INTRODUCTION
Rationale of the study
Language serves as a vital medium for communication within society, enabling individuals to connect and share ideas According to Fromkin (2003), the unique characteristics of language are fundamental to understanding what it means to be human Both spoken and written symbols are utilized to convey thoughts and emotions In today’s globalized world, mastering one's native language, along with additional languages, is essential for effective integration into society.
English is recognized as a global language essential for various sectors such as technology, trade, and education To achieve communicative competence in English, learners should concentrate on four key skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing Among these, listening is the most critical for language acquisition and presents significant challenges for learners Vandergrift (1999) highlighted that listening comprehension is vital for effective language learning, as it constitutes 40-50% of daily communication, while speaking, reading, and writing each account for less than 25%.
The role of English listening skills in education is crucial, especially for Vietnamese students pursuing higher education in English as a second language Since the 1900s, the language barrier has been a recognized challenge, and today, over half a million Vietnamese speakers are required to master English to obtain degrees at various levels The increasing necessity of English as a global language has prompted university administrations to address students' linguistic needs, leading to the implementation of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) programs to provide additional support for undergraduates seeking to enhance their job opportunities.
At the university under study, undergraduate students are mandated to complete a minimum of six English for Specific Purposes (ESP) courses during their second and third academic years, designed to improve their communicative competence in their chosen fields.
My motivation for this research stems from my experience teaching English for Specific Purposes (ESP) programs, where I've observed that listening is a critical language skill outlined in the School Curriculum Despite the availability of authentic audio materials and practice exercises, many A2-level Chemistry students struggle with listening tasks in their ESP courses and tests Recognizing the essential role of English communication skills for workplace success, an alternative approach has been adopted, emphasizing self-study in vocabulary, grammar, reading, and writing to allow more classroom time for speaking practice However, online listening practice presents challenges for non-English majors, as they often lack teacher guidance and develop poor listening habits, such as multitasking or getting easily distracted Additionally, the technical vocabulary found in authentic workplace recordings, including names of substances and laboratory equipment, poses significant comprehension hurdles for A2 students, who struggle to grasp meanings without memorizing spellings.
To enhance students' listening competence, I implemented various listening techniques, ultimately finding interest in Listening dictation, a method highlighted by Ms Kettle from the University of Queensland According to Montalvan (2006), dictation engages the entire class, regardless of size, and allows for well-prepared listening passages that can be effectively administered by even inexperienced teachers Supporting this view, Pappas (1977) noted that dictation is an effective tool for improving learners' comprehension Additionally, Alkire (2002) identified several benefits of listening dictation, including reinforcement of spelling and sound correlations in English, as well as the identification of comprehension and grammatical weaknesses, enabling teachers to address these issues in future lessons.
Due to the challenges faced by my students in developing listening skills during English for Specific Purposes (ESP) courses, I am inspired to conduct research titled "Enhancing Listening Skills of Chemistry Majors in a Hanoi University through Regular Dictation Practices."
Scope of the study
This study focuses on the effectiveness of frequent dictation as a technique to enhance listening comprehension among 25 Chemistry-majored students studying English as a non-major Due to time constraints and limited resources, the research does not aim to cover all Chemistry students at the university or nationwide, but rather investigates the specific impact of this method and gathers the students' opinions on its application.
Aim of the study
This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of regular dictation in improving the listening skills of second-year Chemistry students during their self-study in an English for Specific Purposes course Additionally, it explores the students' perceptions of the dictation process in enhancing their listening abilities.
The objectives of the research:
- To investigate the effectiveness of applying frequent dictation in second-year students‘ listening skills in ESP course
- To examine the attitude of the second-year students majoring in Chemistry in a university in Hanoi towards frequent dictation
More detailed explication as how the aforementioned objectives have been formulated and how these objectives can be attained is specified in chapter 3: Methodology.
Research questions
On the basis of the aforementioned aims and objectives, the study is conducted to answer the following questions:
(1) To what extent does frequent listening dictation help to improve listening comprehension of Chemistry-majored sophomores?
(2) What are students‘ opinions about applying frequent listening dictation?
Organization of the study
The study is divided into five chapters:
- Chapter 1, Introduction, discusses the rationale, the scope of the study, the objectives of the study and the research questions as well as the organization of the study
- Chapter 2 is Literature Review which presents all related theoretical background that precedes and necessitates the formation of my research: an overview on listening skills, ESP and listening dictation
- Chapter 3, Methodology, describes the research procedures that have been utilized in the study
- Chapter 4, Data Analysis, contains the core part of the study It presents, analyzes and synthesizes data collected and gives some findings and discussions
- Chapter 5 is Conclusion part summarizing the major findings on the effectiveness of applying frequent dictation in second-year students‘ listening skills in ESP course and suggestions for further study.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Listening skills in ESP
Listening is a multifaceted process that involves paying attention to sounds in order to comprehend spoken language According to the Cambridge Learners' Pocket Dictionary, it entails focusing on someone or something to hear effectively Howat and Daikin, as cited by Saricoban (2006), emphasize that listening encompasses the ability to recognize and interpret a speaker's accent, grammar, vocabulary, and overall meaning.
