R ATIONALE OF THE STUDY
English serves as a vital international language in today's global economy, with standardized tests like TOEIC, TOEFL, and IELTS serving as essential indicators of English proficiency Among these, the TOEIC test is particularly valued, as many companies mandate TOEIC certificates as a key qualification for their employees.
Many colleges and universities, including TUEBA, utilize the TOEIC test to assess students' English proficiency, appropriately place them in classes, and calculate credits based on test results at the end of each course A minimum TOEIC score of 450 is essential for graduation requirements Among the various skills evaluated, listening remains the most challenging for second language learners, a trend that is evident among my students at TUEBA.
As an English teacher at TUEBA, I have observed that students often struggle the most with listening skills, resulting in lower TOEIC listening scores compared to other areas To address this challenge, I plan to conduct a study titled “Difficulties Encountered in the TOEIC Listening Test by Second-Year Students at the University of Economics and Business Administration, Thai Nguyen University,” aimed at identifying and resolving these issues.
O BJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
This study aims to explore the listening comprehension challenges faced by second-year students at the University of Economics and Business Administration, Thai Nguyen University It seeks to identify the underlying factors contributing to these difficulties and to propose effective solutions to assist students in overcoming them.
2 problems To that end, the study seeks answers to the following research questions:
1 What difficulties do the second-year students at TUEBA face in the TOEIC listening test?
3 What strategies do these students often apply when taking TOEIC listening test?
S IGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study investigates the challenges faced by sophomores in the TOEIC listening test and their strategies for enhancing their scores Additionally, it aims to assist TUEBA teachers in selecting effective techniques for teaching TOEIC listening.
S COPE OF THE STUDY
This study primarily analyzes data gathered from TOEIC listening test papers and survey questionnaires administered to students at the University of Economics and Business Administration, Thai Nguyen University.
M ETHODS OF THE STUDY
The study utilized both quantitative and qualitative methods, with a primary focus on quantitative analysis It involved examining students' TOEIC listening test papers to assess their current performance and identify challenging areas Additionally, supplementary data was gathered through surveys, informal interviews, and discussions with TOEIC learners at TUEBA.
O RGANIZATION OF THE THESIS
This thesis consists of three parts:
This study provides a comprehensive overview, detailing the rationale, aims, methodology, and structure of the thesis It is divided into two main parts: the introduction, which outlines the foundational aspects of the research, and the development section, consisting of four chapters that delve deeper into the subject matter.
Chapter 1 – Literature Review establishes the theoretical background of the
This research focuses on listening comprehension and provides an overview of TOEIC listening comprehension tests Chapter 2, Methodology, details the participants' background, the data collection instrument utilized, and the procedures followed for gathering data.
Chapter 3 – Findings and Discussion presents a detailed analysis of the data and a comprehensive exploration of the study's findings, including explanations and interpretations.
Part C: Conclusion In this part, the limitations and some recommendations for further research are provided
The Appendices lie on the last part of the study, following the References
LITERATURE REVIEW
T HEORETICAL BACKGROUND TO LISTENING COMPREHENSION
1.1.1.1 Definition of listening comprehension strategy
Listening strategies are techniques or activities that contribute directly to the comprehension and recall of listening input (Rubin, 1981)
Listening strategies can be classified on the basis of how the listener processes the input
For learners, one of the methods learners can become actively involved in controlling their own learning is by using strategies Vandergrift (1999) showed
Effective strategy development is crucial for listening training, as it empowers learners to consciously guide and assess their comprehension and responses A study by O'Malley et al (1985) found that high school ESL students who received training in learning strategies for vocabulary, listening, and speaking tasks demonstrated improved performance in integrative language tasks Additionally, Nakata (1999) examined the impact of listening strategy training on Japanese EFL learners and discovered that the benefits were more evident in listening perception than in overall comprehension.
O'Malley and Chamot (1990) identified three primary listening strategies: metacognitive, cognitive, and social Metacognitive strategies involve self-regulated learning, encompassing planning, monitoring, and evaluating one's listening process For instance, when employing metacognitive planning strategies, learners define the objectives of a listening task and focus on key language elements or contextual details that enhance comprehension (Vandergrift, 1999).
Cognitive strategies play a crucial role in understanding and storing information in working or long-term memory for future retrieval These strategies are examined through bottom-up and top-down processing Bottom-up processing involves analyzing incoming data at successive levels—starting from sounds to words—as a means of decoding the message Effective listeners utilize their prior knowledge to form hypotheses about a text, integrating new information and adjusting their interpretations as needed Conversely, top-down processing emphasizes predicting meaning from context Research by Chiu (2006) suggests that listening comprehension involves a combination of both processing types Lu (2008) supports this view, noting that listeners employ both bottom-up and top-down models Furthermore, Thompson & Rubin (1996) demonstrated that metacognitive and cognitive strategy instruction significantly enhances listening comprehension among American university students learning Russian, particularly for those who received guidance while engaging with video-recorded texts.
Social and affective strategies, as defined by Vandergrift (2003), are techniques that listeners employ to collaborate, verify understanding, and alleviate anxiety Habte-Gabr (2006) emphasized that these socio-affective strategies are non-academic and focus on enhancing learning through empathy between instructors and students, while also considering emotions and attitudes (Oxford, 1990) It is crucial for listeners to learn how to manage anxiety and build confidence in their learning process.
Listening tasks play a crucial role in enhancing personal motivation and improving listening competence (Vandergrift, 1997) O'Malley and Chamot (2001) identify four management strategies for listening comprehension: social, cognitive, affective, and metacognitive Among these, social and affective strategies have a direct impact on the learning environment.
According to Hedge (2000), listening strategies can be categorized into top-down and bottom-up approaches Top-down strategies are listener-centered, relying on the listener's background knowledge, context, text type, and language expectations to comprehend and anticipate information These strategies include key activities such as identifying the main idea, making predictions, drawing inferences, and summarizing content.
