INTRODUCTION
Rationale of the study
Listening is a vital language skill that can be improved through practice Educators can support students in enhancing their listening abilities by utilizing various media, including videotapes, audiotapes, and computer resources, along with targeted activities that can be completed at home or in language labs By engaging with these materials, students can effectively practice listening to acquire vocabulary, understand sentence structures, and comprehend dialogues in the target language.
Students engage in listening differently based on their purpose and context They employ various strategies to manage conversations, such as requesting the speaker to slow down, clarify their statements, or repeat information Without these techniques, students risk missing valuable learning opportunities and effective communication.
Listening is an essential skill for English students at the university level, yet it is often one of the least understood aspects of language learning (Kavaliauskiene, 2011).
Traditional learning is characterized by face-to-face interactions in a classroom setting, where students engage directly with their instructors This method often leads to a passive learning experience, as students primarily rely on teachers for lectures and discussions The repetitive nature of this approach can result in monotony, with students listening to recorded materials and completing assigned tasks without prior preparation Consequently, traditional learning does not actively involve students in the learning process, limiting their engagement and initiative.
In response to various factors, many educators are adapting their teaching methods by incorporating a blend of traditional and online learning, known as blended learning This approach is particularly effective for language acquisition, especially in listening classes, providing a comprehensive solution for students.
In blended learning situations, one needs to consider how students learn through both face-to-face and online discussions Blended learning is the application of
Blended learning, which integrates high-technology tools with traditional methods, enhances listening skills by extending the learning experience beyond the classroom This effective teaching approach utilizes various media, making it one of the best styles for improving listening comprehension.
The adoption of a blended learning approach in listening classes is essential, as many students struggle with listening skills due to limited exposure to authentic listening input, which affects their familiarity with English pronunciation and vocabulary (Hamouda, 2013) Most students reported that their primary listening practice occurs in the classroom Therefore, this research aims to examine the impact of blended learning by teaching listening strategies to enhance students' aural skills The study focuses on a blended learning environment predominantly conducted in face-to-face settings, complemented by weekly online listening activities.
Aims and objectives of the study
This study explores the perceptions and evaluations of listening strategies in a blended learning English environment from both teacher and student perspectives, providing a comprehensive understanding of their effectiveness The research also delves into the specific listening strategies employed by students in this setting, analyzing their frequency of use and identifying areas for improvement Ultimately, the findings inform pedagogical implications and suggestions, offering valuable support for teachers seeking to enhance their students' listening skills in blended learning environments.
In order to achieve the above mentioned aims, the research was conducted to seek the answers for the following questions.
1 How do university teachers and students perceive the importance of listening strategies in blended learning English environment?
2 Which specific listening strategies are applied by students to facilitate their listening comprehension in blended learning English environment?
Significance of the study
Adopting a blended learning approach in listening classes is beneficial, especially for students facing listening challenges This study investigates the listening strategies employed by second-year students at Hanoi University of Industry.
This article serves as a valuable resource for teachers, providing insights into effective listening strategies and pedagogical recommendations aimed at enhancing learners' listening comprehension skills Ultimately, it aims to support the target population in achieving success in acquiring listening skills Additionally, the study is beneficial for English teachers and students in Vietnam, who face similar challenges in teaching and learning this international language.
Scope of the study
This research examines the listening strategies used by second-year students who are not majoring in English at Hanoi University of Industry The study focuses on a small sample size, including five teachers and 89 students, who are experiencing a new blended learning English environment Despite the limited number of participants, the data collected is deemed sufficient to yield valid and reliable insights, which are essential for the success of this research.
Methods of the study
In order to achieve the aforementioned aims, the study applied mixed method combining both qualitative and quantitative approaches
Data collection for the study utilized both survey questionnaires and interviews A total of 89 second-year students from a single faculty participated in the survey, while interviews were conducted with five English teachers and five randomly selected students.
The researcher employed statistical procedures for data analysis, including coding questionnaire data to classify, summarize, and present findings in an accessible manner Additionally, interviews were transcribed, analyzed, and synthesized to offer deeper insights into the topic of interest.
