including vocabulary, grammar, and phonetics.
1.2 The importance of listening skill
Listening is a crucial life skill that enhances self-awareness and understanding of the world Life skills provide a better perspective on life, allowing individuals to maintain a higher awareness of themselves and their surroundings.
Listening is a vital way humans experience and engage with life In daily life, people generally listen more than they speak, read, or write, absorbing information constantly Listening is crucial; without it, individuals risk falling behind in all aspects of life.
Listening, unlike mere hearing, is a conscious choice to understand and is crucial for language acquisition, facilitating the development of other language skills As Nord (1980) suggests, listening is fundamental to language learning, providing learners with the necessary knowledge to use the language effectively Training in listening is essential, bridging the gap between classroom English and real-life communication, and preventing misunderstandings due to failure to comprehend spoken language.
Learners of English often encounter real-life listening situations for various purposes, but face difficulties due to the significant difference between classroom listening activities and actual scenarios In the classroom, learners are exposed to grammatical standard dialogues and presentations, delivered at a controlled speed, with perfect voice tone, accent, and correct grammar Furthermore, learners often have prior preparation and clear knowledge of the listening topic in the classroom.
In real-life conversations, language learners often struggle due to encountering diverse accents, speeds, and tones, alongside complex vocabulary and colloquial expressions, unlike the controlled environments of learning materials.
As a result, the learners cannot listen to perfectly
As your listening skills improve, you'll better understand what people are truly communicating According to Adian (1995), real-life listening generally falls into two categories: "casual" and "focused." Casual listening, also known as "Appreciative Listening," is often enjoyable and comes naturally to many.
According to Rixon (1986) and Hublard and others (1984), “there are two main kinds of listening in classroom, they are intensive listening and extensive listening Intensive listening (Comprehensive/ Informative Listening)”
Informative listening involves students focusing on detailed information for full comprehension of a message's content This type of listening is crucial when students follow instructions, attend lectures, or listen to announcements, with the listener's understanding being the most important aspect Misunderstanding or inattention can negatively affect informative listening.
Intensive listening focuses on short passages to help learners develop specific listening skills and language knowledge through exercises, making the content feel accessible and engaging Conversely, extensive listening, or appreciative listening, involves freely listening to natural language for general understanding and enjoyment, without the pressure of language work This approach uses varied and entertaining topics to motivate learners to develop their listening skills through pleasure.
Wolvin and Coakly (1988, 1993) have introduced another categorization of listening They identified five types of listening:
Difficulties in learning English listening skill
2 Difficulties in learning the listening skill
2.1 What problems do students have with listening?
Another point of view has been expanded by Willis (1981, p.134) who lists a series of skills for listening dealing with problems, which she calls 'enabling skills' To quote a few are:
- Predict what people are going to talk about
- Guessing at unknown words or phrases without panicking
- Using one's own knowledge of the subject to help one understand
Difficulties in listening often stem from the message itself, the speaker, the listener, and the physical setting Students typically find it harder to listen to a message than to read it, primarily because they cannot control the speed of delivery as they can with reading Specific vocabulary areas, such as the past tense of regular verbs ending in voiceless sounds, pose particular challenges in dictation exercises Liaison, or the linking of words in rapid speech, also contributes to listening comprehension issues.
/Whadiyagunnadotanight ?/ For the untrained ear liaison presents an awesome problem
Up to this point, I have dealt with problems students have with listening
To cultivate effective listening skills in foreign-language students, it's crucial to address the common imbalance where reading often overshadows listening, limiting their exposure to diverse auditory inputs; prolonged listening sessions focused on deciphering unfamiliar linguistic elements can lead to fatigue, hindering comprehension and engagement.
2.2 What makes listening so difficult?
There are eight characteristics of spoken language which makes listening difficult (Brown, 2001)
- In spoken language, due to memory limitations we break down speech into smaller groups of words They are called clustering For examples: "a lot of,
Effective listening involves focusing on meaningful word clusters rather than individual words, which can be distracting and unnecessary.
