INTRODUCTION
Statement of the problem
Listening has become increasingly important in foreign language learning, particularly in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Experts suggest that the initial focus should be on developing listening skills, as it plays a crucial role in the overall learning process.
Listening is arguably the most crucial language skill, as individuals spend around 60% of their time engaged in this activity It allows learners to develop a deeper understanding of the language and enhances their overall proficiency Without effective listening skills, participation in conversations in a foreign language becomes challenging.
According to Rost (1994:141), listening is an essential skill for preparing foreign language students and serves as a strong predictor of their language success Therefore, listening is crucial in the process of learning a foreign language.
In the Vietnamese education system, listening skills have recently become an integral part of English curricula across primary, secondary, and high schools As students increasingly aspire to achieve ambitious goals such as studying abroad, passing college entrance exams, or excelling academically, there is a growing emphasis on enhancing their language abilities.
To gain admission to Thang Long High School (TLHS), students must achieve a minimum score of 53.5 out of 60 on the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE), indicating a strong performance across all subjects, including English However, this year's enrollees at TLHS exhibit notably low listening skills, particularly during classes using the “Tieng Anh 10” textbook Many students struggle with listening tasks and display a lack of interest in the lessons, often reluctant to engage with audio recordings This raises the question of the specific challenges these students face in developing their listening skills Consequently, this study aims to identify the listening difficulties encountered by 10th-grade students at TLHS and propose relevant pedagogical strategies to address these issues.
Objectives of the study
The objectives of the study are:
- To identify common difficulties 10-grade students of TLHS encounter when studying listening skills in “Tieng Anh 10”
To assist students in overcoming their challenges, it is essential to implement targeted solutions and provide recommendations for teachers at TLHS By considering learners' difficulties, educators can develop effective lesson plans that address these issues and enhance the overall learning experience.
Research questions
The study aims at finding out answers to the following questions:
1 What difficulties do 10-grade students at TLHS encounter in studying listening skills?
2 What solutions are suggested to overcome these difficulties?
Significance of the study
Recognizing the challenges students face in developing listening skills is essential for both educators and learners The insights from this study aim to equip teachers with a deeper understanding of the specific listening difficulties their students encounter By identifying these problematic areas, educators can implement targeted strategies and adjustments to their teaching methods This awareness enables teachers to enhance their instructional approaches, ultimately fostering improved listening skills among students.
This study aims to assist students in recognizing their listening skill challenges and discovering effective learning strategies By understanding their own difficulties, listeners can enhance their listening practices and ultimately become more proficient listeners.
Scope of the study
In Vietnam, 10th-grade students have access to two types of English textbooks: "English 10" for English-specialized students and "Tieng Anh 10" for those in common classes While both textbooks share similar topics and skills, "English 10" offers more advanced content and language exercises Both are widely utilized in Hanoi schools; however, this research specifically examines the challenges faced by 10th-grade students in developing listening skills using the "Tieng Anh 10" textbook, which is implemented in common classes across the country.
The researcher aims to gain insights into the listening difficulties faced by 10th-grade students at TLHS While the study does not claim that students from other high schools in Hanoi experience identical challenges, it suggests that there may be overlapping issues The researcher hopes that future comprehensive studies on listening problems in various contexts will yield more accurate and reliable findings.
Design of the study
The study includes three parts:
Part one is the Introduction of the study which states the problem, the research questions, objectives, scope, significance and the design of the whole paper
The Development section is divided into two chapters: the first chapter provides the theoretical framework relevant to the topic, while the second chapter discusses the study's subjects, data collection methods, procedures, data analysis, and the findings.
Part three is the Conclusion which summarizes major findings of the investigation, provides implications and suggestions, limitations and suggestions for further studies.
LITERATURE REVIEW
The nature of listening
Listening is an active process that involves analyzing sounds, distinguishing it from hearing, which is a passive perception of sound According to Harmer (1989: 16), listening is a "receptive skill" that enables individuals to grasp the main ideas conveyed through auditory input Moreover, effective listening skills allow learners to adapt their listening strategies to extract both general concepts and specific information necessary for comprehending messages.
Listening is an active process where the listener constructs meaning from the speaker's information, encompassing the understanding of accent, pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary According to Morley (1972) as cited in Tesfaye (2008), listening involves reauditorizing, extracting essential information, remembering it, and relating it to derive meaning, going beyond mere auditory discrimination and aural grammar Thus, while often perceived as a passive skill, listening requires active selection and interpretation of information from both auditory and visual cues.
Listening is a crucial skill that enables individuals to comprehend messages, engage in conversations, and facilitate effective communication Without active listening, communicators may struggle to grasp the intended message, leading to delayed or ineffective responses Furthermore, listening is essential for language acquisition, as highlighted by Rost (1994).
Listening is vital in the language classroom because it provides input for the learner Without understanding input at the right level, any learning simply cannot begin
Listening is essential for developing speaking and other language skills It plays a crucial role in learning a second language by providing vital input, which is a key component of the learning process Therefore, listening is a significant skill in language acquisition.
According to Rubin and Thomson (1994), listening is categorized into two types based on the interaction level: reciprocal (interactive) listening and non-reciprocal (non-interactive) listening Reciprocal listening occurs in situations like face-to-face conversations and phone calls, where the listener actively participates by alternating between listening and speaking, allowing for clarification and repetition In contrast, non-reciprocal listening involves passive engagement, such as listening to the radio, watching TV, or attending lectures, where the listener cannot seek clarification or request slower speech.
Derrington and Groom (2004) identify five distinct types of listening: informative listening, where learners absorb and retain information; appreciative listening, which involves enjoying the content based on personal preferences; and critical listening, characterized by deep analysis and retention of the information presented.
Discriminative listening involves the listener recognizing emotions and inferences conveyed through tone of voice, while empathic listening focuses on the listener's non-verbal behaviors that demonstrate attentiveness to the speaker's message.
Process of listening
Duzer (1997) identifies nine key activities that facilitate silent learning These include determining a reason for listening, encoding raw speech into short-term memory, and organizing information by recognizing the type of speech event and its purpose, whether it be to persuade, inform, or request Additionally, learners predict expected information within the message and draw upon background knowledge to aid in interpretation, ultimately assigning meaning to the content.
To ensure effective communication, it is essential to verify that the message has been comprehended, identify the information that should be retained in long-term memory, and eliminate the original version of the message stored in short-term memory.
