INTRODUCTION
Rationale
English is recognized as a global language, playing a crucial role in various aspects of life It has become an essential subject at all educational levels In Vietnam, many learners prioritize developing their listening skills in English, as this ability is vital for acquiring knowledge and facilitating further studies.
Listening is considered the most crucial of the four macro skills, as it provides learners with valuable information and a variety of language expressions that are essential for developing other skills (Carrell, 1994) Despite its importance, both teachers and students in high schools tend to prioritize grammar and reading over listening, leading to a lack of focus and engagement during listening lessons.
Listening is often considered the most challenging of the four fundamental language skills due to factors such as students' background knowledge, limited vocabulary, and inadequate preparation (Boyle, 1978) Many students report feeling bored during listening courses and believe they gain little from these lessons Consequently, it is crucial for English teachers to understand the importance of making listening classes more engaging and to encourage active participation among students.
An effective pre-listening stage can enhance students' interest in listening and provide essential language preparation, serving as valuable clues for comprehension However, teachers face challenges in utilizing pre-listening techniques, as they must consider lesson objectives, classroom settings, and students' needs when selecting appropriate methods.
Pre-listening questions are essential for helping students grasp key concepts and the overall structure of the text By prompting students to think about the topic beforehand, these questions allow them to activate prior knowledge and utilize relevant vocabulary and structures Additionally, this questioning activity fosters a relaxed atmosphere between teachers and students, enhances students' confidence, and adds an element of spontaneity to the lesson Ultimately, pre-listening questions engage students and pique their interest in upcoming listening activities.
The author has chosen the thesis titled “Using Guiding Questions at the Pre-Listening Stage to Enhance Listening Comprehension Among 11th Graders” to explore effective strategies for improving students' listening skills.
The "guiding question technique" is designed to enhance student engagement during listening lessons and facilitate their performance in subsequent listening tasks This approach aims to contribute positively to the quality of teaching and learning listening skills at Nguyen Van Troi High School.
Aims of the study
For the above reasons, the study aims at:
1 Investigating the difficulties faced by 11 th graders in learning listening lessons
2 Evaluating the effectiveness of the application of guiding question technique at pre-listening stage to increase listening comprehension of 11th graders at high school
3 Recommending some suggestions to listening comprehension skills teaching and learning
Scope of the study
This research focuses on investigating how guiding question at pre-listening stage affect listening comprehension skills for 11 th graders at Nguyen Van Troi high
The study was conducted at Nguyen Van Troi High School, focusing on a sample of seventy-two 11th graders The participants were divided into two groups: a control group consisting of 36 students in one class and an experimental group with 36 students in another class, due to time constraints.
Research Questions
To achieve the above aims the research tries to answer the following questions:
1 What are the 11 th graders‟ difficulties in learning listening lessons?
2 How does guiding question in pre-listening stage affect 11 th graders‟ listening comprehension?
Significance of the study
This study aims to serve as a valuable resource for educators and learners in enhancing listening comprehension skills Additionally, it seeks to deepen the understanding of the guiding question technique's effectiveness in improving this receptive skill Through this research, both teachers and students will recognize the critical importance of the guiding question technique and learn how to apply it effectively to meet their educational needs.
The organization of the study
The study includes five chapters as follows:
Chapter 1 – Introduction – presents the rationale, the aims of the study, the scope of the study, the research questions, the significance of the study, and the organization of the study
Chapter 2 – Theoretical Background – provides some concepts as theoretical basis for the study
Chapter 3 – Methodology – describes the research design, the data collection instruments, data collection, data analysis, and research procedures, which gives details of the research method and describes how the hypothesis of the thesis is interpreted and explained
Chapter 4 – Findings and Discussions – presents the results and discussions developed after the linguistic figures are analyzed
Chapter 5 – Conclusion and Implications – summarizes the main issues in the research The implications, the limitations of the research and some suggestions for further studies are also mentioned in this chapter
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
Teaching English listening skills
Listening is a fundamental language skill essential for developing second language proficiency While numerous researchers have defined listening, their interpretations share similarities yet also exhibit distinct differences.
Listening is defined as the ability to recognize and understand spoken language, encompassing the comprehension of pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, and meaning (Thomlison, 1984; Hamouda, 2013) According to Morley (1972), effective listening involves auditory discrimination, aural grammar, the selection of essential information, memory retention, and the connection between sound and meaning (as cited in Pourhosein Gilakjani & Sabouri, 2016).
According to Bowen, Madsen, and Hilferty (1985), listening involves understanding oral language by processing sounds into lexical and syntactic units to comprehend the speaker's message (as cited in Pourhosein Gilakjani & Sabouri, 2016) This intricate process includes receiving the speaker's words, constructing and demonstrating meaning, negotiating understanding, and actively participating with creativity and empathy Ultimately, effective listening requires interpretation, where listeners align their understanding with the speaker's intent.
6 what they hear with what they already know (Rost, 2002 as cited in Pourhosein Gilakjani & Sabouri, 2016)
Listening is the skill of recognizing and comprehending spoken communication, which is a complex process To enhance students' understanding, educators can activate their prior knowledge Additionally, teachers can facilitate the listening process by training students in various listening strategies.
Listening comprehension is a critical component of language comprehension skills, alongside reading and visual comprehension (Kutlu et al., 2009) It entails the ability to understand spoken language, which goes beyond mere hearing Theoretical perspectives view listening comprehension as an active process where individuals focus on specific elements of oral input, derive meaning from spoken passages, and connect new information with their existing knowledge.
Listening comprehension is a complex and interactive process where listeners actively construct meaning This involves understanding oral input through sound discrimination, vocabulary knowledge, grammatical structures, and recognizing stress and intonation Additionally, listeners utilize linguistic, paralinguistic, and non-linguistic clues within the context of the utterance.
Without a solid understanding of English grammar and syntax, listeners struggle to grasp the speaker's message, hindering their overall comprehension Consequently, listening comprehension emerges as a multifaceted process that demands various skills for effective understanding of spoken English.