Bottom-up strategies in listening comprehension focus on text-based elements, where the listener uses their language knowledge, such as sounds, vocabulary, and grammar, to derive meaning These strategies involve techniques like listening for specific details, identifying cognates, and recognizing patterns in word order.
Listening comprehension involves two primary processes: bottom-up and top-down processing Bottom-up processing focuses on individual phonological units, progressing hierarchically from vocabulary to larger structures to derive meaning In contrast, top-down processing utilizes background knowledge, context, and expectations to aid understanding Ultimately, effective listening comprehension is an interactive blend of both processes, integrating linguistic cues and real-world information.
1.1.3 Potential problems in listening comprehension
Underwood (1989) suggests seven potential problems that could hinder listening comprehension
First, “many language learners believe that the greatest difficulty with listening comprehension, as opposed to remind comprehension, is that listener cannot control how quickly a speaker speaks” (Underwood, 1989, p.16)
Learners may not always have the opportunity for repetition, making it challenging for teachers to assess their understanding of specific content According to Underwood (1989), this difficulty in gauging comprehension can hinder effective teaching.
A limited vocabulary can significantly hinder listening comprehension, as learners may pause to understand unfamiliar words, causing them to miss subsequent parts of the conversation.
Fourth, listeners may not recognize the signals that the speaker is using to move from one point to another, give an example, or repeat a point
Listening to a foreign language can be quite difficult for many individuals While an engaging topic can help listeners maintain their focus, the challenge increases significantly when they must exert considerable effort to understand the speaker's intended meaning.
In the classroom, students develop learning habits that prioritize understanding the meaning of every word When they encounter unfamiliar terms, they often experience anxiety, which can lead to discouragement if they cannot grasp the definitions.
Last, comprehension problems arise when students lack contextual knowledge Listeners from different cultural backgrounds can also misinterpret nonverbal cues like tone of voice.
TOEIC TEST
1.2.1 Overview of the TOEIC test
The TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication) test is an English language proficiency test for people whose native language is not English It
8 measures the everyday English skills of people working in an international environment
TOEIC test scores reflect an individual's ability to effectively communicate in English within a global work environment This assessment focuses on practical English used in daily professional interactions, without necessitating specialized knowledge or advanced vocabulary.
The TOEIC test is the premier assessment of English language skills in professional settings, utilized by numerous corporations globally Each year, over 5 million individuals participate in this widely recognized test, highlighting its significance in measuring workplace communication proficiency.
The TOEIC is a traditional two-hour paper-and-pencil exam featuring 200 multiple-choice questions divided into Listening and Reading sections Each section receives a scaled score between 5 and 495, while the total score ranges from 10 to 990 The Listening section evaluates comprehension of spoken English, while the Reading section assesses understanding of written English.
TOEIC TEST NEW TOEIC TEST
Listening Comprehension: 100 items Listening Comprehension: 100 items Photographs: 20 questions Photographs: 10 questions
Question-Response: 30 questions Question-Response: 30 questions
Short Conversations: 30 questions; 30 conversations with 1 question each
Conversations: 30 questions; 10 conversations with 3 questions each Talks: 20 questions Talks: 30 questions; 10 talks with 3 questions each
TOEIC TEST NEW TOEIC TEST
Reading Comprehension: 100 items Reading Comprehension: 100 items Incomplete sentences: 40 questions Incomplete sentences: 40 questions Error Recognition: 20 questions Text Completion: 12 questions
Single Passages: 28 questions; 7-10 reading texts with 2-5 questions each Double passages: 20 questions; 4 pairs of reading texts with 5 questions per pair
The main objective of the test is to assess employee proficiency levels to aid in human resource planning and development within business, industry, and commerce sectors Additionally, the test creators prioritize factors that enhance the effectiveness of this evaluation.
International English refers to the form of English used by non-native speakers when communicating with both native speakers and other non-native speakers, transcending the distinctions of American and British English.
The entire listening test, which lasts approximately 45 minutes, is broken up into four main parts with various lengths and structures
In Part 1 of the exam, candidates will view a photograph depicting either people or objects and listen to four descriptive statements They must choose the statement that most accurately describes the image The challenges in this section may arise from similar-sounding words, related vocabulary, misleading inferences, irrelevant terms, and incorrect details.
A There is a telephone on the woman‟s desk
B The woman is sitting behind the computer
C The woman is inside a store
D There are a lot of papers on the desk
(Example taken from Ann Taylor, TOEIC Analysis, P.9)
Part 2: Question- Response (approximately 15 minutes)
In Part 2 of the assessment, candidates will encounter 30 questions or statements related to time, people, opinions, choices, suggestions, reasons, or locations Each question offers three potential responses, and candidates must select the most appropriate answer The questions typically fall into two categories: interrogative questions that begin with words like Who, Whom, Which, Where, When, Why, and How, and non-interrogative questions that utilize forms of Be/Do and auxiliary verbs.
When addressing various question types such as tag questions, alternative questions, or suggestions, individuals may encounter challenges due to several factors These include incorrect verb tense usage, inappropriate responses to the specific question types, confusion from similar-sounding words with different meanings, the presence of repeated words, contextually misused terms, and homophones.
For example: Where‟s the best place to take a client for lunch?
A I usually go to the café on the corner (Correct answer)
B I never eat lunch (Words used in different context, repeated words)
C Yes, but I have no clients this week (Inappropriate response to the type of question, words used in different context, repeated words)
(Example taken from Ann Taylor, TOEIC Analysis, P.35)
Part 3 of the TOEIC tests the ability to understand and interpret spoken English well enough to recognize both general and specific information in short conversations Examinees will hear 10 conversations between two people at the office After each conversation, they are asked to answer three questions about what the speakers say The questions often ask about the general idea of the conversation and students will be asked to identify an activity, a relationship, a location or an opinion of the speakers Similar to part 2, some signals should be considered, including:
● Words in a different context or a different meaning
Man: Has the copier at the reception desk been fixed yet?
