INTRODUCTION
Rationale
Vietnam, rich in history and tradition, is experiencing significant changes due to advancements in information technology and international cooperation To fully appreciate and understand the diverse cultures and ethnic characteristics of other countries, it is essential for us to learn their languages.
English is one of the most widely spoken languages globally, serving as a crucial medium in business, politics, culture, and education Its extensive use fosters international collaboration, helping countries address challenges and build prosperous communities Vietnamese learners recognize the importance of mastering English and are actively striving to improve their skills The advent of modern technology and opportunities for communication with foreigners have made learning English more accessible However, challenges remain, particularly in acquiring the four essential skills: speaking, reading, writing, and listening Among these, listening is often the most challenging for first-year English majors, primarily due to limited practice opportunities in their previous education.
Listening is the foundational skill through which babies begin to recognize language, highlighting its significance for all language learners A pivotal study by Wilt M.E in 1950 revealed that communication comprises 45% listening, 30% speaking, 16% reading, and 9% writing, underscoring the essential role of listening in effective communication.
Listening is a crucial skill in English language learning, as supported by both statistical evidence and personal experiences.
Combining this with another study, Rankin, Paul T said that “which showed that 70% of waking time is spent communicating, only serves to underline how essential the skill of listening is”
Listening is essential for English learners as it helps them acquire vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and the structure of spoken language Additionally, understanding various accents, voice tones, and pitch variations significantly impacts their comprehension of spoken messages.
Listening plays a crucial role in language learning, as it allows learners to pick up essential clues about idiomatic spoken English, both consciously and subconsciously By hearing native speakers or teachers, learners can identify and remember words and phrases that are acceptable for their own use in the future.
Listening is essential for language learners, as it aids in comprehension through classroom instructions and audio resources Known as Active Listening, this skill encompasses not just hearing but also interpreting body language and empathizing with the speaker, ensuring that the intended message is accurately understood.
Without the skill of listening, there can be no language learning, and hence no communication – surely the most important interaction human beings are involved in
The listening competence of first-year English majors at Haiphong Private University is inadequate, primarily due to a high school education that emphasizes grammar over practical language skills Traditional teaching methods have led students to excel in grammar and reading exercises, while speaking and listening skills remain underdeveloped As a result, many first-year students at HPU struggle with listening comprehension, facing significant challenges in mastering this essential skill Consequently, it is evident that these students experience difficulties in acquiring effective listening abilities in English from the outset of their university education.
High failure rates in final listening exams among first-year English major students at HPU have led to significant disappointment and stress This situation has motivated the writer to explore the topic of "Motivation for First-Year English Major Students in Listening Courses." The aim is to provide effective tips that will assist students in overcoming their listening challenges and enhancing their listening skills from the outset of their studies.
Aims of the study
In a nutshell, the research would seek the answers to the following questions:
1 What is the attitude of the HPU‟s first - year English majors towards listening skill?
2 What are the main factors influencing the competence of the HPU‟s first - year English majors?
3 What are difficulties in listening courses of the HPU‟s 1st – year English majors?
4 What is motivation is effective for English listening courses?
Scope of the study
The informants‟ surveyed are all 38 students of NA1601 of HPU
This study investigates the attitudes of first-year English majors at HPU towards listening skills, examining the factors that impact their listening abilities and identifying challenges faced in listening courses The research aims to analyze data to determine the most effective motivational strategies for enhancing listening skills among these students.
Methods of the study
This study primarily employs a quantitative method, relying heavily on the analysis of statistical data and relevant publications to inform its considerations, remarks, interpretations, comments, and assumptions.
Design of the study
This study will be divided into three parts
Chapter 3: Data analysis, findings and discussion
DEVELOPMENT
Theoretical background
Listening is the process of receiving language through our ears, where we identify speech sounds and transform them into meaningful words and sentences This involves perceiving individual sounds, such as letters, stress, rhythm, and pauses, while our brain interprets these auditory signals into coherent messages.
