Listening Comprehension in English Language Learning: Challenges, Strategies, and Students’ Attitudes at a Private University
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54855/ijli.25432Keywords:
listening comprehension, language learning strategies, learner attitudes, perceptionsAbstract
This study examined the challenges that English majors faced when attempting to enhance their listening comprehension, a crucial aspect of learning a foreign language. It also examined the strategies they used to solve these problems and their attitude toward learning to listen. The researchers employed both a questionnaire administered to 110 students and semi-structured interviews conducted with six students and six lecturers at a private university in Vietnam. This mixed-method approach was useful for gathering both general trends and detailed insights. The findings revealed common difficulties, including rapid speech, limited vocabulary, challenging accents, and difficulty understanding spoken language. Students employed various strategies to address these problems, including cognitive strategies (identifying keywords and inferring meaning), metacognitive strategies (planning and verifying understanding), and affective strategies (maintaining motivation), which aided them during their listening practice. The study also explored students’ attitudes, which are both positive and negative toward listening comprehension. In addition, lecturers’ perceptions of how students performed were also examined. Overall, the study aims to help lecturers and universities design more effective listening activities so that students can build confidence and succeed in learning English.
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