Enhancing concentration in listening courses for first year efl students at van hien university

--- Page 1 --- MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING VAN HIEN UNIVERSITY -------------- FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES FINAL TEST SUBJECT: APPLIED LINGUISTICS ------***----- ENHANCING CONCENTRATION IN LISTENING COURSES FOR FIRST-YEAR EFL STUDENTS AT VAN HIEN UNIVERSITY --- Page 2 --- Class: 233ENG49103 & 233ENG49104 Group 7: DƯƠNG YẾN ANH 221A140626 LÊ TRẦN BẢO HÂN 221A140217 TRẦN THỊ KIM NGỌC 221A140042 LÊ HẠNH THỦY TIÊN 221A140318 PHÙNG NGỌC UYÊN 221A140628 Lecturer: PhD(c). MA. Nguyễn Trường Giang HCMC, July 2024 MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING VAN HIEN UNIVERSITY -------------- FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES --- Page 3 --- FINAL TEST SUBJECT: APPLIED LINGUISTICS ------***----- ENHANCING CONCENTRATION IN LISTENING COURSES FOR FIRST-YEAR EFL STUDENTS AT VAN HIEN UNIVERSITY Class: 233ENG49103 & 233ENG49104 Group 7: DƯƠNG YẾN ANH 221A140626 LÊ TRẦN BẢO HÂN 221A140217 TRẦN THỊ KIM NGỌC 221A140042 LÊ HẠNH THỦY TIÊN 221A140318 PHÙNG NGỌC UYÊN 221A140628 --- Page 4 --- Lecturer: PhD(c). MA. Nguyễn Trường Giang ĐIỂM KẾT THÚC HỌC PHẦN (Học kỳ 3 – Năm học 2023-2024) Môn học: NGÔN NGỮ HỌC ỨNG DỤNG (Applied linguistics) Mã học phần: 233ENG49103 & 233ENG49104 Họ tên & MSSV: DƯƠNG YẾN ANH 221A140626 LÊ TRẦN BẢO HÂN 221A140217 TRẦN THỊ KIM NGỌC 221A140042 LÊ HẠNH THỦY TIÊN 221A140318 PHÙNG NGỌC UYÊN 221A140628 ACKNOWLEDGMENT --- Page 5 --- We would like to express our sincere gratitude to my advisor for Applied Linguistics at Van Hien University for guiding and supporting me throughout this research project. We especially thank Mr. Truong Giang for his valuable feedback and encouragement. We also appreciate the contributions of the students who participated in the survey and interviews, without whom this research would not be possible. Furthermore, we would like to thank the authors of the various studies and research papers that we have cited in this essay, whose has paved the way for a deeper understanding of the complexities of teaching English as a foreign language (EFL) listening comprehension. Outstanding works by various authors not only highlight the importance of concentration in listening courses but also inform methods. Our pedagogy is aimed at fostering active listening skills. We acknowledge the challenges that EFL learners face in developing the ability to focus, including linguistic, cognitive, and emotional barriers. This study seeks to contribute to the ongoing discussion on how to teach listening effectively by investigating the difficulties that first-year EFL students at Van Hien University encounter in improving their ability to concentrate in tasks. course listens and explores evidence-based strategies to improve their focus and engagement. Finally, we would like to thank our family and friends who have always supported and encouraged us throughout this educational journey. This research was carried out as part of our study requirements at Van Hien University and we are grateful for the opportunity to explore this topic and contribute to the existing body of knowledge. ABBREVIATIONS E.F.L: English as a Foreign Language VHU: Van Hien University ECLC: Enhancing Concentration in Listening Course SPSS: Statistical Package for the Social Sciences FIGURES Figure 5.1.1. Levels of agreement and disagreement of EFL ………………………..…….20 Figure 5.1.2. Factors that assist first-year EFL students at VHU improve their concentration while studying.…………………………………………………………………...………….21 Figure 5.1.3. EFL''''s wishes when studying at the VHU ……………………………………22 --- Page 6 --- CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION Research introduction For first-year EFL students at Van Hien University, listening comprehension is an extremely important factor. Especially the English language, not only popular in many countries but also popular in Vietnam. In our country, the English language is also one of the qualifications for university graduation assessment. Lynch (1998) argues that listeners can integrate various types of information from different sources such as phonetics, phonology, intonation, vocabulary, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics, in order to help them understand the intended message. Therefore, learning in the right way is crucial for Van Hien University students. According to (Byrnes, Fink, & Roman, 1982), the authors emphasize the importance of positive listening comprehension as a fundamental factor in oral communication in a foreign language. Improving listening comprehension is essential in the listening process. Listening comprehension requires time and a long process to help improve listening skills. To have a better listening course, we need to enhance concentration during the learning process. As some studies have shown, in order to enhance concentration in listening course for first-year EFL students at Van Hien University, learners can utilize the vocabulary they want to learn through various games (Syafii, Kusnawan & Syukroni, 2020) or use background music as one of the ways to enhance focus in listening comprehension (Sigman, 2005). Moreover, first-year students at Van Hien University can improve their concentration in listening courses by engaging in activities that they are passionate about or have personal interests in. Clearly, there are many different activities and learning methods that help promote high concentration during the learning process. Especially in listening and acquiring a second language. Knowing how to apply various activities and methods makes learning easier and more receptive. Thanks to the high concentration achieved through these processes, the listening course for students is further enhanced. This research examines two distinct questions: • What are the difficulties in improving concentration in listening courses for first-year EFL students at Van Hien University? • How can first-year EFL students enhance their focus in listening courses? CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1. Overview of the concentration in listening courses for First-year EFL students at Van Hien University 2.1.1. Definitions 2.1.1.1. Definition of concentration The Oxford English Dictionary defines the meaning of attention as The keeping of the internal faculties fixed on one object or set of objects, and Michael W. Taft reworded this description that''''s bringing all one’s sweats (whether internal, physical, emotional, etc.) to bear on a single point. Either, he also said that this description relates directly to its original word – concentrate. - Con- is “ together ”;- centr- means “ center ”. Therefore, to concentrate is to bring effects to a common center point. According to Michael W. Taft (2017), attention is an internal exertion, this is an excellent demonstration of all that concentrating is each about using the conception of attention as the central point of all your cognitive means. 2.1.1.2. Definition of listening