Design of the thesis
- Chapter 1 states the research problem and rationale for the study Subsequently, the aims, significance, scope, and methods of the study are presented
- Chapter 2 provides the background of the study, including a review in key concepts relating to the research topic and review of previous studies
- Chapter 3 presents the research methods adopted in the study Justification for the chosen research instruments as well as their procedure of implementation is also reported
- Chapter 4 presents the finding results of the research combined with critical interpretation and analysis, from which major findings are revealed and discussed
- Chapter 5 reviews the major findings of the study, and then indicates some contributions as well as limitations of the study Also, suggestions for further research are put forward
In conclusion, this chapter outlines the research problem, rationale, significance, scope, and methodology of the study, providing a comprehensive overview of the thesis design This framework serves as a guiding reference for the subsequent sections of the thesis Additionally, the Appendices include the survey questionnaire for students and interview materials for both teachers and students.
LITERATURE REVIEW
This chapter gives an overview of the literature, including key concepts and related studies in the field in order to provide a theoretical background for the study
Listening poses a significant challenge in second language acquisition due to various factors These include the phonetic differences between the learner's native language and the target language, limited vocabulary, a lack of grammatical understanding, and pragmatic variations between the two languages.
Listening plays a vital role in our everyday lives and is especially important in language acquisition Consequently, numerous scholars have dedicated their efforts to studying this skill, leading to a diverse range of definitions of listening found in the literature.
Listening, as defined by Howatt and Dakin (1974), is the skill of identifying and comprehending spoken communication This multifaceted process requires the listener to grasp the speaker's accent, pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary, as well as to understand the overall meaning An effective listener can perform these four tasks concurrently, demonstrating a high level of auditory processing and comprehension.
Ronald and Roskelly (1985) define listening as an active process requiring the same skills of prediction, hypothesizing, checking, revising, and generalizing that writing and reading demand
According to Underwood (1989), listening is an active process that involves focusing on the speaker and interpreting the meaning of their words, while hearing is merely a passive state.
To listen successfully to spoken language, the listener needs to be able to understand not only the words themselves but also the meanings hidden in words
Accordingly, learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) need to be prepared to handle tests in listening comprehension (Nasrudin, 2013: 3) Listening
Listening comprehension is the ability to understand the meanings and implications of spoken language, going beyond mere hearing It allows individuals, especially children, to grasp, remember, discuss, and retell stories in their own words Developing strong listening skills from an early age is crucial, as it lays the foundation for effective communication in the future.
Listening is a multifaceted and active process of interpretation, recognized by various authors for its complexity It requires listeners to engage actively, utilizing both linguistic and non-linguistic skills and knowledge to comprehend and make sense of the information being conveyed.
Listening has been proved to be of great importance in communication as well as in language teaching and learning
Research highlights the crucial role of listening in effective communication, with Wilt (1950, as cited in Guo & Wills, 2006) revealing that individuals allocate 45% of their communication time to listening, compared to 30% for speaking, 16% for reading, and only 9% for writing This data underscores the importance of honing listening skills for successful interactions.
Effective language learning relies heavily on listening skills, as emphasized by Rost (1994), who underscores the significance of listening in the language classroom as a primary source of input for learners, without which learning cannot commence.
Listening skills are crucial for effective learning and communication, as highlighted by Wallace, Stariha, and Walberg (2004), who emphasize that these skills allow students to gain insights and information necessary for success Nunan (1998) echoes this sentiment, asserting that listening is fundamental in language acquisition, and without it, learners cannot communicate effectively.
Language learning fundamentally relies on listening, as it provides essential aural input necessary for language acquisition and facilitates spoken communication Effective language acquisition occurs primarily through comprehensible input, making listening skills a crucial element in obtaining understandable language input (Guo, N & Wills, R., 2006, p.3).
Listening plays a crucial role in language learning, making it vital for teachers to cultivate effective listening skills in their students In the communicative approach to language teaching, educators should demonstrate listening strategies and offer practice in real-life contexts to enhance students' listening abilities.