Use of effective listening sub-skills can help students capitalize on the language input they are receiving and help teachers facilitate the teaching process
Nanda (1989: 138-149) states there are four essential skills involved in listening; these are as follows:
The researcher, depending on her experience in the teaching field, believes that the sub–skills of the listening comprehension which help 11 th graders can be summarized as follows:
● Predicting what people are going to talk about
● Guessing unknown words or phrases
● Identifying relevant and irrelevant information
● Retaining relevant points (note taking, summarizing)
● Recognizing discourse markers (well, oh, now, finally)
● Recognizing cohesive devices (such as, and, which)
● Understanding intonation patterns, stress, etc
● Understanding implied information (speaker's stance or intentions)
In this study, the researcher focuses on these two sub-skills "Predicting & Guessing" as she considers them the two primary skills to develop students' listening
According to Ur (1998: 16), listeners who can anticipate the content of what they are about to hear are significantly more likely to comprehend it effectively However, she notes that prediction is a challenging skill due to factors such as intonation and stress patterns, which can alter expectations Overall, the ability to predict plays a crucial role in enhancing listening comprehension.
The ability to anticipate future developments in a given topic is crucial for effective listening, as highlighted by Anderson and Lynch (2003: 42) Therefore, honing the skill of making accurate predictions is essential for anyone aiming to become a successful listener.
According to Nation (1990: 122-141), guessing vocabulary from context is crucial not only for reading but also for listening comprehension An advantage of this skill in listening is that a proficient speaker can offer additional information to aid in deciphering unfamiliar words Therefore, students should focus on the context to infer unknown words while listening, rather than adhering to a word-for-word approach Utilizing their existing knowledge of familiar words can significantly enhance their ability to make educated guesses about unfamiliar vocabulary.
2.1.4 Teacher’s role in listening activities
Teachers play a crucial role in shaping the classroom environment and fostering a friendly atmosphere for their students According to Harmer (1991) and Macháčková (2009), educators fulfill eight essential roles, one of which is that of an Organizer This role is vital for effective classroom management and student engagement.
In the role of a teacher, it is essential to clarify students' goals, provide clear instructions, and offer constructive feedback Additionally, teachers should effectively prepare listening lessons and provide explicit guidance to facilitate student learning.
A teacher plays a crucial role in orchestrating the entire lesson by organizing student activities, guiding their speaking moments, and specifying the language to be used Additionally, teachers are responsible for directing students during listening phases, ensuring a structured learning environment Furthermore, they serve as evaluators, assessing student performance and progress throughout the learning process.
Teachers evaluate their students and give them a feedback on their performance They should evaluate the level of their students d A Teacher as a Resource
In this role, teachers give their students the necessary advice and help them to solve their difficulties specifically unknown vocabulary or grammatical
Teachers serve as coaches and valuable resources, guiding learners in idea development They support students at every stage of the learning process, assisting them in predicting and filling in missing information Additionally, teachers take on the role of investigators, exploring and uncovering insights to enhance the educational experience.
Teachers observe the activities in their lessons and assess their leaners‟ performance They evaluate the advantages of listening activities g A Teacher as a Prompter
Teachers play a crucial role in guiding and recommending activities for their students To ensure success in listening activities, it is essential for teachers to provide support at every stage of the process By actively participating in these activities, teachers can enhance the learning experience and foster student engagement.
Pre-listening stage and the role of pre-listening techniques
Before listening activities should be brief, lasting five to ten minutes, though the exact duration may vary depending on the lesson Teachers must consider the lesson objectives, the teaching and learning context, and the specific needs of the students before implementing these activities.
The purposes of the pre-listening phase are:
- To introduce and arouse interest in the topic
- To promote an active and flexible learning environment
- To help increase learners‟ motivation for learning
- To motivate learners by giving a reason for listening
- To provide some language preparation for the text
Before listening, students require support to activate their prior knowledge about the upcoming topic; simply introducing the subject is insufficient Pre-listening activities are essential to assess existing knowledge, build background information, and set clear listening objectives It's important for students to recognize that effective listening involves not just hearing, but also critical thinking and shared interest between the speaker and listener According to King (1984), the act of listening encompasses three key components: the speaker, the listener, and the meaning to be conveyed, forming a unique triangle that enhances comprehension.
2.2.2 The role of pre-listening techniques
Engaging students in pre-listening activities is crucial for enhancing their listening comprehension skills Without these preparatory exercises, students may feel discouraged and adopt a passive attitude, hindering their progress According to Broughter (1989), effective pre-listening techniques not only sustain student interest but also contribute to improved language competence A well-structured pre-listening phase is essential for fostering a positive learning environment.
- The students are provided with language items necessary to understand the listening text
- The students are interested in the topic and eager to explore it
Actually, the teacher can employ various techniques to organize the pre- listening stage such as:
- giving a brief introduction of the listening text
- predicting the content of the listening text
- explaining the instructions of the text
Pre-listening questions are essential tools that effectively engage students by providing them with a clear purpose for listening These guiding questions should focus on the overall meaning and key points of the listening material, ensuring they are straightforward and concise to encourage participation.
Guiding question technique
Guiding questions serve as fundamental inquiries that steer the quest for understanding, making them an effective teaching technique for helping students engage with a topic or comprehend information from a text (Traver, 1998) Wilhelm (2007) emphasizes that these questions foster a focused problem orientation, connecting students to meaningful material and facilitating stimulating discussions that integrate their lives, course content, and the broader world, ultimately reinforcing key concepts, vocabulary, strategies, and ideas.
Guiding questions serve as a framework for exploring a topic, shifting the responsibility from the teacher to the students This approach encourages students to investigate and seek answers that are relevant to their everyday lives, fostering independent learning and critical thinking skills.
2.3.2 The characteristic of guiding question
Traver (1998) indicates four characteristic of guiding question including:
1 Open ended yet focus inquiry on a specific topic It is suggested for a teacher When a teacher teaches listening using guiding question technique, the teachers should pay attention to the question which is used The guiding
17 questions should give opportunities for students to explain what they understand
2 Non-judgment but answering them requires high level cognitive work, such as the development of a rich description, model evaluation or judgment The questions used by teachers should be able to direct the students‟ thinking
3 Contains emotive force and is intellectually stimulating It means that guiding question should be able to stimulate students‟ thinking
4 Succinct, they contain only a handful contain Succinct means that the questions must be clear and focus on specific subject or topic
To conclude, teachers need to pay attention to four characteristics of guiding questions to apply them for each lesson suitably and effectively
2.3.3 The advantages of using guiding question technique
In this study, the focus is on utilizing guiding questions during the pre-listening stage, which aligns with the concept of pre-listening questions The term "guiding question" is specifically chosen to highlight the importance of addressing the content of these questions prior to students engaging in the listening activity.
