INTRODUCTION
Background to the study
Listening is widely recognized as a crucial skill in second language acquisition, emphasizing the need to focus more on listening comprehension rather than just speaking abilities Although approximately 70% of spoken and written English consists of the 700 most common words, real-life comprehension often exceeds vocabulary knowledge, indicating that factors beyond vocabulary influence listening skills Researchers like Levis (2018) suggest that supra-segmental phonology, such as the reduction of unstressed vowels to the schwa, creates invisible barriers impacting understanding of spoken English Addressing these phonological aspects is essential for improving listening comprehension and overcoming the limitations posed by vocabulary alone.
Many languages such as Italian, Spanish, Korean, Japanese, and Vietnamese do not reduce vowels to the schwa sounds, and this phenomenon is not reflected in their spelling, which can cause non-native learners to mispronounce unstressed English vowels and fail to recognize words containing the schwa Experts like Avery and Ehrlich (2013) emphasize that mastering the use of the schwa leads to more natural speech and easier understanding for listeners They also recommend that ESL students be explicitly taught to reduce unstressed vowels to schwa to improve pronunciation Despite its significance, the schwa remains an under-researched area, especially in early EFL programs in Vietnam where it is rarely taught explicitly This study aims to assess the effectiveness of teaching the schwa in enhancing learners’ listening comprehension.
The majority of teenage learners at the foreign language center, aged 13 to 19, possess a basic level of English and participate in a four-month general English course with bi-weekly sessions with native and Vietnamese teachers Despite practicing all four language skills—reading, writing, listening, and speaking—pronunciation is not part of the core syllabus, leading most students to lack familiarity with English phonemic and pronunciation rules Consequently, learners often struggle to produce correct English words or utterances and have difficulty recognizing words during listening tasks, resulting in low scores This highlights the need to focus on specific pronunciation aspects, such as the schwa, to improve their listening comprehension.
Aim of the study
This study explores the impact of teaching the schwa sound on improving listening comprehension skills among elementary teenage learners at a foreign language center The research aims to determine whether incorporating schwa instruction enhances students' ability to understand spoken English more effectively By focusing on the teaching of the schwa, the study seeks to provide valuable insights into teaching strategies that can boost listening proficiency for young language learners.
Research questions and research hypotheses
Below are the study’s two research questions:
(1) To what extent does the teaching of the schwa facilitate the elementary teenage learners’ listening comprehension?
(2) What are the learners’ attitudes towards the application of their knowledge of the schwa to their listening comprehension?
In this study, the researcher tests the two following hypotheses:
(1) The learners who have learned the schwa will have higher scores in their listening tests as compared to those who have not experienced the explicit teaching of the schwa;
(2) The learners who have learned the schwa will have positive attitudes towards the application of the knowledge of the schwa to their listening comprehension.
Significance of the study
This study aims to highlight the importance of teaching the schwa sound through experimental methods to improve listening comprehension The research results will provide valuable insights into effective strategies for applying the schwa in language learning Implementing these findings can enhance listening skills, particularly in foreign language education Consequently, teaching the schwa can be integrated into practical language instruction, especially at the foreign language center where the study was conducted.
Scope of the study
This study investigates the impact of teaching the schwa on improving English listening comprehension among elementary teenage learners at a private English center in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Conducted over six General English classes spanning four months, the research aims to enhance learners' understanding of spoken English by focusing on the pronunciation of the schwa The findings highlight the importance of phonetic training in improving listening skills for young Vietnamese learners in a competitive language learning environment.
This study focuses on the importance of pronunciation, specifically the schwa sound, in enhancing English listening comprehension among elementary teenage learners While vocabulary and grammar are fundamental skills, pronunciation is often overlooked in language courses By introducing students to the schwa and its application in listening, the research aims to determine whether this knowledge improves comprehension skills Quantitative analysis of pretests and posttests will evaluate the effectiveness of teaching the schwa, while questionnaire data will reveal students’ attitudes towards incorporating this pronunciation aspect into their learning process.
This study involved 60 teenage students at an elementary English level, focusing on basic concepts such as word stress, sentence stress, schwa deletion, and schwa insertion Although all participants were conveniently sampled and may not fully represent the broader Vietnamese elementary learner community, the research provides valuable initial insights into improving learners’ recognition of the schwa and listening comprehension Despite its limitations, the study highlights the importance of early phonetic awareness in English learning and aims to inspire further research on both productive and receptive language skills among learners.
Overall structure of the study
This article is structured into five chapters, starting with an introduction that outlines the study's background, research problem, aims, questions, scope, and significance It then reviews existing literature on learners’ listening comprehension, the role of the schwa sound, and their interrelation, providing a critical overview of relevant studies The methodology chapter details the research approach, participant information, teaching materials, data collection tools, and analysis methods used in the study Findings are thoroughly analyzed and discussed in Chapter 4, which addresses the research questions with supporting data Finally, the conclusion summarizes the key results and offers recommendations for future research to advance understanding in this field, optimizing the content for SEO with relevant keywords such as "listening comprehension," "schwa sound," and "educational research methodology."
LITERATURE REVIEW
Listening
Listening appears to be one of four basic language skills whenever a new language is acquired (Nunan, 2001) In the field, a lot of definitions of listening have been coined and stated:
- “The ability of one individual perceiving another via sense, aural organs, assigning a meaning to the message and comprehending it” (Steinberg,
- The internal purpose of listening lies in the understanding of conversations that are conducted by native speakers at normal speed in a spontaneous condition (Chastain, 1971; as cited in Abbas & Narjes, 2016);
Listening comprehension involves a complex process where listeners interpret information by matching what they hear with their existing knowledge (Rost, 2016) Effective listening requires understanding speakers’ pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary, selecting and remembering important information, and relating sounds to their meanings This comprehensive process is essential for accurate comprehension and effective communication.
