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Language learning strategies may have a key role in foreign language learning because they may foster learner autonomy and motivation. Keeping the learner-centred nature of language learning strategies in mind, this study set out to understand the impact of overt listening and reading strategy instruction on learners' listening and reading achievement. The study employed an explanatory mixed-method research design. Research instruments were reading and listening achievement tests and semi-structured interviews. The treatment involved overt listening and reading strategy instruction that lasted for four weeks. The findings revealed that overt listening and reading strategy instruction fostered learners' reading and listening achievement. Similarly, semi-structured interviews revealed that learners were willing to transfer the strategies they learned to new learning situations and keep using these strategies in future learning situations.

This study investigates the effect of conventional and nonconventional expressions on listener comprehensibility. A forty-item comprehensibility test, including conventional expressions, interlanguage attempts, sociopragmatic deviances and alternative grammar constructions produced by French L2 (second language) speakers (N=27) was created. Pronunciation effects were controlled by having a single speaker read aloud the items. Using a 100-point sliding scale, comprehensibility was rated by Quebec French L1 (first language) speakers (N=34). Results showed a significant effect of the four variables on the raters' scores and a significant difference between them. Conventional expressions were judged the most comprehensible while some alternative grammar constructions seemed not to impose comprehensibility issues. Attempted conventional expressions sharing pragmalinguistics or sociopragmatic resources with the target conventional expression were judged more comprehensible. These findings suggest that comprehensibility can be sensitive to what is familiar and expected by the listener.

As blended and online courses are becoming more prevalent, there is need for research into how digital tools might help teachers increase learner motivation and engagement in online learning. This qualitative case study explores learners' perceptions of interactive videos, with a particular focus on perceived levels of learner motivation and engagement, along with the apparent value of the interactive elements in providing feedback and improving listening comprehension. The participants were 37 freshmen English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners, majoring in English language teaching. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with six participants and the learning analytics module of the interactive video software. The six interview participants, along with 31 others, also responded to reflective journal prompts. The participants reported that interactive videos provided them with meaningful input and timely feedback, and the perceived improvement in their listening skills motivated them. Most of the participants reported that they preferred interactive components for promoting higher engagement, but they also highlighted that having frequent interactive elements distracted them from the content.

This systematic review investigates learner use of audio/video playback (AVP) controls in technology-enhanced listening environments. To this aim, 61 academic works produced from 2000-2021 underwent inclusion/exclusion criteria and were analyzed. The resulting corpus was made up of 16 peer-reviewed articles. We first situate the studies examined with regards to contextual, educational, and methodological characteristics of AVP controls research. Then, we conducted thematic analysis to identify, analyze and report affordances and limitations of AVP controls. Four affordances and two limitations were identified. The affordances describe how AVP controls enable students to resort to different strategies, change their interaction patterns with learning materials, address comprehension problems and enhance listening comprehension performance. Similarly, limitations describe how proficiency level restricts interaction with AVP controls and the need for learner training on AVP controls. Results are discussed along with integrated data. Pedagogical implications and avenues for further research are also discussed.

This study explores the effectiveness of online Chinese language courses, focusing on the development of listening comprehension and Mandarin pinyin pronunciation skills among Chinese language students at the Faculty of Education, Uttaradit Rajabhat University. Utilizing a systematic approach, the research employed a pre-test and post-test design to evaluate the impact of the instructional methods on students' language abilities. Significant improvements were observed in both listening comprehension and pronunciation skills post-intervention, as evidenced by statistical analysis. Moreover, the study gauges students' satisfaction with the online learning experience, revealing high levels of contentment regarding course content, accessibility, and instructional delivery. The research outcomes have demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in the skills assessed. Students' scores in listening comprehension and Mandarin pinyin pronunciation substantially increased from pre-instruction to post-instruction. Specifically, the average scores in listening comprehension improved from 16.45 to 24.50, while pronunciation scores rose from 10.85 to 16.30, both evidencing significant advancements with a significance level of 0.05. These results underscore the effectiveness of the online Chinese language courses in enhancing students' linguistic capabilities.

Virtual Reality (VR) as an interactive, illustrative, and immersive learning environment has ample opportunities for the development of language skills. Despite a growing literature on VR-assisted language learning, the benefit of VR for L2 listening is in need of further investigation. To fill this lacuna, the current study surveyed the impact of using 360° monoscopic VR videos as pre-listening tasks on language learners' development of listening comprehension. Sixty English as a foreign language (EFL) learners participated in the study as the control and the experimental groups. Their entry level of listening comprehension was evaluated by the B1 Preliminary listening paper before the study. Listening was taught to both groups by the comprehension-based model consisting of a pre-during-post listening cycle. The pre-listening activities of the experimental group included watching and working on 360° VR videos related to the topics of the listening parts of the textbook. The pre-listening phase of the control group included the warmup activities of the textbook. Both groups' listening comprehension was evaluated again at the end of the study. The quantitative data analysis revealed a significant difference between the participants' listening comprehension in favor of those who had worked with VR video as pre-listening tasks. Also, larger effect sizes for Parts 3 and 4 of the test that focused on understanding monologues were evident. The experimental group members were asked to express their perceptions of the experience of working with 360° VR videos in listening instruction by taking part in a structured interview. The results showed that almost all participants found the activities to be inspiring and pedagogically valuable.

This study aims to 1) explore the listening challenges of high- and low-proficiency EFL accounting undergraduates, 2) compare listening challenges and listening strategies between high- and low-proficiency learners and 3) investigate the effectiveness of mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) in developing EFL-listening skills. The participants in this study consisted of 84 fourth-year accounting students from Rajamangala University of Technology Lanna, Chiang Mai, Thailand, who had enrolled in a course called English Listening and Speaking for Business Communication. They were divided into two groups depending on their ability levels (high and low proficiency), based on Kelley's 27% criterion-referenced measurement theory. Each group consisted of 23 participants. The research instruments included 1) a listening-comprehension test used for the pre-test and post-test to determine whether the participants had high or low proficiency and compare the effect of MALL, 2) a questionnaire on listening challenges and the utilisation of listening strategies, 3) a semi-structured interview and 4) a MALL activity plan. Data analysis included the calculation of means, standard deviations, percentages and t-tests. The findings revealed a statistically significant difference between the two groups regarding listening challenges; however, there was no statistically significant difference with regard to listening strategies. Concerning MALL, which was applied to both groups, a statistically significant difference was found in the post-test scores at 0.05. In other words, both high- and low-proficiency learners showed improved performance after the empowering strategies created with MALL.