According to Gall et al (1975), incorporating guiding questions in listening instruction offers numerous benefits for students These questions enhance comprehension by directing attention to key terms and main concepts, while also highlighting the text's fundamental structure and aiding students in making predictions.
Asking students questions before a listening activity encourages them to engage with the topic and draw on their prior knowledge, while also using relevant vocabulary and structures This questioning technique fosters a relaxed atmosphere between teachers and students, boosts students' confidence, and introduces an element of spontaneity Ultimately, it piques students' interest and actively involves them in the upcoming listening tasks, enhancing their overall learning experience.
2.3.4 Criteria for effective guiding question
There have been numerous attempts to identify characteristics of effective
The 18 guiding question techniques in the classroom are categorized based on different criteria, including the type of thinking they aim to elicit, such as recall, analysis, or evaluation Questions can be classified as "genuine" or "display," indicating whether the teacher genuinely seeks an answer or is merely assessing students' knowledge Additionally, they can be open-ended or closed, determining if they allow for multiple answers or have a single correct response.
An effective guiding question for language teachers is one that prompts students to actively engage with the material through meaningful speech, resulting in prompt, motivated, relevant, and comprehensive responses If questions lead to silence, are only answered by a few strong students, or elicit brief and unproductive answers, it indicates a problem with the questioning technique According to Wilhelm (2007), certain criteria can help language teachers formulate effective guiding questions.
- A guiding question “addresses the „heart of the discipline‟ being studied Essential disciplinary knowledge will be required to answer it.”
- A guiding question “is open-ended, possible to contend, arguable It must be complex enough to house multiple perspectives and possible answers.”
- A guiding question “possesses emotive force, intellectual bite, or edginess.” Students should be able to engage in quality discussions about the topic
- A guiding question “may lead to new questions asked by the students.”
To enhance listening skills, guiding questions are essential as they engage students' attention and stimulate their ideas about the lesson Consequently, this approach fosters interest and a desire for deeper learning among students.
2.3.5 Ways of exploiting guiding question technique in English teaching
According to Hyman (1979), there are several ways of exploiting guiding question technique in English teaching as following:
Teachers can effectively engage students by using guiding questions to tap into their existing knowledge before introducing new lessons This approach not only helps to activate students' background understanding but also directs their focus toward the upcoming content.
Using guiding questions to give reasons for the next activities carried out meaningfully
Before introducing a new lesson, teachers can enhance student engagement by posing questions that prompt tasks such as reading, listening, or interviewing These questions not only motivate students but also add significance to the activities, making the learning experience more meaningful and impactful.
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Using guiding questions to set language situations and contexts
Context plays a crucial role in language learning for students, as it provides essential information needed to engage in various activities By incorporating questions and visual aids, teachers can effectively create language-rich situations that enhance the learning experience.
Christina recalls the unforgettable experience of a fire that occurred at her house, marking a significant event in her life To enhance the learning experience, the teacher can present an image depicting the fire while individuals attempt to escape, creating a vivid language context Additionally, questions should be structured in chronological order to guide the discussion about the sequence of events during the fire.
- When did the fire happen?
- Where did the fire happen?
- What are the mothers and the girls doing? → They are getting away or they are trying to escape from the fire
- How did they feel at that time? → They felt terrified
- What were they doing when the fire happened?
- Why did it happen? → Her mother forgot to turn off the gas store
- Did the fire take many things from her?
- How did the girl feel after the fire? -> She appreciated things more
METHDOLOGY
Research design
The research employed an experimental design involving two groups of students: an experimental group that received treatment and a control group that did not A pre-test was administered to evaluate the students' listening comprehension and identify their learning difficulties Following the treatment, a post-test was conducted to assess the effectiveness of guiding questions on enhancing listening comprehension The impact of the experimental treatment was analyzed by comparing the pre-test and post-test results of both groups.
The type of research is designed as follows:
Group Pre- test Treatment Post- Test
- C: Control Group T1: Pre-test to the subjects T2: Post-test to the subjects X: Treatment by using guiding questions at the pre-listening stage
Time and Location of the research
The research was carried out at Nguyen Van Troi high school, in Ha Tinh province The experiement was implemented in 8 weeks from the end of February
From April 22 to the end of April 2018, the researcher conducted a study that began with a pre-test and a pre-questionnaire in the first week The treatment phase lasted for five weeks, concluding with a post-test and a post-questionnaire in the final week.
Subjects of the research
The research involved 72 grade 11 students from Nguyen Van Troi High School in Ha Tinh province, consisting of 41 females and 31 males, all aged 17 with a minimum of 6 years of English learning experience, expected to be at the pre-intermediate level Participants were divided into two groups: a control group of 36 students who did not receive pre-listening instruction with guiding questions, and an experimental group of 36 students who did Prior to the experiment, a pre-test was administered to ensure the English proficiency levels of both groups were approximately equal, while minimizing the impact of variables such as multiple intelligences, gender, and individual characteristics.
The description of the student participant‟s demographic information is presented as follows
Table 3.2: Demographic information of participants
Accumulated English learning experience 6 years
English proficiency level Pre-Intermediate
Research instruments
With the aim of obtaining an adequate collection of reliable and valid data for the study, a listening comprehension test (including pretest and posttest) and questionnaires were employed
The survey questionnaire is a key tool for data collection, offering numerous advantages It enables researchers to efficiently gather information from a large number of participants in a short timeframe, significantly saving time and resources (Bill Gillham, 2000).