These nine activities indicate the interaction of two cognitive processes: bottom- up and top-down In the bottom-up view:
The bottom-up approach to listening involves breaking down the stream of speech into individual sounds, which are then combined to create words These words are subsequently linked together to form clauses and sentences, facilitating a comprehensive understanding of spoken language.
In the learning process, students decode sounds to form words, which are then combined into phrases and sentences, ultimately creating a complete text whose meaning is interpreted by the listener Alongside grammatical structures, elements such as stress, rhythm, and intonation play a crucial role in this data-driven processing To enhance their skills, learners can engage in activities designed to help them distinguish between different sounds and identify variations in intonation patterns.
Top-down processing involves interpreting meaning based on the speaker's intent, utilizing existing knowledge structures in the listener's mind This approach highlights the importance of background knowledge in understanding spoken information, as prior knowledge helps listeners connect familiar concepts with new ones A significant lack of such knowledge can hinder comprehension Successful listeners effectively combine their internal knowledge, which isn't explicitly stated, with external information to interpret what they hear Anderson and Lynch (1988) differentiate between the bottom-up view of listeners as "tape recorders" and the top-down perspective of listeners as "model builders." Thus, it is crucial for listeners to integrate both bottom-up and top-down knowledge for effective comprehension.
Factors affecting EFL listening
According to Underwood (1994), EFL listening comprehension can be hindered by seven key challenges: the inability to control speaker speed, difficulty in requesting repetitions, limited vocabulary, failure to recognize verbal cues, interpretative issues, lack of concentration, and entrenched learning habits Many language learners identify the rapid pace of speech as the primary obstacle to effective listening.
Rubin and Thompson (1994) highlight three key challenges in learning to listen to a foreign language Firstly, speakers often talk too quickly, making it difficult for listeners to keep up; in such cases, listeners should feel empowered to request repetition or clarification Secondly, understanding foreign languages in media like TV and movies can be tough, so listeners are encouraged to use visual cues, teacher prompts, and their own knowledge to make educated guesses about the content Lastly, listeners frequently stop paying attention when they encounter unfamiliar words or phrases, which can lead to missing crucial context To combat this, it’s essential for listeners to focus on familiar segments and continue listening for overall comprehension.
Scholars have identified several factors that influence foreign language listening comprehension Rubin (1994) reviewed over 130 studies and highlighted five key areas: text characteristics, including speech rate, pauses, stress, and rhythm; interlocutor characteristics, such as gender and language proficiency; task characteristics, which pertain to the type of task; listener characteristics, encompassing language proficiency, memory, attention, affect, age, gender, learning disabilities in the first language, and background knowledge; and process characteristics, which involve top-down, bottom-up, and parallel processing, as well as listening strategies and the negotiation of comprehensible input.
Yagang (1994) identifies four key sources that contribute to the challenges of listening comprehension: the message, the speaker, the listener, and the physical environment This study will specifically examine the factors highlighted by Yagang and Rubin (1994), focusing on the listening issues related to the text, the speaker, the listener, and the listening environment The subsequent section will explore each of these characteristics in detail.
Text characteristics significantly impact EFL listening comprehension, as they encompass various elements such as the content of the listening passage, the appeal of the topic to engage learners, and the conceptual and syntactic complexity Additionally, factors like the length and density of the text can influence learners' understanding These aspects are crucial in determining the success or failure of listening comprehension in EFL contexts.
1.3.1.1 Length and density of the text
Learning a foreign language can be exhausting, particularly when it involves long periods of listening to unfamiliar sounds Successful listeners often focus on key words rather than every single word, yet they may struggle to identify these key words in lengthy and dense texts This difficulty can stem from fatigue or a lack of concentration Additionally, when a message is overloaded with information, it becomes challenging to retain it in memory, making effective listening strategies less applicable Shorter spoken texts can alleviate comprehension challenges by minimizing fatigue and enhancing focus Experts like Ur (2005) and Underwood (1989) suggest that spoken language should contain less dense information compared to written language, facilitating better understanding.
It is important to pick topics that will be interesting for students of different ages
Selecting engaging listening materials is crucial for enhancing learner motivation and enjoyment When the content is interesting, it not only captivates students' attention but also encourages active participation in activities According to Underwood (1989), an engaging topic makes it easier for students to concentrate, highlighting the importance of considering learners' interests in educational material selection.
When students engage with interesting listening topics, they are motivated and find the tasks enjoyable, enhancing their focus and comprehension Conversely, uninteresting topics can lead to boredom, disrupting concentration and significantly impairing understanding, as even brief lapses in attention can hinder effective listening (Underwood, 1989).
1.3.1.3 Conceptual difficulty of the text
Difficult concepts can hinder students' listening comprehension, particularly when the material is abstract, technical, or poorly organized (Boyle, 1984) When selecting or preparing listening materials, it is crucial to ensure that the difficulty level aligns with the students' capabilities Familiar topics such as daily life, the environment, and social issues are more accessible to students, whereas theoretical concepts can create confusion and frustration If the spoken text is laden with complex ideas that exceed learners' knowledge, it can hinder their understanding, as these concepts often require prior experiences and linguistic skills that many students may lack.
1.3.1.4 Syntactic complexity of the text
Brown and Yule (1983) highlight key differences between spoken and written discourse that are crucial for EFL listening comprehension Spoken language tends to be syntactically simpler, while written language is often more complex Consequently, if listeners struggle to break down and simplify complex sentences into basic syntactic units, they may struggle to understand the text effectively.
In real-life scenarios, listeners engage for specific non-linguistic purposes, such as communication or entertainment Conversely, in listening classrooms, the focus shifts to linguistic skills, with the primary goal being test preparation.
A problem arises here, however, when the tasks require responses beyond checking the students listening skills Penny Ur asserts:
…[T]asks that involve a lot of reading (such as answering multiple-choice questions) or writing (such as taking notes) have one disadvantage that should be noted
Ur (2005) highlights that even native speakers struggle with multiple-choice listening exercises and note-taking from lectures, as these tasks often prioritize writing skills over listening When the goal is to enhance listening abilities, it's unnecessary to incorporate tasks that require reading, speaking, or writing, which can overwhelm students Therefore, it is widely agreed that listening tasks should focus on quick and simple responses, emphasizing listening skills rather than diverting attention to other language skills Ultimately, listening tasks should be primarily listening-based to be effective.