We conceptually replicated Kemp (2010), who investigated the effect of keeping a listening log, a journal or learner diary, on ESL students' motivation toward autonomous learning. Her research suggested that keeping a listening log can aid ESL listeners to self-monitor their performance and reflect on their listening process independently. Besides, it was found that it would raise their metacognitive awareness of the listening process and motivate them toward autonomous listening. Her study deserves replication due to its theoretical motivation, which is the explicit teaching of a group of listening skills and strategies and the success of the listening skills module designed for study-abroad ESL students. However, almost no previous studies replicated the related research with a phenomenological perspective to examine its robustness and transferability, particularly in an EFL context. Thus, our conceptual replication used Kemp's (2010) materials and procedures to highlight the possible effects of keeping a listening log on EFL learners' motivation to become autonomous listeners in an EFL context. To serve this purpose, 30 freshmen Iranian TEFL students participated in this study. The data were collected through students' listening logs in eight sessions. Results suggested that keeping a listening log can motivate and encourage EFL learners to engage with and reflect on their listening experiences in potential learning situations, thus assisting them with becoming good listeners in real-life situations. Further discussions and pedagogical implications are provided in the paper.

Traditional methods of assessing listening skills in language learners suffer from drawbacks such as subjectivity, inconsistency, and time-intensive grading processes. To overcome these limitations, we introduce an innovative assessment instrument designed to efficiently and effectively evaluate students' listening skills while offering instructors a dependable means to track progress. This study proposes the development of an online assessment instrument tailored to measure language learners' comprehension of spoken language. The two instruments incorporate a questionnaire and a variety of question formats, each gauging students' grasp of spoken discourse across diverse contexts and accents. Additionally, the online assessment assesses their proficiency in identifying main ideas, supporting details, and inferred implications within spoken communication. Accessible through a dedicated learning management system (LMS) platform available at http://lms.elsida.ac.id/, this instrument empowers instructors with a robust mechanism to gauge their students' advancement. By providing a thorough assessment of listening skills, the instrument stands as a powerful resource for educators seeking to drive ongoing improvement. The study's findings highlight how this assessment instrument can improve language learning through ongoing feedback. Through ongoing enhancements and testing in language learning contexts, the instrument contributes to a more effective evaluation of listening skills in language education.

This qualitative study aims to show how the beliefs and teaching practices around listening comprehension of four Chilean English-as-a-foreign-language teachers were transformed after attending an eight-session reflective workshop. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews and video-recorded and audio-recorded sessions. Information was analyzed using content analysis. Results evidenced that reflective practice positively affects the changes in beliefs and teaching practices in different ways. Conclusions show that this reframing is especially favored if certain factors (personal, professional development, and contextual) are given.

The study aimed to identify the primary obstacles encountered by junior high school students when learning English. Conducted as a cross-sectional survey, data were gathered from 102 9th-grade students in three public schools in Parongpong using a Likert questionnaire and analyzed through mean scores. Findings revealed that the key barriers included students' tendency to use their native language, grammar errors, limited speaking opportunities outside school, fear of making mistakes, and restricted vocabulary. Additionally, challenges arose from listening materials' speed and complexity, unfamiliar topics and words, as well as nervousness. Furthermore, hurdles in reading practice, complex text structures, idea generation, spelling, paragraph organization, grammar, teacher's limited use of learning media, and cognitive attitudes were observed. These findings are expected to aid teaching efforts, particularly in addressing barriers for EFL learners.

Despite the increasing popularity of dual language education programs in Taiwan, limited research assesses their effectiveness. This study evaluated eight English Immersion Programs (EIPs) in Taiwan, representing a dual language education model, using the "Guiding Principles for Dual Language Education" (GPDLE) framework. Interviews with the management team and a questionnaire for Native English Teachers (NETs) assessed the alignment of program structure and instruction with the GPDLE. A quasi-experimental design, including pre-tests and post-tests, examined the English listening and reading outcomes of 74 fourth to sixth-grade students in two randomly-selected EIPs over a year. The findings reveal that 83% of the EIPs fully adhered to the program structure outlined in the GPDLE, while only 33% of teacher instruction exhibited full alignment, with an additional 57% demonstrating partial alignment. Notably, significant improvements in reading were observed among fourth-grade students, and both reading and listening skills showed substantial enhancements in the fifth and sixth-grade students. The study recommends adopting a financially sustainable, user-paid model for an after-school English immersion program, supporting Taiwan's 2030 Bilingual National Initiative.

Listening is widely regarded as the predominant language proficiency utilized in virtually all forms of communication. However, its intricacies often engender feelings of complexity and, at times, provoke anxiety and frustration among both foreign and second-language learners. The enhancement of successful communication fundamentally hinges upon the precise comprehension of spoken messages. In this quantitative investigation, the present study delves into the perceptions of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students concerning the utilization of podcasts as a tool to cultivate and bolster their listening proficiency. The study cohort comprised female university students enrolled in a preparatory year program. The examination of attitudes toward podcasts was conducted via a survey questionnaire. The findings unveiled that most participants derived enjoyment from utilizing podcasts, which in turn catalyzed their enthusiasm for English language acquisition. Additionally, they conceded that podcasts held promise in augmenting their linguistic abilities, with a primary focus on listening comprehension. These outcomes posit that podcasting serves as a medium with significant implications for students' learning trajectories, particularly regarding the acquisition of listening proficiencies.

