INTRODUCTION
Rationale
English plays a vital role in modern life, serving as a primary means of communication in various sectors, including business, diplomacy, and tourism Its significance extends to the field of education, where it is often taught as a second language in many countries, even those where it is not an official language The dominance of English in scientific fields is evident, with numerous syllabi in science and engineering being written in English, and most research studies being published in this language, making it an essential tool for academic and professional pursuits.
At the university level, students globally study subjects in English to enhance accessibility for international learners In Vietnam, English is widely taught as a foreign language to help students achieve their personal goals, as proficiency in English is essential for securing good jobs and pursuing higher education Lecturers emphasize the development of four fundamental skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing, with listening being particularly crucial According to Nunan (1998), listening is the foundational skill in language learning, as effective communication cannot occur without it.
Developing listening skills in English can be challenging for students, as they encounter numerous difficulties in this area Many English majors struggle with listening comprehension, largely because universities tend to focus more on other aspects of language learning.
Many course books and curricula often overlook the importance of listening and speaking skills in language learning, focusing primarily on grammar, reading, and vocabulary Teachers frequently assume that these skills will develop naturally during the learning process Persulessy (1988:50) noted that one reason for the neglect of listening skills is the belief among language teachers that learners will automatically acquire this ability as they progress in speaking the language.
Listening skills are often overlooked in language education, as incompetence can be easily masked by nodding or shaking one's head, creating a false impression of understanding Audio-lingual courses may mislead learners into believing they are developing listening skills, while in reality, they focus on other competencies Nobuko Osada (2004) noted that both teachers and students generally underestimate the significance of listening, with classrooms prioritizing testing over teaching this essential skill Consequently, students often learn to listen without truly comprehending, leaving listening as the most neglected aspect of language instruction (Glisan, 1985) Listening is a complex mental process that requires perception, attention, cognition, and memory, making it particularly challenging for language learners To enhance students' listening abilities, teachers must recognize the specific difficulties learners face in understanding spoken texts and provide effective listening strategies to address these challenges.
Taking into consideration the importance of the listening ability to language students, this study aims to identify listening subject problems as perceived by the
English majored students at Tay Do University It is hoped that findings from this research will provide insights for the teaching and learning skill.
The significance of study
This research aims to assist English major students in identifying the challenges associated with listening comprehension The findings highlight that mastering listening skills is not an easy task, emphasizing the importance of addressing fundamental issues Furthermore, the results empower students to develop effective strategies for enhancing their listening abilities.
The organization of the proposal
The proposal consists of five chapters
Chapter 3: Research aim-Research question-Hypothesis
LITERATURE REVIEW
Definitions of listening
Listening is the attentive act of hearing, and we engage in it more than speaking When utilized effectively, this skill enhances our communicative abilities However, listening can be challenging due to the tendency of the human mind to become easily distracted Those who can focus and listen attentively not only improve their listening skills but also gain a variety of other beneficial abilities.
Listening is a multifaceted skill defined as the act of hearing attentively and is akin to reading, requiring knowledge of phonology, syntax, semantics, and text comprehension Thomlison (1984) emphasizes that active listening is crucial for effective communication, contributing to success in various aspects of life, including the workplace and family interactions The International Listening Association (ILA, 1996) describes listening as the process of receiving, constructing meaning from, and responding to spoken and nonverbal messages It involves accurately interpreting messages within the communication process and consciously processing auditory stimuli However, listening is not always easy; it demands focus and attention, and some individuals may need to work harder to develop this essential skill.
Listening is defined by Howatt and Dakin (1974) as the ability to identify and comprehend what others are communicating This skill encompasses understanding a speaker's accent, pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, and overall meaning.
Listening is a complex mental process that involves differentiating sounds, comprehending vocabulary and grammar, interpreting stress and intention, and contextualizing information within both immediate and broader socio-cultural frameworks As noted in Bulletin (1952), listening is a fundamental language skill that serves as a vital medium for individuals of all ages to acquire knowledge, understand the world, develop ideals and values, and cultivate appreciation.
Listening is often confused with hearing, but they are fundamentally different processes Hearing is simply the perception of sound through vibrations detected by the ear, while listening, or "active listening," involves actively engaging with the speaker and providing feedback This deeper level of engagement is crucial for effective communication and plays a vital role in learning English and in everyday interactions.
Hearing and listening, while often used interchangeably, are fundamentally different concepts Hearing refers to the physiological ability to perceive sound through the detection of vibrations by the ear, as defined by Merriam-Webster It is one of the five senses, allowing individuals to receive auditory stimuli without necessarily engaging with or understanding them.
Hearing involves the conversion of sound waves into nerve impulses that are transmitted to the brain Individuals with a condition known as deafness are unable to hear Interestingly, the ear continues to process sounds even during sleep, although the brain may not always respond to these auditory signals.
In short, through years, a lot of ways to define listening has been observed Among these definitions, Wolvin and Coakley (1985) share the idea that listening is
The process of receiving and interpreting auditory stimuli, which refers to messages conveyed through sound, is widely regarded as a highly acceptable definition of auditory perception.
The importance of listening
Listening is a crucial skill in personal life, daily activities, and the workplace Leading employers invest in seminars, classes, and training sessions to enhance their employees' listening abilities Effective listening goes beyond just hearing; it involves interpreting and understanding the information conveyed by others Mastering this skill can significantly contribute to career success.
Listening is crucial in communication, as it consumes a significant portion of our time, whether we are engaged in conversations, enjoying music, or absorbing information from news and lectures Recent technological advancements have highlighted the importance of listening skills in language education Additionally, listening serves as vital input for second language acquisition and specifically aids in enhancing speaking abilities Moreover, it fosters non-linear language processing and encourages learners to adopt holistic strategies when engaging with texts.
Language teachers must find ways to integrate listening into their instruction and create opportunities for students to engage with meaningful listening experiences both in and out of the classroom This task presents certain challenges, which will be discussed in the next section.
Problems in listening subject
2.3.1 Problems pertaining to understanding word by word
Many students struggle to grasp the meaning of every word when listening to or communicating with foreigners, which can hinder their understanding According to Muhammad Naeem Butt et al (2010), foreign language learners often attempt to comprehend each individual word, but this approach is both unnecessary and impractical Focusing too intently on single words can lead to missing subsequent sentences, as listeners may become overwhelmed and fail to see the overall context.
2.3.2 Problems pertaining to lack of vocabulary
A limited vocabulary often prevents students from effectively expressing their thoughts and emotions, leading them to internalize their ideas They struggle to select appropriate words in specific contexts, as highlighted by Rabab'ah (2003), who notes that students frequently lack the necessary vocabulary in authentic communicative situations Additionally, many students fail to recognize words they know, which can stem from difficulties in distinguishing similar sounds in English, such as /l/ and /r/ in "led" and "red." They may also misinterpret homophones like "there," "their," and "they're," or encounter challenges with word stress, sentence stress, and sound changes in spoken language.
8 together in natural speech such as weak forms What all this boils down to is that sometimes pronunciation work is the most important part of listening comprehension skills building
Besides, these students are also facing problems in unfamiliar vocabulary Hung
Research from 1998 indicates that listening passages containing familiar words enhance learners' comprehension, even when the topic is unfamiliar Understanding these words can spark students' interest in learning and positively impact their listening skills However, a challenge arises when words have multiple meanings; students may become confused if they encounter less common usages.
2.3.3 Problems pertaining to variety of accents
In a modern textbook, students have to deal with a variety of British, American and Australian accents Besides, students are aware of different native-speaker accents
Strong regional accents may not be ideal for listening training, but they are present in spontaneous conversations among native speakers The American accent differs significantly from British and Australian accents, making it essential for students to be exposed to various accents, particularly in extensive listening exercises Munro and Derwing (1998) noted that an overload of different accented speech could greatly hinder comprehension Consequently, teachers should ensure that students become familiar with both British and American accents The debate over what constitutes Standard English persists, with some arguing that British English holds this status However, English is a global language spoken by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including Indian, Australian, Chinese, and Turkish speakers Ultimately, the most effective form of English is the one that facilitates communication.
2.3.4 Problems pertaining to poor grammar
Grammar structure is an important factor affecting listening skill According to James (2005:2) "Grammar is a study of the structure of the language and describes the
Students often struggle with grammatical errors in speaking, including issues with tenses, word order, and punctuation, leading to sentences that resemble direct translations from Vietnamese This confusion hampers their ability to understand spoken English, as many report that complex grammatical structures interfere with their listening comprehension Research by Vogely (1998) supports this, indicating that difficulties in listening comprehension are partly attributed to the structural elements of the text.
2.3.5 Problems pertaining to the length of a spoken text
Students struggle with listening comprehension not only due to limited vocabulary and complex grammatical structures but also because of the length of the listening texts This aligns with Ur's (1984) assertion that lengthy audio materials can lead to boredom and distraction, ultimately hindering concentration Consequently, it can be concluded that extended spoken texts negatively impact understanding.
2.3.6 Problems pertaining to speed of the listening
The proficiency level of students significantly impacts their ability to engage with lengthy audio materials and retain information Lower-level students often struggle to listen for more than three minutes before becoming overwhelmed with tasks Shorter listening texts enhance comprehension and reduce boredom, helping maintain student focus (Atkins et al., 1995) When texts are dense with information, it becomes challenging to remember everything, necessitating advanced listening skills and strategies for effective understanding (Carroll, 1977).
One significant challenge in listening comprehension is the speed at which speakers talk According to Underwood (1989), unlike reading, listeners cannot control the pace of speech, which can hinder their ability to understand Most language learners and educators agree that slower speech rates can greatly enhance comprehension for beginners (Flaherty, 1979; Griffiths, 1990, 1992; King & Behnke, 1989; Zhao, 1997).
(1990) concluded that lessen the input speed is one of the effective technics that helps comprehension for second language learners
2.3.7 Problems pertaining to basic background knowledge
Background knowledge significantly impacts listening comprehension Even individuals skilled in analyzing speech may struggle if they lack foundational knowledge, leading to diminished understanding (Samuels, 1984) Students with insufficient background knowledge find it challenging to formulate ideas and express themselves on unfamiliar topics Furthermore, many learners rely on their experiences and existing knowledge to grasp spoken content This aligns with Hasan's (2000) assertion that linking new information to prior knowledge is a crucial strategy for interpreting listening passages.
2.3.8 Problems pertaining to cultural differences
Understanding the cultural context of a language is essential for effective communication The relationship between language and culture is inseparable (Brown, 1994) When language incorporates unfamiliar cultural elements, students may struggle to grasp the intended meaning Therefore, it is crucial for students to acquire background knowledge on relevant topics in advance.
11 instance, if the listening part is about Easter Day and it is not common in the area that language is being taught, students cannot catch some points
Background and environmental noises can significantly hinder students' comprehension during listening tasks These distractions, such as sounds from corridors and other classrooms, divert students' attention away from the content being presented Consequently, when listening activities occur in noisy environments, students are likely to struggle in understanding teachers' voices, leading to poor listening outcomes.
Boredom and frustration significantly hinder listening comprehension, particularly when students engage with foreign speakers These emotions can adversely impact the effectiveness of communication Additionally, psychological factors contribute to forgetfulness and a lack of concentration, often leading to feelings of nervousness and anxiety when faced with unclear spoken text Yagang (1993) emphasizes that the process of listening comprehension is inherently complex and involves various psychological elements.
A study by Trinh (2015) titled “A Study on Difficulties and Strategies in Listening Comprehension” involved fifty English majors from various classes at Lac Hong University The research aimed to assess students' listening experiences and the time dedicated to self-study by using a questionnaire with both closed and open-ended questions The findings indicated significant insights into the challenges faced by students during the listening comprehension process.
To enhance their listening skills, students must be equipped with a variety of techniques from an early stage Currently, a staggering 89.5% of students are failing their listening tests, indicating that listening poses a significant challenge Furthermore, students dedicate minimal time to practicing at home, with 73.6% practicing sometimes, 5.2% never, and 10.5% rarely For improvement, many students engage with various resources, such as listening to songs (63.2%), syllabus-related tapes and disks (43.4%), and English news (57.9%) However, 89.5% of students also lack sufficient vocabulary, which serves as a barrier to their progress, and 73.6% of participants reported listening word by word.
A study by Suradej Anadapon (2011) examined the English listening problems and proficiency of thirty business students at Bangkok University Utilizing questionnaires, IELTS tests, and interviews for data collection, the study analyzed results with SPSS Findings indicated that the primary cause of listening difficulties was the complexity of the listening texts, compounded by insufficient practice and limited exposure to diverse listening materials This research provides valuable insights for educators to understand students' listening challenges and offers a foundation for material developers to create effective listening resources tailored for university students.
RESEARCH AIM-RESEARCH QUESTIONS-HYPOTHESIS
Research aim
Listening is crucial for language acquisition, yet English majors often encounter challenges in communicating with native speakers and during listening assessments This study seeks to identify key difficulties faced by these students and offer actionable recommendations for enhancing their listening skills.
Research question
This research is conducted to answer the following question:
What are the difficulties in learning listening skill of English majored students at Tay Do ?