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAININGVAN HIEN UNIVERSITY

Lecturer: PhD(c) MA Nguyễn Trường Giang

HCMC, July 2024

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING VAN HIEN UNIVERSITY

Lecturer: PhD(c) MA Nguyễn Trường Giang

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to my advisor for Applied Linguisticsat Van Hien University for guiding and supporting me throughout this research project Weespecially thank Mr Truong Giang for his valuable feedback and encouragement We alsoappreciate the contributions of the students who participated in the survey and interviews,without whom this research would not be possible.

Furthermore, we would like to thank the authors of the various studies and researchpapers that we have cited in this essay, whose has paved the way for a deeper understandingof the complexities of teaching English as a foreign language (EFL) listeningcomprehension Outstanding works by various authors not only highlight the importance ofconcentration in listening courses but also inform methods Our pedagogy is aimed atfostering active listening skills We acknowledge the challenges that EFL learners face indeveloping the ability to focus, including linguistic, cognitive, and emotional barriers Thisstudy seeks to contribute to the ongoing discussion on how to teach listening effectively byinvestigating the difficulties that first-year EFL students at Van Hien University encounter inimproving their ability to concentrate in tasks course listens and explores evidence-basedstrategies to improve their focus and engagement.

Finally, we would like to thank our family and friends who have always supported andencouraged us throughout this educational journey This research was carried out as part ofour study requirements at Van Hien University and we are grateful for the opportunity toexplore this topic and contribute to the existing body of knowledge.