Acadience Reading Diagnostic: Comprehension, Fluency, and Oral Language Assessment (CFOL) is an individually administered diagnostic assessment published by Acadience Learning for students in kindergarten through sixth grades. The measure purportedly provides diagnostic information in story coherence/text structure, listening and reading comprehension, vocabulary and oral language, and fluency with expository and narrative texts. The skills assessed with the CFOL are designed to provide information about skills related to students' comprehension difficulties so educators can better target comprehension interventions to support students' specific learning needs.

The strong association of early language skills to later reading ability suggests that supporting the development of these skills in children who enter preschool or kindergarten with below-average language abilities may lead to stronger reading skills. Despite this, few evidence-based supplemental language instructional programs exist for school-based implementation. The current study reports on two large-scale randomized trials of combinations of small-group, intensive language-focused instructional component lessons implemented in preschool and kindergarten settings. After screening on two listening comprehension measures, 740 preschool and 870 kindergarten children were randomized to business-as-usual general education or to 18 weeks of instruction that paired two of three possible 9-week component programs. Children were assessed pre- and postinstruction on a battery of proximal, instructionally aligned measures and on standardized language and early literacy measures. Results indicated significant and often sizeable impacts on measures aligned with the content of instruction received. Moderation by order of instructional components and child characteristics provides insight into the overall and specific benefits of early intensive support for language development.

Background: Behavioural intention (BI) has been predicted using other variables by adopting the technology acceptance model (TAM). However, few studies have examined whether BI can predict learning performance. Objectives: The present study used an extended TAM to investigate whether students' BI is a predictor of their listening learning performance (LLP) through vocabulary learning performance (VLP) in the context of mobile vocabulary-assisted listening learning by using two mobile learning tools. Methods: A total of 129 college students with a pre-intermediate level of English were recruited as participants, and a 10-week mobile vocabulary-assisted, listening-learning course was conducted in 2022. In each task of this course, the students had to learn target words from a listening passage on Quizlet and then engage in listening activities on Randall's ESL Cyber Listening Lab. Quantitative responses obtained through an online questionnaire were analysed through partial-least-squares structural equation modelling. Results: The analysis results indicated that BI significantly predicted LLP through VLP. Perceived ease of use (PEU) and perceived usefulness (PU) were significant antecedents of BI. However, PEU did not significantly predict PU because of the difficulty of navigating between the two technological tools used in this study. The extended model demonstrated its effectiveness in explaining listening learning performance, as evidenced by an explained variance (R[superscript 2]) of 69%. Conclusion: The extended model validates the influence of BI on learning performance and it can also draw teachers' focus toward the significance of enhancing students' BI to improve their listening learning performance. Pedagogical implications based on the results are provided in this paper.

Purpose: We investigated the efficacy of "Story Champs" for improving oral language in third-grade Spanish-English bilingual children with developmental language disorder (DLD). Method: We implemented a concurrent multiple-baseline across-participants single-case design with four bilingual Spanish-English third-grade students with DLD. Treatment was carried out over 12 sessions with approximately two sessions per week. Maintenance sessions were conducted 1, 2, and 4 weeks postintervention. Participants were explicitly taught story grammar elements, causal and temporal connections, and modifiers within story retells and personal narratives. Dependent variables were story grammar, grammatical complexity, modifiers and listening comprehension within story retells, and story grammar and grammatical complexity within personal narratives. Outcome measures were assessed at the end of every baseline, intervention, and maintenance session using the Narrative Language Measures--Listening (NLM-L). Results: Visual analyses for outcome measures suggested slight increases in scores on the NLM-L during intervention accompanied by marked variability. Within-case analyses of story retell performance suggested an intervention effect on story grammar for two participants and on grammatical complexity and modifier use for one participant. For personal narratives, within-case analyses of personal narrative performance suggested an intervention effect on story grammar for one participant. Conclusions: Overall, "Story Champs" demonstrated efficacy for improving story grammar use in story retells for three out of four participants. It did not show efficacy for improving grammatical complexity, modifier use, or listening comprehension within story retells, nor did it show efficacy for improving story grammar and grammatical complexity within personal narratives.

Holding learners' attention is challenging, especially when they are asked to listen to long passages. High-immersion virtual reality (VR) can immerse learners in listening tasks, even in such complex languages as Chinese. This exploratory study examined the effect of VR on 43 Chinese language learners' listening comprehension, enjoyment, sense of presence, and cognitive load. Participants were self-selected into two groups without knowing the purpose of the study or the details of their activity. The experimental group (n[subscript 1] = 23) experienced an interactive multimedia story in VR, and the comparison group (n[subscript 2] = 20) watched a screencast video recording of the same story. Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) indicated that VR may have a positive effect on the development of listening skills. Compared with the video group, the VR group had significantly higher listening comprehension scores, reported significantly more enjoyment and sense of presence, and reported experiencing less cognitive load. Thus, the findings suggest that VR could be used as a pedagogical tool to enhance foreign language listening skills.

Aural decoding skill is an important contributor to successful EFL listening comprehension. This paper first described a preliminary study involving a 12-week undergraduate flipped decoding course, based on the flipped SEF-ARCS decoding model. Although the decoding model (N = 44) was significantly more effective in supporting students' decoding performance than a conventional decoding course (N = 36), two main challenges were reported: teacher's excessive workload, and high requirement for the individual teacher's decoding skills. To address these challenges, we developed a chatbot based on the self-determination theory and social presence theory to serve as a 24/7 conversational agent, and adapted the flipped decoding course to a fully online chatbot-supported learning course to reduce the dependence on the teacher. Although results revealed that the chatbot-supported fully online group (N = 46) and the flipped group (N = 43) performed equally well in decoding test, the chatbot-supported fully online approach was more effective in supporting students' behavioral and emotional engagement than the flipped learning approach. Students' perceptions of the chatbot-supported decoding activities were also explored. This study provides a useful pedagogical model involving the innovative use of chatbot to develop undergraduate EFL aural decoding skills in a fully online environment.