Speaker factors influencing communication include the speaker's language proficiency, whether they are a native or non-native speaker, as well as their pronunciation, accent, and vocal qualities Additionally, the speed of delivery and the speaker's perceived prestige and personality also play significant roles in how the message is received (Boyle 1984: 35).
Many students have limited exposure to authentic discourse, leading to challenges in understanding various linguistic codes The diverse pronunciations of English across regions—such as British, Indian, Canadian, Australian, and different U.S dialects—complicate auditory perception According to Ur (2005), foreign language learners often struggle when confronted with accents different from those of their teachers, sometimes deeming unfamiliar accents as inferior However, Ur emphasizes that there is rarely a "wrong" accent and encourages educators to familiarize students not only with the predominant British and American accents but also with a variety of other English accents.
The other problem that makes difficult to understand the native speaker English may be the learners past experience of learning Let us now look at how Yagang describes it:
Learners often become accustomed to their teacher's accent or the standard forms of British or American English, making it challenging for them to comprehend speakers with different accents Spoken prose, such as news broadcasts and read-aloud texts, typically features a consistent pace, volume, pitch, and intonation In contrast, natural dialogues include hesitations, pauses, and varied intonation, which can be difficult for students familiar with more structured listening materials to grasp.
Overview of listening section in the English 10 textbook “Tieng Anh 10” 17
of 3 stages: Pre-listening stage, While-listening stage and Post-listening stage
To effectively prepare students for listening activities, it's essential to engage their interest through various pre-listening strategies This includes discussing relevant images, sharing personal experiences, and exploring vocabulary related to the topic Without prior knowledge and contextual understanding, students may struggle to comprehend the listening text, even if the sounds and themes are familiar Therefore, achieving key objectives such as motivation, contextualization, and preparation is crucial before students begin listening Teachers can facilitate this process by incorporating engaging activities, providing background information, and pre-teaching vocabulary using interactive methods like games and colorful visuals.
The listening stage of a lesson is crucial for developing students' listening skills, often requiring significant time as students engage with tape recordings multiple times to complete various tasks Teachers act as facilitators, introducing essential listening strategies and cues to support students in understanding the content, without expecting them to grasp every word While-listening activities may include identifying the main topic, noting key information, answering questions, and filling in blanks or completing charts and maps.
Post-listening activities serve several essential purposes in the learning process According to Underwood (1989), they help assess students' comprehension of the lesson and ensure they have completed the while-listening tasks Additionally, these activities provide an opportunity to explore reasons behind any misunderstandings of the text Lastly, they allow students to reflect on the speakers' attitudes and mannerisms Common post-listening tasks found in textbooks include answering questions, engaging in discussions, and writing summaries.
Previous works review
Research on teaching and learning listening skills has garnered significant attention from scholars Boyle (1984) studied two universities in Hong Kong, gathering insights from teachers and students to identify six key factors that hinder effective listening comprehension Similarly, Bennui (2005) surveyed first-year students at Thaksin University to explore their perceptions of the reasons behind their low listening performance, revealing six detrimental factors affecting their listening abilities.
Le Thi Xuan Anh (2001) discovered that Vietnamese tertiary students utilized "Listening Strategies" unconsciously She identified a significant connection between the students' listening skills and the strategies they selected Phung Thi Hoai Thu also contributed to this understanding.
In 2008, a study investigated the listening difficulties faced by teachers and students using the new English textbook for grade 10 at Que Vo II Upper-secondary School in Bac Ninh The analysis revealed three primary issues: insufficient language background, a lack of essential language skills, particularly in listening techniques and strategies, and inadequate support from teachers.
Phuong (2009) investigated the challenges faced by first-year non-English students at the University of Economic and Technical Industries in learning listening skills using the "New Headway Pre-intermediate" textbook The study identified several contributing factors, including students' lack of experience, ineffective learning methods, poor learning habits, limited background knowledge, teaching approaches, and the learning environment Similarly, Nguyen Thi Mai Trang (2011) examined the difficulties encountered by tenth-grade students at Pham Ngu Lao High School during the listening learning process The findings highlighted issues related to linguistic abilities, psychological factors, available materials, and learning strategies Based on these insights and student feedback, the researcher provided recommendations aimed at addressing these challenges for both teachers and students.
Most research has concentrated on the general principles of teaching listening skills or addressing the challenges learners encounter while developing these skills, along with proposed solutions for improvement While previous studies have examined listening difficulties among 10th-grade students, they were limited to specific high schools and do not represent the broader educational landscape in Hanoi Therefore, the researcher recognizes the necessity of conducting a study within the context of TLHS, where she is currently employed.
THE STUDY
Subjects
The subjects of the study are chosen randomly from 3 classes at TLHS, 10A3, 10 T1, 10D1 The total population is 100 10-grade students, who were the same age
During the data collection period, the students were nearing the completion of their second semester final exams, indicating they had covered nearly all the listening sections in "Tieng Anh 10." As a result, they were likely aware of the challenges they encountered in their listening classes.
Data gathering instruments
This study employs a student questionnaire as its sole instrument, developed through a thorough literature review on factors affecting EFL listening The questionnaire is divided into two parts: Part 1 collects background information on respondents' previous language learning experiences and their views on the significance of listening skills Part 2 focuses on students' opinions regarding the challenges they face in developing listening skills and is further divided into two sections.
The questionnaire consists of two sections: Section A features 20 close-ended questions utilizing a five-point scale to assess listening difficulties, where 1 indicates "Never" and 5 signifies "Always." This scale allows for nuanced responses ranging from "Seldom" to "Often." Section B includes one open-ended question, enabling students to share any additional listening challenges not covered in the close-ended items.
Procedure
There are three stages in the data collection:
Stage 1: The questionnaires are designed in both English and Vietnamese (see
After revising the initial questionnaire based on feedback from a group of 10 students, the researcher conducted interviews to ensure its reliability Subsequently, consultations with three experienced teachers at TLHS led to the development of the final questionnaire, which is structured into two parts.
Stage 2: 100 students were chosen randomly from 3 classes; therefore, it took the researcher 3 days to go to each class First, the students were asked to finish the questionnaires while the researcher went around offering help The questionnaires were answered within 30 minutes
Stage 3: The data were analyzed and contrasted to get answers to the research questions.