Listening is frequently misunderstood as a passive skill; however, research by Murphy (1991) demonstrates that it is actually an interactive and dynamic process that necessitates active engagement from students Supporting this view, Littlewood (1981) emphasizes that effective listening requires the listener to actively draw upon both linguistic and non-linguistic knowledge to reconstruct the intended message conveyed by the speaker.
Listening comprehension is defined as an active and conscious process where listeners utilize contextual cues and prior knowledge to construct meaning (Charnot & Kupper, 1989) Vandergrift (1999) reinforces this view, emphasizing that effective listening requires understanding vocabulary and grammatical structures while interpreting discourse in relation to the sociocultural context of the communication.
In summary, the definitions provided highlight that listening is an essential skill for effectively understanding others Listening competence refers to the ability to connect sounds with their meanings When a student listens to a passage, they actively engage their listening skills to comprehend vocabulary, spelling, grammar, and overall meaning.
2.1.2 Listening skills in English teaching and learning
Listening skills have historically received the least focus among the four main language learning skills, often viewed as a passive process However, research indicates that listening is, in fact, the most utilized skill in the classroom setting (Ferris, 1998) This misconception of listening as a passive activity may contribute to its neglect in language education.
Listening skills play a crucial role in language learning, as they provide a foundation for the development of other language abilities According to research from 1991, enhancing listening skills can significantly aid students in mastering reading, writing, and speaking Therefore, it is essential for learners at all levels to prioritize listening in their language education.
In teaching listening, teachers must understand the process of listening Nation and Newton (2009) mentioned two distinct listening processes as follows: a Bottom-up process
Listeners construct meaning from speech incrementally, transitioning from individual sounds to complete sentences, a process known as bottom-up parsing (Cook, 1995) This method involves piecing together sounds into words, words into phrases, and ultimately forming a coherent sentence Richards (2008) emphasized that tasks designed for students using this approach enhance their ability to recognize words, clauses, and crucial transitional phrases within discourse.
The top-down process involves listeners utilizing their background knowledge to predict and comprehend messages, with inference being a crucial element According to Nunan (1999), this process allows listeners to actively construct the meaning of their partner's utterances by interpreting incoming sounds as clues Richards (2008) further emphasizes that the top-down approach includes exercises designed to enhance language learners' abilities to use keywords for constructing discourse schemas, inferring text settings, and understanding the roles and goals of participants.
Internationalization of education, business, technology and industry have led to the development of ESP and thus there emerged numerous definitions of ESP Mayo
Defining English for Specific Purposes (ESP) is a complex task, as it varies based on the learners' specific needs and contexts (2000) ESP focuses on teaching English to non-native speakers for particular careers, such as engineering or medicine, or for specific fields like Chemistry According to Robinson (1989), ESP is characterized by goal-oriented language learning, where students have distinct objectives they aim to achieve Hutchinson and Waters further elaborate on this concept, emphasizing the tailored approach of ESP in meeting learners' professional and academic requirements.
In 1987, ESP was recognized as a language teaching approach that tailors content and methods to the specific motivations of learners A broader definition of ESP was articulated by illustrating what it is not, using a tree diagram of English language teaching that highlights the connection between English for general purposes and ESP.
Figure 1 The Tree of ELT (Hutchinson and Waters, 1987, p 17)
English for Specific Purposes (ESP) encompasses three main branches: English for Science and Technology, English for Business and Economics, and English for Social Science As Chemistry falls under the Science category, English for Chemistry is recognized as a subset of ESP, specifically within the context of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) or English as a Second Language (ESL).
Listening in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and General English (GE) share significant similarities, as both rely on the same cognitive processes and macro skills tailored to the listening purpose ESP listening focuses on developing active listeners who interpret input and seek necessary information (Brown, 1990) Paltridge and Starfield (2013) also highlight the cognitive parallels between ESP and GE listening Both types involve bottom-up and top-down processes and can manifest in various communication forms, including one-way and interactive listening In interactive listening, listeners engage in bottom-up processing by repeating and clarifying messages with the speaker Conversely, one-way listening, such as during lectures, requires active listeners to enhance comprehension through inference, prediction, and evaluation, utilizing their background knowledge.
The key difference between listening in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and General English (GE) lies in the additional skills and specialized vocabulary needed for academic and occupational contexts ESP listening demands advanced listening abilities tailored to the specific requirements of these settings, making it more complex than the listening skills required for General English (Goh, 2013).
2.1.4 Factors affecting listening comprehension in ESP
Many ESP students and foreign language learners experience anxiety and uncertainty regarding effective listening strategies for improved comprehension The challenges they face in listening comprehension are similar to those encountered in general English (GE) learning Key factors that hinder understanding include limited vocabulary, fast speech delivery, listener concentration, memory retention, and background knowledge Additionally, elements such as clusters, connected speech, and various English accents further complicate the listening process.
Vietnamese learners often struggle with English listening due to significant phonetic differences between English and their native language A major challenge lies in consonant clusters, which complicate both speaking and listening From my teaching experience, students frequently misinterpret sounds, leading to misunderstandings, such as confusing "parts" /pɑːts/ with "past" /pɑːst/, or omitting sounds entirely, as in "crips" instead of "crisps."
Listening dictation
As the focus on listening skills grows, innovative methods to improve listening comprehension have been developed In their book "Dictation: New Methods, New Possibilities," Davis and Rinvolucri (2002) present a variety of activities centered around dictation techniques aimed at enhancing listening comprehension.
According to the Oxford Learner's Pocket Dictionary (2003), dictation is the act of verbally expressing words for someone to transcribe In the context of English teaching and learning, Richards and Schmidt (2002) describe dictation as a method utilized in both language instruction and assessment, where a passage is read aloud to students or test-takers with pauses, requiring them to accurately write down what they hear.
The dictation technique is a method that combines spoken input with written output, as noted by Nation & Newton (2009) Essentially, it requires learners to listen to spoken language, retain it in their short-term memory, and then transcribe what they hear (Nation, 1991) This approach enhances listening and writing skills simultaneously, making it an effective tool for language learning.
The dictation process, as outlined in 1971, involves a cyclical method consisting of four key activities: first, reading a passage aloud; second, breaking the passage into smaller, manageable phrases for easier retention, allowing time for writing down each phrase; third, optionally re-reading the phrases while writing; and finally, repeating the entire passage as initially presented.
Dictation is an effective teaching technique that encourages students to listen attentively and accurately transcribe spoken content, enhancing their comprehension skills According to Nation (1991), the success of this method is influenced by three key factors: the students' listening abilities, their proficiency in the language, and their short-term memory capacity.
Dictation has long been integrated into traditional language teaching methods as an effective classroom activity It is favored for its minimal preparation requirements, making it suitable for various group sizes and proficiency levels (Davis & Rinvolucri, 2002) Furthermore, research indicates that over half of European teachers regularly incorporate dictation into their lessons, highlighting its value in enhancing listening comprehension skills.
Rost (2002) identifies five primary types of dictation procedures utilized as testing techniques, with standard dictation being the most recognized among them.
Standard dictation is a widely recognized technique where students transcribe verbal sequences from authentic listening materials played at a natural conversational speed This method effectively assesses students' short-term memory by presenting content in sufficiently lengthy segments Another variation of this technique is partial dictation, which focuses on different aspects of listening comprehension.
Spot dictation is a variant of standard dictation where students receive a written transcript of the text They must listen to the spoken material and fill in the missing words This method enhances listening skills and comprehension while engaging with the text Additionally, dictation with competing noise further challenges students by introducing background sounds, making it a valuable exercise for improving focus and auditory processing.
Students often find it challenging to engage with aural material that mimics real-life scenarios, complete with background noise This type of dictation is beneficial as it helps students acclimate to everyday communication situations where language is utilized in less-than-ideal acoustic environments.
This dictation method merges two techniques: dictation and composition The teacher reads a passage three times, allowing students to write only after the final reading This approach is known as elicited imitation.
This approach resembles dictation by presenting listening material to learners, but it differs in the response method Instead of writing down what they hear, listeners are required to either repeat the material or recount what has been said.
To address time constraints in class and the heavy workload students face at home, the researcher implemented standard dictation as a take-home assignment Initially, students listened to the entire recording, followed by a second listening with clear chunking to aid comprehension Finally, they listened to the full recording once more to complete their dictation tasks effectively.
2.2.3 Benefits of dictation in improving listening comprehension a Dictation promotes short – term memory
Short-term memory significantly affects listening comprehension performance However, dictation practice has been shown to enhance short-term memory in foreign language learners, making it a beneficial tool for improving listening skills (Nation, 1991; Davis & Rinvolucri, 2002; Leeser, 2007).
Short-term memory, as described by Richards, Platt, and Platt (2000), is a cognitive process that temporarily holds information for analysis and interpretation Once the information is understood, it can transition into long-term memory, while the original utterance may fade from short-term memory This suggests that short-term memory functions as a mental process rather than a specific location in the brain.
In fact, dictation can help better short-term memory since listeners are required to maintain meaningful speech in their mind until they can write them down (Morris,
Previous studies
The thesis titled “Utilizing Frequent Listening Dictation to Improve Listening Comprehension of Chemistry-Majored Sophomores at a University in Hanoi” is grounded in a review of previous studies that provide essential support for the research.
The existing literature on the effectiveness of dictation in English language acquisition is limited While many researchers utilize dictation primarily to assess learners' listening skills, others investigate its potential to improve listening comprehension among students.
In Vietnam, most researchers chose to apply this method to high school students or undergraduates to examine their improvements in GE listening skills Nguyen
A study conducted in 2010 examined the effectiveness of listening dictation on grade-10 students' listening comprehension, revealing significant improvement over an 18-week period Initially, only 22% of students achieved a score of 5 or higher, but this number increased to 82.5% by the end of the study Similarly, Nguyen (2017) investigated the impact of dictation on 150 randomly selected students, finding that consistent exposure to dictation led to notable enhancements in listening skills in a short timeframe Nguyen identified five key benefits of this method: improved short-term memory, increased attentiveness, enhanced vocabulary, better note-taking abilities, and a greater understanding of overall discourse.
Despite the growing interest in English for Specific Purposes (ESP), there is limited research on the application of dictation techniques in ESP listening classes to enhance learners' listening skills In Vietnam, the effectiveness of dictation for improving ESP listening comprehension remains largely unexplored, leading this study to primarily rely on international research for its references.
Firstly, Kavaliauskienė and Darginavičienė (2016) conducted a research entitled
Dictation in the English for Special Purposes (ESP) classroom has proven to be an effective tool for enhancing language proficiency, particularly in listening comprehension and self-correction A study involving first and second-year students studying psychology and law demonstrated significant improvements in these areas through the implementation of dictation techniques Additionally, research by Hirokazu Yonekazi in 2014 highlighted the efficacy of partial listening dictation among Japanese college students, revealing that 75% of participants in the experimental group showed score increases, compared to just over 50% in the control group This statistically significant difference underscores the positive impact of dictation practices on listening abilities Furthermore, Fatimah Mulya Sari's research indicated that students’ post-test scores were substantially higher than their pre-test scores, reinforcing the notion that dictation can effectively enhance listening proficiency for ESP students.
The researcher concludes that this study aligns with existing research on how dictation enhances listening skills However, a unique approach was utilized by incorporating standard dictation as a weekly listening practice activity, using gap-fill and short answer formats to assess English language proficiency.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Setting of the study
In the second academic term of the 2018-2019 school year, a researcher conducted a study at a university in central Hanoi, Vietnam, aligning the research schedule with the school curriculum As detailed in Chapter 1, students are required to complete six English courses, utilizing authentic materials created by ESP instructors, including native-recorded passages and conversations The primary textbook for this semester, "English for Chemical and Environmental Technology 4," incorporates authentic resources from four key sources: "English for the Oil Industry 2" (Oxford English for Careers), "Oil and Gas 2" (Pearson), "Environmental Science" (Career Paths), and "Chemical Engineering" (Career Paths) Notably, listening exercises are assigned as homework to prioritize speaking practice during class, despite listening accounting for 40% of the total marks in mid-term and end-of-term assessments.
Participants
The study focuses on second-year Chemistry students in their fourth term at a university, comprising 25 participants—23 males and 2 females—reflecting a typical class size These students completed two terms of General English to reach A1 level (CEFR) and subsequently engaged in an English for Specific Purposes (ESP) course aimed at achieving A2 level At the time of the survey, they were in the second term of the ESP course.
Many students report significant challenges when listening to Chemistry-related topics, despite their proficiency in understanding everyday conversations Additionally, they tend to rely solely on traditional listening methods focused on detail rather than employing effective listening strategies.
The students are consequently free to decide for themselves if they want to participate in the research or not All of the students involved in the study are anonymous.
Research Design
This study utilizes Action Research, involving a teacher and 25 students to enhance learning comprehension The process includes planning, acting, observing, and reflecting, aimed at improving the quality of education.
Action Research, as defined by Carr and Kemmis (1986), is a self-reflective inquiry conducted by participants in social contexts to enhance the rationality and fairness of their practices and their understanding of those practices (p.162) Dick (2001) emphasizes that action research simultaneously combines action and research, while O'Brien (2001) describes it as "learning by doing," where a group identifies a problem, takes action to resolve it, and evaluates the effectiveness of their efforts This methodology is particularly advocated for in educational settings, enabling teachers to improve their practices Furthermore, Hutchinson and Whitehouse (2006) highlight that action research also addresses broader curriculum issues and plays a significant role in the administration and management of school and institutional change.
From a researcher's perspective, action research is an optimal choice for addressing real classroom issues, as it is conducted by practitioners rather than external researchers, ensuring that specific problems are accurately identified and effectively resolved This method emphasizes collaboration among students and between students and teachers, fostering improved interaction in listening classes Additionally, Lewin (1946), the pioneer of action research, outlines a cyclical process of planning, action, and fact-finding, which is repeated until desired outcomes are achieved.
The researcher chose to employ action research in this study to identify issues in the current teaching environment, develop potential solutions, and ultimately enhance both teaching practices and student performance.
According to MacIsaac (1995), four steps to be implemented in an action research are described as follows:
Figure 2 Simple Action Research Model (MacIsaac, 1995)
The action research comprises two cycles, each consisting of five key steps: (1) planning the action, (2) implementing the action, (3) observing the action, (4) reflecting on the observation results, and (5) revising the plan.
(1) Planing the action: a problem or an issue is identifed and a plan of action is developed in order to bring about improvement in specific areas of the research context
(2) Implementing the action: The plan is put into action over an agreed period of time
(3) Observing the action: The effects of action are observed and the data are collected
(4) Reflecting the observation result: The effects of action are evaluated and become the basis for further possible cycles of research
(5) Revising the plan: The plan for the modifications is devised to be applied in the next cycle
The researcher identified a significant issue in the classroom: students displayed a reluctance to listen, which was confirmed through discussions and their previous listening scores This assessment revealed two key findings: first, the students' listening competence was notably low, and second, they lacked a consistent practice routine for enhancing their listening skills In response to this challenge, a targeted plan of action was created, focusing on a listening dictation assignment to improve their listening abilities.
Over a span of 10 weeks aligned with the academic schedule, the researcher conducted a pre-test to evaluate students' proficiency levels This assessment included two tasks: the first task required students to complete five sentences using specific words from a recording, while the second task involved answering five WH-questions with concise responses Graded at the Elementary level (A2 – CEFR), the test was designed using authentic materials to ensure relevance and accuracy The same format was consistently applied across the pre-test, progress test, and final test.
In the first lesson of a 10-week semester, students were introduced to a new listening technique called listening dictation, with clear guidelines on the procedure, instrument, and assessment method They registered for an online classroom on Google Classroom, where they were required to complete dictation assignments related to each lesson at least twice a week, excluding test weeks The dictation materials consisted of native-recorded passages and conversations relevant to the topics covered The dictation process involved three stages: first, students listened to the entire passage without pauses; second, they listened again with breaks after meaningful chunks to write down what they heard; and finally, they listened once more to verify their notes A follow-up exercise, either sentence completion or short answers, was provided to help students self-check their comprehension Additionally, they could compare their writing with a transcript provided in the next face-to-face lesson, allowing them to revise their work, utilize teacher feedback, and identify their mistakes and areas for improvement.
Following is the schedule delivered to students at the beginning of the semester
Table 1 Course schedule for Phase 1
1 Orientation Listening dictation is introduced
Recording: How to Repair Damaged Screw Heads Using Hand Tools
4 Unit 2: PPE and injuries at work
5 Unit 2: PPE and injuries at work
Protective clothing Genre: Short talk
6 Unit 3: Chemical elements, compounds and mixtures (Lesson
Recording: Elements in water Genre: Conversation
7 Unit 3: Chemical elements, compounds and mixtures (Lesson
Recording: Nitrogen gas Genre: Short talk
Recording: Periodic table Genre: Short talk
Recording: The organization of periodic table
10 Progress test 1 (test on listening skills)
In this phase, the researcher gathers data and assesses the outcomes of the students' actions After completing assignments, students reflect on their dictation practice and the challenges encountered The researchers then compile submission times and reflections for analysis Additionally, two tests were administered at the beginning and end of the implementation to evaluate any improvements made.
To evaluate the effectiveness of frequent dictation, the researcher analyzed submission times for listening assignments in Google Classroom and required students to maintain journals reflecting on their dictation practice These journals allowed students to express difficulties and insights, with the option of using their mother tongue to enhance confidence and clarity in their reflections Additionally, the researcher compared results from a pre-test and a progress test to assess the impact of listening dictation on student performance The initial test, administered at the semester's start before dictation was introduced, measured overall listening competence, while the second test, conducted after five weeks, evaluated student progress with the new technique.
Based on the result of the test and what student reflected in their journals, some problems were still found related to action research implemented in Cycle 1 They were:
1 Students‘ listening competence was still low
2 Not all students were involved in listening dictation practice due to the fact that a few of them did not realize the significance and the effectiveness of the new method
3 Most of the students claimed that the frequency of listening dictation practice was still low In the journals, they stated that they wanted to have more native-recorded recordings as the researcher had provided them and they desired to increase the amount of time they spent on listening practice
4 Some students found it difficult to understand the recording owing to their shortage of ESP vocabulary
Following an analysis of the test results, student reflections, and the implementation challenges identified in Cycle 1, several recommendations have been made for Cycle 2 The proposed actions for Cycle 2 will be formulated accordingly.
1 Providing students with 4 listening dictation assignments per week
2 Asking students to highlight the new words in the dictation text then learn them by heart
3 In class, taking advantage of 15 minutes at the beginning of the lesson (normally used for homework or vocabulary checking) to have students discuss and share what they learn from the recordings with their friends
The planned action was adjusted in response to issues identified during Cycle 1, which included low listening competence among students, a lack of awareness regarding the significance and effectiveness of the new listening dictation method, and insufficient frequency of practice sessions.
In this cycle, the researcher aimed to enhance student engagement by increasing the number of dictation home assignments and extending the time allocated for listening practice Additionally, incorporating sharing and discussion activities during face-to-face lessons was intended to boost students' enthusiasm for homework, facilitate vocabulary revision, and assess their comprehension of the homework recordings.
Data collection procedure
This study involved 25 Chemistry majors in an ESP class at a university where I have taught for two years To assess their initial listening skills, a pre-test was administered at the semester's start Following the implementation of listening dictation over four units, a progress test was conducted in week 5, serving as the post-test for Cycle 1 of the research This test aimed to evaluate students' progress Finally, a post-test was given at the semester's end to measure overall improvements in listening comprehension All tests were uniformly structured, featuring two tasks: sentence completion and short answers.
3.4.2 Listening dictation as a home-assignment
In the initial phase of the research, participants completed two dictations per week, practicing listening skills, except during test weeks The dictations were posted in Google Classroom, with deadlines set for Thursday and Saturday After reviewing test results and student journals, the frequency of dictation assignments was increased to four per week, scheduled for Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday Participation was automatically tracked by Google Classroom, resulting in a total of 22 assignments over the 10-week experiment.
A questionnaire was administered to 25 participants to assess the effectiveness of frequent listening dictation, gather their perspectives on its application, and collect suggestions for future experiments, in addition to analyzing the results from tests and home assignments.
The questionnaire is divided into two sections The first section gathers demographic information from participants, including their name, age, sex, and contact details The second section explores participants' attitudes toward the implementation of dictation, featuring nine items on a 5-point Likert scale Respondents are instructed to select the option that best represents their views on the effectiveness and application of blended dictation, with response choices ranging from 'strongly agree' to 'agree.'
‗neutral, ‗disagree‘, and ‗strongly disagree‘ The questionnaire is mainly used to help the researcher to answer the second research question
Each week, the researcher gathered students' journals, which provided valuable reflections on their practices These insights helped the researcher analyze the questionnaire results and offered deeper explanations for the students' responses.
Data analysis
This study applied both qualitative and quantitative data
A quantitative analysis was conducted to evaluate the impact of frequent dictation on students' listening comprehension By comparing students' scores from pre-tests, progress tests, and post-tests, the study aimed to measure the improvement in their listening skills.
Also quantitatively, the answers to the questionnaire were computerized and entered into SPSS statistics software to analyze
The qualitative data from the Journal were collected, categorized, and analyzed to complement the questionnaire findings The researcher adhered to the five-stage framework outlined by Burns (2010) for a structured analysis process.
In this stage, ongoing reflections written in students‘ journal were gathered
(ii) Stage 2: Coding the data
The data collected then coded into catagories
(iii) Stage 3: Comparing the data
Once the coding was completed, the catagories were compared across different set of data so as to identify and highlight the contradictions and similarities
At this stage, overarching concepts derived from the research findings were developed, and personal theories regarding the significance of the research were refined for clarity and depth.
This was the final step in which the ―whole story‖ of the research from the pre- intervention stage to the end was clearly presented.
DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
The effectiveness of listening dictation
To investigate the impact of frequent listening dictation on the listening comprehension of Chemistry majors, the study analyzed students' dictation practice frequency and their performance on three tests Due to limitations in the free online classroom, participation data was manually collected using a checklist, where a tick was placed next to students' names for successfully submitted assignments Test results were graded according to the university's marking scheme, with a total of 20 points available for the listening section, where each correct answer earned 2 points and answers with spelling errors received 1 point The overall score for the listening section was then converted to a scale of 10, with grades categorized as failed (below 5) or acceptable (above 5).
4.1.1 The frequency of listening dictation practice
This article examines the frequency of dictation practice among students, specifically analyzing the rate at which they submit dictation texts The accompanying pie chart serves as a basis for determining whether there is a correlation between the effectiveness of dictation as a tool for enhancing English listening skills and the frequency of its practice.
Figure 3 Student’s frequency of dictation practice
In a study involving 25 students using dictation, 56% completed all 22 recordings assigned by the researcher, indicating that most participants engaged consistently throughout the semester Only 20% of the students, or 5 individuals, missed an assignment, while 8% of students submitted their work 20, 18, and 17 times, reflecting a strong level of participation in the dictation practice.
The data indicates that a significant majority of students recognize the effectiveness of listening dictation, as evidenced by their keen attention to the practice Notably, approximately 75% of students engaged in dictation exercises at the frequency established by their teacher.
To investigate the correlation between dictation usage and improvements in listening comprehension, SPSS was utilized to analyze the frequency of students completing assignments and the corresponding increase in their test scores from pre-test to post-test The findings illustrate a clear relationship between the frequency of practice and the rise in test scores.
22 times 21 times 20 times 18 times 17 times
Table 3 The relationship between the frequency of students’ practice and the changes in their scores
Frequency of practicing Number of participants
The analysis reveals that participants who completed all 22 assignments achieved the highest average score of 2.33, followed closely by those who submitted 20 and 21 assignments In contrast, the average score for students completing only 17 assignments dropped significantly to 1, while those who completed 18 assignments scored even lower at 0.5.
Therefore, it can be concluded that the more those participants practice their listening skills with dictation techniques, the higher marks they would get for their tests
Listening tests, including pre-tests, progress tests, and post-tests, are designed to evaluate the improvement in listening comprehension among elementary Chemistry students These assessments utilize theme-specialized recordings and adhere to the university's specified format, with each test lasting 10 minutes.
At the start of the semester, a test was administered to evaluate students' listening competence prior to the experiment This assessment featured two tasks: sentence completion and short answer questions, with a total duration of 10 minutes and the recording played twice The primary objective of the test was to assess students' ability to listen for specific information The outcomes of the pre-test are presented in Figure 4.