In listening comprehension, bottom-up processing occurs when listeners attend to linguistic features and decode each sound and word for semantic meaning (Siegel, 2011)
Clement (2007) explains that in bottom-up processing, language learners depend significantly on auditory input for listening comprehension To identify a word in the listening text, listeners often match initial sounds with known lexicons, systematically narrowing down options until they find the most accurate match for the sounds they hear.
In 2007, an example was presented illustrating how a learner encounters the word "founder." Initially, upon hearing the phoneme /f/, the learner activates memories of similar-sounding words like find, fact, fan, and found As subsequent sounds are heard, words such as find, fact, and fan are eliminated from consideration The word "found" appears to fit until the final sound /er/ is heard, prompting the learner to infer the meaning of "founder" based on the connection to "found." This elimination process typically takes no longer than 25 seconds, as noted by Field (1999) Additionally, the analysis of phonemes, syllables, words, phrases, and sentences can occur simultaneously during this process.
When learners face unfamiliar listening input, they often rely on top-down processing to bridge gaps in their language knowledge (Wilson, 2003) This approach helps them understand and interpret the information despite their limited familiarity with the content.
Top-down processing involves listeners utilizing their background knowledge and expectations to interpret the intended meaning of a speaker (Clement, 2007) This prior knowledge, often conceptualized as a schema, plays a crucial role in understanding the subject matter.
METHODOLOGY
This chapter outlines the methodology employed in the study, covering key aspects such as participant selection, research instruments, and data collection and analysis procedures The rationale behind the chosen research methods is also provided, along with a detailed explanation of the meticulous steps taken to ensure the reliability and validity of the data collected.
The study was conducted on a group of participants who are second year students and five teachers of English at Hanoi University of Industry
The study involved 89 second-year undergraduate students from the Faculty of Vietnam Study at Hanoi University of Industry, aged between 18 and 21, including 37 males and 52 females These participants were non-majored English students with English proficiency levels ranging from upper-elementary to pre-intermediate, as determined by a placement test conducted upon their university entry A total of 89 questionnaires were distributed to these students.
The study features five teachers with diverse backgrounds in gender and teaching experience The oldest teacher, aged 36, has four years of experience in blended learning, while the youngest, at 23, has one year of experience teaching English in a blended learning environment.
Above all, face to face interview with each member of the English language teaching staff provides the researcher with tremendous advantages in inquiring through the matter under investigation
To gather reliable and valid data for the study, a combination of survey questionnaires and face-to-face interviews was utilized as effective research methods This approach enhanced the validity and reliability of the data, as insights gained from one method could inform and refine the other (Hancock, 1998:12).
The instrument was designed exclusively for students and included a questionnaire divided into two sections The first section contained four questions focused on assessing students' perceptions and evaluations of listening strategies The second section featured 25 questions that explored various listening strategies recommended by Oxford.
In 1990, a study aimed to identify specific listening strategies was conducted Prior to completing the researcher's questionnaire, students participated in an English course utilizing a blended learning program, ensuring they had a clear understanding of the concept of "blended learning."
Survey questionnaires are often more time-efficient and effective than other methods, allowing researchers to gather substantial amounts of information quickly According to Brown (2001), a researcher can collect extensive data in under an hour This benefit was particularly leveraged when conducting a questionnaire among a large group of students.
Nevertheless, regarding the nature of listening strategies, survey questionnaire bears its limitation It was claimed that responses from questionnaires only reflect generalized statements about the strategy use (Cohen, 1998)
Interviews were carried out with five teachers and ten students in informal settings, each lasting approximately fifteen to twenty minutes With the consent of all participants, the discussions were tape-recorded for future reference.
The use of interviews in research proves to be highly beneficial, as it allows researchers to adhere to a structured set of questions while also providing the flexibility to delve deeper into topics, maximizing the information gathered from participants Hancock (1998:7) emphasizes that this method delivers "a richness and depth of information," enhancing the overall quality of the research findings.
The opportunity to gather diverse responses from interviewees is crucial, as their non-verbal cues during discussions provide significant insights into their perceptions and attitudes regarding the topic under investigation.