Findings and discussion
Chart 1.1: Students’ time experience in learning English
For the question number 1: How long have you been studying English? , among
Out of 100 participants surveyed, 55 respondents (55%) reported studying English for over 7 years, while 42 participants (42%) have learned the language for 5 to 7 years Only 3 students (3%) have studied English for 3 to 5 years, and none of the respondents have studied English for less than 3 years These statistics indicate that the majority of students possess at least five years of experience in learning English.
English is now a fundamental part of education, starting from elementary schools, with secondary school textbooks incorporating listening as a mandatory component of the curriculum As a result, students have become accustomed to engaging with simple audio recordings, including conversations and descriptions of people or objects To gain deeper insights into students' listening skills, Question number 2 was designed to assess their performance, with the findings illustrated in the accompanying chart.
Chart 1.2: Students’ average scores in listening skills last semester
The chart reveals that 43% of students have average English listening scores ranging from 5.0 to 6.4, while 14 students, or 14%, report scores below 5.0 Additionally, another 43% of students achieve scores above 6.5 These average scores from the first semester indicate that, despite many students having studied English for an extended period, they still face significant challenges in their listening skills during class.
Chart 1.3: Students’ responses related the importance of listening skills
The chart illustrates students' responses to question number 3, focusing on their perceptions of the importance of listening skills An overwhelming 95% of students rated listening skills as highly important, indicating a strong awareness of their significance in learning English Conversely, 5% of respondents view listening skills as unimportant.
Chart 1.4: Students’ responses related to the difficulty level of listening skills in comparison with other skills
The chart illustrating responses to question number 4 reveals that 44% of students find listening skills as challenging as other skills, while 38% perceive listening as more difficult Additionally, 16 students (16%) believe listening is significantly more difficult than other skills, and only 2 respondents (2%) consider listening much easier Overall, more than half of the surveyed students view listening skills as difficult.
2.4.2 Students’ opinion concerning difficulties they encounter in studying listening skills
The data is categorized into four key factors: Listener, Text, Speaker, and Listening Environment, as highlighted in the literature review Additionally, specific questions addressing students' challenges related to each of these categories—listener, text, speaker, and environment—are organized accordingly.
2.4.2.1 Difficulties related to Text factors
1 I find listening difficult because of unfamiliar words in the spoken text
2 I find it difficult because of complex grammatical structures in the spoken text
3 I find listening difficult because of the length and complexity of sentences
4 Long spoken text makes me tired and anxious when listening
5 I don‟t continue listening because the information is not interesting enough to me
6 I find listening difficult because of unfamiliar topics/ subjects
Table 1: Difficulties related to Text factors
Items number 1, 2 and 3 are presented and analyzed together on chart 2.1 because all of them are factors related to bottom-up processing strategy
Chart 2.1: Students’ responses related to unfamiliar words, difficult grammatical structures, and complex sentences
Item 1 is asked to know whether unfamiliar words negatively affected students‟ listening comprehension A large number of the students, 87/ 100 (87%), have responded that unfamiliar words is sometimes (23%), often (51%) or always (13
%) a factor having influence on their listening The percentage of respondents choosing “never” and “seldom” are 5% and 8% respectively
Item 2 is asked to know whether complex grammatical structures interfere with learners‟ listening comprehension 26 % of the respondents think that they never (9%) or seldom (17%) face the difficulty of complex grammatical structures The great majority of students (74 %) have responded that difficult grammatical structures sometimes (30%), often (23%) or always (21%) negatively affect their listening comprehension
Item 3 is asked to know whether length and complexity of sentences affect students‟ listening comprehension 89/100 students (89%) have responded that complexity of sentences sometimes, often, always (33%, 34%, 22% respectively) interfere with their listening comprehension
The findings indicate that 10th-grade students at TLHS commonly struggle with listening skills due to unfamiliar vocabulary, complex grammatical structures, and intricate sentence formations.
Chart 2.2: Students’ responses related to long spoken text
Chart 2.2 presents students‟ responses to item 4 which aims to find out if the length of the spoken text negatively affects students‟ listening comprehension when learning listening skills The chart reveals that a long spoken text is a problem to the majority of respondents Whereas 29 students (29%) seemed not to face the difficulty regularly (14% chose never and 15% chose seldom), 71% of the students sometimes, often or always encounter the problem
Chart 2.3: Students’ responses related to uninteresting information and unfamiliar topics
Chart 2.3 illustrates students‟ responses to the items number 5 and 6 It shows that both problems greatly impact on students‟ listening skills The numbers of students who sometimes, often or always face the difficulties of uninteresting information and unfamiliar topics are 89 (89%) and 83 (83%) respectively And more than half of the respondents (62% and 63%) often and always encountered these problems
Listening messages that fail to engage students or cover topics outside their experience can significantly hinder comprehension Research indicates that uninteresting subjects lead to inattentiveness during listening activities, which disrupts concentration and ultimately impairs understanding.
2.4.2.2 Difficulties related to Listener factors
7 At the time of listening I find it difficult to predict what will come next
8 I find it difficult to get a general understanding of the spoken text from the first time listening
9 I find it difficult to recognize the words I know because of the way they are pronounced
10 I have difficulties because the speaker‟s pronunciation is different from what is familiar to me
11 There are words that I will normally understand in writing, but when I hear them in a stream of speech, I find it difficult to tell where one word finishes and another begins
12 I find it difficult to answer long questions
13 I feel worried and discouraged when I don‟t immediately understand the spoken text
14 I can listen to the sounds but I don‟t know how to spell the words
Table 2: Difficulties related to Listener factors
Chart 2.4: Students’ responses related to the skills of predicting and getting a general idea of a text
Chart 2.4 shows a similarity in the respondents‟ recognition of the two problems The majority of the respondents choose the last three columns for both items 7 and
The study reveals that a significant majority of students struggle with predictive listening skills, as evidenced by only 12% of respondents marking column 1 and 2 for item 7, and just 7% for item 8 This indicates that most students find it challenging to anticipate subsequent content and grasp the overall message during their first listening Consequently, it can be inferred that nearly all participants face difficulties in utilizing predictive skills and understanding the general idea of a text Research by authors such as Rost (1991) and Rubin (1994) suggests that a lack of effective listening strategies can negatively impact listening comprehension.