Listening has been defined in various ways by researchers, but it remains a crucial skill for English language learners It enables them to expand their understanding of the world and build strong, effective communication skills, making it an essential component of language acquisition and interpersonal connection.
Listening comprehension
This section defines listening comprehension, describes its importance in language learning, and presents several major difficulties when practicing this skill
Listening comprehension has diverse definitions, with two main perspectives debated by researchers: the traditional view and an alternative view The traditional view sees listeners as passive recipients who simply receive and store auditory messages, similar to a tape recorder However, scholars like Anderson and Lynch (1988) criticize this perspective as inadequate They advocate for an active role for learners, emphasizing that effective listening involves actively integrating new information with prior knowledge and interpreting the message to achieve full comprehension.
Buck (2011, p.31) — another advocate of the alternative view — states that
Listening comprehension is an active process of constructing meaning by applying both linguistic and non-linguistic knowledge to incoming sounds It is not a single skill but a complex interplay influenced by various variables, including the speakers, listeners, and spoken texts According to Rost, understanding these factors is essential to improving listening skills and overall communication effectiveness.
Listening comprehension is an interactive process where listeners interpret oral input by analyzing sound discrimination, prior knowledge, and experience Key elements such as grammar, stress, intonation, and other linguistic or non-linguistic cues play essential roles in constructing meaning Understanding these components enhances effective listening skills and overall language proficiency.
Listening comprehension varies among learners of different ages and proficiency levels, as researchers have defined it in multiple ways For elementary teenage learners, listening comprehension refers to their ability to recognize words in stressed and unstressed positions, understand reduced forms of English function words when unstressed, and comprehend plural nouns and regular past tense verb forms This particular definition will be applied in this M.A thesis to analyze and assess young learners' listening skills.
2.2.2 Role of listening comprehension in language learning
According to Hedge (2019), listening comprehension is of great importance because it appears to be an invisible bridge among people in communication
Listening is essential in the language classroom because it provides learners with crucial input necessary for language acquisition Without understanding input at an appropriate level, meaningful learning cannot occur Developing listening skills enables students to absorb information from speakers effectively, which is vital for active participation in communication activities and overall language development.
If he/she can only understand little or even none of what is mentioned in the conversation, no response can be produced
Research by Mendelsohn (2000) shows that learners dedicate nearly 50% of their time to listening, highlighting that ineffective communication with native speakers often stems from poor listening comprehension This underscores the critical role of listening skills in achieving successful language proficiency and effective intercultural communication Improving listening comprehension is essential for facilitating better interactions between learners and native speakers in a foreign language context.
Listening accounts for the largest portion of learners' communication time, constituting 40-50%, compared to speaking (25-30%), reading (11-16%), and writing (about 9%), highlighting its prominence both inside and outside the classroom As a key component of oral communication, listening is essential for understanding and engaging with target language content Furthermore, listening comprehension, alongside speaking, serves as a primary means of introducing and receiving knowledge during lessons, making it a vital aspect of language learning (Peterson, 2014).
In summary, because of its obviously essential function, listening comprehension skills should have achieved much of considerable attention from both teachers and learners
2.2.3 Difficulties in practicing listening for comprehension
Effective listening comprehension is essential for successful communication, yet many English learners continue to struggle with this skill Difficulties in understanding spoken English can hinder their ability to engage with native speakers and progress toward advanced language proficiency Addressing these challenges is crucial for improving overall language skills and achieving fluency in English.
Listening comprehension can be impacted by various factors, which are categorized into three main groups: difficulties originating from speakers, content, and listeners themselves (Azmi et al., 2014) These challenges include a range of sub-categories, with some issues such as recording quality, cultural differences, unfamiliar vocabulary, classroom conditions, and concentration not considered in this study, as it focuses specifically on problems related to the English sound system and auditory features This section aims to highlight key sound-related difficulties that can hinder effective listening comprehension.
An accent, formed through variations in vowels, consonant sounds, stress, and intonation (Harding, 2011), plays a significant role in listening comprehension Familiarity with an accent can enhance learners' ability to recognize target words and comprehend information in conversations or speeches (Adank et al., 2009) Conversely, listening to an unfamiliar English accent may hinder understanding, potentially leading to lower listening scores (Ikeno and Hansen, as cited in Bloomfield et al., 2010).
Students tend to adapt to the accent their teachers commonly use in the classroom, with many Vietnamese educators adopting an American accent, which becomes familiar and easier for learners to understand However, this can create a barrier when students encounter new accents, such as the British accent often used in exams, leading to challenges in comprehension Additionally, engaging in communication with speakers from non-native English-speaking countries can hinder learners’ ability to effectively convey and absorb messages during conversations Therefore, unfamiliar accents significantly impact the effectiveness of listening comprehension skills in language learning.
Listening tasks are challenging primarily due to speech speed, as teachers tend to speak slower at the elementary level, whereas native speakers generally speak at natural speeds in real-life conversations This rapid speech can pose a significant obstacle for learners to catch target words and understand the conversation According to Brown & Yule (1983), native speakers' typical speaking pace is often difficult for learners to follow, and Bloomfield et al (2010) highlight that, unlike reading, learners cannot control the speed of spoken language, which can negatively impact listening comprehension Therefore, practicing listening at various speeds is essential for improving learners' ability to understand natural speech in real-world settings.
Rapid speech speed significantly contributes to sound changes in native speakers, with faster speech increasing the likelihood of assimilation and elision, especially in weak forms These sound alterations often cause learners to struggle with recognizing familiar vocabulary, even after repeated exposure and usage Consequently, pronunciation challenges due to sound change pose a major obstacle in listening comprehension for language learners, as highlighted by Bloomfield et al (2010) and Walker.