This research utilized two survey questionnaires administered before and after the treatment to gather data on students' listening comprehension challenges and expectations The initial questionnaire, comprising five questions, was distributed to 72 students to identify their difficulties in learning listening and their desired teacher interventions (see appendix 1A) Following the treatment, a second questionnaire was conducted to assess students' feedback on the effectiveness of guiding questions used during the pre-listening phase in their learning process An open-ended question was included to gauge students' appreciation for the efficiency of these guiding questions in enhancing their listening skills (see appendix 1B).
This study employed two types of assessments: a pre-test and a post-test The pre-test was administered prior to the implementation of guiding questions during the pre-listening phase to evaluate the study groups' listening comprehension abilities and identify existing challenges students faced in mastering these skills Conversely, the post-test was conducted in the final session to measure the students' improvement following the use of guiding questions in their listening instruction The results of the listening comprehension tests were evaluated based on a specified scoring table.
Table 3.3: Band scores of Listening comprehension test
Band scores Level of listening proficiency
(Adapted from KET listening test’ band scores)
The data of the two survey questionnaires and pretest, posttest were analysed in the next part
The English textbook "Tieng Anh 11," authored by Hoang Van Van, Hoang Thi Xuan Hoa, Dao Ngoc Loc, Vu Thi Loi, Do Minh Tuan, and Nguyen Quoc Tuan, was published in 2006 It features sixteen units designed for two academic terms, each encompassing four key language skills: reading, speaking, listening, and writing Additionally, the textbook covers essential language elements, including pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary, making it a comprehensive resource for English language learners.
There are sixteen topic-based units in the course, covering 16 listening sessions The tittles of the 16 units and the topic of listening lessons are described as below
Table 3.4: The listening topics of 16 units and listening sections
1 Friendship Listen to two passages about Lan‟s friendship and Long‟s friendship
2 Personal experiences Listen to a dialogue about Christina ' s experience
3 A party Listen to a dialogue about Mai‟s birthday party
4 Volunteer work Listen to a text about volunteer work
5 Illiteracy Listen to Students‟ views on what makes an effective school
6 Competitions Listen to a dialogue about the Boston Marathon
7 World population Listen to the text about the causes, consequences and solutions of the world population explosion
8 Celebrations Listen to the text about Japanese New Year
9 The post office Listen to a short talk about the development of
10 Nature in danger Listen to the passage about national parks
11 Sources of energy Listen to the text about how to protect sources of energy
12 The Asian Games Listen to a report about Asian Games
13 Hobbies Listen to a dialogue about a student‟s hobby
14 Recreation Listen to the talk of three Ss about their holiday
15 Space conquest Listen to a talk about the first human moon landing, one of the most important historical events in the 20 th century
16 The wonders of the world
Listen to a text about The Great Wall of China
However, only five units (unit 9 to unit 13) were included in the experiment in
The article discusses five listening lessons, each corresponding to a unit, designed to enhance students' background knowledge and engage their interest in learning The topics are relatable to learners, and the listening tasks have been tailored to incorporate guiding questions, making them more effective for educational purposes.
3.4.4 Applying guiding questions at pre-listening stage
The researcher developed five lesson plans for listening lessons covering units 9 to 13 of the class book, informed by a thorough review of literature on the guiding questions technique and the teacher's book Each lesson incorporated suitable methods for applying guiding questions during the pre-listening stage, tailored to the content of each unit and the associated listening texts.
The procedure of using guiding questions at the pre-listening stage is described as the following:
Before engaging in listening tasks, teachers should provide students with questions that align with the listening text's content These questions should be tailored to the listening purpose; for example, if the goal is to grasp main ideas, the questions should be broad, while specific information requires more detailed inquiries To enhance the pre-listening phase, teachers can employ various techniques, such as using pictures, showing videos, organizing games, distributing handouts with diverse questions, or conducting interviews.
Effective listening tasks can be enhanced by formulating relevant and focused questions that allow for the exploration of vocabulary, grammatical structures, and the content of the listening material.
Teachers encourage students to read or listen to questions attentively, allowing them to form expectations about the upcoming information By presenting questions in a logical sequence, students can develop a structured framework for understanding the listening text Collaborative group work further enhances this learning process.
27 pairs or individually to deal with guiding questions depending on the instructions of the teacher
(Applying the guiding questions technique by showing a video clip)
In this listening lesson, the teacher presents a brief video clip highlighting the 22nd Sea Games, showcasing various sports including gymnastics, running, swimming, and bar-jumping, along with the points and records achieved by the participants.
After students watch the clip, I ask them questions that are similar to the content of the listening lesson and introduce new words as well
For example, for swimming performance, I introduce the phrase “to set a record time of….” and “win a medal”
In the gymnastics event, the phrase “get an average of………” is also introduced
Questions can be asked after using the clip:
- What are the names of the sports shown?
- How many gold medals have been won in swimming event?
- What points did she get in her gymnastics event?
- How did the participants feel after finishing their performance?
Using targeted questions, students are motivated to pay close attention to details during listening lessons, such as time, key points, and the number of recorded medals This approach enhances their ability to retain the information presented.
Procedure
The experiment was implemented for 5 weeks in five lessons During the experiment, the researcher directly taught the experimental group and the control
28 group With a view to assure the reliability and validity of the research, both quantitative and qualitative methods were employed
All participants completed a listening comprehension pre-test consisting of two tasks Task 1 involved listening to a text and determining whether statements were True or False, featuring 5 questions worth 3 points each for a total of 15 points Task 2 required participants to listen again and select the best answer from 5 questions, with each correct answer valued at 2 points, totaling 10 points The combined score for both tasks was 25 points, and students had 15 minutes to complete the listening activities Results were assessed using band scores adapted from the KET listening test, and the analysis of these results will be presented in the following chapter.
The study aimed to identify the challenges faced in the teaching and learning of listening comprehension, enabling the researcher to develop effective solutions for students' difficulties A preliminary survey, consisting of five questions, was administered to 72 students to assess their current issues in learning listening skills and to explore their expectations for improving comprehension prior to the intervention The questionnaires were designed with clear instructions, ensuring that participants could respond easily.
In the next phase, guiding questions were implemented during the pre-listening stage to enhance English listening skills among students in the experimental group over a five-week period Five listening lessons, spanning from unit 9 to unit 13, were adapted to incorporate this technique Various methods were employed to utilize guiding questions, including visual aids, interactive games, and diverse handouts.