Chart 2.5: Students’ responses related to speakers’ pronunciation
Chart 2.5 analyzes factors related to speakers' pronunciation, revealing that over 97% of respondents struggle to recognize familiar words due to pronunciation variations Notably, 100% of students reported occasionally, often, or always experiencing difficulty in this regard This suggests that a significant number of students face challenges in word recognition linked to pronunciation differences, a point supported by Ur's perspective (1984) Vietnamese students, accustomed to their teachers' pronunciation, may find it particularly challenging to understand words pronounced by other speakers, especially native ones, which negatively impacts their listening comprehension.
Never Seldom Sometimes Often Always
Table 2.1: Learners’ responses related to the difference between written and spoken language
Table 2.1 reveals that a significant majority of students (76%) experience challenges in recognizing familiar words in written form when they hear them spoken, indicating a notable gap between written and spoken language comprehension In contrast, only 22% of respondents report rarely or never encountering this issue This suggests that while many students can identify words in writing, they struggle to recognize them in spoken contexts.
CONCLUSION
Conclusions
1.1 Students’ listening performance and how they perceive the importance of listening skills
The analysis of students' listening scores reveals that a significant number of students struggle with their listening skills, as over half (57%) scored below 6.5 despite 97% having studied English for at least five years Additionally, 95% of students recognize the importance of listening skills, highlighting a disconnect between their awareness and actual performance This disparity suggests that various factors may be hindering their listening abilities, contributing to the overall low scores observed.
1.2 Difficulties 10-grade students at TLHS encounter when studying listening skills
This study aims to identify the factors affecting 10th-grade students at TLHS in developing listening skills, focusing on the roles of the Text, Speaker, Listener, and Listening Environment Data collection was conducted through a questionnaire, revealing a variety of issues linked to these four key factors.
- Difficulties related to Text factors that interfere with students‟ comprehension when learning listening skills include unfamiliar words and topics, complex grammatical structures, sentences and long spoken text
Students face several challenges in developing their listening skills, including difficulties in predicting and identifying main ideas, a limited vocabulary, and a lack of familiarity with the characteristics of spoken English Additionally, insufficient practice time exacerbates these issues, further hindering their ability to comprehend spoken content effectively.
Students often face challenges in comprehending listening skills due to various speaker-related factors These difficulties can arise from the speaker's accent, rapid speech delivery, an unengaging voice, and the presence of multiple speakers in a conversation.
Students face various challenges in their listening environment that hinder comprehension, such as distracting noise, low-quality equipment, and limited time for tasks Additionally, the inability to see the speaker and insufficient class time further complicate the learning process Furthermore, a lack of encouragement from teachers is identified by students as a significant factor negatively impacting their listening skills.
The study highlights that students face significant challenges in developing their listening skills, primarily due to three key issues: difficulty in recognizing words due to pronunciation, struggles with spelling, and the unfamiliar pronunciation of speakers.
Implications
The findings of common listening difficulties faced by 10-grade students of TLHS are of great importance Based on the findings of the study, some solutions can be suggested
Students often struggle with recognizing words due to pronunciation issues, unfamiliar accents, and spelling difficulties, which stem from inadequate linguistic knowledge, particularly in pronunciation and vocabulary Limited exposure to listening skills has hindered their adaptation to the nuances of spoken language To improve, students should actively practice listening outside of the classroom Engaging with English songs, movies, videos, and other broadcasts can offer a relaxed environment for learners to enhance their listening abilities effectively.
Poor spelling in students can stem from weaknesses in English pronunciation or a limited vocabulary To improve spelling, it is essential for learners to focus on mastering English pronunciation and expanding their vocabulary, as these skills are also crucial for enhancing listening abilities.
Teachers play a crucial role in enhancing students' listening skills by providing appropriate exercises and learning materials It is essential for educators to pre-teach vocabulary, focusing on both meanings and correct pronunciations During the while-listening stage, teachers can employ various techniques such as pausing the audio, replaying sections, and offering suggestions to assist students in completing tasks effectively Additionally, designing task-oriented exercises can captivate students' interests and facilitate subconscious learning of listening skills.
Ur (2005) proposed various tasks such as expressing agreement or disagreement, taking notes, marking a picture or diagram based on instructions, and answering questions Unlike traditional multiple-choice questions, task-based exercises offer a significant advantage by not only assessing students' listening comprehension but also promoting the use of diverse listening skills and strategies, fostering a more active learning experience.
Many students struggle with listening skills due to inadequate listening strategies, leading to a lack of general understanding and increased anxiety Effective listening strategies are crucial for success in developing listening skills Therefore, educators should provide clear instructions on listening techniques tailored to various tasks before students engage in listening activities.
When students encounter an unfamiliar topic, it's essential to consider their background knowledge Prior to engaging in listening activities, educators should provide relevant information about the content, context, and speakers This preparation enhances comprehension and facilitates a more effective learning experience.
Rubin and Thompson (1994: 90) suggest that when students face unfamiliar words or phrase they have to “concentrate on familiar elements” and “keep listening”
Besides, teachers should provide background knowledge and linguistic knowledge, such as complex sentence structures and colloquial words and expressions
To enhance learners' listening skills, it is essential to adapt materials by minimizing lengthy and unengaging texts and questions Instructors should focus on aural comprehension, ensuring that listening tasks prioritize listening over reading, speaking, and writing Adapting tasks that feature overly long questions will foster a more effective learning environment.
Incorporating competitive games can effectively engage students and enhance their interest in lessons When materials lack appeal, introducing elements of drama or humor can significantly improve engagement (Ur, 2005) Additionally, educators can modify listening texts by shortening them or editing specific segments using appropriate software tools.
Controlling the speed of a recorded speaker can be challenging for students, particularly when they struggle to understand fast speech To assist learners, teachers can provide opportunities for repeated listening and offer effective listening strategies, as suggested by Rubin and Thompson (1994) These strategies include asking for repetition, seeking clarification, paying attention to intonation and tone, and focusing on question words Educators should emphasize that students do not need to catch every word; instead, they should concentrate on key words and essential information Additionally, teachers can pause recordings to enhance clarity and comprehension for their students.
To familiarize themselves with various English accents and speaking styles, 10th-grade students should engage in listening practice both in and out of the classroom Utilizing supplementary resources like "Listen In" by David Nunan and "Tactics for Listening" by Jack C can greatly enhance their listening skills.