3.3 The blended learning context in Vietnam and at Hanoi University of Industry
3.3.1 The blended learning policy in Vietnam
The Vietnamese government prioritizes education as part of its integration into the global community However, as noted by Peeraer, Tran, and Tran (2009), despite a strong appreciation for blended learning, its implementation largely serves to replace traditional teaching methods in a limited capacity Additionally, Selwyn (1999) highlights that this disconnect between policy rhetoric and actual practice is common, often rooted in a technological determinist view that assumes technology will inherently provide benefits.
Vietnam has actively encouraged the adoption of blended learning in higher education, supported by various government policies and guidelines The Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) plays a pivotal role in issuing these policies, overseeing education and training across all levels in the country.
These above policies also put emphasis on implementing blended learning as a new method of teaching and training to meet learning demands (MOET, 2008)
The Vietnamese government aims to foster an information society by enhancing education through blended learning, electronic curricula, and e-lessons (MOET, 2007) Consequently, the integration of e-learning and the creation of e-lessons have emerged as primary objectives in this educational transformation, despite the absence of a clear definition for these concepts.
26 an e-lesson was (Peeraer et al., 2009)
Supported by government initiatives, educational institutions in Vietnam have made significant strides in e-learning development All schools and universities now maintain websites to facilitate information sharing and enhance learning experiences Online resources, including lessons and tests, are readily accessible, fostering a collaborative learning environment Additionally, there are established network connections between universities and the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET), further promoting educational advancement.
A number of universities have offered blended learning programs for undergraduate students such as Hanoi University of Industry, Hanoi University of Technology, and Teachers‘ University
Blended learning has recently been introduced and integrated into Vietnamese institutions under international aid funding such as AusAID (VDIC,
Between 2011 and 2015, the project successfully advanced blended learning within industrial organizations, focusing on enhancing knowledge sharing, building staff capacity, and improving development outcomes.
While a number of polices have been produced and some investment in e-learning, progress towards the plans has been slow
3.3.2 The blended learning context at Hanoi University of Industry
The overview of blended learning program
FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS
This chapter focuses on analyzing the results obtained from questionnaires and interviews A detailed discussion of the findings is also presented in this chapter
Chart 1: Reasons of students to learn listening English
Chart 1 illustrates reasons why students learn listening English As can be seen from the chart, 57% of students learned listening in order to get improvement of communication skill Students‘performances are shown in communication; therefore, majority of students makes an effort to communicate smoothly There are 35% of students who claimed that their purpose of learning listening was having high marks of tests The percentage of students who learned vocabulary for studying abroad and other purposes was 6% and 2% respectively Because majority of students live in rural area, they and their families cannot afford to study abroad Some students wrote that they learned listening to watch favorite English films or read English books
These statistics assisted teachers to do lesson plans which are satisfactory to students‘ aims of learning listening
Chart 2:Students'opinion on the importance of listening strategies
Chart 2 shows students concern about the importance of listening strategies 28% of students supposed that listening strategies wasimportant; 63% of them found it important, 8% of them found it normal and only 1% of them claimed it was unimportant
From statistics of chart 2, it is realized that students were aware of the significance of listening strategies in learning listening English
Use an image or picture
NeverOccasionallySometimesUsuallyAlways
Chart 3: Memory listening strategies in blended learning English environment
Chart 3 illustrates the memory strategies applied by second year students
Approximately 50% of students effectively utilize images or pictures as a learning strategy, while 33.33% use this technique occasionally, and 25.71% never employ it Notably, only 4.76% of the population consistently relies on this method, indicating a modest overall engagement with visual aids in their studies.
In the context of the second strategy, 37.14% of respondents occasionally recall the locations of new words to enhance information retention However, this technique is applied sometimes by 33.33% of students, while only a small percentage consistently utilizes it.
4.76% of informants It may be referred that learners spent much time on interpreting the whole spoken message rather than retaining some newly heard information
With regard to associating, nearly half of the survey respondents (44.76%) sometimes call upon their general background knowledge to assist comprehension
Among the three strategies analyzed, associating emerged as the most frequently applied technique among respondents This finding aligns with Oxford's (1990) observation that linking new information to existing knowledge is an effective and commonly utilized method for inferring the meaning of listening passages.