Figure 4 Result description of pre-test
Figure 4 illustrates the independent listening scores of non-English majored second-year students, revealing that 52% of respondents achieved scores of 3 and 4 Conversely, approximately 32% scored below 3, while only 16% exceeded a score of 4 Notably, a significant 84% of students scored below the average mark of 5, which is considered acceptable in the Vietnamese education system This indicates that most students possess low listening competence, suggesting a pressing need for support to improve their listening skills.
Students often struggle with spelling, which is a common mistake alongside listening comprehension Even when they understand the words needed for answers, they find it challenging to spell technical terms correctly For instance, in task 2, while students could identify that the head of a Phillips screwdriver is "cross slotted," many still misspelled it due to a lack of memorization A similar issue arose with question 10 in the same task Furthermore, the rapid pace of the tasks exacerbates these spelling difficulties.
Mark 0-2 Mark 3-4 Mark 5-6 Mark 7-8 Mark 9-10 recording also interfered their note-taking because they needed time to think and recall the words while the recording runs quickly to another question For example, in the 1 st task, students are required to complete 5 sentences with no more than 2 words The gap between question 4 and 5 was estimated 9 seconds, and most of the students failed to give answer for question 5 though it was considered a familiar phrase to them (leather shoes) Apart from this, most of the students admitted that they were mostly not able to catch up with the information in two tasks due to the speed of delivery was regarded as too fast for them
After completing Units 1 to 4, students took a progress test designed with the same format and time constraints as the initial assessment The purpose of this test was to evaluate the students' advancement throughout the duration of the experiment The findings from this assessment are illustrated in Figure 5.
Figure 5 Result description of progress test
As clearly shown in Figure , there were 64% of students gaining the mark of below
5 while the percentage of students who got mark 5 or above accounted for 36% These figures prove that student‘s listening competences remained very low
Mark 0-2 Mark 3-4 Mark 5-6 Mark 7-8 Mark 9-10 of students gaining the mark of less than 5 (84%), there was a slight improvement in student‘s listening comprehension The proportion of students who got mark 3-4 slightly reduced from 52% to 44%, but there was a significant decrease in the number of the ones who got mark 0-2, resulting in the considerable rise in the portion of students getting mark 5-6 Though there was no participants getting mark
7 or above, 9 out of 25 students (getting mark 5-6) were reported to have quite good listening comprehension when they take the test
At the conclusion of the semester, students took a final test to assess the improvement in their listening competence following the experiment This test mirrored the format of the previous two assessments and encompassed seven topics covered throughout the semester The results of the post-tests are illustrated in the accompanying figure.
Figure 6 Result description of post-test
The pie chart illustrates a significant decline in the percentage of testees scoring below 5, dropping from 84% in the pre-test and 64% in the progress test to just 32% in the post-test This dramatic change highlights an improvement in performance over time.
Students‘ opinions on applying frequent dictation
The study explores students' views on the effectiveness of listening dictation for enhancing their listening skills To gather insights, the researcher utilized a Likert-scale questionnaire, seeking participants' opinions on the benefits of dictation, its suitability as a learning tool, and their interest in continuing its use in the upcoming semester.
4.2.1 Students’ opinions on the suitability of dictation application
4.2.1.1 Students’ opinions on their involvement in listening practice
A majority of students believe that listening dictation enhances their listening practice, with varying degrees of agreement Only two students expressed a neutral opinion, and there was no disagreement among the respondents regarding the effectiveness of listening dictation in improving listening skills.
In addition, a student in their own journal in week 3 stated:
Since incorporating dictation into my study routine, I've noticed a significant increase in the time I spend listening Previously, I would only dedicate 5 to 10 minutes to homework listening tasks, which often led to boredom Now, I've invested over an hour on a dictation assignment and even explored additional online exercises The experience has been fantastic.
Figure 8 Students’ opinions on their involvement in listening practice 4.2.1.1 Students’ opinions on the suitablility of dictation activity
Concerning the appropriateness of applying dictation as a home-assignment, students were asked 2 questions in association with the user-friendliness (Question
3) and the appropriateness of frequency (Question 4)
Figure 9 Students’ opinions on the suitablility of dictation activity
The data clearly indicates that many students find dictation easy to use, yet a portion still experiences confusion or faces challenges when practicing independently.
Their journal writing is likely to give further explanation to this result
Despite listening to the recording multiple times as a teacher's guide, I still struggle to recognize certain words The limited time allotted for dictation adds to my difficulties, and I find myself in need of my teacher's assistance to improve my understanding.
Another student also shares the same problems related to her shortage of vocabulary
“I have never completed any dictation tasks perfectly I wish to have a sort of glossary Name of the chemicals are challenging to note down.”
Another difficulty encountered by a moderate number of students involved the facility they need to use
I rely on my roommate's computer since I don't own one myself, making it challenging to work efficiently I listen to recordings on my phone while typing my dictation on the borrowed computer, but constantly switching between devices is inconvenient.
Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree
“Internet access in my dorm was not stable I came to the Internet cafe but I was distracted by the noise surrounding.”
Figure 10 Students' opinion on the frequency of dictation practice
Around 75% of participants agree with the teacher's dictation practice frequency, while others find four times a week unsuitable Those opposed to this schedule express varying views on the ideal frequency, with some citing their heavy workload in specialized subjects as a reason for not having enough time for listening practice four times a week.
By contrast, in some journals, students show their interest to the more frequent use of dictation
“I really want to do dictate listening every day…”
“I wish to get access to more native-recorded listening tasks and do more dictation Dictating 1 recording every two days is suitable The sooner I see my improvement, the better.”
4.2.2 Effectiveness of dictation in improving listening comprehension
According to the results gained from the questionaire, when being asked about their
A significant 80% of respondents, totaling 20 individuals, strongly agree or agree that they made progress in listening comprehension through the use of listening dictation This finding highlights the effectiveness of listening dictation, while the neutral responses suggest that the impact may not be universally experienced among all participants.
The low percentages of respondents who chose "Disagree" (13%), "Strongly disagree" (4%), and "0%" may indicate that slight changes in the new technique are not easily recognized by users, or they may be experiencing confusion regarding its implementation.
Figure 11 Student's opinion on the effectiveness of listening dictation
Furthermore, some students underestimated the dictation techniques by refecting their pesissmism in their own journals
Despite extensive practice, dictation does not significantly enhance my listening comprehension skills I still struggle to answer questions accurately, particularly when they are challenging Often, the words I hear differ from those presented in the questions, contributing to my difficulties.
Categorically analyzing, the results of questions 4-8 asking about students‘ viewpoint on to what extent listening dictation was beneficial to them are displayed as follows
Table 5 Student’s opinions on how listening dictation affected their listening competency
Effects of dictation Mean Ranking
Force listeners to listen more attentively and actively 4.04 2
Strengthen the listening for details 4.52 1
Give a chance to get practice in the sort of note taking 3.76 4
Expand the vocabulary on particular topics 4.00 3
Research shows that many respondents view dictation as a highly effective tool for enhancing detail-oriented listening skills, achieving an impressive average score of 4.52 The listening tests are primarily designed to evaluate the ability to grasp specific information, yet many students find this aspect particularly challenging Consequently, incorporating dictation into listening exercises significantly aids students in improving their listening proficiency.
Dictation practice significantly enhances attentive listening skills, with an impressive mean score of 4.1078 Additionally, it plays a crucial role in expanding students' vocabulary on specific topics, rated at 4.00 Many students acknowledge that the repetition involved in dictation helps enrich their vocabulary, demonstrating its effectiveness as a learning tool.
I faced challenges with new vocabulary, which left me feeling disappointed After receiving the transcript from yesterday's task, I highlighted the unfamiliar words that I had overlooked in my dictation assignment and took the time to note their meanings.
“Amazingly, today when I do the dictation task, I caught the words I learnt from the recording in week 4…”
Besides, a student who used to consider the complexity of the word spelling problematic denotes the effectiveness of dictation on his vocabulary as follows
Hydrogen chloride, sodium, and ammonia are challenging words for me Today’s listening dictation task required me to dictate each of these words nearly three times, and now, as I write in my diary, I can spell them correctly It feels wonderful to have achieved this!
Finally, two less striking effects of dictation in managing listening problems are promoting short-term, and post preparing for the note-taking course with their means around 3.08 – 3.76
4.2.3 Student’s preference of utilizing listening dictation in the next semester
Concerning the students‘ opinion of utilizing frequent dictation in the forthcoming semester, most students report that they prefer to practice listening skills with the employment of listening dictation
Figure 42 Student’s preference of utilizing listening dictation in the next semester
A total of 10 participants expressed their agreement with the continued use of this technique due to its positive benefits, while 7 students indicated strong support for it.
Discussion
The analysis of three listening tests and questionnaire responses reveals that the implementation of listening dictation is effective, as supported by the majority of participants The results show a significant improvement in students' listening competence, with the percentage of test takers scoring below average decreasing from 84% at the beginning of the semester to just 32% by the end This notable progress underscores the positive impact of listening dictation techniques on enhancing students' listening comprehension skills.
Listening dictation significantly enhances student engagement in listening practice, with many students reporting increased practice through this method Notably, 64% of students expressed a positive response to dictation as a learning technique, and a similar percentage agreed with the researcher’s recommendation of practicing twice a week Interestingly, some students even suggested increasing the frequency, driven by their desire to accelerate their progress.
In summary, five key benefits of listening exercises include improvements in short-term memory, attentiveness, vocabulary, note-taking skills, and overall comprehension Among these, listening for details emerged as the most effective, followed closely by attentiveness and vocabulary This finding contrasts with the study by Reza Kiany and Ebrahim Shiramiry (2002), which identified short-term memory and attentiveness as the two most enhanced areas resulting from frequent listening dictation among elementary students.
Last but not least, most of the participants share the same positive attitude towards the further use of listening dictation.