Woman: No I called the technician, but he can‟t make it out here until next Monday at the earliest
Man: We have a meeting on Friday, though We can‟t do our presentation unless everyone has copies of our work
Woman: We‟ll have to get them done by a professional I‟ll run to the copy shop tomorrow
It‟ll cost a little extra money, but we won‟t have to delay our presentation
1 What problem are the speakers discussing?
2 When is the speakers‟ meeting?
(A) This afternoon (B) Tomorrow (C) This Friday (D) Next Monday
3 What will the speakers probably do next?
(Extracted from Skills for the TOEIC test listening and reading, p 44)
Part 4: Talks (30 questions - approximately 15 minutes)
Part 4 of the TOEIC assesses your comprehension of extended spoken English, featuring talks that typically range from 35 to 150 words This section primarily includes commercial advertisements, public service announcements, news stories, and language relevant to business contexts.
This section includes four types of questions: Main Idea Questions, Fact and Detail Questions, Cause and Effect Questions, and Inference Questions The strategies for answering these questions are consistent with those used in Part 3.
Welcome aboard Flight 83 to Los Angeles, where our journey will take just under four hours, arriving at Los Angeles International Airport at 11:00 AM local time With clear skies ahead, passengers can enjoy stunning views of the Rocky Mountains and other notable sights, which will be highlighted during the flight In about an hour, an in-flight movie will be shown for your entertainment, and shortly, the flight attendants will begin serving beverages Sit back, relax, and enjoy your trip!
2 How long will the trip take?
(A) Three hours (B) A little less than four hours
(C) A little more than four hours
(A) There will be a sightseeing trip
(C) The plane will be serviced
The TOEIC Listening Test consists of four sections: Photographs, Question and Response, Conversations, and Talks, each requiring specific strategies for success According to Lougheed (2009:3-52), three key strategies are essential for effectively tackling the Listening Comprehension Test, particularly in the Photographs section.
The strategies in Question and Response are
1 Distinguishing Wh- and Yes/No Questions,
The Strategies in Conversations are
1 Listening for the Main Idea,
The strategies in Talks are
1 Listening for Answer to Wh-Questions,
2 Following the Questions Chronologically and
Arbogast (2001:47-92) also states some strategies in TOEIC Listening Comprehension The strategies in Photographs are
1 Take a quick look at the photograph before you hear the four statements,
2 Pay attention to similar-sounding words with different meanings, and
3 Listen carefully to each complete statement about the photograph
The strategies in Question and Response are
1 Focus on the purpose of the question,
3 Pay close attention to words that sound alike
The Strategies in Conversations are
2 Try to imagine the setting of the conversation and who is speaking,
3 Look at all four choices carefully before answering
The strategies in Talk are
2 Listen to the whole talk before trying to answer the questions,
3 Pay special attention to the introduction and the first part of the talk.
R ELATED STUDIES OF LISTENING COMPREHENSION AND TOEIC LISTENING 14
Countries increasingly recognize TOEIC as a key foreign language certification that validates language proficiency in global work settings This growing relevance has spurred numerous studies on TOEIC teaching and learning worldwide Notably, Xizuka's research published in the JLTA13 magazine examined the influence of various listening strategies on the TOEIC listening section Additionally, Yi-Ching Pan's 2010 study, "Enhancing Student's Communicative Competency and Test Taking Skills Through TOEIC Preparatory Materials," provided educators with diverse interactive activities aimed at improving students' English proficiency and test-taking skills for the TOEIC listening and reading assessments.
In a study conducted by Nguyen (2010) on the challenges of teaching and learning English at a high school in Hanoi, significant difficulties faced by grade 10 students in developing their listening skills were identified The researcher concluded that the assessment methodology primarily emphasizes grammar and vocabulary, leading to inadequate listening strategies, such as the tendency to focus on understanding every single word rather than comprehending the overall message Additionally, students' psychological state during tests negatively impacts their listening performance.
In a study by Nhu (2012) on common errors made by pre-intermediate students in the TOEIC listening test, three frequent issues were identified: (1) confusion caused by homophones, (2) challenges arising from varying voices, accents, and intonations, and (3) limitations related to language proficiency and background knowledge Suggested solutions were also provided to address these errors.
The previous studies provided valuable insights into TOEIC test-taking, particularly in the area of listening However, they had significant limitations, as they primarily focused on ESL learners or specific groups, such as those from the Haiphong Foreign Language Center, which differ greatly from university students in terms of research subjects, classroom environments, linguistic abilities, and the teaching materials and methods used This gap presents an opportunity for further research by the author.
METHODOLOGY
S ELECTION OF PARTICIPANTS
A random group of 50 second-year students from three TOEIC classes at TUEBA, consisting of 10 males and 40 females aged over 18, has completed two terms of English learning Despite acquiring basic English skills at the elementary and pre-intermediate levels, these students have insufficient class time to practice the various TOEIC listening strategies Observations indicate that 80% of them struggle with listening comprehension skills, highlighting significant challenges faced by second-year TUEBA students in the TOEIC listening test.
R ESEARCH INSTRUMENTS
The study employed both quantitative and qualitative methods, including students' listening test papers, questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews, to achieve its objectives The findings will be included in the appendix at the end of the thesis.
The study includes a modest number of fifty students‟ TOEIC listening test
The use of this instrument, as described by Verma and Mallick (1999), offers researchers an objective and systematic approach to data collection, yielding qualitative insights that enhance understanding of the current situation.
Questionnaires are a widely utilized data collection tool among social science researchers due to their significant advantages, as highlighted by Gillham (2000: 6).
Low cost in time and money
Easy to get information from a lot of people very quickly
Respondents can complete the questionnaire when it suits them
Analysis of answers to closed questions is straightforward
Less pressure for an immediate response
Standardization of questions (but true of structured interview)
Can provide suggestive data for testing a hypothesis
Questionnaires are an efficient and cost-effective method for gathering information from a large audience simultaneously Given their advantages, the author chose to utilize questionnaires as a primary data collection tool in this study, aimed at understanding students' perspectives on the challenges they face during tests.