Chart 4: Cognitive listening strategies in blended learning English environment
Chart 4 illustrates the cognitive listening strategies applied by second year students
Chart 4 reveals that practicing with sounds, a key strategy according to Oxford, received a surprisingly low endorsement, with only 0.95% of respondents rating it as "always." This indicates a significant gap in the perceived effectiveness of this technique among informants.
The terms "occasionally" and "never" represent significant percentages in listening skill practice, accounting for 40% and 14.29%, respectively This indicates that students are neglecting a crucial aspect of listening—sound perception, including pronunciation and intonation—due to a lack of focused attention and daily practice.
A significant majority of students (72.28%) reported using the technique of quickly grasping ideas, ranging from "always" to "sometimes." Notably, students with a good command of English intentionally employed this strategy, effectively identifying main ideas through skimming and scanning In contrast, students with lower English proficiency demonstrated a critical misunderstanding by focusing too much on individual words while listening This observation aligns with O'Malley et al (1989), who noted that effective listeners utilize both top-down and bottom-up processing strategies, whereas ineffective listeners become fixated on deciphering single words.
In contrast to the previously discussed strategy, 74.29% of participants employed the technique of guessing meanings, indicating that a significant majority of students have access to resources that aid in interpreting word meanings.
A significant 73.33% of students employed deductive listening strategies, ranging from "always" to "sometimes," indicating a usage rate comparable to two previously mentioned techniques This finding is further supported by interview results, where 77.78% of participants confirmed their engagement with this listening approach.
35 on their applications of this technique
Once again the technique of taking note was preferable to a large number of students, which results in 76.19% of frequent usage
Cognitive strategies are among the most favored by language learners, as noted by Oxford (1990:43) It is essential for students to engage in more practice focused on sound perception and note-taking skills to enhance their learning experience.
Never Occasionally Sometimes Usually Always
Chart 5: Compensation listening strategies in blended learning English environment
Chart 5 shows the compensation listening strategies in blended learning English environment
In considering a number of respondents marked the use of each strategy from
A significant 90.48% of respondents relied on visual and contextual clues, while 69.53% utilized linguistic clues in their strategies In stark contrast, only 0.95% employed phonological clues, highlighting a notable gap of 89.53% between the highest and lowest ranked methods Interestingly, the number of participants who practiced with sounds in cognitive strategies matched exactly with those who opted for phonological clues.
36 clues This similarity demonstrated a fact that students‘ lack of practice has resulted in their inability to infer the meaning from phonetic signals
Pay attenttion Make clear goals of tasks
Find out about the language learning
Never Occasionally Sometimes Usually Always
Chart 6: Metacognitive listening strategies in blended learning English environment
Chart 6 indicates metacognitive listening strategies in blended learning English environment
The data on metacognitive strategies reveals two significant trends among students A substantial majority, 76.67%, consistently prioritize paying attention, while 89.52% set clear task goals In contrast, only a small fraction frequently explores language learning methods and acknowledges their mistakes Notably, 50% of students occasionally seek effective listening strategies, yet around 30% never engage in this supportive technique Additionally, 33.33% of students occasionally notice their mistakes, and 27.62% never create extra opportunities to practice their listening skills.
According to Oxford's summary (1990:138), research indicates that students tend to utilize metacognitive strategies less frequently than cognitive strategies in the context of second and foreign language learning, and they exhibit a limited variety of metacognitive strategies.
Self-rewarding Notice Share feeling with friends
Never Occasionally Sometimes Usually Always
Chart 7: Affective listening strategies in blended learning English environment
Chart 7 shows the affective listening strategies applied by second year students
From chart 7, self-rewarding proved to be students‘ most preference among the four affective strategies More specifically, 32.39% of respondents marked
―always‖ and ―usually‖ for frequency as opposed to 43.8% decided on
Most students appear unfamiliar with effective emotional strategies, as indicated by a study showing that 87.62% rarely attempt to stay calm, 70.47% seldom share their feelings with friends, and 63.81% infrequently notice their emotions.