-Moreover, spoken language has a great number of redundancies They are the result of rephrasing, repetitions, elaborations and some insertions such as
"As I have said" and so on At first, learners may get trouble with this They are easy to be confused
Learners can leverage redundancies in language with proper training to gain more time and information Spoken language contains reduced forms such as "you're" for "you are," "won't" for "will not," and "can't" for "cannot," which are phonological, morphological, syntactic, or pragmatic in nature.
Contractions like "won't" and "can't" pose significant challenges for English language learners, particularly beginners who are initially exposed to the full, uncontracted forms of the language.
- The next characteristic of spoken language is performance variables
As a result of unplanned action, spoken language consists of a lot of hesitations ("er", "uhm"), false starts, pauses and corrections They make the listeners confused
Colloquial language, differing from standard written forms, poses a challenge in real-life listening due to the frequent use of idioms, slang, reduced forms, and shared cultural references in monologues and dialogues.
In listening, learners face the challenge of comprehending language delivered at varying speeds and with minimal pauses, as they often lack the opportunity to stop the speaker and relisten, which is crucial for effective language acquisition.
Understanding prosodic features like stress, rhythm, and intonation is crucial for English learners, as English is a stress-timed language These elements enable listeners to interpret subtle messages, including sarcasm, endearment, or praise.
Interaction significantly enhances listening comprehension by emphasizing the two-way nature of communication, where learners must actively engage in negotiation, clarification, and turn-taking Mastering these interactional elements, including attending signals, topic management, and termination, is crucial for language learners to improve both general interaction skills and specific listening abilities Understanding spoken language characteristics facilitates smoother and more effective communication.
3 Factors affecting the English listening
Learners face numerous difficulties in listening comprehension, as highlighted by Azmi Bingol, Celik, Yidliz, and Tugrul Mart (2014); awareness of these challenges is crucial for effective problem-solving.
Factors affecting English listening
The quality of audio materials and sound systems significantly affects learners' listening comprehension Substandard recordings can impede students' ability to understand and process information effectively.
Cultural knowledge significantly impacts learners' understanding of a language, especially in listening comprehension, where unfamiliar cultural contexts can hinder their progress; therefore, teachers should provide background knowledge to prepare students for listening activities, enhancing their comprehension and engagement.
Accented speech significantly reduces comprehension, with unfamiliar accents, both native and non-native, causing serious listening difficulties Studies reveal that a substantial percentage of learners identify a speaker's accent as a major impediment to understanding Encountering a new accent, such as Indian English after only studying American English, can critically disrupt the listening process, potentially making comprehension impossible Familiarity with an accent, conversely, improves listening comprehension.
According to Azmi Bingol, Celik, Yidliz, and Tugrul Mart (2014), “when listening texts contain known words it would be very easy for students to them”
Enhancing students' vocabulary is crucial for boosting their interest and motivation, which positively influences their listening comprehension Understanding the multiple meanings of words and their appropriate contexts is essential to avoid confusion and ensure effective learning.
3.5 Length and Speed of Listening
Azmi Bingol et al (2014) noted that student proficiency significantly impacts their ability to process and retain information from extended listening passages, with lower-level students struggling with passages longer than three minutes Shorter passages facilitate easier comprehension and reduce listener fatigue Underwood (1989) added that speech speed can impede comprehension, particularly when speakers talk too fast, creating challenges for L2 learners who cannot control the speaker's pace.
Underwood (1989) identifies several barriers to effective listening comprehension, notably that listeners cannot control the speaker's speed, which poses a significant challenge The inability to repeat words or replay sections further complicates comprehension, as learners rely on teachers' discretion for repetition Insufficient vocabulary knowledge also impedes understanding, with unfamiliar words causing listeners to pause and potentially miss subsequent information A lack of contextual knowledge can hinder comprehension, even if the surface meaning is grasped Finally, maintaining concentration is crucial, as even brief lapses in attention can disrupt the listening comprehension process, highlighting the importance of engaging and interesting listening material.