Emergency remote teaching of listening comprehension is a challenge requiring rethinking of the delivery methods and use of technologies. The paper presents an approach to teaching listening comprehension remotely to students of translating and interpreting for whom this skill will be crucial in their future profession. The aim of the study was to examine the impact of using YouTube videos with captions in listening comprehension lessons on the students' listening skills and their confidence in foreign language use. A standard questionnaire was used to record their learning experience. In spite of being taught remotely, students improved in listening comprehension and profited from being able to consider their individual needs during listening assignments. They used captions in comprehension difficulties similar to those in real life, such as strong accents, fast speech, and unknown words. Positive correlation was identified between the use of captions and students' performance in listening tests. It appears captions have a potential to help improve in listening, recognizing accents, segmenting connected speech, and acquiring new vocabulary.

The purpose of this study is to investigate how gamification using Web 2.0 tools affects secondary school students' listening comprehension skills on a German second language course. The sub-purposes are to investigate the study's outputs, such as course interest and academic motivation. The design of the study was action research, which is one of the recognized methods of qualitative research. The participants of the study were 34 ninth-grade high school students (15 males, 19 females) aged 14 or 15 years old enrolled to a state-project school. Focus group interviews, both student and teachers' reflective journals, and an academic achievement test were utilized to assess the participant students' listening comprehension skills, and formed the data collection tools used to obtain detailed information about the research process. According to the findings of the study, the use of Web 2.0 tools enabled by way of the gamification method helped capture the students' attention and strengthen the steps taken to improve their language learning skills. Although the students' learning styles varied, one point of commonality was their use of gamification.

Stereotypical notions and depictions of the German language, its speakers, and cultural practices are more persistent in instructional materials, language program advertisements, and people's minds than one might presume (Bryant et al., 2019; Chavez, 2020a, 2020b; Rothe, 2022). Overcoming such misconceptions requires educators to reconsider curricula and promotional efforts so that they reflect the diverse lived experiences of German speakers and learners (Criser & Malakaj, 2020). To diversify German curricula in the United States, the American Association of Teachers of German (AATG) established a task force in 2020, Creating Safe Spaces (CSS). Its members have developed instructional materials focusing on diversity and inclusion, especially regarding Black, Indigenous, and other Persons of Color (BIPOC) and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Plus (LGBTQ+) communities in the German-speaking world. The materials span various thematic units and language levels and serve as a model for other world language (WL) instructors desirous of making diversity a critical component in their respective curricula. Available free of charge both to AATG members and non-members on the AATG's GETMAPP platform, the instructional activities align with the NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements (2017) and the World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages (2015). This article introduces CSS and showcases sample materials that cover topics commonly found in WL courses--introducing oneself and others, family structures, and living. Considerations regarding the imperative for language professionals' commitment to inclusivity, diversity, and social justice form the framework of this article.

The documentation of test takers' achievements has been accomplished through large-scale assessments to find general information about students' language ability. To remove subjectivity, Cognitive Diagnostic Assessment (CDA) has recently played a crucial role in perceiving candidates' latent attribute patterns to find multi-diagnostic information rather than single proficiency classification. However, there are some gaps in the literature about in detail investigation of test takers' listening comprehension language ability in responding to placement test items of a public English language center. The present study aims to validate an English placement test at a language center through a retrofitting process. In an exploratory mixed-method design, 449 participants from the same language center, including 274 females and 175 males, were selected. The performance of randomly selected participants in a language center placement test was analyzed by applying the GDINA model from R-studio packages, to detect Differential Item Functioning (DIF). Results of the study revealed DIF in some items since there is some bias in test items. The implication of this study is to provide meaningful interpretations of respondents' attributes and improve teaching and learning by finding the strengths and weaknesses of candidates. For this purpose, the findings derived from the result of the study can raise the awareness of test developers in preparing unbiased items for the placement test, and at the same time, assist test-takers to become more critical of their English language achievements. It is also helpful for materials developers to become aware of developing materials free from bias.

Phoneme discrimination is the ability to detect subtle similarities and differences between phonemes. Phoneme discrimination is a strong predictor of reading development and poor phoneme discrimination may predict reading disabilities (Lyytinen et al., 2004). The ability to discriminate phonemes may be an even more critical skill for Emergent Bilinguals (EBs, also known as English Learners) and EBs with reading disabilities because they need to enhance their perception of phoneme boundaries to enhance their word reading ability. As EB populations in schools increase, addressing phoneme discrimination gaps becomes increasingly important. Classroom instruction should include repeated exposure to differentiating phonemes with known high frequency words and minimal pairs to develop a strong foundation for discerning phonetic features.

Auditory steady-state response (ASSR) has been studied as a potential biomarker for abnormal auditory sensory processing in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with mixed results. Motivated by prior somatosensory findings of group differences in inter-trial coherence (ITC) between ASD and typically developing (TD) individuals at twice the steady-state stimulation frequency, we examined ASSR at 25 and 50 as well as 43 and 86 Hz in response to 25-Hz and 43-Hz auditory stimuli, respectively, using magnetoencephalography. Data were recorded from 22 ASD and 31 TD children, ages 6-17 years. ITC measures showed prominent ASSRs at the stimulation and double frequencies, without significant group differences. These results do not support ASSR as a robust ASD biomarker of abnormal auditory processing in ASD. Furthermore, the previously observed atypical double-frequency somatosensory response in ASD did not generalize to the auditory modality. Thus, the hypothesis about modality-independent abnormal local connectivity in ASD was not supported.

We explored reading comprehension development in children on the spectrum from pre-school to the first (YOS1) and third year of schooling (YOS3). Children were first assessed on meaning-related skills in pre-school. Forty-one children completed follow-up assessments of reading comprehension, reading accuracy, and listening comprehension in YOS1. Nineteen returned for assessments of reading accuracy, reading comprehension, and listening comprehension in YOS3. Children showed poorer reading comprehension than reading accuracy at both timepoints. Reading comprehension, reading accuracy, and listening comprehension were significantly concurrently correlated. Pre-school receptive vocabulary was a significant predictor of YOS3 reading comprehension. Results from this preliminary investigation highlight the potential for early identification of children on the spectrum at risk for reading comprehension difficulties.