The questionnaire is divided into four main sections, with Part 1 focusing on two questions designed to assess TUEBA sophomores' attitudes towards the TOEIC listening test Part 2 continues with question 3, further exploring the participants' perspectives.
The study aimed to identify common challenges faced by students in the TOEIC listening test, focusing on questions 1 to 11 Specifically, question 12 explored the factors contributing to these difficulties, while questions 13 to 22 investigated the strategies students used to overcome them.
A semi-structured interview was conducted to achieve depth in responses, allowing the interviewer to explore the interviewee's answers more fully This approach is favored by researchers in the interpretive research tradition due to its inherent flexibility (Nunan, 1992).
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with two boys and two girls, allowing for a friendly atmosphere that encouraged respondents to comfortably share their ideas and attitudes Each interview lasted approximately 8 to 10 minutes and was tape-recorded for transcription in the subsequent stage.
The student interview structure consists of four key components: their opinions and attitudes towards TOEIC listening, the challenges they face during the TOEIC listening test, the strategies they employ while taking the test, and their suggestions for improvement These interviews validate the data gathered from the questionnaires.
In short, for a collection of reliable and valid data for the study, students‟ listening test papers, questionnaire and interviews were employed.
D ATA COLLECTION PROCEDURES
The procedures of data collection went through three main phrases in chronological order: analyzing the students‟ listening test papers, delivering questionnaires and holding semi-structured interviews
Firstly, the researcher collected students‟ TOEIC listening test papers Then, she
19 classified the frequency of each problem
Based on an analysis of students' listening test papers, the researcher developed a questionnaire to identify the difficulties encountered and their underlying causes This questionnaire was distributed to five relevant respondents to gather feedback on which questions or expressions were perceived as ambiguous or complex, leading to subsequent adjustments in the questionnaire.
Next, the questionnaire was randomly distributed to 50 students of three classes
On the questionnaire distribution day, the researcher enlisted the assistance of teachers to deliver the papers to students after providing an introduction to the study's objectives and essential details The collected data were categorized according to the research questions and subsequently analyzed thoroughly The findings were presented in the form of tables and charts for clarity.
One-on-one interviews with students were conducted in quiet coffee shops, allowing for a comfortable atmosphere The interviews were tape-recorded with permission, while the researcher also took notes on key information for later transcription Additionally, the quality and volume of the recordings were checked to ensure clarity and determine if any retakes were necessary.
D ATA ANALYSIS PROCEDURE
We analyzed data collected from students' listening test papers, questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews using grounded theory methods This involved codifying, grouping, and categorizing the information to draw conclusions that address our research questions and report consistent findings.
The students' listening test papers were analyzed and categorized, with results summarized in tables for comparative analysis This included calculating the percentage of participants achieving the same average rating.
The completed student questionnaires were meticulously analyzed, with individual questions separated and calculated using Microsoft Office Excel to determine the percentage of student opinions on each item The resulting data is clearly presented in tables and charts in Chapter Three.
The most quotations from the interview were also used to support the analysis of the data
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
W HAT DIFFICULTIES DO THE SECOND - YEAR STUDENTS AT TUEBA FACE IN
3.1.1 Students’ opinions of TOEIC listening test
Chart 1: Students’ opinions about the difficult level of TOEIC listening test
According to recent data, 52% of students find the TOEIC listening test challenging, with an additional 42% labeling it as very difficult One interviewee noted that effective listening requires various skills, including good pronunciation, a broad vocabulary, and strong listening abilities.
6% of the students thought that listening is suitable to their English level Surprisingly, there were no students who dared to say confidently that listening is very easy or easy
In conclusion, TOEIC listening was considered difficult; therefore, teachers should consider the level of tests while designing them
Chart 2: Students’ opinions of the most difficult part of TOEIC listening test
The majority of students did not find parts 1 and 2 challenging, with only 14% identifying part 3, which involves conversations, as difficult One interviewee noted the challenge of selecting correct answers due to the indirect phrasing of many questions However, a significant 86% of students regarded part 4 as the most challenging section This difficulty is attributed to a lack of extensive vocabulary, which hampers their understanding of details, and the complexity of questions that combine information into single statements.
3.1.2 Students’ opinions of TOEIC listening difficulties related to background knowledge and linguistic ability
In this section, the students were asked to point out the difficulties in some aspects of knowledge and linguistic ability and the results are presented in Chart
3 and Table 3 In particular, unfamiliar vocabulary and topics, difficult grammatical structures, the length of the spoken text, pronunciation, speech rate,
23 and variety of accents may present students with TOEIC listening problems
Chart 3: Students’ opinions of TOEIC listening difficulties related to background knowledge
Chart 3 demonstrates whether unfamiliar words interfere with the learners‟ listening comprehension The great majority of the students (90% including 44% often, 32% always, 14% sometimes) have responded that unfamiliar words interfered with their listening comprehension This finding shows that the major problem hindering listening comprehension was that the students‟ vocabulary was too limited to understand the message Therefore, lack of vocabulary is a big obstacle to most students in TOEIC listening comprehension Similarly, the TOEIC listening material may contain a variety of fields in life or society For instance, it is likely a business report, a daily conversation or a political issue which confuse the listener These conversations may include words, phrases or terms unfamiliar to listeners The solution is to ask the students to practice as much as they can on these various materials Therefore, they can get used to listening to the variety of topics without any difficulties
Difficulties Never Seldom Sometimes Often Always
4 Difficult grammar structures interfere with my
5 The long listening texts interfere with my TOEIC listening comprehension 6% 16% 22% 26% 30%
6 I find it difficult to understand well when speakers speak with variety of accents
7 I find it difficult to understand well when speakers speak too fast
8 I find it difficult to understand the meaning of words which are not pronounced clearly
Table 1: Students’ opinions of TOEIC listening difficulties related to linguistic ability
A notable 82% of students reported difficulties with complex grammatical structures, with 20% experiencing issues sometimes, 24% often, and 38% always This struggle often leads them to pause their listening to focus on these structures, disrupting the flow of speech and causing them to miss crucial information Therefore, it is essential to give more attention to grammatical structures to enhance listening comprehension.