Summary
This chapter synthesizes existing theories and literature on listening skills, establishing a theoretical and conceptual framework for this graduation paper Building upon this foundation, the subsequent chapter will detail the research methodology and present the findings.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE STUDY
Data collection instruments
Questionnaires were designed for students to facilitate data summarization and analysis, targeting 80 second-year students (K22) at the Faculty of Foreign Languages, HDU, to address three research questions The 14-question survey includes sections on general student information, attitudes towards rewriting English sentences, and current teaching and learning techniques in listening comprehension for English sentences.
To ensure sample reliability and validity, questionnaires were distributed to and collected from K22 learners during class breaks, maximizing their focus on recent experiences; the researcher clarified the study's purpose and survey questions, providing instructions in both written English and oral Vietnamese to avoid ambiguity; ultimately, 80 students participated in the survey.
Data for this study was collected from second-year English majors at the Faculty of Foreign Languages, focusing on their experiences with English listening skills; a survey questionnaire was administered to 80 students to gather information on challenges and issues they face.
When the data collection was accomplished, the data analysis was initiated The results of survey questionnaires revealed students' techniques they use in listening skill.
Data analysis and discussion
2.1 Student's real situations of learning English listening skill
In the part personal information, most of students come from rural areas
It means that many of them did not have much chance to practice English skills at high school In addition, students recognize that they have learnt English from
The 80 copies of the questionnaire delivered to the learners The data are analyzed in this part of the study in the below tables and charts which shows the responses for the questions in the questionnaires Besides, the first question the questionnaires bring a result that according to students' opinion, listening skill is very difficult
Chart 1: The students’ assessment of learning the listening skill
It can be seen obviously in the chart that the listening skill is a difficult skill to learn 69% of the learners suppose that listening is difficult For the
A survey indicates that a significant portion of students find listening to English challenging, with only a small percentage considering it easy Specifically, 13% of learners find listening very difficult, mirroring the number who perceive it as normal (15%) or easy (3%) Observationally, students who excel at listening skills often find the task easier, reinforcing the perceived difficulty of English listening comprehension.
The following chart clarifies students' interest in learning listening skills in class, addressing concerns about whether difficulties in the subject might lead to disinterest.
60% like very much like don't mind don't like
Chart 2: The students’ interest in learning listening skill
The column chart reveals a surprising result, contrasting with the common assumption that listening is a boring skill to learn Despite the difficulties, a significant 72% of learners like or very much like learning listening, proving it's more interesting than many perceive Only 28% of learners find it neither particularly interesting nor boring, indicating that no one actively dislikes learning listening in English class.
0% conclusion, listening English is a' favorite subject of the students and it is difficult for students and very difficult for teachers
2.1.2 The important of listening skill
A survey question was designed to gauge the perceptions of Foreign Language Faculty students at HDU regarding the significance of listening skills This aims to provide a clearer understanding of their perspectives on the role of listening in language acquisition.
Very important Important Quite important Not important
Chart 3: Student’s attitudes toward the importance of English listening skill
A significant majority (80%) of students recognize the importance of listening skills, while only a small fraction (4%) consider it merely "quite important," highlighting the crucial role of English listening skills in both academic and real-world contexts for students at the Faculty of Foreign Languages, HDU.
Listening skills are crucial for effective communication in real life, and they are increasingly important when learning a foreign language.
2.1.3 The problem in listening skill
Students' real situation in learning English listening skills was investigated through a questionnaire, with the results presented in the chart below.
Chart 4: The frequency of student having problems in learning English listening skill
Analysis of student listening challenges reveals that a significant portion, **49%, very often encounter difficulties, while 31% consistently struggle** An additional **18% sometimes face issues, and a mere 2% rarely experience problems**, highlighting the widespread nature of listening comprehension challenges among students.