Teachers can make use of the book New Way In Teaching Listening by David
Nunan and Lindsay Miller offer practical strategies for enhancing listening skills in the classroom According to Ur (2005: 20), it is essential for teachers to expose students to a variety of English accents, including British and American, to broaden their understanding and prepare them for real-world listening situations.
Last but not least, the problems of unattractive and confusing voice of the speaker should be taken into consideration for future editing the textbook “Tieng Anh 10”
Many students at TLHS face challenges during listening classes due to excessive noise both inside and outside the classroom, as well as the use of poor-quality tape recorders The average class size of 45-55 students is too large to foster an effective language learning environment, making it difficult for teachers to manage the class and organize activities Students seated at the back struggle to hear clearly and are easily distracted To enhance the listening experience, it is recommended that class sizes be limited to fewer than 25 students, and it is crucial to upgrade facilities for English teaching.
According to Ur (2005: 28), providing immediate feedback on student performance is crucial in listening classes This practice not only facilitates error correction but also boosts student encouragement and confidence in tackling listening challenges Moreover, timely feedback enables teachers to assess the class's progress and effectively guide future instruction.
To address the issue of limited speaker visibility, Ur (2005) recommends prioritizing live speakers and using recordings only for specific purposes If live speakers are not an option, educators can effectively utilize visual materials or create their own visual aids to enhance the learning experience.
Students‟ time experience in learning English
For the question number 1: How long have you been studying English? , among
A recent survey of 100 participants revealed that 55 respondents (55%) have studied English for over seven years, while 42 participants (42%) have learned the language for 5 to 7 years Only 3 students (3%) reported studying English for 3 to 5 years, and none of the respondents have learned English for less than three years These statistics indicate that the majority of students possess at least five years of experience in learning English.
English language education has become integral from elementary through secondary schools, with listening skills included as a mandatory component of the curriculum Consequently, students are accustomed to engaging with basic audio materials, such as conversations and descriptive recordings To further assess students' listening abilities, question number 2 seeks to gather additional insights on their performance, with results illustrated in the accompanying chart.
Students‟ average scores in listening skills last semester
The data reveals that 43% of students have average English listening scores ranging from 5.0 to 6.4, while another 43% score above 6.5 Conversely, 14% of students report listening scores below 5.0 These average scores from the first semester indicate that, despite many students having studied English for an extended period, they still face significant challenges with their listening skills in class.
Students‟ responses related the importance of listening skills
The chart illustrates students' perceptions of the importance of listening skills, revealing that a significant majority (95%) rated its importance as high, choosing values of 3, 4, or 5 on the scale This indicates that most respondents recognize the critical role listening plays in learning English Conversely, a small minority (5%) assessed listening skills as unimportant, highlighting a divide in student attitudes towards this essential skill.
Students‟ responses related to the difficulty level of listening
The chart illustrating responses to question number 4 reveals that 44% of students view listening skills as equally challenging as other skills, while 38% believe listening is more difficult than other skills Additionally, 16% of respondents report that listening is significantly more difficult, and only 2% find it much easier Overall, more than half of the surveyed students perceive listening skills as difficult.
2.4.2 Students’ opinion concerning difficulties they encounter in studying listening skills
The data is categorized into four key factors: Listener, Text, Speaker, and Listening Environment, as highlighted in the literature review Additionally, questions addressing students' challenges concerning each of these factors are organized according to their respective categories.
2.4.2.1 Difficulties related to Text factors
1 I find listening difficult because of unfamiliar words in the spoken text
2 I find it difficult because of complex grammatical structures in the spoken text
3 I find listening difficult because of the length and complexity of sentences
4 Long spoken text makes me tired and anxious when listening
5 I don‟t continue listening because the information is not interesting enough to me
6 I find listening difficult because of unfamiliar topics/ subjects
Table 1: Difficulties related to Text factors
Items number 1, 2 and 3 are presented and analyzed together on chart 2.1 because all of them are factors related to bottom-up processing strategy.
Students‟ responses related to unfamiliar words, difficult
Item 1 is asked to know whether unfamiliar words negatively affected students‟ listening comprehension A large number of the students, 87/ 100 (87%), have responded that unfamiliar words is sometimes (23%), often (51%) or always (13
%) a factor having influence on their listening The percentage of respondents choosing “never” and “seldom” are 5% and 8% respectively
Item 2 is asked to know whether complex grammatical structures interfere with learners‟ listening comprehension 26 % of the respondents think that they never (9%) or seldom (17%) face the difficulty of complex grammatical structures The great majority of students (74 %) have responded that difficult grammatical structures sometimes (30%), often (23%) or always (21%) negatively affect their listening comprehension
Item 3 is asked to know whether length and complexity of sentences affect students‟ listening comprehension 89/100 students (89%) have responded that complexity of sentences sometimes, often, always (33%, 34%, 22% respectively) interfere with their listening comprehension
The findings indicate that 10th-grade students at TLHS commonly struggle with listening skills due to unfamiliar vocabulary, complex grammatical structures, and intricate sentence formations.
Students‟ responses related to long spoken text
Chart 2.2 presents students‟ responses to item 4 which aims to find out if the length of the spoken text negatively affects students‟ listening comprehension when learning listening skills The chart reveals that a long spoken text is a problem to the majority of respondents Whereas 29 students (29%) seemed not to face the difficulty regularly (14% chose never and 15% chose seldom), 71% of the students sometimes, often or always encounter the problem.
Students‟ responses related to uninteresting information
Chart 2.3 illustrates students‟ responses to the items number 5 and 6 It shows that both problems greatly impact on students‟ listening skills The numbers of students who sometimes, often or always face the difficulties of uninteresting information and unfamiliar topics are 89 (89%) and 83 (83%) respectively And more than half of the respondents (62% and 63%) often and always encountered these problems
Ineffective listening messages that fail to engage students or introduce topics outside their experience can significantly impede listening comprehension This aligns with existing literature, which indicates that uninteresting topics can lead to inattentiveness during listening activities Consequently, this lack of engagement disrupts learners' concentration, posing a serious challenge to their overall comprehension.