29 questions are presented, interviewing, showing a video, providing an unexpected model, setting the scene Nevertheless, the students of the control of group were traditionally taught
Following the treatment, the researcher conducted a post-test featuring the same format and difficulty level (two tasks) as the pre-test for both groups to evaluate the effectiveness of the guiding questions technique in enhancing listening skills The students' performance was measured using band scores adapted from the KET Listening test (refer to Table 3.3).
A questionnaire was administered to assess students' perceptions of their English listening skills following lessons that utilized guiding questions during the pre-listening phase This evaluation aimed to gather insights on the effectiveness of the guiding question technique in enhancing their learning experience.
Data analysis
The researcher employed a mixed-methods approach, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative data Quantitative data was gathered from students' listening scores in pre-tests and post-tests, as well as from close-ended questionnaire responses In contrast, qualitative data was sourced from open-ended questionnaires The pre- and post-test listening results and questionnaire data were analyzed quantitatively using statistical frequency and percentage calculations, presented through tables and charts via Excel formulas Meanwhile, the qualitative insights from open-ended questionnaires were described and reported in narrative form.
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS
Introduction
This chapter presents an analysis of data collected from pre- and post-tests administered to 11th graders at Nguyen Van Troi High School, along with questionnaires completed by students The findings are accompanied by the researcher’s interpretations and assessments, which aim to validate the impact of the guiding question technique during the pre-listening stage on enhancing listening comprehension skills.
Problems encountered by 11 th graders in learning listening skills
In the questionnaire, the first question concentrates on the problems from the students The responses are calculated and shown in the Table 4.1 below:
Table 4.1: Problems from the students
Problems Always Often Sometimes Never
Making prediction what the speaker talk about 43.2% 31.6 % 25.2 % 0%
A significant 74.8% of students struggle to predict a speaker's message, often due to their tendency to focus on individual words rather than paying attention to contextual cues Hasan (2000) suggests that this habit hinders their ability to anticipate the topic of discussion In contrast, skilled listeners can naturally pick up on these indirect cues present in every listening task.
The task title serves as a valuable clue for students to anticipate upcoming content Additionally, predictions can be drawn from visuals such as photos, maps, and charts included in the listening material Furthermore, formulating questions related to the listening topic can engage students and improve their understanding.
A significant issue impacting students' listening comprehension is their limited vocabulary and understanding of English structures Dunkel (1991) highlights that insufficient vocabulary and structural knowledge lead to incomplete comprehension, a challenge faced by 91.7% of participants Many listeners believe that meaning is embedded in unfamiliar words, emphasizing the need for a broad vocabulary When encountering new words, they often prefer to seek out definitions rather than infer meanings from context (Hasan, 2000).
A significant challenge in listening comprehension is the ability to identify main points, with 39.1% of students frequently struggling due to their focus on individual words This narrow approach hinders their recognition of key terms essential for understanding the overall message To improve their listening skills, learners should concentrate on important clues such as discourse markers, repetition, and the speed of speech, which can help them grasp the main ideas more effectively.
4.2.2 Problems from the listening material
The second question of the questionnaire points at examining the causes of the problem related to the listening material The information collected is revealed in the table 4.2
Table 4.2: Problems from the listening material
Problems Always Often Sometimes Never
Linking sounds and unfamiliar words 79.1 % 19.3 % 1.6 % 0 %
Unfamiliar topics can significantly hinder listening comprehension, with 51.6% of students sometimes and 44.7% often or always experiencing difficulties Listening materials may cover diverse fields such as politics, business, or daily conversations, which can confuse listeners due to unfamiliar vocabulary This complexity makes it challenging for listeners to grasp the content when it is filled with specialized terminology To overcome this issue, it is recommended that students engage with a variety of listening materials regularly, helping them become accustomed to different topics and improving their overall comprehension skills.
A significant 65.8% of students find listening tasks to be barriers to their learning, expressing dissatisfaction with these tasks due to their complexity and the presence of unfamiliar vocabulary and structures When listening tasks exceed their proficiency levels, students struggle to complete them, often requiring excessive time to understand and work through the challenges presented.
Over 52.7% of learners believe that encountering different accents poses a challenge due to limited exposure to them, making it difficult for students to comprehend spoken dialogue To address this issue, it is crucial for students to gain more exposure to a variety of accents Yagang (1993) emphasizes that listeners tend to become familiar with the accents they hear most frequently Therefore, increased opportunities to listen to standard British or American accents can significantly enhance their ability to understand diverse accents.
Students often struggle with colloquial language, with 39.5% facing challenges in this area Authentic language, which includes colloquial terms, expressions, and slang, is crucial for effective listening comprehension This type of material closely relates to real-life situations and language diversity, making it vital for learners to grasp the nuances of everyday communication.
Linguistic features, particularly dialectal variations, pose significant challenges for learners A notable obstacle is the phenomenon of liaison, where the final consonant of one word connects to the initial vowel of the following word This connection is identified by 79.1% of students as the primary barrier to effective listening Learners are accustomed to hearing words in isolation rather than in a fluid sentence, leading to misunderstandings of connected speech and a lack of comprehension of the intended meaning.
One challenge in listening comprehension is the elision of sounds or syllables within words, particularly when speech is delivered at a rapid pace This quick delivery can make it difficult for students to recognize individual words, leading to confusion in understanding the spoken message According to Yagang, this phenomenon can hinder effective listening skills.
(1993), liaison and elision are problems which listeners often meet while listening Normally, they get used to the written words arranged systematically in a textbook
In this way, in the stream of discourse, students find it difficult to identify separate words
Many learners struggle with unfamiliar sentence structures, leading to confusion and comprehension issues A significant 34.7% of students report difficulties in understanding due to these structural complexities Hasan (cited in Vogely, 1994) notes that problems in listening comprehension can stem from the text's structural components In everyday conversations, ungrammatical sentences and hesitant speech contribute to misunderstandings, with 89.3% of learners acknowledging this challenge Additionally, the tendency to add or omit parts of sentences can further distract learners Yagang (1993) found that anxiety and hesitation in speakers often result in ungrammatical structures, limiting listeners' understanding.