To sum up, students always have problems in listening English and this is thing that students need repairing
2.1.4.The kinds of listening text which students practice more
The question 8 of questionnaire for students mentioned to the kinds of listening text which students expect to practice more The collected data has shown in the below chart:
Chart 5: Students’ interest in extra listening activities
Here's a rewritten paragraph focusing on key findings and SEO optimization:**Student preferences for listening activities reveal dialogues as the most popular choice, with 66% of students favoring them.** In contrast, listening to news, speeches, or lectures bored 46% of students While songs garnered some interest, only 16% of learners loved them Watching films or listening to stories was well-received, with 38% considering them favorite activities **Overall, the data indicates a strong preference for interactive listening materials like dialogues, conversations, and interviews among students.
2.2 Cause affecting English listening skill
2.2.1.The difficulties that students often have when learning English listening skill
A survey was conducted to identify the challenges hindering English listening comprehension among second-year English major students at HDU, with questionnaire item six specifically designed to pinpoint these difficulties The results, presented in the chart below, shed light on the specific obstacles students face in developing their listening skills.
Unfamiliar content listening text Limited practice time Fast speaking speed Other factors
Chart 6: Difficulties in students’ listening
The chart shows that the poor quality of CDs and CD players is not a big problem Only 3% of the leamers think i made them difficut to listen There are
A significant portion of students, 28%, identified unfamiliar content as a key challenge in listening comprehension The primary difficulty, cited by 40% of students, was insufficient practice time in class Additionally, 22% of learners felt that the speaker's speed was too rapid Minor factors, accounting for 7% of responses, included teaching methods, background knowledge, and pronunciation practice.
2.2.2.The factors have influence on the interested in English listening skill
A questionnaire was used to investigate factors influencing students' interest in English listening skills, presenting four potential factors for students to consider.
Chart 7: Factor motivating students’ learning the listening skill
Good teaching methods are the most influential factor in student motivation, with 48% of students affirming its importance Interesting listening activities also play a significant role, as 30% of learners find that these activities greatly motivate them to learn better While 10% of students rank interesting listening topics as the most influential factor, a substantial 32% insist that topics have only a bit of influence Adequate and modern equipment is considered the least influential factor, with 56% of learners believing it has no effect on their listening skills.
The following question (question 11 for students) show the subjective factors that dow are the deep reasons which cause the leamers difficult in leaming the listening skill
Try to listen to every word so can not catch up the speed of the speech
Only listen to stressed words
Need to listen more than three times to understand
Feel tired and unconcentrated when listening more than three time
Chart 8: The subject factor affecting the students’ learning listening skill
The bar chart illustrates common challenges listeners face when developing their listening skills A significant 40% of learners struggle by attempting to catch every word, causing them to fall behind While 21% focus on stressed words, they often find it difficult to identify them Many students (35%) need to listen to a recording more than three times to fully understand it, while a small percentage (4%) experience fatigue and lose concentration after multiple listens In conclusion, various factors impact listening comprehension, highlighting the need for students and teachers to identify effective strategies for improvement.
2.3 Activities for improving English listening skill
2.3.1 The activities students like most in listening English class
The next question in the questionnaire for students is about the activities students like most in listening English class The colected data are shown in the below table:
Table 1: Students’opinion about the activities that they like most in listening English
Main findings and discussion
3.1 Opinions of students about English listening skill
Data analysis reveals that students face numerous challenges in learning listening, with a significant portion (69%) of second-year students at HDU finding English listening difficult Despite the perceived difficulty, a majority of students (52%) still express a liking for English listening, and listening to dialogues is the favorite classroom activity for 66% of the students.
3.2 Current situation in teaching and learning English listening skill
Second-year FFL students face challenges in English listening skills due to poor-quality CDs and players, unfamiliar content, and limited practice time A significant subjective factor is students' attempts to understand every word, hindering their ability to keep pace with the speech.