(from http://www.englishclub.com/listening/what.htm)
Listening is a crucial language skill that plays a significant role in education for individuals of all ages As highlighted in Bulletin (1952), it serves as a vital medium through which children, young people, and adults acquire essential information, develop their understanding of the world and human interactions, and cultivate their ideals, values, and appreciation for various aspects of life.
According to Howatt and Dakin (1974), listening is the ability to identify and comprehend what others are saying This process requires understanding the speaker's accent, pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, and overall meaning A proficient listener can effectively perform these four tasks at the same time.
Listening can be defined in various ways, reflecting different perspectives and approaches There is no consensus on a single best definition, as each one offers unique insights into the listening process Ethel Glenn (1989) emphasizes the importance of recognizing these diverse interpretations in understanding listening comprehensively.
The Journal of the International Listening Association presents fifty varied definitions of listening, highlighting that the interpretation of listening differs based on the context in which it is applied Researchers aiming to predict listening behavior, interpreters of listening, and consultants providing workplace listening skills training may each adopt distinct definitions Glenn's content analysis reveals that the most common concepts associated with listening include perception, attention, interpretation, response, and the use of both spoken and visual cues.
Historically, listening has been viewed as an automatic process requiring no effort or training, but it is, in fact, an active skill that involves receiving, processing, and interpreting sounds To enhance our listening abilities, we must recognize the various components of the listening process Listening is not just about hearing; it involves making sense of auditory stimuli, retaining information, and utilizing it effectively Just as we communicate for different reasons, we also listen for various purposes, including enjoyment, information gathering, and evaluation.
Frank Tyger said that "Hearing is one of the body's five senses, but listening is an art."
Listening is a crucial component of effective communication, where the responses of the receiver significantly influence the conversation's flow To enhance communication, it is essential to practice active listening, which includes giving feedback that clarifies and enriches the speaker's message Successful listening combines the right attitudes with knowledge and skills; knowledge explains what actions to take and their importance, while skills demonstrate how to implement those actions Ultimately, listening is a habit that requires a commitment to developing the necessary knowledge, skills, and desire to engage fully in conversations.
In conclusion, this paper emphasizes that listening is a skill that can be developed, highlighting its nature as an active process that engages both the mind and body It underscores the importance of verbal and nonverbal communication working in harmony, allowing us to be attuned to the needs and concerns of others as well as our surrounding environment.
* Wolvin and Coakly (1988, 1993) have introduced a categorization of listening They identified 5 types of listening:
Discriminative listening focuses on distinguishing sound and visual stimuli without considering their meaning, primarily concentrating on auditory elements In basic-level classes, this may involve identifying the gender or number of speakers The goal is to train the ears to recognize sounds rather than comprehend them, similar to how children initially respond to sound stimuli and later recognize their parents' voices among others As students progress, discriminative listening evolves from merely distinguishing sounds to identifying individual words.
Then, there is Comprehensive listening which the focus is on
Understanding the message is fundamental to the three types of listening However, comprehension can vary significantly among students due to various individual and social factors, leading them to interpret the same message differently Therefore, a crucial aspect of teaching listening in the classroom is to facilitate the development of students' comprehension skills.
Therapeutic listening is a form of listening where the listener acts as a sympathetic presence, providing minimal verbal responses This approach allows individuals to express their thoughts and feelings while navigating through their problems By fostering an environment of understanding and support, therapeutic listening plays a crucial role in enhancing interpersonal relationships.
Critical listening is the fourth kind of listening, in which listeners have to evaluate the message Listeners have to critically respond to the message and give their opinion
Appreciative listening emphasizes the enjoyment derived from listening, as highlighted by students who find joy in English music despite not fully understanding the lyrics This challenges the idea that comprehensive listening is essential for appreciation In the language lab, students typically listen to songs once to grasp the lyrics before a second listening with the lyrics in hand They noted that their appreciation for the song increased during the second listen, illustrating the connection between understanding and enjoyment in the listening experience.
The exploration of the five types of listening proved to be both enlightening and stimulating, highlighting the saying, "When one teaches, two learn."