In short, affective strategies are generally neglected by most of students As they were stated by Oxford (1990:143), these strategies are ―woefully underused‖ by language learners
Asking the teacher for clarification
Never Occasionally Sometimes Usually Always
Chart 8.Social listening strategies in blended learning English environment
Chart 8 shows social listening strategies in blended learning English environment
CONCLUSION
This concluding chapter offers a concise summary and assessment of the study's outcomes, highlighting key findings, limitations, and contributions, while also presenting recommendations for future research.
5.1 Major findings of the research
This study comprehensively examined the listening strategies employed by second-year students in a blended learning English environment Through detailed analysis of data collected from surveys and interviews, several significant findings emerged regarding these strategies.
In the first place, teachers and students‘ perception and evaluations of addressing listening strategies and information communication technology are explored Generally, they obtained a relatively value and sketchy understanding of
Despite their limited expertise, both groups of respondents recognized the importance of teaching listening strategies and strongly supported their integration into classroom practices and blended learning environments.
The study thoroughly examined specific listening techniques employed by students to enhance comprehension through technology, categorizing the strategies into four primary groups based on questionnaire and interview results The most popular strategies identified include "Taking notes," "Quickly grasping the idea," "Paying attention," and "Identifying the purposes of language." Additionally, ten less common strategies were noted, such as using pictures, practicing with sounds, inferring from phonological clues, exploring language learning, and seeking language practice opportunities.
Students commonly use strategies like music for relaxation, self-rewarding, body awareness, diary writing, and peer collaboration to enhance their listening skills In contrast, less popular methods include contextualizing new vocabulary, semantic mapping, inferring from linguistic cues, and seeking clarification Research indicates that while students utilize a diverse array of listening strategies, their application tends to be inconsistent and complex The implementation of these strategies can be categorized into course-level, program-level, and institutional-level blending To address the challenges teachers face in teaching these strategies, awareness training and an integrated model are recommended Additionally, a collection of classroom techniques and activities has been compiled to provide teachers with targeted guidance for developing listening strategies within a blended learning English environment.
The study's findings on student expectations for listening strategies in a blended learning English program align with previous research, highlighting that students have diverse expectations and experiences regarding learning listening strategies in such courses.
The interaction between students and instructors is crucial for effective learning This study highlights that participants valued instructors who provided support and were quick to respond to student questions and inquiries.
The study's findings highlighted positive interactions between students and instructors; however, it also indicated varying levels of engagement For effective interaction, it appears that instructors must take the initiative to actively engage with students.
The decrease in face-to-face sessions has impacted the interaction between students and instructors, leading to limited opportunities for direct communication As a result, students may not receive adequate feedback from their instructors.
Student engagement with course content is crucial for effective learning Research indicates that students are selective and purposeful in their interactions, often opting for materials they believe will help them achieve high scores Among these resources, lecture notes are frequently regarded as particularly valuable by students.
Students often face time constraints, which leads them to selectively access course materials Additionally, they frequently overlook supplementary content, preferring to depend on instructors to deliver essential course information.
Participants recognized the importance of course materials, including lecture notes, guides, and supplementary resources like reference books and audiovisual aids Supporting this, Sharafuddin and Allani (2011) found that most students at a university in Kuwait acknowledged the effectiveness of these teaching materials, highlighting their value in enhancing the learning experience.
The design of the learning interface is important as it can significantly affect
46 the learning experience for the student As described by Mijares (2012), the
Interface design plays a crucial role in shaping the visual and interactive aspects of blended learning systems Numerous participants praised their learning experiences, attributing their satisfaction to the intuitive and user-friendly interface.
This study enhances existing research by incorporating the experiences of Vietnamese students and introduces previously unrecognized listening strategies, including usefulness and accreditation Unlike earlier studies that reported both positive and negative outcomes, this research exclusively highlights positive results However, investigating the reasons behind this singular conclusion falls beyond the study's scope.
At Hanoi University of Industry, there is a lack of clear definitions for listening strategies and blended learning The prevailing understanding of listening in the context of blended learning appears to be a combination of face-to-face and online instruction While existing literature indicates that the balance between these components can vary widely, this institution seems to adhere to a rigid structure, predominantly favoring the online component while relegating face-to-face interactions to a secondary role.