A significant number of students perceive long listening texts as a challenge, with 30% always and 26% often feeling this way, while only 6% never experience it Prolonged listening can create pressure for students, impacting their overall comprehension and performance.
A significant challenge for students in listening comprehension is the variety of English accents, as highlighted in item 6 Research indicates that 34% of students always, 40% often, and 18% sometimes struggle with this issue, with no students reporting that they never or seldom encounter it For example, learners may find it difficult to understand a New Zealander due to the unique intonation of their English This linguistic challenge underscores the necessity for students to be exposed to a wider range of accents Typically, students become accustomed to the accents they hear most frequently; thus, those primarily exposed to standard American accents may struggle to comprehend other English accents.
A significant factor contributing to listening difficulties is the speed of delivery, with 42% of individuals struggling to comprehend when speakers talk too quickly In contrast, only 8% report that speech rate does not affect their understanding Consequently, students often face challenges in listening comprehension due to their inability to manage the pace at which speakers communicate.
Unclear pronunciation by speakers significantly contributes to listening difficulties among students, with nearly one-third consistently struggling to grasp the meanings of poorly articulated words, while only 2% report never facing this issue.
3.1.3 Students’ opinions of listening difficulties related to listener or non- linguistic factors
Through the survey questionnaire the respondents reveal that their difficulties may arise from their psychological characteristics
Difficulties Never Seldom Sometimes Often Always
9 I feel nervous and tired when I do not understand the spoken text
10 I find it difficult when listening conversations or talks without transcripts
11 I find it difficult to understand the spoken text which is not of interest to me
Table 2: Students’ opinions of listening difficulties related to listener (non- linguistic factors)
The study indicates that a significant number of students experience listening difficulties, with 46% expressing feelings of nervousness and fatigue when they struggle to comprehend spoken texts In contrast, only 2% reported feeling unconcerned about their understanding challenges These statistics highlight the psychological impact that listening difficulties can have on learners.
Many learners struggle with listening to English without transcripts, as evidenced by 42% often and 28% always facing difficulties Interestingly, 0% reported that having transcripts before listening exercises significantly improved their accuracy This suggests that students' learning habits contribute to their listening challenges Transcripts provide an opportunity for listeners to verify information and study new vocabulary, which may enhance their understanding.
Motivation and interest play crucial roles in comprehending spoken texts Research shows that 32% of students sometimes and 24% often struggle to understand spoken content that does not engage them, while 16% find it easy to overcome this challenge These statistics highlight that many students face difficulties when the spoken material is not aligned with their interests.
3.1.4 Types of difficulties of each part in TOEIC listening test through analyzing TOEIC listening test papers
The listening test administered to students was chosen from the "Target Score Second Edition: Final Practice TOEIC Test" by Anne Taylor (2006) After 45 minutes of focused testing, the responses from 50 participants were collected and analyzed to identify their challenges in the TOEIC listening test.
The TOEIC listening test comprises distinct sections, each presenting unique challenges for students As highlighted in the theoretical background, the difficulties faced vary across different parts of the test The accompanying table illustrates the specific types of challenges associated with each section of the TOEIC listening test, along with their respective percentages.
Cannot recognize a partially wrong answer
Listen for detail ( number , time, place, date, number of things or people)
Chart 4: Types of difficulties in TOEIC listening test and their percentage
Chart 4 highlights that recognizing partially correct answers poses the greatest challenge for students in listening tasks, with a difficulty rate of 76% This indicates the crucial role of observational and analytical skills in effective listening To improve, students should focus on carefully identifying verbs, nouns, and pronouns related to the visual aids provided Many distractors incorporate mostly correct keywords, complicating the selection process by introducing a single incorrect option For instance, question 10 illustrates this challenge, as over one-third of students were unable to select the correct answer.
The image depicts a bustling scene with numerous people and ships, leading many to mistakenly select answer B, which is only partially accurate The correct answer, C, states that "Buildings are facing the harbor." While the presence of people and ships is evident, it is important to note that no one is engaged in loading activities.
W HAT CAUSES SUCH DIFFICULTIES ?
Question 12 is to find out the causes of the difficulties that learners encountered in TOEIC listening test from their own perceptions and table 3 below presents the collected information
6 Long time of listening without break-time 56%
10 Lack of test-taking strategies 0%
Table 3: Causes of TOEIC listening difficulties
The respondents faced several challenges while taking the TOEIC listening test, particularly struggling with "similar sounding distractors" and issues related to "speakers' pronunciation," including accents, stress, intonation, and linking sounds.
100% of participants had to cope with difficulty of “similar-sounding word” and
During interviews, students expressed that their lack of success was primarily due to difficulties in understanding speakers' pronunciation Many reported challenges in distinguishing sounds, which hindered their ability to comprehend spoken language, despite being able to recognize words in written text.
“To choose correct answers, I suppose I have to be careful with similar-sounding words because those words often cause me confused to understand the meaning of sentences” (S1, Question 4)
Undoubtedly, if listeners are exposed to standard American accents, they will have difficulties in understanding other accents Interviewee 4 shared in question
Understanding speakers with diverse accents can be challenging, as familiar words may become difficult to interpret when pronounced differently than expected.
A significant 76% of students indicated that limitations in vocabulary and background knowledge hinder their understanding of English They noted that their comprehension levels varied depending on the topic, with listening materials often covering diverse fields such as business, daily conversations, or political issues, which can lead to confusion Many students encounter unfamiliar words and phrases that complicate their listening experience One student expressed, “I do not have enough rich vocabularies to understand clearly every topic, and it is such a hard job to listen when the message is full of terminologies Therefore, I often ignore information that is essential to answer questions.”
As interviewee 1(question 2) states, “I did not have enough rich vocabularies to understand most details Therefore, I often ignore some information which is essential to answer questions”
Research indicates that 66% of students find it easier to comprehend speakers who talk slowly, while fast speech can lead to missed information One interviewee noted, “Speakers speak too fast and a lot of information comes in a short period of time, therefore information can be forgotten or missed.” This rapid pace can be particularly challenging for non-native learners However, during listening exercises, students may notice moments when speakers slow down and articulate more clearly, providing an opportunity to grasp essential information Additionally, speakers often use emphasis to highlight key ideas, so students should focus on both the speed and intonation of the speaker to effectively identify important points.
A significant 58% and 56% of students felt they were at fault for either listening only once or for extended periods without breaks Prolonged listening sessions can create pressure, ultimately hindering their performance and preventing optimal results.
Twelve percent of students reported that sudden noises in or outside the examination room significantly distract them during listening tasks Such distractions hinder their ability to concentrate, ultimately leading to poor listening outcomes The presence of background noise creates a chaotic sound environment, making it difficult for students to focus on the recording and effectively comprehend the material.
In the interview, participants expressed satisfaction with the quality of their CDs and listening equipment, attributing any challenges to their listening skills rather than the materials themselves Additionally, they felt well-equipped with test-taking strategies, thanks to the thorough guidance provided by their teachers.
W HAT STRATEGIES DO THESE STUDENTS OFTEN APPLY WHEN TAKING TOEIC
TOEIC Listening poses significant challenges for English as a second language learners, making it crucial to understand effective listening strategies Identifying the techniques used by proficient listeners can help improve comprehension, while recognizing detrimental strategies is essential to address common issues faced by students in the TOEIC exam.
13 Predict what you will hear by using pictures 100% 0%
14 Identify the types of questions in part 2 100% 0%
15 Ignore incomprehensible word and keep on listening 42% 58%
16 Guess the topic in part 3,4 88% 12%
17 Guess the meaning of vocabulary in context 78% 22%
21 Recognize linking sounds , stress words, intonation and so on 84% 16%
22 Use my experience and background 82% 18%
Table 4: Strategies applied by students when taking TOEIC listening test
In the TOEIC listening section, it is significant to know about some strategies that help students beware of test traps and direct them to the right answer Item
In the TOEIC listening section, all students (100%) utilize photos to anticipate the audio content, which aids them in selecting the correct answers in Part 2 A significant percentage of students (88% and 78%) also employ strategies to guess the topics in Parts 3 and 4, as well as to understand vocabulary in context This predictive approach enhances students' listening comprehension by allowing them to formulate relevant questions.
35 listening topic would keep students motivated and improve their comprehension From the table, it suggests the strategies in Part 1 and 2 are fairly easy for students to apply
A considerable number of them (84%) apply the tip recognizing linking sounds, stress words, intonation and so on
A significant 82% of students report utilizing their background knowledge and experience to comprehend spoken texts, indicating that most learners employ effective listening strategies such as pre-listening information This approach allows students to understand the context while listening, reducing confusion Such strategies are particularly beneficial for enhancing listening comprehension in short conversations or talks, helping learners navigate their listening challenges more effectively.
Furthermore, a large number of students (80%) concentrate on the gist
Item 15 highlights that students often employ ineffective strategies in listening comprehension, particularly when faced with unfamiliar vocabulary Only 42% of students choose to ignore new words and continue listening, while 58% attempt to guess their meanings This approach can lead to missed information, resulting in frustration and disengagement from the listening task Consequently, a limited vocabulary emerges as a significant barrier to students' understanding.
A significant majority of participants, 74%, utilized the strategy of listening for details, while a slightly lower percentage, 72%, employed the strategy of making inferences This trend suggests that as they read the questions, they understood their tasks and how to approach them effectively.
S UMMARY
This chapter presents a thorough analysis and interpretation of findings from three key instruments: students' listening test papers, questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews It will outline the summaries derived from these results, propose suggestions for improvements, acknowledge the study's limitations, and offer recommendations for future research.
S UMMARY OF THE STUDY
A study was conducted to identify the listening comprehension challenges faced by sophomore students at TUEBA in the TOEIC exam, along with the factors contributing to these difficulties Through a comprehensive analysis of data gathered from students' listening test papers, interviews, and questionnaires, key findings related to the research questions were revealed.
The primary challenges in the TOEIC listening test include partially correct answers in part 1, comprehension of question types in part 2, making inferences in part 3, and listening for details in part 4 Distinguishing sounds is a common difficulty throughout the entire listening test.
From research question number 2, it can be concluded that a large number of students thought pronunciation and limitation of background knowledge or vocabulary caused their difficulties
Research findings indicate that all students effectively utilized predicting strategies and focused on listening for details during TOEIC listening exercises In part two of the test, they successfully identified question types to minimize errors Listening skills are crucial for language acquisition and effective communication in a global context Students are encouraged to dedicate time to practice listening and foster their learning autonomy, while also employing personalized strategies throughout their studies Additionally, teachers are vital in providing learners with practical tips and guidance on how to implement these strategies in listening tasks.
P EDAGOGICAL RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE STUDENTS ‟ TOEIC
To enhance vocabulary and background knowledge, students should engage in extensive reading and complete vocabulary exercises focused on TOEIC topics like travel, news, and the workplace Maintaining a vocabulary notebook to record synonyms and antonyms is also essential for effective learning.
To enhance TOEIC listening skills, students should dedicate time each day to engage with various English audio materials, including announcements, weather forecasts, advertisements, and financial reports.
To effectively distinguish between similar-sounding words, students must focus on homonyms, which are words that share the same spelling and pronunciation but have entirely different meanings, as well as homophones, which are words that sound alike but differ in meaning Understanding these concepts is essential for selecting the correct answers in language exercises.
In order to familiarize themselves with different accents, students should enjoy audios or recordings included speakers from various regions as the US, Canada, Britain, Australia and so on
Understanding word and sentence stress is crucial for effective communication A highly effective technique is to identify and mark the words in a sentence that are pronounced with greater volume and length Practicing these sentences with the natural rhythm enhances pronunciation skills significantly.