Purpose: We explore a new approach to the study of cognitive effort involved in listening to speech by measuring the brain activity in a listener in relation to the brain activity in a speaker. We hypothesize that the strength of this brain-to-brain synchrony (coupling) reflects the magnitude of cognitive effort involved in verbal communication and includes both listening effort and speaking effort. We investigate whether interbrain synchrony is greater in native-to-native versus native-to-nonnative communication using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Method: Two speakers participated, a native speaker of American English and a native speaker of Korean who spoke English as a second language. Each speaker was fitted with the fNIRS cap and told short stories. The native English speaker provided the English narratives, and the Korean speaker provided both the nonnative (accented) English and Korean narratives. In separate sessions, fNIRS data were obtained from seven English monolingual participants ages 20-24 years who listened to each speaker's stories. After listening to each story in native and nonnative English, they retold the content, and their transcripts and audio recordings were analyzed for comprehension and discourse fluency, measured in the number of hesitations and articulation rate. No story retellings were obtained for narratives in Korean (an incomprehensible language for English listeners). Utilizing fNIRS technique termed sequential scanning, we quantified the brain-to-brain synchronization in each speaker-listener dyad. Results: For native-to-native dyads, multiple brain regions associated with various linguistic and executive functions were activated. There was a weaker coupling for native-to-nonnative dyads, and only the brain regions associated with higher order cognitive processes and functions were synchronized. All listeners understood the content of all stories, but they hesitated significantly more when retelling stories told in accented English. The nonnative speaker hesitated significantly more often than the native speaker and had a significantly slower articulation rate. There was no brain-to-brain coupling during listening to Korean, indicating a break in communication when listeners failed to comprehend the speaker. Conclusions: We found that effortful speech processing decreased interbrain synchrony and delayed comprehension processes. The obtained brain-based and behavioral patterns are consistent with our proposal that cognitive effort in verbal communication pertains to both the listener and the speaker and that brain-to-brain synchrony can be an indicator of differences in their cumulative communicative effort.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore potential differences in suprathreshold auditory function among native and nonnative speakers of English as a function of age. Method: Retrospective analyses were performed on three large data sets containing suprathreshold auditory tests completed by 5,572 participants who were self-identified native and nonnative speakers of English between the ages of 18-65 years, including a binaural tone detection test, a digit identification test, and a sentence recognition test. Results: The analyses show a significant interaction between increasing age and participant group on tests involving speech-based stimuli (digit strings, sentences) but not on the binaural tone detection test. For both speech tests, differences in speech recognition emerged between groups during early adulthood, and increasing age had a more negative impact on word recognition for nonnative compared to native participants. Age-related declines in performance were 2.9 times faster for digit strings and 3.3 times faster for sentences for nonnative participants compared to native participants. Conclusions: This set of analyses extends the existing literature by examining interactions between aging and self-identified native English speaker status in several auditory domains in a cohort of adults spanning young adulthood through middle age. The finding that older nonnative English speakers in this age cohort may have greater-than-expected deficits on speech-in-noise perception may have clinical implications on how these individuals should be diagnosed and treated for hearing difficulties.

Studies have documented the significance of scaffolding as a sociocultural theory driven type of assistance for the development of English as foreign language (EFL) learners' language skills in general; however, the comparative efficacy of various cognitive and/or metacognitive scaffolding procedures for EFL learners' listening comprehension development and progress has received scant attention. As a partial attempt in this regard, this study investigated the comparative efficacy of cognitive and metacognitive scaffolding strategies for EFL learners' listening comprehension development. For this purpose, 90 intermediate level EFL learners aged 15 to 20 were selected to participate in this study. The participants' actual proficiency level was assessed using a sample TOEFL Junior Standard test and relatively homogeneous classes of nearly 15 learners were formed and randomly assigned to two experimental conditions and a control one. The listening section of TOEFL Junior standard test was used as the pre- and posttest. While the learners in both experimental conditions worked in groups of three or four learners on some listening comprehension tasks, the participants of the first experimental condition received cognitive scaffolding strategies, and the second experimental group members were treated using metacognitive scaffolding strategies, the control group members received teacher-fronted non-scaffolding instruction. In addition to a listening comprehension posttest, a semi-structured interview was given to a number of participants of each experimental condition to explore their attitudes towards given scaffolding strategies. The analyses verified that metacognitive scaffolding strategies had a significant superior effect on EFL learners' listening development compared to cognitive scaffolding strategies and non-scaffolding instruction. Furthermore, the analyses revealed that the EFL learners were generally more pleased with the metacognitive scaffolding procedures and viewed them as instructive, innovative, and effective for finding problems, better comprehension and increased readiness.

Background: Dialogic reading (DR) is an effective shared reading technique based on the prompts-evaluate-expand-repeat (PEER) sequence, which fosters children's language development. This study examines the effects of its elements by comparing shared reading with prompts with minimal feedback (PMF) and PEER. Methods: This study included 364 typically developing Chinese kindergarteners and used a randomised control trial design. The children and their parents were divided into three groups, namely, the PMF, PEER and control groups. The children were pre- and post-tested on their language skills and reading interest measures before and after the intervention. Results: Results showed that after a 12-week intervention, the children in the PMF group outperformed those in the control group in terms of receptive vocabulary, character reading and listening comprehension. Meanwhile, the children in the PEER group outperformed those in the PMF and control groups not only in terms of the above measures but also in their expressive vocabulary and reading interest. Conclusions: These results highlight the contribution of parents' questions and the additional benefits of their systematically corrective feedback on kindergarten children's language and reading interest development. This study supports the literature on cognitive engagement theory related to young children's individual language and reading interest development through interactive parent-child DR activities.