2.4.2.2 Difficulties related to Listener factors
7 At the time of listening I find it difficult to predict what will come next
8 I find it difficult to get a general understanding of the spoken text from the first time listening
9 I find it difficult to recognize the words I know because of the way they are pronounced
10 I have difficulties because the speaker‟s pronunciation is different from what is familiar to me
11 There are words that I will normally understand in writing, but when I hear them in a stream of speech, I find it difficult to tell where one word finishes and another begins
12 I find it difficult to answer long questions
13 I feel worried and discouraged when I don‟t immediately understand the spoken text
14 I can listen to the sounds but I don‟t know how to spell the words
Table 2: Difficulties related to Listener factors
Students‟ responses related to the skills of predicting
Chart 2.4 shows a similarity in the respondents‟ recognition of the two problems The majority of the respondents choose the last three columns for both items 7 and
The study reveals that a significant majority of students, 88% and 93% respectively, struggle with predictive listening skills, as evidenced by only 12% marking columns 1 and 2 for item 7 and just 7% for item 8 This indicates that most students find it challenging to anticipate content and grasp the overall message during their initial listening Consequently, it can be concluded that nearly all participants experience difficulties in utilizing predictive skills and deriving general ideas from the text Research by authors such as Rost (1991) and Rubin (1994) suggests that a lack of effective listening strategies can negatively impact listening comprehension.
Students‟ responses related to speakers‟ pronunciation
Chart 2.5 analyzes factors related to speakers' pronunciation, revealing that over 97% of respondents struggle to recognize familiar words due to pronunciation variations Notably, 100% of students reported difficulty in identifying known words when pronounced differently This trend indicates that many students face challenges in word recognition linked to pronunciation differences, a point previously highlighted by Ur (1984) Vietnamese students, accustomed to their teachers' pronunciation, often fail to recognize words spoken by other speakers, particularly native speakers, which negatively impacts their listening comprehension.
Never Seldom Sometimes Often Always
Table 2.1: Learners’ responses related to the difference between written and spoken language
Table 2.1 highlights respondents' views on item 11, revealing a significant challenge in distinguishing between written and spoken language A notable 76% of students reported occasionally, frequently, or always struggling to recognize familiar words in their written forms when encountered in spoken language In contrast, only 22% indicated that they rarely or never experience this issue This suggests that while many students can identify certain words in writing, they often fail to recognize them when heard in conversation.
Several factors contribute to this issue, particularly in the context of Vietnamese teachers' approach to vocabulary instruction Typically, teachers introduce new words by writing them on the board and demonstrating their pronunciation This method links students' understanding of vocabulary to its visual representation and the careful pronunciation by the teacher However, students often struggle to recognize how these words sound in natural, rapid speech This gap in their listening skills can significantly hinder their overall comprehension of spoken English.
Never Seldom Sometimes Often Always
Table 2.2: Students’ responses related to long questions
Table 2.2 indicates that a significant 83% of students report difficulty in answering questions that require more than just short responses This suggests that many students struggle with listening tasks that also necessitate writing skills, which may hinder their listening performance This finding aligns with Ur's (1989) assertion that challenges in listening comprehension can stem from tasks that require reading, speaking, and writing skills, rather than focusing solely on listening abilities.
Never Seldom Sometimes Often Always
Table 2.3: Students’ responses related to their anxiety when they fail to understand the text immediately
Table 2.3 reveals that a significant 90% of students report feeling worried and discouraged when they struggle to comprehend spoken text This finding highlights that nearly all students experience anxiety and frustration in situations where immediate understanding is lacking.
It can be inferred that when the text include much information for students to understand, they are subjected to a difficult task
Never Seldom Sometimes Often Always
Table 2.4: Students’ responses related to their inability to spell words
Table 2.4 reveals that nearly all respondents struggle with spelling words they hear, with 97% indicating they sometimes, often, or always experience this challenge In contrast, only 3% of participants reported never facing this issue.
A common issue among 10th-grade students at TLHS is their limited vocabulary, which may stem from various factors, including a lack of word knowledge and difficulty distinguishing between similar-sounding words.
2.4.2.3 Difficulties related to Speaker factors
15 I find listening difficult because of the speakers‟ fast speech
16 I have difficulties because the e speaker‟s accent is different from what is familiar to me
Table 3: Difficulties related to Speaker factors
Students‟ responses related to the speaker‟ fast speech
Items 15 and 16 in chart 2.6 investigate how the speaker's fast speech and varying accents affect students' listening comprehension A significant 80% of students reported that the speaker's rapid pace is a major issue, while an even higher percentage, 93%, indicated that different accents frequently hinder their understanding These findings suggest that the natural speech patterns of native speakers, perceived as fast and unfamiliar by students, significantly disrupt their listening comprehension.
2.4.2.4 Difficulties related to Listening environment
17 I find it difficult to understand the meaning of the spoken text without seeing the speaker‟s facial expressions and gestures (e.g frowning face of anger; smiling face of happiness)
18 I don‟t have enough time to finish the listening tasks
19 I can‟t listen because of disturbing noise (inside or outside the class)
20 I can‟t listen because of poor-quality tape-recorders or cassette-players
Table 4: Difficulties related to Listening environment
Students‟ responses related to the visibility of the speaker,
Chart 2.7 illustrates the students‟ responses to items number 17 and 18 It shows that both problems affect students‟ listening comprehension More than half (58%) of the students sometimes, often or always find it difficult to understand the meaning of a spoken text without seeing the speaker‟s facial expressions and gestures (non-verbal clues) 32% of the students think they often or always encounter this problems From this result, we can understand that lack of non- verbal clues can be a potential difficulty although the problem may not be as serious as those listening problems presented earlier Meanwhile, 76% of the samples mark the last three columns for item 18 It means that many students think they are not given enough time to finish the task and this problem can interfere with their listening in class.
Students‟ responses related to disturbing noise
Chart 2.8 which illustrates the responses to items 19 and 20 shows that disturbing noise and poor-quality tape-recorders negatively affect their listening comprehension Almost all students (96%) confirm the influence of disturbing noise on their listening and 84% of the students have responded that unclear sounds resulting from poor-quality tape-recorders or cassette- players (sometimes, often, always) interfere with their listening comprehension The two problems have been proven in many previous studies and it seems to be true with students in TLHS as well
In the final question of the questionnaire, students were prompted to identify additional challenges that affect their listening skills, leading to the identification of five key difficulties summarized in the table below.