Hypothesis
This research hypothesizes that students majoring in English may struggle with developing their listening skills It suggests that these students could face challenges including understanding individual words, dealing with various accents, coping with the speed of spoken language, lacking background knowledge, and experiencing anxiety during listening tasks.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Design
This research aims to identify the challenges students encounter in learning listening skills The validity and reliability of the findings depend on the research instruments used English major students will be selected as the survey sample, and data will be gathered through a questionnaire The analysis of the collected information will reveal the specific difficulties faced in mastering listening comprehension.
Participants
This study involves 50 English major students from Tay Do University, comprising an equal number of 25 boys and 25 girls aged between 19 and 21 The participants hail from various rural and urban areas, with Vietnamese as their native language and English as a foreign language To gather insights into the challenges they encounter in listening skills, the students will complete questionnaires and participate in interviews.
Instruments
Questionnaire is used to collect participants' ideas about the difficulties in learning listening skills
The questionnaire includes 5 questions and 30 statements which are classified into the following groups:
Group Summary of the content a From 1 to 5 Information of background students
Understanding spoken language can be challenging due to various factors Problems related to word-by-word comprehension (1-3) and limited vocabulary (4-6) often hinder effective communication Additionally, the variety of accents (7-9) and poor grammar (10-12) can create further barriers The length of spoken texts (13-15) and the speed of delivery (16-18) also contribute to difficulties in understanding Furthermore, a lack of basic background knowledge (19-21) and cultural differences (22-24) can complicate interactions External factors such as noise (25-27) and personal anxiety (28-30) can further impede the listening process.
The answers were recorded on 4-point likert scale (never, sometimes, often, and always).
Procedure
This research was done within 12 weeks and the process was divided into 3 steps in the following table:
Duration (12 weeks) Activities in study process
Step 1: from the 1 st week to 2 nd week - Designing the framework of the research
- Looking for references Step 2: from the 3 st week to 7 th week Getting the teacher‟s guidance
Step 3: from the 8 th week to 12 th week Writing chapter 4,5 and getting the teacher‟s guidance
- Editing chapter 3, 4, 5 and temporary completion of the main content in the research
- The teacher checks the research and proposes some advices
EXPECTED OUTCOME
Problems pertaining to understand word by word
Understanding every word in conversations with foreigners can be challenging for students, especially those with limited vocabulary To enhance their vocabulary, students can listen to English news, which allows them to acquire new words while also reviewing familiar ones Additionally, learning antonyms and synonyms alongside unfamiliar vocabulary is essential This approach not only boosts vocabulary but also significantly supports students' listening skills.
Problems pertaining to variety of accents
The diversity of English accents poses challenges for students in listening comprehension due to their limited exposure To enhance their understanding, students should engage with various accents more frequently Given that English is spoken globally, this exposure is crucial Therefore, students are encouraged to improve their listening skills by watching movies, BBC News, or TED Talks, which feature a range of accents.
Problems pertaining to speed of the listening
Foreigners often speak quickly, making it challenging for students to catch key words and retain information To combat boredom and fatigue, students should listen to short stories or articles Consequently, daily practice of listening skills is essential for improvement.
Problems pertaining to basic background knowledge
Students with limited background knowledge may struggle to generate compelling ideas for engaging speakers Therefore, it is crucial for them to focus on reading English books and news articles This practice not only broadens their general knowledge but also enhances their listening skills Additionally, it provides insights into various fields such as society, culture, and health, equipping students with essential information to articulate their thoughts effectively during listening activities.
Problems pertaining to anxiety
Extended listening sessions can lead to memory issues and fatigue, distracting students from understanding the text A lapse in concentration may result in learners missing crucial information, often due to the limited memory span for the target language To enhance comprehension, students must feel confident, comfortable, and relaxed, while avoiding feelings of boredom and frustration during listening exercises and interactions with foreign speakers.
Brown, H.D (1994) Teaching by principles: An interactive approach to language pedagogy New York: Prentice-Hall Regents
Coakley, C., & Wolvin, A (1985), Listening in the educational environment in
Deborah Borisoff and Michael Purdy, listening in everyday life Lanham, Maryland:
Hasan, A (2000) Learners perceptions of listening comprehension problems
Howatt, A., & Dakin, J (1974) Language laboratory materials Techniques in applied linguistics Edinburgh course in applied linguistics Vol 3 London: Oxford University Press
Nunan, D (1998) Approaches to teaching listening in language classroom In proceedings of the 1997 Korea TESOL Conference Taejon, Korea: KOTESOL
Samuels 8 (1984) Factors Influencing Listening: Inside and Outside the Head 23(3) 183-189 Retrieved October 18, 2005, from EBSCO host database
Ur, P (1984) Teaching of English as a Second or Foreign Language Cambridge: bridge University Press
Wipf, J (1984) Strategies for Teaching Second Larguage Listening Comprehension
Yagang, F (1994) Listening: Problems and solutions In T Kral (ed) Teacher
Development: Making the Right Moves Washington, DC: English Language Programs Divisions, USIA
Arafat Hamouda (2013) conducted a study examining the listening comprehension challenges faced by Saudi students in English language listening classrooms The research highlights the specific difficulties encountered by learners, providing valuable insights for educators The full investigation can be accessed at the provided links.
Mustafa Azmi Bingol (2014).Listening comprehension difficulties encountered by students in second language learning class Online thesis Retrieved from: http://www.wjeis.org/FileUpload/ds217232/File/01b.bingol.pdf
Rababab, G (2003) Communication Problems Facing Arab Learners of English: A Personal Perspective TEFT Web Journal, 20).Online thesis Retrieved from: http://faculty.ksu.edu.sa/mdajani/ Pages/ArabLearners.aspx
I don't know!
Trinh, Vinh Hien (2015) Difficulties and strategies in listening comprehension Online thesis Retrieved from: http://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/elt/article/download/59636/31953
West, Richard; Turner, Lynn (2010), Understanding Interpersonal Communication p
186 ISBN 9780495908753 Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Listening
Wu Xiao Juan (2013) English Listening Comprehension Problems of Students from China Learning English in Malaysia.Online thesis Retrieved from: http://www.languageinindia.com/april2013/chinastudentsenglishfinal.pd viii
My name is Pham Thi My Huyen, a senior majoring in English, and I appreciate your valuable time in assisting me I am conducting research titled "A Study on Difficulties in Learning Listening Skills of English Majored Students at Tay Do University." This questionnaire aims to gather essential information from you, so please take the time to answer the questions carefully, as your responses are crucial to my research Thank you once again for your support!
Student‟s full name: Age Gender: Male Female
Please read the following questions and circle the appropriate answer for each question Give specific answers if needed
1 How long have you studied English? years
2 How do you self-study at home? a Listen to English songs b Listen to tapes or disks c Listen to news in English d Other
3 What do you do before listening? ix a Go through the questions and guess what the topic is about b Nothing to do just ready to listen c Guess the content of the listening d Ask about the new words e Read the task instruction
4 What do you do while you are listening for the first time? a Listen to word by word b Listen for the detail information c Focus on the new words d Other
5 What do you do if you cannot understand words or phrases while listening? a Ignore it and keep on listening b Try to guess its meaning c Feel depressed and cannot listen anymore x
This below table is about your listening problems related to the content of the listening text
Please read the following statement and mark ( X ) in suitable column to express your opinion
Statements Never Sometimes Often Always
1 I have to understand every single word of incoming speech
2 I feel nervous and worried when I don‟t understand the spoken text
3 I find the pronunciation familiar but cannot recognize the words
4 I lose focus of the talk when I have got an expected answer in my mind
5 Listening word by word causes me dificulty in listening xi process
6 It is difficult to listen well when speakers have various accents
7 Long spoken text interfered my listening skill
8 Speakers‟ accents is really a problem to me
9 Complex grammatical structures interfered my listening skill
10 I find it difficult to listen with poor grammar
11 I cannot understand the meanings of words in the lestening text
12 I cannot follow the sequence of the spoken text when the sentences are too xii long and complex
13 The listening topics in class are strange/ unfamilar to me
14 I have listening problems when speakers speak too fast
15 My cultutal knowledge is limited, so I cannot listen well for the cultural topics such as festivals or traditional values
16 I find it difficult to get a general understanding of the spoken text because
I do not have enough background knowledge
17 Unclear sounds resulting from poor equipment interfere xiii with my listening text
18 I feel fatigue and distracted when I listen to a long spoken text
19 Cultural differences causes me a lot of problems in listening
20 I do not understand the meaning of the text due to cultural points
21 I have listening problems due to the speed of the speakers
22 Strange accents make me confused when I listen
23 It is difficult for me to concentrate with noises around xiv
24 Lacking background knowledge is one of your barriers in listening
25 I am unable to concentrate because
I listen to the dialogue at the same time
26 Before doing listening test, I fear that I cannot understand what I will hear
27 I find it difficult to deal with new word when I listen
28 I find it difficutlt to understand new structure in the process of listening
29 I cannot listen well because I try to understand word by word.