To improve listening skills, English learners need time to familiarize themselves with various global accents and gain exposure to authentic native speech While accents and speech speed require gradual exposure, sound changes such as assimilation and elision can be effectively learned through rules and principles Understanding when and how these sound changes occur helps students recognize and interpret spoken language more accurately Therefore, introducing sound change concepts from the early stages of learning, even at the elementary level, is essential for building a strong foundation in understanding natural speech.
The study focuses on the fundamental role of the weak form, also known as the schwa, in English pronunciation, specifically highlighting its significance in assimilation and elision processes Understanding the weak form is essential for analyzing how sounds are reduced or combined in natural speech, making it a core aspect of phonetic research This research aims to explore the underlying mechanisms of the schwa and its impact on speech fluidity and comprehensibility in English.
Previous related studies
Before conducting this research, it is essential for the researcher to review previous studies on integrating linguistic knowledge in teaching language skills within the Vietnamese context This allows for identifying which areas have been thoroughly investigated and highlighting those that remain unexplored By understanding existing research, the researcher can focus on addressing gaps and emphasizing relevant elements to advance language education in Vietnam.
Nguyen and Newton's (2020) study on pronunciation teaching in Vietnamese tertiary EFL classes highlights that teachers prioritize suprasegmentals but often focus predominantly on segmental features through error correction methods like recasts and prompts, despite their belief in the importance of suprasegmentals The research involved six experienced Vietnamese university EFL teachers and revealed that, although they value the significance of pronunciation, there is a lack of explicit instruction and intensive pronunciation training This gap in pronunciation pedagogy aligns with global research indicating that reliance on correction without explicit teaching can hinder students’ understanding of target phonological features The study underscores the need for enhanced pronunciation instruction focusing on both segmental and suprasegmental elements to improve EFL learners' pronunciation skills.
Nguyen and Newton (2020) provided a holistic perspective on pronunciation teaching in Vietnam, though their study did not specifically address the integration of linguistic features such as the schwa into language skill development In contrast, previous research by Bai and Yuan (2019), and others like 2017, have explored various aspects of language instruction, highlighting the importance of comprehensive approaches to pronunciation Incorporating linguistic features like the schwa can enhance pronunciation instruction, supporting learners in achieving more accurate and natural speech patterns in targeted language skills.
N T La’s 2020 study, “Teaching suprasegmental features in EFL classrooms in Vietnam,” emphasizes the importance of teaching suprasegmentals like intonation and rhythm to enhance students’ speaking skills The research highlights that Vietnamese EFL teachers tend to prioritize segmental features, with suprasegmentals often limited to English-majored students Despite being a library research, the study confirms that teaching suprasegmental features is feasible and has a significant impact on language proficiency Although it does not specifically address the schwa, the findings reinforce the value of incorporating suprasegmentals into EFL instruction in Vietnam’s educational context.
T D Tran (2020) conducted a study called “Teaching assimilations to improve listening skills for Vietnamese students” He assumed that one of the challenges restricting students from increasing their listening competencies was the recognition of phonological sound differences Hence, he aimed to raise the students’ comprehension and provide useful practices related to assimilation in hope of enhancing their listening skills in Vietnamese contexts The research was carried out quantitatively at Thu Dau Mot University, Binh Duong, Vietnam The participants involved 100 students who were taking the course on listening comprehension skills at the intermediate level of English They were divided into two groups In particular, Group A including 50 students was provided with basic assimilation rules immediately prior to the course whereas Group B also including 50 students was not equipped with the mentioned knowledge After the experimental teaching, he revealed that the treatment certainly created a huge impact on helping his students realize problematic sounds in casual colloquial connected speech Given these contributions, the study proved the possibility and effectiveness of integrating a single element of linguistics into teaching English language skills Even though this research is not directly related to the current thesis which focuses on the schwa, it stated the importance of pronunciation in paving the way for other skills to grow, thus inspiring the researcher to conduct the research on the schwa – a significant but underestimated sound for such a long time
In the study "Teaching the schwa /ə/ to first-year English majors at Nông Lâm University," N T Ho (2011) explored the challenges faced by first-year English students in recognizing and producing the schwa sound, highlighting potential difficulties that could hinder their pronunciation skills The research also demonstrated the significant benefits students could gain from proper instruction on the schwa, improving their overall English pronunciation and communication skills Conducted through both qualitative and quantitative methods with 62 first-year students, the study emphasizes the importance of incorporating schwa pronunciation training into early language education to enhance student learning outcomes.
This study highlights the crucial role of the schwa in English pronunciation, listening, and speaking skills development among first-year EFL students at NLU Utilizing diagnostic and achievement tests, an eleven-week experimental teaching program with 31 students, and multiple questionnaires for students and teachers, the researcher demonstrated significant improvements in students’ pronunciation, listening, and speaking abilities after explicit instruction on the schwa The findings emphasize the importance of teaching weak forms to enhance overall language proficiency and positively influence students’ attitudes towards learning pronunciation features This research marks a valuable contribution to EFL pronunciation pedagogy, particularly for pre-intermediate English majors, although its scope did not extend to other age groups or proficiency levels.
In her thesis “Teaching sentence stress to first-year English majors at Nong Lam University,” T L A Phan emphasizes the central role of sentence stress in improving students’ listening and speaking skills, involving 65 first-year students and experienced teachers The study employs mixed methods, including diagnostic and achievement tests, experimental teaching, questionnaires, and interviews, to explore the significance of stress and related phenomena like the schwa in English pronunciation While the research highlights the importance of sentence stress, it primarily focuses on the schwa as a common reduced vowel, with limited attention given to its role in constructing sentence stress.