Students favor interactive listening exercises like ticking off items (33%) and choosing correct answers (27%), which enhance engagement Effective strategies for improving English listening skills include pre-teaching relevant vocabulary and predicting content before listening, followed by note-taking during the activity.
In conclusion, in order to get the maximum benefits of offered technique, some recommendations are proposed to the major second-year students at Facuty of Foreign Languages.
SOLUTIONS
Suggestions for improving English listening skills
The quality of the stape and the listening device is not good
To enhance the learning environment, schools should invest in modern equipment and implement a regular maintenance schedule, including weekly and monthly checks, to ensure the longevity and effectiveness of teaching and learning tools.
Can’t keeo up with the speaker’s speed in the listening
In the process of listening, students should not translate what they hear into Vietnamese to understand
Don’t understand the content of the listening
Before listening, students should discuss the topic and avoid striving for complete comprehension on the first attempt.
Can’t get the sounds in English It is best for students to listen to a lot of
To effectively learn English pronunciation, immerse yourself in diverse native speaker accents through listening to songs, ranging from simple to complex, and enhance your skills by watching English movies or singing along to English songs.
Table 2:Solutions to difficuties when learning listening skills
Lafi (2001) emphasizes that effective listening comprehension is paramount, highlighting that the depth of learners' understanding hinges on teacher preparedness and strategic use of listening materials Therefore, well-designed activities are crucial for enhancing listening skills, and these activities can be classified into distinct stages to optimize learning outcomes.
Pre-listening activities are crucial as they form the foundation for effective listening comprehension These activities prepare students to maximize their understanding of the audio by activating prior knowledge Sharing common background knowledge ensures all students can engage with the material, regardless of their individual knowledge levels.
During the while-listening stage, students should focus on understanding the main ideas of the listening text without needing to memorize every word Teachers can employ techniques like directed listening to help students extract relevant information and focus on the general subject matter It's crucial to ask global comprehension questions initially, reserving specific questions for after the major ideas are understood, and to provide worksheets to aid learners in capturing key information while listening.
In the post-listening stage, students leverage information gleaned from the listening text for new applications, and several activities can facilitate this process.
Summarizing involves learners reconstructing listened information in their own words, using notes or drawings as cues, and can be practiced individually, in pairs, or in groups to enhance writing skills.
Recalling a story involves summarizing it orally, enabling learners to retell narratives in their own words This practice, often done in pairs or groups, enhances speaking skills and comprehension.
- Role play: learners dramatize the listening text, taking the roles of the characters in the story they have just heard.
Recommendations
Students aiming to enhance their listening skills should actively address poor listening habits and expand their background knowledge A practical approach involves dedicating 5-10 minutes daily to listening to short English news segments Many students tend to focus on understanding every single word, which leads to fatigue and reliance on guessing; instead, learners should concentrate on grasping the main message by summarizing ideas and taking notes, avoiding translation into their native language Regular practice outside of class, such as listening to English songs or watching foreign channels, helps students become familiar with native accents Furthermore, enriching general knowledge about English-speaking countries and their culture is essential for improved comprehension.
Teachers significantly impact learners' listening skills, with teaching methods being a crucial factor When teaching listening to beginners, teachers should focus on key elements to facilitate skill development.
Teachers should introduce engaging listening topics and authentic materials to connect students with real-life scenarios Supplementing textbook content with exciting activities can further motivate student participation To address negative habits, instructors should encourage students to remain calm when they miss information, fostering a more relaxed and effective learning environment.
Teachers play a crucial role in preparing students for listening tasks by providing necessary background knowledge and engaging warm-up activities related to the listening texts Pre-listening activities, such as true/false prediction games based on the text's main ideas, can effectively introduce cultural and societal contexts, setting a clear purpose for students to listen actively During listening activities, teachers should establish clear guidelines, such as limiting the number of listens and encouraging students to share ideas with evidence, fostering collaborative discussion before confirming answers, ensuring all students participate and contribute To accommodate diverse learner levels, teachers should progressively increase the difficulty of listening tasks to maintain engagement and encourage improvement.