Listening involves seven essential components: volition, focused attention, perception, interpretation, remembering, response, and the human element These components are crucial to the dynamic and active nature of listening, which varies with each interaction Just as a jazz musician improvises, effective listening requires adaptability to the changing elements of communication within our social groups Unlike passive hearing, listening is a conscious effort that demands our full engagement According to Rogers and Farson, "active" listening emphasizes this intentional involvement in the process.
The listener plays a crucial role in communication, actively engaging with the speaker's words to understand the underlying facts and emotions By doing so, the listener assists the speaker in navigating their own challenges and finding solutions.
Research Methodology
The literature review in the previous chapter highlights essential definitions related to the research on "Motivation for First-Year English Major Students in Listening Courses," while also presenting various perspectives and insights from researchers in the field.
This article explores the listening-related challenges faced by English learners and highlights the necessity for dedicated listening courses It examines the underlying reasons for these challenges and offers recommendations for improvement The author aims to contribute to this issue by investigating students' perceptions, knowledge, and attitudes towards their listening comprehension, ultimately providing practical solutions To achieve these objectives, a study was conducted with first-year English major students at HPU, detailing the population, sampling methods, data collection instruments, and analysis procedures in the methodology section.
A questionnaire was developed in English and administered to first-year English majors at HPU The authors conducted both direct and indirect interviews with the participants efficiently to gather the necessary information Subsequently, the collected data were analyzed using an academic approach.
A survey was conducted with thirty-eight first-year English majors at HPU, who have completed nearly two semesters of English listening skills training The participants provided essential information, including their age, sex, duration of English study, and their experience in acquiring English listening skills The research aims to assess the acquisition of listening skills and the motivation for listening courses among freshmen, ultimately leading to recommendations for enhancing the learning experience in this area.
Below is the summary table:
1 Age 1 st –year students (19 years old)
More than 5 years and less than 10 years
Table 1: Distribution of informants with their status parameters
The survey questionnaire aims to explore factors influencing first-year English majors' listening comprehension at HPU, highlighting common challenges they face in listening competence and their motivation levels.
Part 1 is designed for general information about the of age, sex, duration of studying and acquisition of English listening
Part 2 is designed to find out the English listening competence of the
HPU‟s 1 st – year English majors and some English listening – related issues
Question 1: How important is English listening skill?
Question 2: What are main factors affecting your listening comprehension? Question 3: What difficulties do you have in English listening courses?Question 4: What motivation is effective for English listening courses? Thirty-eight completed questionnaires were selected to analyze the data and conduct the research.
Data analysis findings and discussion
Research question 1: What is the attitude of the HPU’s 1 st - year English majors towards listening skill?
Chart 1: Student’s attitude toward English listening skill
Understanding students' perspectives on the significance of English listening skills is crucial According to the data, 79% of respondents view listening as a very important language skill, while 10% consider it somewhat important and 11% find it important, with no respondents deeming it unimportant These statistics highlight students' recognition of the role listening plays in their language development English listening skills are undeniably one of the four essential components of language acquisition, contributing to improvements in pronunciation and conversational abilities.
First-year English majors at HPU struggle with listening competence due to a lack of frequent practice during high school, where the focus was primarily on grammar skills This limited exposure has resulted in significant challenges for them in understanding spoken English.
Student's attitude towards English listening skill
A bit importantImportantNot important
Many students primarily focus on grammar and reading exercises during their education, but higher education institutions, such as universities and colleges, emphasize all language skills, particularly speaking and listening Consequently, first-year students at HPU often struggle with mastering listening skills, finding it challenging to comprehend spoken English at the introductory level This widespread difficulty highlights the importance of developing English listening skills, as students believe that improving their listening abilities will enhance their overall language proficiency.
Research question 2: What are the main factors influencing the listening competence of the HPU’s first- year English majors?
Listening is a complex and active process where learners decode and construct meaning by utilizing their prior knowledge and linguistic skills Various factors influence listening comprehension, but this study concentrates on four key elements: Listener, Speaker, Stimulus, and Context The attitudes of informants regarding these factors affecting their English listening skills are clearly illustrated in Table 1.