Educators recognize the benefits of incorporating pronunciation into language lessons to enhance overall student skills The schwa, as a key segmental and suprasegmental feature, garners significant interest due to its prominence in English pronunciation However, its practical application across diverse age groups and proficiency levels remains underexplored, and it has not been widely integrated into teaching other linguistic skills Limited research exists on effectively utilizing the schwa in language instruction, making its feasibility an intriguing topic that warrants further investigation.
Conceptual framework
This section is dedicated to describing and elaborating the conceptual framework that is formulated to guide this study in the way by which the research goal can be achieved
This study emphasizes the importance of listening comprehension and the schwa in language learning According to Willis (1996), listening skills are crucial for effective communication and overall language proficiency Vietnamese students, like learners worldwide, face persistent challenges with listening comprehension, often due to the nature of native sounds and speech patterns The research explores internal causes of these difficulties, referencing theories by Adank et al (2009) on accents and Bloomfield et al (2010) on speech speed, which contribute to sound changes in spoken English Among these sound phenomena, the schwa is identified as the most common and significant, supported by Roach (2018) and comparisons by Carr and Montreuil (2013) that highlight its distinctive characteristics among vowels.
This study investigates the impact of teaching the schwa on enhancing listening comprehension among elementary teenage learners using an experimental design that includes pretests, targeted instruction, and posttests, based on Creswell’s (2021) research framework The teaching approach introduces the schwa within the phonemic chart and explores the schwa phenomenon, as described by Roach, to improve students' understanding of unstressed vowel sounds Findings aim to demonstrate that focused phonetic instruction on the schwa can significantly boost listening comprehension skills in young learners.
This study emphasizes the importance of helping students recognize the schwa sound during listening activities, highlighting its status as the most frequent vowel in English (Carr & Montreuil, 2013) By understanding the characteristics of the schwa, students can improve their listening comprehension and overall language skills The researcher intentionally focuses on explaining the schwa through its defining features and theoretical background to enhance student awareness A conceptual framework, as shown in Figure 2.2, combines theoretical knowledge and practical discussion to support effective learning of this key phonetic element.
Figure 2.2 Conceptual framework of the study
This conceptual framework is essential as it provides comprehensive guidance for researchers, ensuring the selection of appropriate methods and instruments aligned with foundational theories It ensures that experimental teaching content and sequence are closely based on the framework, promoting consistency and coherence Under this framework, all relevant theories and factors contribute meaningfully to the research process, making the study feasible and well-structured.
Chapter summary
This chapter explores the schwa as both a segmental and suprasegmental feature, highlighting its role in pronunciation and speech features It provides a comprehensive review of listening comprehension, discussing its definition, importance in language learning, and its connection to the schwa sound The chapter addresses common challenges faced by learners in developing listening skills Additionally, relevant previous studies on pronunciation and the significance of the schwa are reviewed to underscore the importance of the current research Finally, a conceptual framework is presented to illustrate the relationship between the theoretical components involved in the study.
METHODOLOGY
Research design
The study aimed to examine the two research questions as follows:
(1) To what extent does the teaching of the schwa facilitate the elementary teenage learners’ listening comprehension?
(2) What are the learners’ attitudes towards the application of their knowledge of the schwa to their listening comprehension?
This study employed a quantitative, quasi-experimental design to investigate whether the treatment had an impact on participants' listening comprehension Quasi-experimental methods are ideal for identifying potential causal relationships by controlling all variables except the independent variable (Creswell, 2021) Due to the practical inability to create artificial groups, the researcher used existing intact classes from her current teaching at an English center, allowing for natural group comparisons while maintaining experimental rigor.
Research site
This study was conducted at a private English center in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, serving learners aged from 3 to over 25 years old, with teenagers comprising the largest group The center offers general English courses that focus equally on developing the four basic language skills—listening, speaking, reading, and writing—alongside vocabulary and grammar Pronunciation instruction is integrated into the curriculum primarily for children aged 3 to 6, while older learners mainly practice pronunciation through listening and repetition exercises As a result, most teenage students have limited knowledge of the English phonemic system and pronunciation rules.
The center prioritizes maximizing English language exposure among learners by ensuring the target language is used exclusively throughout lessons Effective listening comprehension is essential, as learners only produce speech when they understand their教师’s communication Therefore, enhancing listening skills is crucial for language acquisition This challenge prompted the researcher to conduct the study, aiming to develop strategies to improve learners' listening comprehension and support their overall language development.
Participants
This study focused on teenage learners aged 15 to 17 at the specified English center, excluding students aged 13, 14, 18, and 19 Teenage learners are defined as individuals between 13 and 19 years old who attend secondary or high school (Cambridge Dictionary, n.d.) The selection was made due to the limited number of participants available during the COVID-19 pandemic at the researcher’s center.
This study involved participants with elementary English proficiency, specifically at the A1 level of the CEFRL The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL) is an international standard that categorizes language ability across six levels, from A1 (beginner) to C2 (proficient) Participants at the A1 level are considered basic users of English, indicating they have limited language skills.
(1) They can understand and utilize the very frequently-used everyday expressions and basic phrases to satisfy immediate needs;
(2) They can introduce themselves and others, ask and answer personal questions;
(3) They can communicate with others in a simple way on condition that the other people talk slowly and clearly and are ready to support
The study involved high school students aged 15 to 17 who shared a common educational background, having studied the same English curriculum prescribed by the Ministry of Education and Training These participants possessed an elementary level of English proficiency, ensuring consistency in their language skills across the group.
This study utilized convenient sampling to gather quantitative data from 60 elementary-level teenage English learners across six classes Each class, labeled as Class 1 through Class 6, consisted of 10 participants, ensuring a representative sample for the research.
The study involved two groups of students: the control group (CG), consisting of classes 1 to 3, and the experimental group (EG), comprising classes 4 to 6 All participants were taught by the same teacher and demonstrated similar performance levels in the placement test, ensuring comparable baseline skills This setup suggests that there were no significant differences among learners at the start of the study, allowing for a fair comparison of the teaching methods’ effectiveness.