PART THREE: INCONCLUSION This chapter will deal with a summary of the major findings, limitations of the study and some suggestio ns for further studies.
Summary of the study
This study is structured in three parts: theory, an overview of English listening skills learning at FFL, HDU, and the research methodology and findings regarding the approach to listening at FFL via questionnaires, which addresses the research questions and offers recommendations to improve English listening skills at HDU.
Suggestions for the further study
When the data collection was accomplished, the data analysis was initiated The results of survey questionnaires revealed students' techniques they use in listening skill
2.1 Student's real situations of learning English listening skill
In the part personal information, most of students come from rural areas
It means that many of them did not have much chance to practice English skills at high school In addition, students recognize that they have learnt English from
The 80 copies of the questionnaire delivered to the learners The data are analyzed in this part of the study in the below tables and charts which shows the responses for the questions in the questionnaires Besides, the first question the questionnaires bring a result that according to students' opinion, listening skill is very difficult
The students’ assessment of learning the listening skill
It can be seen obviously in the chart that the listening skill is a difficult skill to learn 69% of the learners suppose that listening is difficult For the
A survey indicates that a significant portion of students find listening to English challenging, with only a small percentage considering it easy Specifically, 13% of learners find listening very difficult, mirroring the number who perceive it as normal (15%) or easy (3%) Observationally, students who excel at listening skills often find the task easier, reinforcing the perceived difficulty of English listening comprehension.
The following chart clarifies learners' interest in developing listening skills in the classroom, addressing concerns about whether difficulties in listening comprehension lead to disinterest among students.
60% like very much like don't mind don't like
The students’ interest in learning listening skill
The column chart reveals a surprising result, contrasting with common assumptions about listening skills Despite the perceived difficulties, a significant 72% of learners like or are neutral towards learning listening, indicating it is not as boring as many believe Specifically, 20% of learners like listening very much and 52% like it Only 28% of learners do not mind learning this skill, suggesting that their interest may vary by lesson.
0% conclusion, listening English is a' favorite subject of the students and it is difficult for students and very difficult for teachers
2.1.2 The important of listening skill
A survey question was designed to gauge the perceptions of Foreign Language Faculty students at HDU regarding the significance of listening skills This aims to provide a clearer understanding of student opinions on the role of listening in language acquisition.
Very important Important Quite important Not important
Student’s attitudes toward the importance of English listening skill 17
A significant majority (80%) of students recognize the importance of listening skills, while only a small fraction (4%) consider it merely "quite important," highlighting the crucial role of English listening skills in both academic and real-world contexts for students at the Faculty of Foreign Languages, HDU.
Listening skills are crucial for effective communication in real life, and they are increasingly important when learning a foreign language.
2.1.3 The problem in listening skill
Students' actual English listening skills are assessed through a questionnaire, with results presented in the chart below.
The frequency of student having problems in learning English listening
Students frequently encounter difficulties in listening comprehension, as evidenced by statistical data indicating that 49% very often and 31% always experience challenges, while 18% sometimes do, and only 2% rarely face such issues.
To sum up, students always have problems in listening English and this is thing that students need repairing
2.1.4.The kinds of listening text which students practice more
The question 8 of questionnaire for students mentioned to the kinds of listening text which students expect to practice more The collected data has shown in the below chart:
Students’ interest in extra listening activities
Here's a rewritten paragraph focusing on key findings and SEO optimization:**Student preferences for listening activities reveal dialogues as the most popular choice, with 66% of students favoring them.** In contrast, listening to news, speeches, or lectures bored 46% of students While songs garnered some interest, only 16% of learners loved them Watching films or listening to stories was well-received, with 38% considering them favorite activities **Overall, the data indicates a strong preference for interactive listening materials like dialogues, conversations, and interviews among students.
2.2 Cause affecting English listening skill
2.2.1.The difficulties that students often have when learning English listening skill
A survey of second-year English majors at HDU identifies key difficulties in English listening comprehension, informing targeted techniques for improvement Analysis of questionnaire responses reveals specific challenges students face, guiding the development of effective listening skill enhancement strategies.
Unfamiliar content listening text Limited practice time Fast speaking speed Other factors
Difficulties in students’ listening
The chart shows that the poor quality of CDs and CD players is not a big problem Only 3% of the leamers think i made them difficut to listen There are
A significant portion of students, 28%, identified unfamiliar content as a key challenge in listening comprehension The primary difficulty, cited by 40% of students, was insufficient practice time in class Additionally, 22% of learners felt that the speaker's speed was too rapid Minor factors, accounting for 7% of responses, included teaching methods, background knowledge, and pronunciation practice.
2.2.2.The factors have influence on the interested in English listening skill
English listening skills are influenced by several factors, as indicated in a questionnaire addressing this topic The questionnaire, specifically question 7, explores four key factors impacting students' interest in developing their listening abilities Students were asked to provide their opinions on these factors.
Factor motivating students’ learning the listening skill
Good teaching methods are the most influential factor in student motivation, with 48% of students affirming its importance Interesting listening activities also play a significant role, as 30% of learners find that these activities greatly motivate them to learn better While 10% of students rank interesting listening topics as the most influential factor, a substantial 32% insist that topics have only a bit of influence Adequate and modern equipment is considered the least influential factor, with 56% of learners believing it has no effect on their listening skills.
The following question (question 11 for students) show the subjective factors that dow are the deep reasons which cause the leamers difficult in leaming the listening skill
Try to listen to every word so can not catch up the speed of the speech
Only listen to stressed words
Need to listen more than three times to understand
Feel tired and unconcentrated when listening more than three time
The subject factor affecting the students’ learning listening skill
The bar chart illustrates common challenges listeners face when developing their listening skills A significant 40% of learners struggle by attempting to catch every word, causing them to fall behind While 21% focus on stressed words, they often find it difficult to identify them Many students (35%) need to listen to a recording more than three times to fully understand it, while a small percentage (4%) experience fatigue and lose concentration after multiple listens In conclusion, various factors impact listening comprehension, highlighting the need for students and teachers to identify effective strategies for improvement.
2.3 Activities for improving English listening skill
2.3.1 The activities students like most in listening English class
The next question in the questionnaire for students is about the activities students like most in listening English class The colected data are shown in the below table:
Table 1: Students’opinion about the activities that they like most in listening English
Students favor ticking off items they hear (33%) and choosing correct answers (27%) in listening activities A majority (52%) find comprehension questions uninteresting, with only a small percentage (11-15%) favoring them Completing missing words is considered a neutral activity Listening activities significantly influence students' interest in developing this skill.
In conclusion, the activities in listening English class play an important in learning and teaching English It will bring students and teachers much interest
2.3.2.The activities students should do before and while listening in class
In the listening class, how they learned this skill The following charts would express the ways they did it
A Should pre- taught some related new words
B Should predict the content of the listening texts by the activities that the teacher gives
What students should do before listening
A significant majority (68%) of students in listening classes benefit from learning new vocabulary and predicting content based on teacher-led activities, while smaller percentages focus solely on vocabulary (16%) or content guessing (12%) Ultimately, pre-listening preparation is crucial for student success, although 4% of students do not prepare at all.
So while listening, what students should do? The next chart will show this question
B Listen and answer the questions
What students should do while listening
The chart shows that the majority of the learmers (60%) know to take notes while listening It is a positive activity which helps students a lot in
Students employ varied listening strategies: 16% practice in class and real life, 20% actively answer questions while listening, and 16% listen passively, reflecting current teaching methods.