1.Language facility, including phonological, lexical, syntactic, semantic, pragmatic knowledge
1 Language ability: native speaker vs nonnative speaker 11%
Table 1: The main factors influencing the listening competence
The data indicates that the only significant factor affecting listening competencies identified by the informants is "language facility," which accounts for 21% of student responses.
Language facility, encompassing phonological, lexical, syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic knowledge, is crucial for effective listening comprehension When students engage with audio recordings, inadequate mastery of these language components hinders their ability to grasp key lesson points As sounds are processed, they activate hierarchically organized schemata in the listener's mind, relying on their understanding of words, syntax, and grammar for bottom-up processing (Rubin, 1994, p 210) This intricate process is deeply linked to the listener's linguistic knowledge, while pragmatic understanding also plays a role in predicting lesson content.
3 Presentation mode; audio only vs audio and visual 5%
2 Interval between listening and testing 3%
The second highest percentage, at 15%, highlights the importance of "discussion topics" in listening courses Engaging students in discussions about the topic before and after listening can significantly enhance their vocabulary and boost their confidence This approach helps them better understand the speakers and grasp the main ideas of the listening tasks In contrast, without pre-listening discussions, students may feel passive and frustrated during and after the lessons, underscoring the crucial role that topic discussions play in effective listening instruction.
Distraction during listening tasks accounts for 13% of challenges faced by students, ranking as the third most significant issue While many students can maintain focus during brief listening activities, prolonged tasks spanning multiple periods can lead to increased distractions External noises and disturbances can significantly hinder listening comprehension and negatively impact overall performance.
On the contrary, the informants do not pay much attention to the
First-year students often struggle with listening comprehension when faced with abstract materials or complex structures To enhance their listening skills, it is crucial to provide simple and easy-to-understand resources By focusing on straightforward content, educators can help students practice listening step by step, ensuring they grasp the essential concepts without being overwhelmed by difficult language.
The proportion of students choosing “knowledge of the world” and
The interval between listening and testing has a minimal impact on comprehension, with only 3% variance observed This indicates that understanding the world is less critical than grasping the specific words, structures, and main points of the listening tasks Consistent practice is essential, as knowledge can be built over time with each listening unit Additionally, the pauses provided during the interval allow listeners to refresh and prepare for subsequent sections, ultimately leading to improved listening results.
In conclusion, among the key factors affecting the listening competence of first-year English majors at HPU—namely Listener, Speaker, Stimulus, and Context—the listener factor is the most influential, accounting for 29% An active listener typically possesses greater background knowledge, which aids in understanding the topic at hand The support provided to listeners enhances their comprehension, as increased support correlates with improved understanding Additionally, listeners must practice recognizing speech patterns to better interpret meaning Furthermore, a listener's interest in the subject matter significantly boosts comprehension, as they are likely to disengage from topics that do not capture their attention.
Speaker factors significantly impact students' listening proficiency, contributing to 27% of listening comprehension challenges Key elements include the speed of speech, overlapping dialogue, accent variations, colloquial language, and reduced forms, all of which can hinder effective listening Following speaker factors, context factors and stimulus factors account for 23% and 21% of the influences on listening skills, respectively.
The primary factors affecting the listening competence of first-year English majors at HPU are crucial for understanding their learning process Recognizing the frequency of listening interruptions enables students to identify effective strategies to enhance their listening skills.
Research question 3: What are difficulties in listening courses of the HPU’s 1st – year English majors?
Listening skills are crucial for students' comprehension, yet many first-year students at HPU struggle to effectively utilize these skills They face various challenges related to different aspects of listening to English.
The chart reveals the percentage of the difficulties in listening courses of the HPU‟s 1 st - year English majors In the findings, the students jot down no
1 They are trying to understand every word 27%
2 They get left behind trying to work out what a previous word meant
3 They just don't know the most important words 11%
4 They don't recognize the words that they know 15%
5 They have problems with different accents 12%
6 They lack listening stamina/ get tired 9%
8 They can't cope with not having images 5%
Other difficulties: other difficulties for they are the first students, having less experience of listening skill
A significant number of first-year English majors struggle with listening comprehension, with 27% attempting to understand every word and 19% feeling lost trying to decipher previous statements This issue arises from a lack of experience and practice in English listening skills, making it challenging for students at HPU to grasp spoken English at a basic level While students can often manage to follow conversations in their native language despite missing parts of the dialogue, they find it difficult to apply this skill in a second language To help build their confidence, educators can assign simple tasks, such as identifying a famous person's name or recognizing frequently mentioned topics, even if students do not grasp 90% of the content This approach can alleviate the frustration that arises when they struggle to remember words and lose track of the conversation.