Research instruments
This section details the research instruments used in the study, including the pretest, experimental teaching, and posttest The pretest and posttest are described together due to their similar formats, ensuring clarity in understanding the assessment tools A summary table is provided at the end of this section to offer a quick overview of the research instruments, highlighting their roles in measuring the study’s outcomes effectively.
3.4.1 The pretest and the posttest
This study conducted pretests and posttests to compare the performance within each group and between different groups The primary aim was to determine whether teaching the schwa sound to elementary teenage learners enhances their listening comprehension The analysis of the results aimed to verify the hypothesis that instruction on the schwa can significantly improve learners' listening skills.
Despite differences in content, the listening tests for the pretest and posttest shared the same format, each lasting only 15 minutes Both tests consisted of two parts: Part 1 with 5 questions and Part 2 with 10 questions, totaling 15 questions Each item was awarded one mark, making the maximum score 15 Participants listened to each part twice, which were designed as gap-filling exercises featuring dialogues that simulated authentic real-life situations.
The recordings for both the pretest and posttest were sourced from KET, the lowest level in the Cambridge English exams KET, also known as the KEY English Test or A2 Key, is part of the Cambridge English range designed for beginner to elementary learners Earning the A2 KEY certificate demonstrates that learners have basic proficiency in General English, confirming their ability to communicate in simple situations and understand fundamental language use.
(i) Understand and use simple phrases and expressions;
(ii) Understand basic written English;
(iii) Introduce themselves and answer basic personal questions;
(iv) Interact with English speakers at a basic level
The researcher chose the KET listening source for three key reasons First, the KET test is suitable for learners with basic English skills, aligning well with the elementary level of the study’s participants who can understand simple announcements and instructions in daily situations Second, the KET recordings are used in the listening components of the private English center’s mid-term and final assessments, making them relevant tools for preparing students for upcoming tests Lastly, in the Vietnamese context, obtaining a recognized certificate like the KET is essential for students aiming to qualify for the Intensive English Program, so exposure to KET recordings helps students become familiar with the test's difficulty level before taking the actual exam.
Participants who received explicit instruction and practiced using the schwa became aware of its presence, noticed it intentionally during listening exercises, and accurately identified function words through their weak forms This enhanced understanding of function words significantly contributed to their overall comprehension of the passage, highlighting the importance of focused schwa practice in improving listening skills.
Following the completion of the pretest data collection, the experimental group (EG) received instruction on the schwa sound The researcher conducted four 15-minute sessions, each divided into three key parts: Lead-in, Presentation, and Practice These sessions aimed to effectively teach the schwa vowel, with detailed summaries provided in Table 3.1.
Table 3.1 Summary of the experimental teaching’s sessions
Introduction of the schwa at the word level:
Insertion of the schwa in:
▪ Simple past of regular verbs
Introduction of the schwa at the sentence level
▪ Function words (weak forms of unstressed words)
The questionnaire was administered to the EG after they completed the treatment to assess their attitudes towards applying their knowledge of the schwa in improving listening comprehension It comprised three sections, each designed to gather insights into their understanding and perception of how the schwa influences their listening skills This approach aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment and the participants' confidence in utilizing the schwa for better comprehension.
(1) Part A (questions 1-3) collected the respondents’ personal information including their gender, age, and time spent on learning English;
(2) Part B (questions 1-5) focused on the respondents’ personal background of listening comprehension;
(3) Part C (questions 1-7) aimed at collecting information on the learners’ attitudes towards the application of their knowledge of the schwa to improve their listening comprehension
The researcher developed a tailored questionnaire specifically aligned with the study's objectives and research questions, without adopting or adapting existing instruments The questionnaire comprised three key components: Part A and Part B, which worked together to ensure the homogeneity of student participants, thereby enhancing the validity of the data collection process.
C was the heart of the questionnaire, with the learners’ attitudes after they received the treatment The seven questions of Part C were written based on the keywords found in Chapter 2
The questionnaire is available in both English (Appendix O) and Vietnamese (Appendix P) However, only the Vietnamese version was provided to learners in the EG to prevent misunderstandings and enhance the accuracy of their responses.
3.4.4 Summary of the research instruments
The table below briefly illustrates the three instruments used in this study
Table 3.2 Summary of the research instruments
Data of listening test scores before the treatment for the current level of the two groups of participants
Experimental teaching Data of the treatment
Posttest Data of listening test scores after the treatment for comparison and contrast Questionnaire Data of the participants’ attitudes
Materials
Hot Spot 1 (Granger, 2009) served as the main coursebook for General English classes tailored to A1-A2 learners Classroom activities and exercises were sourced from various online resources and supplementary books to enhance learning.
Data collection procedure
To collect data for the study, the researcher passed through 2 stages: the pilot experiment and the main study
Prior to data collection, the researcher conducted a 4-week pilot experiment to assess the feasibility of the experimental teaching method and verify the validity of the questionnaire During this pilot phase, participants completed both the pretest and posttest, enabling them to draw on their experience to provide more accurate and genuine responses in the subsequent questionnaire This preliminary study ensured the reliability of the research instruments and improved the overall quality of the main study.
The pilot study involved a different sample than the main research, with only 23 elementary teenage learners participating due to course availability Despite this, the researcher maintained the original lesson plans and materials throughout the pilot Learners responded positively, engaging with the activities and appreciating the instruction on the schwa sound This preliminary phase indicated that the teaching approach was effective and well-received among young learners.
Necessary modifications were made to the questionnaire, while Part A and Part B remained unchanged, focusing on personal information and learners’ listening backgrounds The researcher retained the questions in Part C but replaced the original Yes/No dichotomous answers with a Likert scale, enhancing the tool's effectiveness for data collection.