THE TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 6

1.1 Research introduction 6

CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 8

2.1 Overview of the concentration in listening courses for First-year EFL students at Van Hien University 8

2.1.1 Definitions 8

2.1.2 Types of listening 9

2.2 The significance of concentration in listening courses for First-year EFL studentsat Van Hien University 9

2.2.1 Effective listening requires active focus 9

2.2.2 Overcome background noise 10

2.2.3 Build comprehension skills 10

2.2.4 Prepare for real-world communication 10

CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 13

3.1 Sample and sampling procedures 13

3.2 Data collections 13

3.2.1 Survey 13

3.2.2 Observation 14

3.3 Data collection procedures 14

3.4 Data analysis procedures 15

CHAPTER 4 KEY FACTORS AFFECTING CONCENTRATION IN LISTENING164.1 Cognitive factors 16

4.7 Technology and multimedia use 18

CHAPTER 5 RESULTS & DISCUSSION 20

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

1.1.Research introduction

For first-year EFL students at Van Hien University, listening comprehension is anextremely important factor Especially the English language, not only popular in manycountries but also popular in Vietnam In our country, the English language is also one of thequalifications for university graduation assessment Lynch (1998) argues that listeners canintegrate various types of information from different sources such as phonetics, phonology,intonation, vocabulary, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics, in order to help them understandthe intended message Therefore, learning in the right way is crucial for Van Hien Universitystudents According to (Byrnes, Fink, & Roman, 1982), the authors emphasize theimportance of positive listening comprehension as a fundamental factor in oralcommunication in a foreign language Improving listening comprehension is essential in thelistening process Listening comprehension requires time and a long process to help improvelistening skills To have a better listening course, we need to enhance concentration duringthe learning process.

As some studies have shown, in order to enhance concentration in listening course forfirst-year EFL students at Van Hien University, learners can utilize the vocabulary they wantto learn through various games (Syafii, Kusnawan & Syukroni, 2020) or use backgroundmusic as one of the ways to enhance focus in listening comprehension (Sigman, 2005).Moreover, first-year students at Van Hien University can improve their concentration inlistening courses by engaging in activities that they are passionate about or have personalinterests in.

Clearly, there are many different activities and learning methods that help promotehigh concentration during the learning process Especially in listening and acquiring asecond language Knowing how to apply various activities and methods makes learningeasier and more receptive Thanks to the high concentration achieved through these

processes, the listening course for students is further enhanced This research examines twodistinct questions:

• What are the difficulties in improving concentration in listening courses for first-year EFLstudents at Van Hien University?

• How can first-year EFL students enhance their focus in listening courses?

CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Overview of the concentration in listening courses for First-year EFL students at Van Hien University

2.1.1 Definitions

2.1.1.1 Definition of concentration

The Oxford English Dictionary defines the meaning of attention as The keeping of the

internal faculties fixed on one object or set of objects, and Michael W Taft reworded thisdescription that's bringing all one’s sweats (whether internal, physical, emotional, etc.) tobear on a single point Either, he also said that this description relates directly to its originalword – concentrate - Con- is “ together ”;- centr- means “ center ” Therefore, to concentrateis to bring effects to a common center point.

According to Michael W Taft (2017), attention is an internal exertion, this is anexcellent demonstration of all that concentrating is each about using the conception ofattention as the central point of all your cognitive means

2.1.1.2 Definition of listening

The Oxford English Dictionary stated that listening is paying attention to a sound.When harkening, a person hears what others are saying and try to figure out the meaning Harkening is regarded as one of the most pivotal capacities in learning either a nativelanguage or an alternate or a foreign language (Bentley, 1996).

Harkening is the process of making understanding of spoken language, which isgenerally accompanied by other audile and visual data, using our applicable previousknowledge and the environment in which we're harkening (Lynch & Mendelsohn, 2013).

2.1.1.3 Definition of EFL students

The most important thing of EFL students is to discourse with individualities from

different nations or societies, and they generally have limited exposure to and commercewith English outside of the classroom (ADSCII OPERATIONS, 2024).

2.1.2 Types of listening

2.1.2.1 Active listening

Active listening is a type of harkening in which the listener fully engaged andconcentrated on the speaker To ensure understanding, it's necessary to keep eye contact, askclarifying questions (DeVito, 2019), and rephrase what speaker has stated (Jensen &Trenholm, 1992) Also, active listening promotes trust, resolves problems, and improvescommunication (Levitt, 2002).