Teachers are crucial in developing listening skills, which can be broken down into three key stages: pre-listening, while-listening, and post-listening It is essential for educators to consistently teach various strategies to their students According to Willis (1981), effective listeners should utilize specific micro skills to enhance their listening abilities.
Predicting what people are going to talk about
Guessing unknown words or phrases
Identifying relevant points, rejecting irrelevant information
Understanding different intonation patterns and uses of stress
To effectively understand inferred information, speaker attitudes, and intentions, teachers should organize large student groups into smaller test shifts of 20 to 26 students each This arrangement ensures that every student has a favorable position to clearly hear the audio Additionally, it is crucial for teachers to tightly close all windows and doors during the playback of tapes to minimize distractions.
Teachers should blend course books with authentic materials to provide essential knowledge, while also incorporating additional tasks and activities tailored to students' proficiency levels, backgrounds, and personal interests.
L IMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
Though the study has been carried out to the best of the researcher‟s effort, there still exist several restrictions for a number of reasons
A limited number of students at TUEBA participated in the research, which means the findings may not accurately represent the entire sophomore class or students in different educational settings.
The TOEIC listening process may present minor challenges, making it difficult to identify all the complex elements within the limited time available.
Finally, the recommendations are likely to be subjective and incomplete because of limitations of the knowledge of this field and the researcher‟s practical experience in teaching TOEIC listening skills.
students‟ opinions about the difficult level of toeic listening test
A significant 52% of students find the TOEIC listening test challenging, with an additional 42% labeling it as very difficult One interviewee noted that effective listening requires various skills, including good pronunciation, a broad vocabulary, and strong listening abilities.
6% of the students thought that listening is suitable to their English level Surprisingly, there were no students who dared to say confidently that listening is very easy or easy
In conclusion, TOEIC listening was considered difficult; therefore, teachers should consider the level of tests while designing them.
students‟ opinions of the most difficult part of toeic listening test
Most students did not find parts 1 and 2 of the exam challenging, with only 14% identifying part 3, which involves conversations, as difficult One interviewee noted the challenge of selecting correct answers due to indirect phrasing in the questions However, a significant 86% of students considered part 4 to be the most challenging section This is likely due to a lack of vocabulary, making it hard for inexperienced students to grasp the details, as well as the complexity of questions that combine information from multiple statements.
3.1.2 Students’ opinions of TOEIC listening difficulties related to background knowledge and linguistic ability
In this section, the students were asked to point out the difficulties in some aspects of knowledge and linguistic ability and the results are presented in Chart
3 and Table 3 In particular, unfamiliar vocabulary and topics, difficult grammatical structures, the length of the spoken text, pronunciation, speech rate,
23 and variety of accents may present students with TOEIC listening problems.
students‟ opinions of toeic listening difficulties related to background knowledge
Chart 3 illustrates that a significant 90% of students experience interference in their listening comprehension due to unfamiliar words, with 44% often, 32% always, and 14% sometimes affected This indicates that limited vocabulary is a primary barrier to understanding in TOEIC listening tasks Additionally, TOEIC materials encompass diverse topics, such as business reports, daily conversations, and political discussions, which can further confuse learners To overcome these challenges, it is essential for students to engage in extensive practice with a variety of listening materials, enabling them to familiarize themselves with different subjects and enhance their comprehension skills.
Difficulties Never Seldom Sometimes Often Always
4 Difficult grammar structures interfere with my
5 The long listening texts interfere with my TOEIC listening comprehension 6% 16% 22% 26% 30%
6 I find it difficult to understand well when speakers speak with variety of accents
7 I find it difficult to understand well when speakers speak too fast
8 I find it difficult to understand the meaning of words which are not pronounced clearly
Table 1: Students’ opinions of TOEIC listening difficulties related to linguistic ability
A notable 82% of students reported that complex grammatical structures pose significant challenges, with 20% sometimes, 24% often, and 38% always experiencing difficulties This struggle often leads them to pause their listening to focus on understanding these structures, interrupting the flow of speech and causing them to miss crucial information Therefore, it's essential to give more attention to grammatical structures during listening comprehension activities.
A significant number of students perceive long listening texts as a challenge, with 30% claiming it is always an obstacle, 26% often feeling this way, and only 6% never experiencing it Prolonged listening sessions can create pressure for students, impacting their overall comprehension and performance.
A significant challenge for students in listening comprehension is the variety of English accents, as highlighted in item 6 The data reveals that 34% of students always, 40% often, and 18% sometimes struggle with this issue, with no students reporting that they never or seldom encounter it For example, learners may find it difficult to understand a New Zealander due to the unique intonation of their English This indicates a need for increased exposure to diverse accents, as students tend to become familiar only with the accents they frequently hear Consequently, those accustomed to standard American accents may struggle to comprehend other variations.
A significant factor contributing to listening difficulties is the speed of delivery, with 42% of students consistently struggling to comprehend when speakers talk too fast In contrast, only 8% report that they are never affected by the rate of speech Consequently, students face challenges in listening comprehension due to their inability to control the pace at which speakers communicate.
Unclear pronunciation by speakers significantly contributes to listening difficulties among students, with nearly one-third consistently struggling to grasp the meanings of poorly articulated words, while only 2% report never facing this challenge.
3.1.3 Students’ opinions of listening difficulties related to listener or non- linguistic factors
Through the survey questionnaire the respondents reveal that their difficulties may arise from their psychological characteristics
Difficulties Never Seldom Sometimes Often Always
9 I feel nervous and tired when I do not understand the spoken text
10 I find it difficult when listening conversations or talks without transcripts
11 I find it difficult to understand the spoken text which is not of interest to me
Table 2: Students’ opinions of listening difficulties related to listener (non- linguistic factors)
The study indicates that a significant number of students experience listening difficulties, with 46% reporting feelings of nervousness and fatigue when they struggle to comprehend spoken text In contrast, only 2% stated they are never concerned about their understanding These statistics highlight the psychological challenges faced by learners in relation to listening comprehension.
Many learners struggle to comprehend English audio without transcripts, with 42% often and 28% always facing difficulties Interestingly, 0% reported that having transcripts before listening exercises significantly improved their accuracy This suggests that students' learning habits contribute to their listening challenges Transcripts may help listeners by allowing them to verify information and study new vocabulary presented in the audio.
Motivation and interest play a crucial role in comprehending spoken text Research shows that 32% of students occasionally and 24% often struggle to understand spoken content that does not engage them, while only 16% find it easy to overcome these challenges These statistics highlight the difficulties students face when dealing with uninteresting spoken material.
3.1.4 Types of difficulties of each part in TOEIC listening test through analyzing TOEIC listening test papers
The listening test administered to students was chosen from the practice tests in "Target Score Second Edition: Final Practice TOEIC Test" by Anne Taylor (2006) After 45 minutes of focused testing, the responses of 50 participants were collected and analyzed to identify their challenges in the TOEIC listening section.
The TOEIC listening test consists of distinct sections, each presenting unique challenges for students, as highlighted in the theoretical background The accompanying table outlines the various difficulties encountered in each part of the TOEIC listening section, along with their respective percentages.
Cannot recognize a partially wrong answer
Listen for detail ( number , time, place, date, number of things or people)
types of difficulties in toeic listening test and their percentage
According to Chart 4, the most challenging aspect of listening for students is recognizing partially correct answers, with 76% facing difficulties This highlights the significance of observational and analytical skills in listening comprehension To improve, students should focus on identifying verbs, nouns, and pronouns related to the visuals presented Many distractors incorporate mostly correct keywords alongside one incorrect option, which complicates the decision-making process For instance, in question 10, over a third of students struggled to select the correct answer.
The image features numerous people and several ships, leading many to select answer B, which is only partially correct The accurate choice is C, stating that "Buildings are facing the harbor." While there are indeed people and ships present, it is important to note that no one is actively loading anything.
In part 2 of the study, 48% of students struggle with understanding different types of questions, while 34% find it challenging to grasp the speaker's intention Additionally, 26% of students face difficulties with similar-sounding words Mastering the ability to identify question types is crucial for selecting the correct answers, as the initial word of a Wh-Question, such as "who" or "what," indicates the expected response.
Understanding the key question words—“when,” “where,” “why,” and “how”—is essential for gathering information If students misinterpret the initial word of a question, they are likely to select incorrect answers.
The question asks about the possessor or who the jacket belongs to and “A” is the best choice
52% of students choose the wrong answer B Students can‟t hear the word
“whose” They only guess the adjective “cold” related to the jacket
Many answers in part 2 are crafted as indirect responses to assess students' inferential skills and their comprehension of the speakers' intentions For instance, Question 27 serves as a notable distractor, resulting in a 57% error rate among students.
The article addresses the inquiry regarding where the man can get his computer repaired The correct answer is identified as option (C), which mentions "my cousin" as the person capable of fixing the computer In contrast, options (A) and (B) do not pertain to the repair of the computer.
Sometimes the incorrect choices used the words that sounded similar to the ones in the reading, as shown in see question 19 below:
The options (A) and (C) are incorrect as they misinterpret the question, which does not pertain to "meal" or "lives." The confusion arises from the phonetic similarities, where "meal" resembles "mail," "lives" corresponds to the middle syllable in "delivered," and "been" sounds like "in."
56% of doers chose the wrong answer In (B), the other man responds that the mail came at a certain time
In part 3, 58% of students face significant challenges due to incorrect inferences, as many answers are not explicitly stated To succeed, students must listen attentively and utilize their understanding of relevant vocabulary and context Additionally, in some dialogues, information for two questions is conveyed in a single statement, which can easily distract students.
Around 50% of the population struggles with inaccuracies related to details like dates, times, and quantities For instance, questions 50 to 52 illustrate the challenges that students face with these specific types of inaccuracies.
From the tape script, it can be seen that as the information of the two questions is
In the TOEIC exam, it's common for a single fast-spoken sentence to contain information relevant to multiple questions, leading to potential confusion For instance, in question 51, the speaker mentions having "just carry-on luggage and my laptop," which implies that none of his luggage will be checked in, indicating the correct answer is (D) This highlights the importance of careful listening and inference skills in answering related questions accurately.
Many students who lack flying experience often struggle to understand specific terms such as carry-on baggage and checked luggage, leading to confusion and misinterpretation.
In part 4 of the study, 72% of the population struggles with listening for detail, while 56% face challenges with making inferences Additionally, 24% of participants have difficulty recognizing partially correct answers, and 18% find it hard to distinguish sounds These distractors often lead to errors in listening tests Consistent practice in pronunciation has proven beneficial for students in overcoming these challenges.
Question 12 is to find out the causes of the difficulties that learners encountered in TOEIC listening test from their own perceptions and table 3 below presents the collected information
6 Long time of listening without break-time 56%
10 Lack of test-taking strategies 0%
Table 3: Causes of TOEIC listening difficulties
Respondents faced several challenges while taking the TOEIC listening test, with a notable struggle against "similar sounding distractors" and difficulties related to "speakers' pronunciation," including accents, stress, intonation, and linking sounds.
100% of participants had to cope with difficulty of “similar-sounding word” and
During interviews, students expressed that their lack of success in understanding spoken language stemmed from difficulties in distinguishing sounds While they could recognize words in written texts, they struggled to comprehend what they heard from speakers.
“To choose correct answers, I suppose I have to be careful with similar-sounding words because those words often cause me confused to understand the meaning of sentences” (S1, Question 4)
Undoubtedly, if listeners are exposed to standard American accents, they will have difficulties in understanding other accents Interviewee 4 shared in question
Understanding speakers with various accents can be challenging, as familiar words may become difficult to interpret when pronounced differently than expected.