Survey questionaire
This survey is part of my research on the motivation of first-year English major students in listening courses Your participation is greatly appreciated, and your responses will remain confidential and used solely for research purposes Please return the completed questionnaire by April 15, 2013.
Thank you very much for your assistance
Please tick () and fill in where appropriate
• How long have you been studying English?
More than 5 years and less than 10 years
1.How important is English listening skill?
2.What are the main factors influencing the listening competence of HPU’s first –year English majors?
1 Language facility, including phonological, lexical, syntactic, semantic, pragmatic knowledge
1 Language ability: native speaker vs nonnative speaker
3 Presentation mode; audio only vs audio and visual
2 Interval between listening and testing
3 What difficulties do you have in English listening courses?
1 You are trying to understand every word
2 You get left behind trying to work out what a previous word meant
3 You just don't know the most important words
4 You don't recognize the words that they know
5 You have problems with different accents
6 You lack listening stamina/ get tired
8 You can't cope with not having images
4.What motivation do you think it has most influence on your English listening courses?
Bản khảo sát
Chúng tôi thực hiện khảo sát này để hiểu rõ tầm quan trọng của kỹ năng nghe tiếng Anh trong việc học tập Dữ liệu thu thập sẽ phục vụ cho luận văn tốt nghiệp với đề tài “Các động lực giúp sinh viên chuyển ngữ năm thứ nhất trường Đại Học Dân Lập Hải Phòng học tốt môn nghe” Chúng tôi rất mong các bạn dành chút thời gian để trả lời các câu hỏi dưới đây Xin cam kết rằng thông tin cá nhân của các bạn sẽ được bảo mật hoàn toàn Vui lòng gửi lại bản khảo sát đã hoàn thành cho chúng tôi trước ngày 15 tháng 4 năm 2013.
Xin chân thành cám ơn
Hãy lựa chọn đáp án ( )và điền vào những chỗ thích hợp
• Bạn đã học tiếng anh trong bao lâu?
Trên 5 năm và dưới 10 năm
• Năng lực tiếng anh của bạn ở mức độ nào:
1.Kĩ năng nghe tiếng anh quan trọng như thế nào đối với bạn?
Quan trong Ít quan trọng
2.Những tác nhân chính nào ảnh hưởng tới việc nghe hiểu của bạn?
Những nhân tố chính Kết Quả
1 Điều kiện thuận lợi về ngôn ngữ: ngữ âm, từ vựng, cú pháp, ngữ nghĩa và hiểu biết thực tế
2 Hiểu biết về thế giới
3 Điều kiện về thể chất
1 Năng lực ngôn ngữ: người bản ngữ và không phải người bản ngữ
3 Cách trình bày: giữa việc chỉ có âm thanh với việc có âm thanh và cả minh họa
1 Sao lãng trong khi nghe
2 Khoảng thời gian giữa nghe và soát lại thông tin
3.Những khó khăn nào mà bạn gặp phải trong quá trình học nghe?
Những khó khăn Kết Quả
1 Bạn đang cố gắng để hiểu mọi từ trong bài nghe
2 Bạn cố gắng tìm nghĩa của từ đã nghe trước đó mà bỏ qua những từ đang nghe
3 Bạn không biết những từ quan trọng trong bài
4 Bạn không nhận ra những từ mà bạn đã biết
5 Bạn gặp khó khăn về giọng điệu của người nói
6 Bạn không có khả năng nghe/ bạn thấy mệt mỏi
7.Bạn có vấn đề về thần kinh
8 Bạn không thể nghe được nếu không có ảnh minh họa
9 Bạn có vấn đề về nghe