2.1.2.2 Passive listening

On the other side, unresistant listening refers to a style of harkening in which the

listener isn't completely concentrated on the speaker and may not be harkening hardly.Unconscious listeners might not pay attention, make eye contact, ask questions, or reply tothe speaker Misconstructions and poor communication can affect from unresistant listening.(Chase, 2023; Abdukhakimova & Juraeva, 2023)

2.2 The significance of concentration in listening courses for First-year EFL students at Van Hien University

Concentration is an important factor determining the success of the listening course forfirst-year EFL students at Van Hien University Here are some typical examples:

2.2.1 Effective listening requires active focus

According to Wolvin et al (1996) defined that listening is not a matter of merelyhearing words, but of understanding the meaning behind them It requires attention,concentration, and a willingness to consider the speaker's perspective If students are notfocused enough, they may miss important details or not understand the speaker's message.

2.2.2 Overcome background noise

College environments can be noisy and distracting, making it difficult for students tofocus on spoken language in listening courses According to the research of Flowerdew et al(2005), students who have the ability to filter out distractions and background noise is acrucial aspect of effective listening, and one that can be developed through practice andtraining.

2.2.3 Build comprehension skills

Vandergrift (2007) found that comprehension is not only a matter of decoding words,but also constructing meaning from the linguistic input Attention and concentration areessential for this process, as they enable listeners to identify the relationships between words,phrases, and ideas.

2.2.4 Prepare for real-world communication

According to Rost (2011) argued in real-world communication, the ability toconcentrate and focus attention is critical in real-life listening situations, where listeners mustprocess complex information, filter out distractions, and respond appropriately to achievecommunicative goals By practicing concentration during a listening course, students can bebetter prepared for these situations.

2.2.5 Enhance learning

As the research of Oxford (2017) shows that active learning strategies, such asconcentration, can enhance student learning and performance By teaching students to focusin a listening course, they can improve their overall academic performance.

2.3 Difficulties and Strategies for first-year EFL students may face when learning English listening courses

2.3.1 Difficulties

Underwood (1989) also mentions common trouble scholars face during harkeningexercises, including the speed of delivery, the incapability to repeat words, limited

vocabulary, difficulty following transitional signals, lack of particular knowledge, attentionchallenges, and the habit of trying to understand every word heard These circumstancesalways led to understanding difficulties Likewise, Hayati and Jalilifar (2009) highlightanother common issue listeners face the breathless fading of the content they have just heard Rixon (1986) notes that challenges in harkening process may do because spoken wordsdo not for reflection and contemplation as written words do Numerous language learnersfind they can originally understand the speakers fluently but struggle to recall what was saidsubsequently Accordingly, the issue of retention in harkening appreciation deservessignificant attention (Hayati & Jalilifar, 2009).

A recent study fastening specifically on harkening appreciation challenges amongSaudi scholars in English harkening classrooms, carried out by Hamouda (2013), linked arange of challenges These included difficulties related to accentuations, pronunciation,speech speed, limited vocabulary, varying speaker accentuations, poor attention, anxiety, anddissatisfactory recording quality Also, distractions both inside and outside the classroom,along with the inclination to grasp every detail of the harkening textbook, contributedsignificantly to learners' harkening difficulties (Lee, 1986).

2.3.2 Strategies

Use note-taking skills: Note-taking is “a process that requires cognitive processing; itconsists of several steps, namely listening, appreciating, analyzing, selecting, and writingnotes” (Ozbay, 2005) Note-taking is also a useful method in information sharing situationsto help build information, promote reflection (Van der Meer, 2012), and recall information(Boch & Piolat, 2005; Hayati & Jalilifar, 2009; Clark et al 2014) Furthermore, note-takinginvolves three steps: understanding the verbal information, noting down important details,and writing down that information (Piolat et al 2005) In particular, they provide acomprehensive description of note-taking, describing it as summarizing the source materialthrough the process of note-taking while listening carefully, learning, or observing Thesenotes play a pivotal part in collecting information from different sources like lectures, books,or other scripts challenging the retention of knowledge for future reference Note-taking,

being a multipurpose practice, is applied for a wide range of objects, yet it requires varyingskill sets depending on the particular environment context.