Long listening texts present a significant challenge for many students, with 75.8% reporting difficulties in this area According to Hasan (2000), extended listening periods can lead to memory issues and fatigue, which distract students from fully understanding the material Consequently, lapses in concentration may cause learners to miss crucial parts of the text, ultimately hindering their overall comprehension and learning outcomes.
4.2.3 Problems result from physical settings
The problems come from not only the listening materials or the students themselves but also the environment encompassing the students It is calculated in the table 4.3
Table 4.3: Problems result from physical settings
Problems Always Often Sometimes Never
Poor quality of the sound equipment
Big class-size & mixed ability
Table 4.3 reveals that 59.7% of students struggle with noise distractions during listening tasks, significantly impacting their performance The presence of background noise not only disrupts their concentration but also creates a confusing blend of sounds that interferes with the clarity of the audio being played Consequently, this environment hinders learners' ability to focus and comprehend the material effectively.
A significant 30.6% of students report that poor sound equipment negatively impacts their listening skills in language learning Sound devices like CDs, CD players, cassettes, and loudspeakers are crucial for developing listening abilities However, many CDs are outdated or malfunctioning, and some teachers resort to reading transcripts instead of using cassette players, which often break down This situation limits students' opportunities to engage with authentic language as spoken by native speakers.
A significant challenge faced by 82.1% of students is the presence of large classes with mixed abilities These oversized classrooms create background noise that distracts students from effectively listening and receiving individual attention from teachers This noise can lead to difficulties in concentrating on the listening material, particularly for those seated at the back of the classroom, making it hard for them to hear and engage with the content clearly.
Students‟ expectations in term of teachers‟ methodology to help them increase
Question 5 looked into the students‟ expectations about the teachers‟methodology in teaching listening comprehension skills The question given for this part was “What do you expect from the teachers to help you increase your listening comprehension?” The respondents were asked to choose as many responses as possible among five questionnaire items, apart from these items, the other one named “Others” was recognized for the respondents to offer their own opinion The response of this question is illustrated in Table 4.5
Table 4.5: Students’ expectations in term of teachers’ methodology to help them increase their listening comprehension
Students’ expectations to help them increase their listening comprehension (Choose as many as possible)
5.1 provide key words along with their pronunciation and guide to guess unfamiliar words or phrases before listening to the text
5.2 give pre-listening questions before listening 91 5.3 provide more background knowledge related to the topic we are going to listen
5.4 guide to make prediction what the speaker is going to talk 72
5.5 allow discussing the topics in groups before listening 61 5.6 Others (Please indicate here)
A significant 89% of students expressed a desire for key vocabulary and their pronunciations to be provided before listening to texts, viewing this as a valuable strategy to enhance their limited vocabulary and pronunciation skills This preparation is essential for students to effectively comprehend the speaker and to infer unknown words from context Utilizing contextual clues, such as subsequent words or phrases, can aid in deciphering unfamiliar terms Additionally, speakers often employ synonyms, antonyms, or appositives to clarify meanings However, students should be cautious not to spend excessive time guessing unfamiliar words, as this may cause them to miss important points made by the speaker.
A significant finding reveals that 91% of students prefer receiving pre-listening questions from their teachers This practice effectively activates students' prior knowledge related to the listening topic and aids them in anticipating forthcoming information Before engaging in listening tasks, teachers provide questions with answers found in the listening text, tailored to the specific purpose of the activity For instance, if the goal is to grasp main ideas, the questions should be broad, whereas detailed questions are necessary for extracting specific information By addressing these questions, students can form expectations about the content and develop a structured understanding of the passage's organization, especially when the questions are logically sequenced.
A significant 78% of respondents indicated that they anticipate their teachers to provide relevant background knowledge on the topic prior to engaging in listening activities By offering essential information about the speaker and the subject matter, teachers can enhance students' understanding and readiness for the lesson.
39 the presentation, aim of the presentation, and the concepts and lexicon that are likely to be appeared in the presentation
According to the data, only 72% of respondents expressed a desire for guidance in predicting the speaker's topic However, making predictions offers significant benefits for students' listening comprehension Teachers can enhance this skill by formulating prediction questions, which help keep students engaged in their listening tasks (Berman, 2003).
A significant 61% of students prefer group discussions, which effectively activate their background knowledge on the listening topic In small groups, students engage in discussions about specific questions related to the subject matter After five minutes, each group shares their insights, allowing all students to gain a comprehensive overview of the lesson's content This collaborative approach not only fosters idea sharing but also helps students recall and utilize familiar vocabulary and phrases.
Group activities offer students an excellent opportunity to exchange knowledge and collaborate on solutions This collaborative environment is particularly beneficial for weaker students, as it provides essential support and encouragement from their peers.
Teachers at Nguyen Van Troi High School rarely utilized group work due to the challenges of managing multiple groups simultaneously As a result, each group primarily concentrated on their own tasks, often neglecting to engage with the work of others This limited their understanding and retention of the listening material, leading to minimal learning outcomes from the collaborative effort.
Effects of guiding question at the pre-listening stage on students‟ listening
In the study's methodology, a pretest on listening comprehension was administered to both the experimental and control groups to assess their listening skills Additionally, a questionnaire was conducted to identify the challenges students faced in learning listening skills Following five listening lessons that utilized an effective guiding question technique during the pre-listening phase, a post-test was given to both groups to evaluate the technique's effectiveness The researcher analyzed various listening task types, students' difficulties, and their expectations to determine the most suitable guiding question technique for each lesson.
Table 4.6: The control and experimental groups’ pretest and posttest results
Control Pretest Posttest Experimental Pretest Posttest
Group Results Results Group Results Results
(Note: 1-6= a poor score; 7-11= below average; 12-16: average;
The pretest results for listening comprehension indicate that the experimental group performed poorly, with 16.67% of students scoring below average and only 22.22% achieving an average score In contrast, the control group had a higher percentage of below-average scores at 30.56%, while 25% of its students reached an average score, slightly surpassing the experimental group by 2.78%.
Neither the experimental group nor the control group achieved an excellent score, defined as 21-25 marks Overall, the pretest results for both groups were nearly identical.
