| Summary: | 碩士 === 南台科技大學 === 應用英語系 === 94 === ABSTRACT
This study aimed to investigate listening strategies used by high and low proficiency learners at a university of technology. It attempted to examine the most often and least used language listening strategies for the non-English major students. Moreover, the differences in the use of listening strategies between high and low English proficiency students and between graduates from senior high school and vocational high school were both emphasized. Finally, some pedagogic suggestions for EFL instruction in English listening were presented.
The sources of data for this study included a listening test in class, interviews, a Background questionnaires, a Listening strategies questionnaire and class observation. The researcher administered the questionnaire of this study to 150 students. The subjects comprised of 5 different industrial departments. The subjects’ responses to the questions in a five-point scale on the questionnaire were calculated and analyzed quantitatively by an independent t-test. Furthermore, the subjects’ responses to four open-ended questions were discussed qualitatively.
According to the statistical results, the main findings of this study were summarized as follows:
1.The most frequently used strategies for the subjects were: I refocus my attention (metacognitive strategy); I reassure myself: I’m ok, I am right (social strategy); I tell myself only to think and listen in English (affective strategy); and teachers’ encouragement helps me improve my English ability positively (social strategy). The least frequently used strategies were: I use visual image to understand (memory strategy); if I don’t understand what someone says in English, I ask them to repeat what they said (social strategy); I make sure I can hear well (affective strategy).
2.There was no significant difference in English listening strategies use between
high and low proficiency learners. However, the study showed that the high-proficiency listeners used more strategies than the low-proficiency ones. Both groups used more cognitive strategies than metacognitive ones, but the low-proficiency listeners were particularly poor at it. Similarly, the subjects would like to get their teachers’ help and encouragement to improve English listening ability.
3.There was no significant difference in mean score of each strategy use between
graduates from high school and from vocational high school, but the results showed that the mean scores of strategy use of graduates from high school were higher than those of vocational high school in every, and overall strategies.
4.Analysis of the interviews revealed that the use of social and affective strategies
helped increase students’ comfort level and their self-confidence to listen to the target language. Moreover, strategies use may ease learners’ frustration that resulted from the use of unfamiliar vocabulary and the speed of authentic speech. Analysis of the class observation revealed that students did not pay attention when someone was speaking English. Students also replied on outside sources such as dictionaries, or other people such as relatives to understand unfamiliar words.
Based on the findings, some suggestions for listening strategy instruction and
listening training were provided. Hopefully, by investigating students listening strategy
use, the researcher may provide suggestions for students and also provide
educators with knowledge about how students learn to improve their listening
proficiency and give educators an insight in English listening teaching at industrial
non-English major level.
Key word: language listening strategies, freshmen English listening,
listening comprehension
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