The study shifted from yes/no responses to a Likert scale (Strongly agree, Agree, Uncertain, Disagree, Strongly disagree) based on respondents' feedback in Part C Initially, learners found it frustrating to choose between only yes or no, especially when feeling neutral or undecided The Likert scale was introduced to address this issue, offering respondents a more flexible way to express varying degrees of agreement without forcing a definitive stance This change aimed to improve response accuracy and ease of answering, enhancing the overall quality of data collected.
To collect data for the study, the researcher went through the following stages:
Stage 1: The CG and the EG were established;
Stage 2: The pretest was assigned to both the CG and the EG;
Stage 3: The pretest was scored;
Stage 4: The experimental teaching was carried out in 4 weeks, 15 minutes per week, only for the EG;
Stage 5: The posttest was assigned to both the CG and the EG;
Stage 6: The posttest was scored;
Stage 7: The questionnaire was delivered only to the EG;
Stage 8: The posttest’s results and responses to the questionnaire were analyzed
The researcher meticulously explained each questionnaire item to the experimental group (EG) to ensure that all respondents fully understood the questions This careful clarification aimed to promote accurate and reliable responses, enhancing the overall quality and validity of the data collected.
The researcher meticulously marked and verified both the pretest and posttest to ensure the accuracy and reliability of learners’ scores This careful process guarantees that the test results are trustworthy and suitable for analyzing the study's data, thereby strengthening the validity of the research findings.
The data collection procedure outlined in the study summarizes the methodology used to address the research questions All phases were systematically implemented to find relevant answers, ensuring a comprehensive approach This process is visually depicted in Figure 3.1, providing clarity on each step of the data collection process.
This part describes the procedure of analyzing the data from the two tests and the data from the questionnaire
3.7.1 Data collected from the pretest and the posttest
Having collected the data, the researcher analyzed the pretest’s and the posttest’s results, employing the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version
20 The researcher went through the following stages:
Stage 1: Conduct normality tests to determine whether parametric or non- parametric tests would be used in the next steps;
Stage 2: Conduct a test to compare and contrast the two groups’ results in the pretest;
Stage 3: Conduct a test to compare and contrast the two groups’ results in the posttest;
Stage 4: Conduct a test to compare and contrast the EG’ results in the pretest and the posttest;
Stage 5: Conduct a test to compare and contrast the CG’ results in the pretest and the posttest
The initial test at Stage 2 was conducted to assess the homogeneity of both groups' listening comprehension levels prior to treatment Subsequent tests at Stages 3, 4, and 5 were designed to compare the performance of the two groups regarding listening skills, both with and without the treatment, and to evaluate changes before and after the intervention.
3.7.2 Data collected from the questionnaire
The questionnaire consisted of three sections, which were analyzed sequentially to ensure comprehensive insights Parts A and B were examined together; Part A included three items assessing learners’ gender, age, and duration of English learning, providing key demographic information Part B explored participants’ personal backgrounds related to listening comprehension through five targeted questions Descriptive statistics, such as means and medians, were employed to interpret the results from Parts A and B, offering a clear overview of the participants’ profiles and their listening skills.
Part C consisted of seven Likert-scale items assessing learners’ attitudes towards the importance of the schwa in listening comprehension and the benefits of applying schwa knowledge to enhance listening skills Participants expressed their opinions through categories ranging from Strongly Agree to Strongly Disagree The collected data were visually represented and analyzed using pie charts, providing clear insights into learners’ perceptions of the schwa’s role in improving listening comprehension.
To assess the reliability of the questionnaire, Cronbach’s alpha was calculated based on the seven items in Part C concerning students’ attitudes, excluding the three items in Part A and the five items in Part B related to demographic information The Cronbach’s alpha value for the survey was α = 871, as shown in Table 3.3, indicating high internal consistency since it exceeds the acceptable threshold of 70 This result demonstrates that the questionnaire exhibits strong reliability and internal consistency. -Ensure your research stands out with precise, SEO-friendly summaries that highlight key data like reliable Cronbach’s alpha results—[Learn more](https://pollinations.ai/redirect/draftalpha)
Table 3.3 The Cronbach’s alpha of the questionnaire
Cronbach's Alpha Cronbach's Alpha Based on
Chapter summary
Chapter 3 has described the methodology employed in the study including the research design, the research site, the participants, the research instruments, the materials, the data collection procedure and the data analysis procedure These are all necessary for investigating how the teaching of the schwa facilitates the learners’ listening comprehension, and their attitudes towards the application of their knowledge of the schwa to their listening comprehension.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The results of the two tests
The pretest and posttest played a crucial role in evaluating the effectiveness of the intervention, serving as practical tools for assessment While they shared a similar format, the pretest aimed to ensure the homogeneity of the control and experimental groups, whereas the posttest was designed to measure the impact of teaching the schwa on students' listening comprehension Prior to analyzing the results, the Shapiro-Wilk test was conducted to assess the normality of the data distribution, guiding the researcher in selecting appropriate parametric or non-parametric statistical tests.
The researcher utilized the Shapiro-Wilk test to assess the normal distribution of the population data Each test was conducted three times on the individual parts and the total score to ensure accuracy The results of the normality assessment guided the choice between using parametric or non-parametric statistical tests, ensuring appropriate data analysis based on distribution.
Table 4.1 provided the descriptive statistics of the Shapiro-Wilk tests for the learners’ results in the pretest and the posttest The null hypotheses (denoted by
The data were normally distributed, as indicated by the p-values in Table 4.1 being higher than 0.05 for both groups' total scores in the posttest This normal distribution justified the use of parametric tests, specifically the independent samples t-test, to compare the posttest scores between the two groups.
Table 4.1 The results of the normal distribution tests
The p-values of the other dataset were below 05, indicating a distribution-free status, which led the researcher to employ appropriate non-parametric tests instead of parametric ones To analyze changes within a specific group before and after treatment, the Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used Additionally, the Mann-Whitney U test was applied to compare results between the control group (CG) and experimental group (EG) during the pretest, Part 1, and Part 2 of the posttest.
4.1.2 The students’ results of the pretest
The pretest consisted of two parts: Part 1 with five questions focused on identifying key information, and Part 2 with ten questions aimed at recognizing words containing the schwa sound The researcher systematically reported and analyzed the pretest results, providing insights into students' performance in each section and overall scores This structure helps assess students' comprehension and phonetic awareness, emphasizing the importance of targeted language skills in learning English pronunciation and reading comprehension.
4.1.2.1 The students’ results of the pretest Part 1
In Part 1, students listened to a conversation about a job, with one person asking and another answering questions To compare the pretest performances of two groups, the researcher used the Mann-Whitney U test, which indicated that the medians of both groups were similar Table 4.2 shows that the control group (CG) had a mean rank of 29.60, while the experimental group (EG) had a mean rank of 31.40, suggesting comparable performance levels.
Table 4.2 Mean ranks of the two groups’ pretest Part 1
GROUP N Mean Rank Sum of Ranks TEST
Table 4.3 Descriptive statistics of the two groups’ pretest Part 1
CG Pretest Part 1 EG Pretest Part 1
According to Table 4.3, most participants in both groups correctly answered 2 out of 5 questions in Part 1, with median scores being identical The mean scores were 1.7 for the control group (CG) and 1.8 for the experimental group (EG), suggesting a minimal difference in average correct responses Additionally, the control group exhibited a slightly higher standard deviation, indicating more variability in their answers compared to the experimental group.
Table 4.4 Mann-Whitney U test for the two groups’ pretest Part 1
The Mann-Whitney U test results in Table 4.4 showed a p-value of 650, which is significantly greater than the 05 significance level, indicating that the null hypothesis (Ho) should be accepted Specifically, the test revealed no significant difference between the control group (CG) with a median score of 2 (n=30) and the experimental group.
EG (Md = 2, n = 30), U = 423, z = -.454, p = 650, with a small effect size, r = -.058 (Cohen, 2013)
To sum up, the difference in the medians between the two groups was negligible
Students in both the control group (CG) and experimental group (EG) demonstrated comparable listening skills for key information, indicating similar proficiency levels The identical median scores in Part 1 of the pretest suggest a degree of homogeneity across the entire participant population, supporting the consistency of their baseline abilities This finding highlights the importance of assessing initial skill levels to ensure reliable comparisons in language proficiency studies.
4.1.2.2 The students’ results of the pretest Part 2
In Part 2, students listened to a conversation about a holiday English course between two speakers, with the aim of assessing their ability to recognize words containing the schwa sound Unlike Part 1, this section provided the full script of the dialogue, and participants had to listen and fill in 10 missing words, testing their auditory comprehension The researcher analyzed the results using the Mann-Whitney U test, with the null hypothesis (Ho) stating that there was no significant difference between the two groups’ medians.
Table 4.5 Mean ranks of the two groups’ pretest Part 2
GROUP N Mean Rank Sum of Ranks TEST
Table 4.5 presents the mean ranks of the control group (CG) and the experimental group (EG), with CG averaging 33.48 and EG averaging 27.52 The results indicate that the control group achieved a slightly higher mean rank compared to the experimental group, suggesting differences in performance or outcomes between the two groups.
Table 4.6 Descriptive statistics of the two groups’ pretest Part 2
CG Pretest Part 2 EG Pretest Part 2
Table 4.6 presents the pretest Part 2 results, showing that both the Control Group (CG) and Experimental Group (EG) had a median score of 3, indicating most students answered 3 out of 10 questions correctly The standard deviation for the CG was slightly higher at 0.874 compared to 0.846 for the EG, suggesting that the CG’s scores were more spread out, while the EG’s scores were more clustered around the mean Additionally, the mean scores further highlight this difference, with the CG averaging 3.166 and the EG 2.8, reflecting a marginally better performance by the control group.
Table 4.7 Mann-Whitney U test for the two groups’ pretest Part 2
The Mann-Whitney U test results indicated a significance level of 137, which is higher than the standard threshold of 05, leading to the acceptance of the null hypothesis This suggests that there is no statistically significant difference in the medians between the control group (Md = 3, n = 30) and the experimental group.
EG (Md = 3, n = 30), with U = 360.5, z = -1.488, p = 137, r = -.19 in a small effect size (Cohen, 2013)
The findings indicate that there was no significant difference between the two groups' medians in the pretest Part 2, demonstrating their equivalence Specifically, both groups showed identical proficiency in identifying words containing the schwa, indicating complete homogeneity in this aspect These results highlight the comparable performance of the groups in the task, emphasizing consistency in their ability to recognize the schwa sound.
4.1.2.3 The students’ overall results of the pretest
After explaining and analyzing the results of each part in the pretest between the two groups, the researcher continued to report the students’ overall results in the pretest
Table 4.8 Mean ranks of the two groups’ pretest
GROUP N Mean Rank Sum of Ranks
The study hypothesized that there is no significant difference in the median scores between the control group (CG) and the experimental group (EG) According to Table 4.8, the mean ranks of the CG and EG were 31.80 and 29.20, respectively, indicating that the experimental group had a lower mean rank compared to the control group This suggests that the experimental intervention may have been more effective in producing lower scores, highlighting potential differences between the groups.