The pretest results show similar means for both groups, with scores of 10.44 for the experimental group and 10.28 for the control group However, the posttest results reveal that the experimental group outperformed the control group, achieving scores of 13.64 compared to 11.36.
The analysis of the control group's pretest and posttest results reveals a slight increase, with scores rising by one or two marks However, for cases C3, C6, C10, C12, C13, C19, C24, and C34, which constitute 22.22% of the participants, there was no significant difference in scores, indicating that these students made no progress after three months of learning listening skills without the use of guiding questions during the pre-listening stage This outcome was unexpected for the researcher, highlighting the challenges faced in enhancing listening skills in the absence of structured support.
The cases of C30 and C27 were surprising as their posttest scores significantly decreased compared to their pretest scores C30's pretest score was 19, but her posttest score dropped to 15, reflecting a decline of 4 marks Similarly, C27 scored 18 in the pretest, a commendable result, yet her posttest score plummeted to 10, resulting in an 8-mark decrease The post questionnaire revealed several factors contributing to this unexpected outcome.
43 words and unfamiliar proper names, which made them worried It took them some minutes to remain calm Consequently, they could not complete the test
The data reveals a significant range in student performance, with the lowest score being 3 (C3) and the highest at 19 (C13, C34) Interestingly, some students who excelled in the pretest, such as C15 and C30, showed minimal to no improvement in the posttest In contrast, C5 demonstrated notable progress, improving from a below-average pretest score of 10 to an average posttest score of 16, marking an increase of 6 points.
Table 4.6 highlights significant improvements in the experimental group, with many students achieving one to four marks higher, while the control group saw only a slight increase The lowest score recorded was 5, and the highest was 23 Notably, only two students in the experimental group (E15, E27) did not show any progress after the listening course, representing 5.56%, which is considerably lower than the 22.22% of the control group.
After two months of using guiding questions to enhance listening skills, eight students from the experimental group achieved excellent scores ranging from 21 to 25 marks These students—E8, E9, E23, E24, E25, E26, E34, and E35—reported in a post-questionnaire that, despite initially struggling to recognize key words in the listening texts, the guiding questions significantly aided their comprehension and overall performance.
The case of E9 surprised the researcher, as her pretest score was a mere 16, while her posttest score soared to 23, reflecting a remarkable improvement of 7 points This significant progress prompted the researcher to investigate the factors contributing to E9's success Insights gathered from the post-questionnaire revealed that E9 struggled primarily with key word pronunciation and lacked background knowledge in listening skills.
44 thanks to guiding questions, which focus on key words and main idea of the listening text, she found it easy to solve her problem
A comparison of the pretest and posttest results revealed that both groups demonstrated an improvement in listening comprehension However, the control group showed a different level of band score improvement compared to the experimental group Detailed information is illustrated in the accompanying pie chart.
Figure 4.4.A: Pretest and Posttest results by band scores of control group
Figure 4.4.B: Pretest and Posttest results by band scores of experimental group
(Note: In Figure 4.4: 1-6= a poor score; 7-11= below average; 12-16= average; 17-20= good, 21-25= an excellent score)
The posttest results indicate a significant improvement in the experimental group, with 22.22% of students achieving excellent scores (21-25), while the control group showed no students reaching this level In contrast, both groups had no students with excellent scores in the pretest.
The experiment group showed a significant improvement in performance, with the percentage of students scoring in the poor band decreasing from 36.11% in the pretest to just 11.11% in the posttest, reflecting a remarkable 25% reduction in poor scores.
The posttest results indicated a significant improvement in students' listening comprehension scores, largely due to the use of guiding questions during the pre-listening stage This approach fostered active classroom interaction, even among previously inactive students By utilizing guiding questions, participants gained valuable support in discovering effective strategies for engaging with the speaker, ultimately enhancing their comprehension skills.
Suggestions to make guiding questions effective
Guiding questions are essential in fostering an active learning environment in the classroom, as they encourage student engagement and participation According to Kissock and Iyortsuun (1984), effective guiding questions can enhance teaching strategies and promote deeper understanding among students.
When preparing your lesson plan, it's essential to formulate guiding questions that align with your instructional goals These questions should highlight the key topics you deem significant, helping students understand what to focus on during the lesson By emphasizing these guiding questions, you reinforce the core objectives of your teaching and enhance student engagement.
To foster meaningful discussions, pose clear and specific guiding questions that elicit detailed responses rather than simple yes or no answers Steer clear of ambiguous inquiries like "What did you think of the short story?" If a student responds with a brief answer, follow up with questions that prompt them to elaborate, clarify, or justify their thoughts, encouraging a deeper exploration of the topic.
Use vocabulary that students can understand Students cannot respond well to a question that contains unfamiliar terms
Ask guiding questions in an easily identifiable order Students might be confused by random, rapid-fire questions Use questions to signal a change of topic or direction in the lecture
Use guiding questions to help students connect important concepts (e.g.:
Now that we have learned about conservation of energy;How does this knowledge help us relate the kinetic and potential energy of an object?)
To enhance student engagement and response quality, allow 10-15 seconds for students to think before answering questions This waiting period, though sometimes uncomfortable, signals your genuine interest in their responses Encourage students to write down their answers before calling on individuals to share, ensuring that everyone actively participates in the discussion.
Rephrase guiding questions when students do not respond in the manner you expected Admit that your original question might have been confusing.
Particular Examples of Using guiding questions in pre-listening stage
Unit 2: Personal Experiences: Applying guiding questions by using and exploiting the picture given in the textook at the same time a Aims: By the end of this phase, students will be able to listen for specific information about the fire and understand the whole passage after listening b Time suggested to apply this technique: 7 minutes c Procedure:
The listening lesson focuses on the fire which is one of the most unforgetable experiences that Christina has met in her life The fire took place at her house
In the pre-listening stage, the textbook offers a helpful visual aid that enables teachers to effectively introduce new vocabulary, including terms like "firemen" (firefighter), "fire truck," and "to put out."
To enhance lesson organization and student engagement, teachers should integrate visuals with timely questions that align with the listening content This approach allows for a more focused learning experience, as questions are strategically arranged to follow the sequence of events during the fire.