1 Unattractive and sleepy speaking voice discourages me
2 Insufficient listening class time makes me unable to listen well (Some students state that it is necessary to increase the number of listening lessons)
3 I lack of time practicing after class because of other subjects‟ assignments
4 Lack of encouragement from teachers during class discourages me
(The teacher do not usually give feedback or compliments when I successfully completed the task)
5 Involvement of many speakers in the listening text makes me confused
Table 5: Other difficulties reported by students
Items 1 and 5 are problems related to Speaker Factors, while items 2 and 4 contribute to Listening Environment Factors, and the difficulty in item 3 comes from Listeners themselves All the difficulties listed, in fact, still belong to the four factors discussed in the study
The challenges faced by 10th-grade students at TLHS in developing listening skills while using "Tieng Anh 10" can be traced back to four key factors: the Text, the Listener, the Speaker, and the Listening Environment.
The study highlights four key factors—Text factors, Speaker factors, Listener factors, and Listening environment—that impact the listening skills of 10th-grade students at TLHS Notably, the majority of students encounter challenges related to Listener factors A total of 20 difficulties identified through a questionnaire have been categorized and ranked, as shown in the accompanying table, along with five additional issues reported by students, marked with an asterisk to indicate they are unranked.
Difficulties related to Text factors
1 I find listening difficult because of unfamiliar words in the spoken text
2 I find it difficult because of complex grammatical structures in the spoken text
3 I find listening difficult because of the length and complexity of sentences
4 Long spoken text makes me tired and anxious when listening
5 I don‟t continue listening because the information is not interesting enough to me
6 I find listening difficult because of unfamiliar topics/ subjects
Difficulties related to Listener factors
7 At the time of listening I find it difficult to predict what will come next
8 I find it difficult to get a general understanding of the spoken text from the first time listening
9 I find it difficult to recognize the words I know because of the way they are pronounced
10 I have difficulties because the speaker‟s pronunciation is different from what is familiar to me
11 There are words that I will normally understand in writing, but when I hear them in a stream of speech, I find it difficult to tell where one word finishes and another begins
12 I find it difficult to answer long questions 83 13 th
13 I feel worried and discouraged when I don‟t immediately understand the spoken text
14 I can listen to the sounds but I don‟t know how to spell the words
* I lack of time practicing after class because of other subjects‟ assignments.
Difficulties related to Speaker factors
15 I find listening difficult because of the speaker‟s fast speech 80 15 th
16 I have difficulties because the speaker‟s accent is different from what is familiar to me
* Unattractive and sleepy speaking voice discourages me
* Involvement of many speakers in the listening text makes me confused
Difficulties related to Listening environment
17 I find it difficult to understand the meaning of the spoken text without seeing the speaker‟s facial expressions and gestures (e.g frowning face of anger; smiling face of happiness)
18 I don‟t have enough time to finish the listening tasks 76 16 th
19 I can‟t listen because of disturbing noise (inside or outside the class)
20 I can‟t listen because of poor quality tape-recorders or cassette-players
* Insufficient listening class time makes me unable to listen well
* Lack of encouragement from teachers during class discourages me.
Table 6: A summary of listening difficulties faced by students
1.1 Students’ listening performance and how they perceive the importance of listening skills
The analysis of student listening scores reveals a concerning trend, with over half (57%) of students achieving scores below 6.5 despite nearly all (97%) having studied English for at least five years This gap is particularly striking given that 95% of students recognize the importance of listening skills These low scores suggest that many students struggle with listening abilities, indicating the presence of various factors that negatively impact their listening skills.
1.2 Difficulties 10-grade students at TLHS encounter when studying listening skills
This study aims to identify the factors affecting 10th-grade students at TLHS in developing their listening skills, focusing on the roles of the Text, Speaker, Listener, and Listening Environment Data was gathered through a questionnaire, revealing a variety of challenges linked to these four key factors.
- Difficulties related to Text factors that interfere with students‟ comprehension when learning listening skills include unfamiliar words and topics, complex grammatical structures, sentences and long spoken text
Students face several challenges that hinder their listening comprehension skills, including difficulties in predicting content and identifying main ideas, a limited vocabulary, and unfamiliarity with the characteristics of spoken English Additionally, insufficient practice time is identified as a significant factor negatively impacting their listening abilities.
Students often face challenges in developing listening skills due to various speaker factors These include the speaker's accent, rapid speech delivery, an unappealing voice, and the presence of multiple speakers in a conversation These elements can significantly hinder comprehension and affect the overall learning experience.
Students face several challenges in their listening environment that hinder their comprehension of listening skills Key issues include disruptive noise, low-quality audio equipment, insufficient time to complete tasks, and poor visibility of the speaker Additionally, students identify limited class time and a lack of encouragement from teachers as significant factors that negatively impact their listening abilities.
The study highlights that students face significant challenges in developing their listening skills, primarily due to three key issues: difficulty in recognizing words because of pronunciation, struggles with spelling, and confusion caused by unfamiliar pronunciations from speakers.
The findings of common listening difficulties faced by 10-grade students of TLHS are of great importance Based on the findings of the study, some solutions can be suggested
Students often struggle with recognizing words due to pronunciation difficulties, unfamiliar accents, and spelling challenges, which stem from inadequate linguistic knowledge, particularly in pronunciation and vocabulary Limited exposure to listening skills has hindered their familiarity with spoken language To improve, it is essential for students to practice listening outside of class Engaging with English songs, movies, videos, and broadcasts offers a relaxed environment for learners to enhance their listening abilities effectively.
Students may struggle with spelling due to difficulties in English pronunciation or a limited vocabulary To improve their spelling, it is essential for learners to focus on mastering English pronunciation and expanding their vocabulary, as these skills also play a crucial role in enhancing listening abilities.
Teachers play a crucial role in enhancing students' listening skills by providing appropriate exercises and learning materials It is essential for educators to pre-teach vocabulary, focusing on both meanings and accurate pronunciation During the while-listening stage, various techniques such as pausing the audio, replaying sections, and offering suggestions can support students in completing their tasks effectively Additionally, designing task-oriented exercises can capture students' interest and facilitate subconscious learning of listening skills.
Ur (2005) proposed various tasks such as expressing agreement or disagreement, taking notes, marking a picture or diagram based on instructions, and answering questions Unlike traditional multiple-choice questions, task-based exercises offer significant advantages by not only assessing students' listening comprehension but also promoting the use of diverse listening skills and strategies, fostering a more active learning experience.