The ability to understand listening is an essential skill for non-native speakers of English as a foreign language (EFL). Research has shown that several factors can influence EFL students' English listening comprehension, including the listening strategy they use during listening activities. This study, therefore, used the meta-cognitive listening strategy to explore the mediation role of learning style and self-efficacy in the relationship with listening performance. In this study, 632 Chinese university students participated in a survey and completed electronic questionnaires on MALQ (Meta-cognitive Awareness of Listening Questionnaire), PLSPQ (Perceptual Learning Style Preference Questionnaire), and GSE (General Self-Efficacy Scale). The data were analyzed using AMOS software and a structural equation modeling (SEM) technique. The results showed that students' listening strategy directly and positively predicted their English listening performance. Moreover, students' listening performance was fully mediated by learning style and self-efficacy. After discussing these findings, suggestions as well as limitations for future studies will be given. The findings of this study are expected to contribute to a better understanding of the factors that may affect EFL students' English listening comprehension and inform instructional practices in the EFL classroom. Specifically, the results of this study may suggest the use of teaching strategies tailored to individual learning styles and the adoption of measures to improve self-efficacy of EFL students. Ultimately, the goal of this research is to improve EFL students' English listening comprehension skills and enhance their overall language proficiency.

The present study examines the impact of implementing video captioning and subtitles on listening comprehension with special reference to the speaker's speed. A total of 64 undergraduate Saudi EFL learners were assigned into six groups: fast speaker with full captioning, fast speaker with subtitles, fast speaker with no captioning nor subtitles, slow speaker with full captioning, and slow speaker with subtitles, slow speaker with no captioning nor subtitles. Each group was instructed to watch a video in English under its assigned condition and then answered a listening test. Participants also answered a questionnaire to determine the impact of these conditions on their cognitive load. The results revealed that the group that viewed the video of slow speakers with a caption obtained the highest score on the listening comprehension test, followed by the group that viewed the video of fast speakers with a caption. The group that viewed no caption video of fast speakers obtained the lowest scores. The questionnaire analysis indicated that the students in the subtitle slow group reported using low mental effort, whereas the students in the caption fast group reported using very high mental effort followed by the students in the caption slow group who also reported using high mental effort.

This study aimed to examine the validity of the "simple view of reading" (SVR) model in the diglossic Arabic language. Using a longitudinal design, we tested whether decoding and listening comprehension (LC) in kindergarten can later predict reading comprehension (RC) in the first grade and whether the contribution of LC to RC differs between the spoken and literary varieties of Arabic. The participants were 261 kindergartners who were followed to the first grade. Our results from separate SEM analysis for the spoken and literary varieties revealed some similarity between the explained variance in the spoken (52%) and literary (48%) variety models. However, while the contribution of LC to RC was higher than the contribution of decoding in the spoken variety model, an opposite pattern was observed in the literary variety model. The results are discussed in light of the diglossia phenomenon and its impact on comprehension skills in Arabic, with theoretical and pedagogical implications.

Fun facts--facts that are interesting, unusual, and often little-known--are a popular form of entertainment throughout the world. There are countless books, TV quiz shows (Jeopardy!), board games (Trivial Pursuit), and museums (Ripley's Believe It or Not!) dedicated to trivia and the unusual that fascinate people of all ages. Short oral presentations of fun facts will captivate your students, engage them, and enliven your class. Fun facts can do all of the following: (1) bring fun and humor to a lesson; (2) add variety and provide a change of pace; (3) serve as a springboard for a short discussion; and (4) provide a productive filler when you find yourself with extra time in a lesson.

The purpose of the present study was to examine: (1) the effects of audio-visual information; and (2) the role of temporal measurements associated with the perceptual ratings of fluency, accentedness, comprehensibility, pronunciation, and oral proficiency in second language (L2) speech samples of International Teaching Assistants (ITAs). American undergraduate students randomly assigned to audiovisual and audio-only (without seeing the speaker) conditions rated the two-minute speech samples of five ITAs on a seven-point scale. For acoustic analysis, several temporal measurements were used that were hypothesized to have an association with the ratings. Findings revealed that listeners without visual information judged L2 speech as less fluent and more accented although no significant difference in comprehensibility was found. L2 speakers were also judged to have better pronunciation and higher oral proficiency when the recordings were presented in video mode. The findings further indicated that among the acoustic measures examined, articulation rate was found to be associated with perceptual ratings. Implications for ITA training and language testing and assessment are discussed.

This research aimed to evaluate the relevance and appropriateness of listening texts in Omani classrooms and delve into the connectedness and cultural accessibility of the context of listening texts in an EFL listening classroom environment. It also aimed to explore their authenticity, believability, and cultural values all vital factors in evaluating the listening texts' significance and effectiveness. The data-gathering procedure involved recording and evaluating recordings for listening practice, conducting an interview with Language Studies teachers, and collecting students' feedback on the recording's cultural value and accessibility. Results suggested that students are provided with resources for Western culture and not Eastern culture. The interviews supported this stance as the teachers also believed that there should be more resources for cultural information and societal value. Therefore, it was concluded that research in a foreign language listening classroom should focus on making the lessons more meaningful by exploring the authenticity of the listening materials that give access to the socio-cultural aspect, factual knowledge, and context. Pedagogically, the researchers hope that this study can support the Philosophy of Education in the Sultanate of Oman that aspires for all Omani students to develop themselves in an integrated learning environment that values the philosophy, culture, identity, and aspirations of the Omani society.

This study explores EAP teachers' views of underlying problems in teaching listening skills and the strategies adopted by them to overcome problems at the tertiary level in EFL contexts. The study is based on the theoretical assumption of listening perception processes and its role in language development as hypothesised by Richards (2008). In this instrumental case study, one EAP teacher was purposively interviewed to identify their understanding of the investigated issue. The generated data were analysed following the basic qualitative analysis method. The findings demonstrate that in teaching listening skills both the top-down and bottom-up approaches should be adopted to integrate process-based listening skills teaching, which promotes target language acquisition in and out of the classroom. The findings may make the EAP practitioners reconsider incorporating the bottom-up approach to improve the existing strategies of teaching listening skills at the tertiary level.