- When did the fire happen?
- Where did the fire happen?
- What are the mothers and the girls doing? → They are getting away or they are trying to escape from the fire
- How did they feel at that time? → They felt terrified
- What were they doing when the fire happened?
- Why did it happen? → Her mother forgot to turn off the gas store
- Did the fire take many things from her?
- How did the girl feel after the fire? -> She appreciated things more
(The underlined words are new ones that students need to be taught)
Teachers effectively lead students to grasp the main concept of the listening lesson by helping them visualize the context of the fire incident This approach enhances students' confidence and enthusiasm for learning.
The method explored focuses on students' recollections of past birthday parties or their plans for upcoming celebrations The primary aim is to engage students in making informed decisions based on their responses to questions, ultimately guiding them to determine the truthfulness of their statements.
False statements of the text and can answer the questions related to the party b Time suggested: 5 minutes c Procedure:
In this lesson, some questions are available but the teacher can add some more to assist students to bear in their mind what is going to be listened
The questions in the textbook are:
- When do you like to organize your birthday, during the day or evening?
- What foods and drinks are often served at your birthday party?
- What activities do you often have at your birthday party?
- Where do you do like to hold a party? Why?
- How many people do you plan to invite and who are they?
- How do you feel after the party?
The listening text focuses on Mai's birthday party, detailing the location and the guests invited, which aids students in answering task 1 more effectively.
Engaging in two specific tasks enhances students' ability to remember and summarize listening content, enabling them to confidently share their birthday party plans in front of the class.
Unit 7: World population a Aims: Pre-questions here assist students in developing extensive listening skills for specific information Also, students can predict the listening content b Time suggested: 7 minutes
49 c Procedure: The guiding questions used in this lesson is based on the teacher‟s knowledge about the world population
This listening lesson effectively introduces the topic of overpopulation through two significant questions provided in the textbook, allowing teachers to engage students and facilitate meaningful discussions about the input material.
- Do you think that our world is overpopulated?
- What continent has the largest population?
To enhance students' focus on the listening text, the following questions are proposed to help narrow down the topic and improve comprehension.
- How many people are there in the world today?
- What are the main reasons for population explosion?
- And what should we do to solve this problem?
Teachers can jot down concise answers on the board to facilitate student understanding and retention, allowing them to reference these notes during the post-listening phase Additionally, new vocabulary words, highlighted for emphasis, are introduced in conjunction with these questions to enhance language learning.
As of today, the global population is estimated to exceed 7 billion people, with Latin America being identified as the continent with the largest population.
- Question: “What are the main reasons for population explosion?” -> introducing the word “illiteracy”
- Question: “What should we do to solve this problem?” -> make people aware of………; provide inexpensive birth-control methods; implement a family planning policy …
In this way, students are well –prepared for the listening text thanks to these questions
Unit 8: Celebrations a Aims: Students can imagine what the New Year in Japan might like and are able to listen and pick up specific details b Time suggested: 8 minutes c Procedure:
In this unit, I will implement the “guiding questions” technique using a mining game To prepare, I will create cards that list common activities celebrated by the Japanese during New Year’s Days.
Card 2: preparing special food, fruits, etc (some peaches) or special preparation ( a pine tree)
Card 3: going to the shrine (picture)
In the classroom, I will divide the students into two groups, allowing each group to take turns at the board to perform actions based on cards I have prepared As students engage in miming, I will ask questions during and after their performances, which will help introduce essential new vocabulary.
Card 1: Making a sentence: Japanese people often put on kimonos
Card 2: - Showing a picture: a pine tree
- Asking students: What does a pine tree represent for? (“represent” means “to symbolize”)
- Making a sentence: It represents longevity and constancy
(On board: longevity: longlife ; constancy: sự kiên định)
(The underlined words are new words needed to teach for students)
The rest cards (cards 3, 4, 5, and 6) are designed to create a lively classroom atmosphere and engage students' interest in the lesson By incorporating playful actions inspired by their peers, these cards help to enhance excitement and enthusiasm for learning.
In one word, by making guiding questions, students can envisage what the Japanese do before and during the New Year and learn some more new words simultaneously
Unit 10: Nature in danger (Using guiding questions by giving hands-out with some multiple-choice questions ) a Aims: Students will be able to predict what they are going to listen
They can understand the general ideal and pick up the specific ones b Time suggested: 5 minutes c Procedure:
This listening section provides neither questions nor pictures Therefore, it is essential for teachers to use pre-listening techniques to provide necessary language items and encourage students to listen
For a start, teachers can ask students some relating questions such as:
- Why have any national parks in the United States been founded?
- Can you tell me some danger these national parks can face with?
For these two questions above, answers are not important The purpose here is to help students narrow down the topic of listening
Next, the teacher distributes some hands-out with multiple choice questions This is intended to help students prepare for listening to specific information in the lesson
Here is the hands-out:
1 How many national parks are there in the US?
2 Do national parks protect and preserve the natural beauty of the land?
3 Which of the followings are the problems that national parks are currently facing?
A Having animals are killed or hunted for fur, skin or other parks
B Trees are cut down for food
C Devastating fires are caused by careless people
4 What should be done to protect national parks?
A Increase the numbers of visistors to earn more money for the parks
B These problems should be solved gradually
C Money should be raised for the park‟s staff and maintenance of their resources
D If there is not enough money, some national parks should be destroyed
After finishing the hands-out, it is certain that students can envisage the listening content
Unit 11: Sources of energy a Aims: Students can remember sources of energy, some new words and are ready to listen to the tape for specific and general information b Time suggested: 8 minutes c Procedure: In this lesson, the teacher plans to use the guiding questions technique by organising a competition game “Word Search” Questions are raised simply to guide the students to take part in the game d The teacher divides the class into small groups of 3-4 students Then the teacher distributes the following puzzle handout for students to do in their groups Which group finishes first and has all the correct answers will be the winner
Find the words hidden in this puzzle The words go across, up, down, backward and diagonally
After finding, some words are revealed including resources, renewable, unlimited, ecologist, ocean, land, sun, grass They are shown in bold as follows: