The Impact of Explicit/Integrated Instruction of Listening Comprehension Strategies on EFL Learners’ L2 Listening Comprehension and their Overall Strategy Use

Abstract

This study aimed at investigating the impact of explicit/integrated instruction of listening comprehension strategies on lower-intermediate EFL learners’ L2 listening comprehension and their overall strategy use. Fourteen lower-intermediate EFL students were selected as the participants of the study. A repeated measures design was implemented to compare the participants’ comprehension and overall strategy use at pre-control, pre-intervention, and post-intervention points. The data were gathered through IELTS listening comprehension tests and a Likert-scale listening strategy questionnaire. To analyze the data, a series of parametric (paired samples T-tests) and non-parametric tests (Friedman Test and Wilcoxon Signed Rank Tests) were run. After the experimental phase, the participants improved significantly in terms of their listening comprehension ability. They also revealed a significant improvement in their overall listening strategy use after the intervention. However, their strategy use after the control phase was also found to be statistically significant. In comparison, their performance during the experimental phase outperformed that of the control phase. The findings have some implications for EFL teachers who are expected to rely upon the explicit/integrated approach and utilize strategy instruction in order to improve the EFL learners’ listening skill.