Scholars can get to apply the Cornell note-taking system, a system developed toenhance note association for scholars at Cornell University, as described by Pauk (2011).Extensively taken up across the United States, this system comprises several ways:

1 Recording: Students transcribe important ideas from an audio recording, fastening on mainpoints and details, and restating them in their own words

2 Questioning: scholars identify areas of distraction and write down questions, encouragingovercritical thinking and understanding

3 Reciting: scholars explain the ideas in their own words, recycling information and abetingmind retention

4 Reflecting: scholars analogize new information with previous knowledge and guests,making connections and heightening understanding

5 Recapitulating: scholars epitomize the exclusive note into one or two rulings, relating themain ideas and crucial takeaways

6 Reviewing: scholars reconsider their notes incontinently after taking them, revitalizingtheir minds and precluding forgetting, as supported by the forgetting wind proposition

CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Sample and sampling procedures

Our research issues precisely addressed by the meticulous planning of study designs.To achieve this purpose, we select data gathering and analysis methodologies for theresearch design The study participants were first-year English majors at Van HienUniversity For nearly a week, we gathered data both online and offline First and foremost,we requested that our friends respond to the questions on the form After that, we had in-person interviews with a few Van Hien University pupils At last, we spent a few sessionsobserving in the Listening and Speaking class The three activities listed above arecompleted concurrently until the Google chart reaches 50 answers and we can proceed withdata analysis

3.2 Data collections

We started performing silent observations and public surveys as part of our datacollection efforts Interviews and questionnaires are both used in the survey Since thequestionnaire consisting of closed questions, we asked for students to fill out a Google formusing the link Following that, some members interviewed students in the Nguyen Van Linhcampus of Van Hien University in one day Regarding the silent observation, the rest of thegroup alternated between the two This is the main gathering place for first-year students Weconduct observations to learn more about how EFL learn and how teachers teach

3.2.1 Survey

3.2.1.1 Questionnaires

The research study provides questions using the Likert scale This study's surveyquestions have five levels ranging from high to low, with five response options ranging from"strongly agree" to "strongly disagree" According to Bertram (2007), one of the oftenemployed metrics in research and data gathering is the Likert scale, which is used to

determine how much each respondent agrees with the questions Along with making researchand data collecting easier, the Likert scale ensures valid questionnaire items and accuratedata (Nemoto & Beglar, 2014) The research questionnaire includes 15 items, each of whichfocuses on obstacles in developing the listening concentration in the course as well asmeasures that can assist students improve their listening focus

3.2.1.2 Interview

The research study has gathered comprehensive data and insights into people'sviewpoints regarding enhancing their capacity to listen in classes The purpose of thequestions is to gain an understanding of each person's perspective Based on the questions,the study team has also determined practical methods for improving the listening course.Furthermore, the Like scale survey provides valuable information about what should beavoided in order to have a successful listening process.

3.2.2 Observation

The observation approach, unlike a survey, is conducted in secret Our team collectsdata utilizing this qualitative research strategy In order to reach first-year students, weselected the English Listening and Speaking 1 course Tell no one about the observation soas to maintain the normal flow of events The group attended two English Listening andSpeaking classes at various times, totaling two lessons To see how students approached andresponded to the listening activity, we used field observations At the same time, we payattention to how teachers transmit information to students Then, we test earlier theoriesusing those insightful observations

3.3 Data collection procedures

The English questionnaire's questions were first evaluated with Van Hien Universitystudents This procedure is used to gather data for a clear and accurate assessment based onthe questions posed After that, an official interview was held and a questionnaire was made.Based on the students' real-world experiences during the listening learning process at VanHien University, the questionnaire was developed Apparently, all participants were sent aquestionnaire via Van Hien University student groups, and researchers collected data for

quantitative analysis

3.4 Data analysis procedures

The research team used SPSS to assess information gathered from student-providedquestionnaires The survey results were thoroughly evaluated with descriptive statistics.According to Dong (2023), descriptive statistics are one of the most basic approaches forsummarizing and assessing statistical data Specific data analysis allows statistical analysts toanalyze data in a rational way Meanwhile, qualitative data was acquired using informationgleaned from semi-structured interviews with participants The data acquired in this studywere rigorously analyzed, with a focus on issues concerning students' capacity to concentratein listening classes and ways for improving concentration.