In recent years, the importance of listening when becoming communicatively competent in a new language has been increasingly recognized, and authors such as Richards (2002; 2005) have responded to this awareness by producing material specifically designed to meet this need. In order to develop listening proficiency, other authors (e.g. Vandergrift, 1999) have investigated listening strategies. It is possible that other factors might also influence learners' listening competence and their strategy choices. The study reported here aimed at finding the relationship between learners' listening strategy use and listening comprehension achievement concerning their proficiency level, gender, and field of study. The population of the study included 322 university students (99 males, 223 females) at B2 level of proficiency according to the Common European Framework of Reference, who were studying to specialize in Nursing, Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, and Psychology in a university in Izmir, Turkey. Data were collected through a listening strategy inventory applied to measure learners' use of metacognitive, cognitive and socioaffective strategies and a listening comprehension achievement test. Statistical analyses of the data revealed statistically significant positive correlations between listening strategy use and listening comprehension achievement (higher achievers used strategies more frequently). There were also significant differences between listening comprehension achievement and listening strategy use with regard to the aforementioned variables.

Listening to academic content in English medium instruction (EMI) classrooms at university can be a demanding task for students who transition from first language (L1) instructed secondary schools. This longitudinal mixed methods study analyzes data from 316 students collected at the beginning, midterm, and the end of their first semester after entering an EMI transnational university in southeast China. The analysis of questionnaire responses revealed significant variations in students' listening strategies over time, with a significant decrease in deep processing cognitive strategies at the midterm when content difficulty increased. Conversely, two types of metacognitive strategies (problem solving, plan evaluation) increased significantly during the second half of the semester. Informed by Zimmerman's (2000) social cognitive self-regulated learning (SRL) model, thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with 34 participants revealed that students generally developed a more top-down listening approach focusing on content learning over the semester and became more selective in their strategic and self-regulatory processes after the midterm "watershed" moment. Results highlight the importance of structured topic knowledge in EMI curriculum design and the necessity of strategy training in language support programs.

Traditionally, many English language teachers around the world have conformed to an English as a foreign language (EFL) model. In this model, they expose their students to the standard language norms of English-dominant nations, such as the United States and the United Kingdom. However, English learners do not only need language skills to communicate with native speakers from these nations. As globalization, technology, and migration bring people around the world into more frequent and sustained contact, learners also need to be able to engage with other speakers of English as an additional language. Therefore, a more appropriate model is English as an international language (EIL), which emphasizes users' ability to communicate with diverse global English users. To help students develop these abilities, teachers can use diverse listening materials that expose students to varied language models. In this article, we recommend podcasts as a rich source of diverse listening materials. Although we recommend using podcasts in intermediate- or advanced-level classes, with appropriate planning podcasts can be used even with beginner students. Below, we first explain what podcasts are and how they help students develop listening skills. Then, we describe strategies to include podcasts in listening lessons, based on our experiences in a listening course for first-year English major students at an Islamic university in Central Java, Indonesia. Finally, we share feedback from our students to offer recommendations for teachers interested in using podcasts in their own listening lessons and courses.

This paper reports a mixed-method study on listening instructional practices and beliefs of 50 EFL teachers of public and private universities in Cuenca, Ecuador. The study aimed to provide empirical evidence of listening teaching practices and determine teachers' beliefs about listening. Data were gathered through a questionnaire and structured class observations. Results evidenced that instructional practices emphasize task completion rather than listening development, are oriented towards the product rather than the process and lack decoding.

This classroom-based research emerged out of the purpose of the teacher-researcher to improve students' listening comprehension. The setting is an ELT preparatory class at a Turkish state university with 19 voluntary and convenient English language learners as participants. The intervention of metacognitive listening instruction implemented once a week for 45 minutes is hypothesized to be helpful in enhancing listening comprehension and metacognitive awareness. One group pre-test/posttest experimental design was employed to achieve the purpose of the study. In this design, a metacognitive awareness listening questionnaire (MALQ) was administered before and after the experiment. Midterm and final exams served as pre-test and post-test to evaluate listening comprehension levels. The findings elicited from the descriptive and inferential statistics indicated that while students' listening comprehension improved, their metacognitive awareness did not increase except for the subcomponents of planning/evaluation and person knowledge. The outcomes were interpreted and discussed by referring to previous studies. A number of pedagogical implications were also presented.

Pre-service teachers are mostly trained with traditional methods in their institutions and as a result, they do not become competent in technology integration in education. To successfully integrate technology in education, it is necessary for teachers to have knowledge of the content and the pedagogical techniques to teach this content with technology (TPACK). The purpose of this study was to contribute to pre-service primary school teachers' TPACK. For this purpose, the content was selected as listening, the most ignored skill taught in language education. In a qualitative framework, a case study approach was utilized. Eight pre-service primary teachers were selected with convenience sampling from a public university in Turkey. For eight weeks, the pre-service teachers learned block-based visual programming and designed visual and audio listening texts in pairs. Their projects were undertaken with fourth grade students, and they observed the students' interactions with these projects. Upon the completion of this process, a semi-structured interview form, prepared by the researchers, was used to gather the pre-service teachers' views. Results showed that they increased their technological pedagogical content knowledge in the TPACK framework. They also developed a better sense of entertaining, active, and individual learning environments.

The study aimed at identifying the core language skills regarded as most significant in the academe and eventually in the workplace among engineering graduates. The study surveyed tertiary students to identify their perception of the skills needed upon graduation, together with the kind of instruction that would improve and progress the said skills. An interview among chosen professors was also conducted, together with in-class observations to provide more insights on the prerequisites that engineering graduates need to succeed, starting from job applications to full immersion in the field. The qualitative method applied showed that the most significant skills an engineering student/practitioner must acquire according to the survey among students are a) above-average writing and writing laboratory instructions and b) above-average listening skills that lead to an active speaking dialogue. The classroom observation shows that students are not inclined to participate in discussions and the interviews with the professors reveal that engineering students are not very competent orally and thus, speaking in their native language Taglish (Tagalog + English) should be allowed at the beginning until they become proficient in English. A pedagogical implication was provided together with a recommendation in addressing the possible gaps in the curriculum and methodologies.

Research has indicated the importance of vocabulary knowledge and background knowledge in second/foreign language (L2) listening comprehension. However, previous studies treated these two factors separately, and no study has examined the simultaneous contribution of these two factors to L2 listening comprehension. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine whether background knowledge moderates the relationship between vocabulary knowledge and L2 listening comprehension. To this end, one-hundred and fifty-one L2 learners participated in this study and completed instruments measuring constructs of vocabulary knowledge (breadth and depth of vocabulary knowledge), background knowledge, and listening comprehension. Results of the study indicated that, first, measures of both breadth and depth of vocabulary knowledge contributed to the listening comprehension while vocabulary breadth was a stronger predictor. Second, findings of the moderation analysis revealed that background knowledge moderated the relationship between vocabulary knowledge and listening comprehension. These findings suggest that background knowledge can help language learners to have a better performance in listening comprehension tests only if they have high levels of vocabulary knowledge.

In this study, 56 participants' (N=56) perceptions towards dual coding in design of audio-only listening texts (i.e. re-provision of the same audio-only listening texts in the form of audio-only listening texts + keywords or supplementary contextual visuals + keywords at non-initial phases of the while listening stage) in a hypermedia listening application for foreign language learning (FLL) were investigated. The study also investigated whether there were any differences between the participants' perceptions in terms of gender, age, job and FLL period. The study was both quantitative and qualitative in nature. The results of the study were analysed with SPSS (i.e. Mean, Std. Deviation, Independent Samples t Test, ANOVA, Pearson Correlation test, Chi-square). The results revealed that the language learners (LLs) were overwhelmingly in favour of the use of the dual coding in design of audio-only listening texts (i.e. re-provision of the same audio-only listening texts in the form of audio-only listening texts + keywords or supplementary contextual visuals + keywords at non-initial phases of while listening stage) in a hypermedia listening application for FLL. The majority of the LLs believed that not only did such a design benefit them in different ways, but it also contributed to the enhancement of their learning. The participants also felt that such a design could and should have been further improved. Moreover, the results revealed that there were significant differences between the participants' perceptions towards the re-provision of the same audio-only listening texts with keywords, and (supplementary contextual) visuals + keywords.

It is quite important for the individual to actively participate in the educational process during language teaching. It is possible to involve the students in the learning process thanks to the use of various student-centered activities and appeal to more than one sense organ. The methods, techniques, and materials to be used in the language acquisition process of the students also affect their attitudes and self-efficacy towards the language learning process and the related skills. As an important part of the children's literature, tales have an important function in language teaching. In this study, the impact of multisensory learning model-oriented storytelling on listening self-efficacy levels was examined. Experimental design, one of the quantitative research methods, was used in the study. The study group of the research consists of 5th grade students studying at a secondary school in the city center of Samsun during the academic year of 2021 and 2022. The age group of the students involved in the research ranges from 10 to 11. In addition, both individual and parental consents were obtained for the application. The Listening Self-Efficacy Scale was used as the data collection tool of the research. In order to collect the research data, permissions were obtained first from the Samsun Provincial Directorate of National Education and then the parents of the students. Lasting for 5 weeks, storytelling activities were applied to the experimental and control groups. For the control group, taletelling application was carried out through straight narrative technique while for the experimental group, it was carried out through multisensory learning model. Quantitative data analysis methods were used to analyze the research data. As a result of the research, it was seen that the listening skills of the experimental group changed positively. In addition, in the comparisons performed depending on the variables, it was concluded that the listening skills of the students whose father's education level was primary school, whose age level was 11, and whose grades for Turkish lesson were low in the previous year improved at a higher level. According to the research findings, it has been concluded that storytelling through multisensory learning method has a positive impact on improving the self-efficacy of the students.

Researchers suggest that claims about the meaningfulness of test score interpretations and consequences of test use should be backed by evidence that stakeholders understand the definition of the construct assessed (meaningfulness) and score reports (consequences). Evaluation of stakeholders' actual uses and interpretations of score reports in large-scale standardized language proficiency tests, however, remains limited in the score reporting literature. This study investigates how test takers, as an important stakeholder group, use and interpret the score report of the TOEIC[R] Listening and Reading (TOEIC L&R) test. Data were collected from 834 TOEIC L&R test takers in Japan, who represented a wide range of English language proficiency based on their TOEIC L&R total scores. The participants responded to an online survey that asked about their uses and interpretations of the test results and their comprehension of the performance feedback presented in the score report. The results showed that the participants used the test results largely as intended, providing an important piece of validity evidence to support the proposed uses of the TOEIC L&R test. Some of the score reporting elements such as the performance feedback and footnote message, however, were not easy to understand for all participants, revealing a need to improve the interpretability of the score report. The study findings have implications for designing informative score reports and the usefulness around reporting test performance feedback.

This article, by Tomoyuki Kawashima, presents two listening activities, using nonnative speakers as models, that "broaden … students' perspectives on English and enhance their self-perception as future English users." The activities help students understand that everyone, even native speakers, has an accent, and that sounding "different" is usual. As such, "we should not label unfamiliar accents as strange or inferior."

Listening comprehension plays a pivotal role in second language (L2) acquisition, but the process of listening is complex. L2 learners' listening ability is influenced by both cognitive and affective factors. Among the latter, anxiety is one of the most commonly studied variables in the field of education (Horwitz, 2001); however, its impact on learners' listening performance is inconsistent in previous research and there have been contradictory findings regarding whether anxiety levels differed significantly according to gender. To address these limitations, this study investigated the effect of gender and foreign language listening anxiety (FLLA) on listening comprehension among 187 university students in China. In addition, it explored whether there were significant differences in FLLA levels between genders. Data sources included the FLLA scale and the Oxford Online Listening Level Test to measure FLLA and L2 listening comprehension, respectively. Results from between-groups analysis of variance showed that listeners with low anxiety listened significantly better than listeners with moderate and high levels of anxiety. Gender differences were examined in two aspects of listening: listening comprehension and FLLA. Specifically, females performed better than males in listening comprehension, and females had a higher level of FLLA compared to males. These results provide implications for teaching L2 listening considering the role of anxiety and gender.