Table 4.9 Descriptive statistics of the two groups’ pretest
CG Pretest Total Scores EG Pretest Total Scores
Discussion
This discussion addresses two key research questions: firstly, whether teaching the schwa vowel improves elementary teenage learners' listening comprehension; secondly, learners' attitudes towards the instruction of the schwa The findings suggest that teaching the schwa can significantly enhance listening skills among teenage learners, making speech more comprehensible Additionally, the majority of learners demonstrated positive attitudes toward learning about the schwa, indicating that incorporating this phonetic element into teaching strategies facilitates more effective pronunciation awareness and learner engagement Overall, the study highlights the pedagogical benefits of focusing on the schwa in improving listening proficiency and fostering positive attitudes among young language learners.
4.3.1 The effectiveness of the schwa on the elementary teenage learners’ listening comprehension
This part was to answer the first research question which was “To what extent does the teaching of the schwa facilitate the elementary teenage learners’ listening comprehension?”
The two research groups were initially homogeneous in terms of their English proficiency, educational background, and listening practice frequency Their pretest results confirmed this similarity, with both groups scoring an average of 5 out of 15, indicating low performance likely due to unfamiliarity with the test format and the challenge of the KET recordings The CG scored between 2 and 9, while the EG scored between 2 and 8, reflecting their lack of prior experience with the test material These objective factors, such as test unfamiliarity and minimal prior exposure to the A2 KET, may have influenced their initial performance, demonstrating the groups’ comparable starting point before the intervention.
Following their treatment, the students in the control group showed minimal progress in listening comprehension, with their posttest scores increasing modestly from a middle score of 5 to 7.5, and their minimum and maximum scores improving from 2 to 5 and 9 to 12, respectively This limited improvement can be attributed to several factors, including their prior exposure to the pretest, which familiarized them with the test format, content, and difficulty level of the A2 KET recordings Additionally, a four-week interval between tests allowed students to review textbook units, enriching their vocabulary and making the test topics more familiar, thereby reducing the challenge Furthermore, the familiarity with the test’s format and content likely boosted their confidence and comfort during the posttest, contributing to their modest gains in listening skills.
The study revealed a significant improvement in the experimental group (EG) in both retrieving key information and recognizing words containing the schwa sound, with scores increasing from an average of 5 to 12—an improvement of 7 points Their minimum scores rose from 2 to 8, and maximum scores from 8 to 15, indicating notable progress This enhancement was influenced by both objective factors, such as test familiarity, and subjective factors, notably the explicit teaching of the schwa After removing the influence of objective elements, the EG still demonstrated substantial gains, with an average score increase of 4.5 points, and similar improvements in minimum and maximum scores, confirming that explicit instruction on the schwa effectively enhances English listening comprehension.
The study demonstrated a significant correlation between explicit teaching of the schwa and improved listening comprehension among elementary teenage learners, suggesting that enhanced understanding of the schwa can lead to better English listening skills This finding aligns with previous research by N T Ho (2011), which highlighted the positive impact of the schwa on listening ability Additionally, the increase in listening scores underscores the importance of the schwa as the most common reduced vowel sound in English, frequently occurring in weak forms as noted by Celce-Murcia et al (2014), Roach (2018), and T L A Phan (2010) Moreover, the results indicate that even low-level learners can improve their listening comprehension by acquiring knowledge about the schwa and its features.
4.3.2 The learners’ attitudes towards the application of their knowledge of the schwa to their listening comprehension
The second research question, “What are the learners’ attitudes towards the application of their knowledge of the schwa to their listening comprehension?”, was discussed in this part
Many students initially had little to no understanding of the schwa and were unaware of how mastering it could improve their listening comprehension At both the word and beyond-word levels, they struggled to recognize the schwa, highlighting a common challenge in developing listening skills Data showed that most students recognized the importance of improving listening comprehension, yet they acknowledged facing difficulties due to their elementary English level and low pretest scores This indicates that understanding and practicing the schwa can be a crucial step in enhancing overall listening skills for beginner learners.
EG students recognized the importance of the schwa in language learning and acknowledged the benefits of explicit teaching for improving listening comprehension Their responses were consistent with findings from N T Ho's 2011 study, which highlighted the positive impact of focused schwa instruction on student understanding.
Most EG students agree that mastering the schwa sound is essential for understanding natural speech, as it helps identify stressed words Recognizing stressed syllables allows listeners to determine the key messages speakers aim to convey, enabling them to focus on important information This skill is crucial for answering main questions accurately in listening comprehension tasks.
Many students believe they can identify the schwa in polysyllabic words and simple sentences during listening exercises Recognizing unstressed positions allows students to distinguish between reduced and full word forms, including plural forms and regular past tense verbs This skill enhances listening comprehension and pronunciation accuracy, emphasizing the importance of understanding stress patterns in spoken English.
While most students exhibited positive attitudes towards learning about the schwa, a few remained neutral or uncertain about the potential benefits To achieve more significant improvements, it is essential to invest additional time and effort in teaching, studying, and practicing the concept Such dedicated efforts will likely lead to more noticeable progress and better learning outcomes in the future.
The importance of the schwa in enhancing listening comprehension skills has been further reinforced, highlighting its crucial role Explicit instruction on the schwa provides students with significant benefits in developing micro-skills essential for understanding natural speech Additionally, improvements in students' listening scores were closely linked to positive changes in their attitudes towards the schwa.
Hence, it could be interpreted that the effectiveness of the schwa on the elementary teenage learners’ listening comprehension was indisputable.
Chapter summary
This chapter presents a comprehensive analysis of the pretest, posttest, and learners' questionnaire results, highlighting significant improvements in elementary teenage learners’ listening comprehension after explicit instruction on the schwa sound The posttest results demonstrate a notable increase in listening skills compared to the pretest, indicating the effectiveness of schwa-focused teaching methods Additionally, learners' questionnaire responses reveal positive attitudes towards applying their knowledge of the schwa to enhance their listening comprehension skills These findings underscore the value of explicit phonetic instruction in improving listening proficiency among young learners.