In conclusion, English listening skill is a difficult subject and what students as well as teachers do before and while listening is important
3.1 Opinions of students about English listening skill
Data analysis reveals that students face numerous challenges in learning listening, with a significant portion (69%) of second-year students at HDU finding English listening difficult Despite the perceived difficulty, a majority of students (52%) still express a liking for English listening, and listening to dialogues is the favorite classroom activity for 66% of the students.
3.2 Current situation in teaching and learning English listening skill
Second-year FFL students face challenges in English listening skills due to factors such as poor-quality CDs and CD players, unfamiliar listening content, and limited practice time in class A significant subjective factor is students' attempts to understand every word, hindering their ability to keep pace with the speech, as reported by 40% of students.
Students favor interactive listening exercises like ticking off items (33%) and choosing correct answers (27%), which enhance engagement Effective strategies for improving English listening skills include pre-teaching vocabulary and predicting content before listening, coupled with note-taking during the activity.
In conclusion, in order to get the maximum benefits of offered technique, some recommendations are proposed to the major second-year students at Facuty of Foreign Languages
1 Suggestions for improving English listening skills
The quality of the stape and the listening device is not good
To enhance the learning environment, schools should invest in modern equipment and implement a regular maintenance schedule, including weekly and monthly checks, to ensure the longevity and optimal functionality of teaching and learning tools.
Can’t keeo up with the speaker’s speed in the listening
In the process of listening, students should not translate what they hear into Vietnamese to understand
Don’t understand the content of the listening
Before listening activities, students should discuss the topic and avoid trying to understand everything on the first listen.
Can’t get the sounds in English It is best for students to listen to a lot of
To effectively learn English pronunciation, immerse yourself in diverse native speaker accents through listening to songs, ranging from simple to complex, and enhance your skills by watching English movies or singing along to English songs.
Table 2:Solutions to difficuties when learning listening skills
Lafi (2001) emphasizes that effective listening comprehension is the primary goal, highlighting the crucial role of well-prepared teachers and appropriate listening materials Activities are essential for enhancing learners' understanding, and these activities can be classified into three stages.
Pre-listening activities are crucial as they form the foundation for effective listening comprehension These activities prepare students to maximize their understanding of the audio by activating prior knowledge Sharing common background knowledge ensures all students can engage with the material, regardless of their individual knowledge levels.
During the while-listening stage, students should focus on understanding the main ideas of the listening text without needing to memorize every word Teachers can employ techniques like directed listening to help students extract relevant information and focus on the general subject matter It's crucial to ask global comprehension questions initially, reserving specific questions for after the major ideas are understood, and to provide worksheets to aid learners in capturing key information while listening.
In the post-listening stage, students leverage information gleaned from the listening text for new applications, and several activities can facilitate this process.
Summarizing involves learners reconstructing listened information in their own words, using notes or drawings as cues, and can be practiced individually, in pairs, or in groups to enhance writing skills.
Recalling a story involves summarizing it orally, enabling learners to retell narratives from listening texts using their own words, fostering speaking practice in pairs or groups.
- Role play: learners dramatize the listening text, taking the roles of the characters in the story they have just heard
Students aiming to enhance their listening skills should actively address poor listening habits and expand their background knowledge A practical approach involves dedicating 5-10 minutes daily to listening to short English news segments Instead of focusing on understanding every single word, which often leads to fatigue and guessing, learners should concentrate on grasping the main message by summarizing ideas and taking notes in the target language Regular practice outside of class, such as listening to English songs or watching foreign channels, helps familiarize students with native accents Furthermore, enriching general knowledge about English-speaking countries, the English language, and their social and cultural aspects is crucial for improved listening comprehension.
Teachers significantly enhance learners' listening skills, with teaching methods being a crucial factor When instructing beginners, educators should prioritize key elements to foster effective listening comprehension.