MODERN EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT
Выпуск журнала №-18
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EFFECTIVE WAYS TO DEVELOP LISTENING SKILLS IN
ENGLISH
Abulqosimova Ruhsora
1
st
year student of Uzbekistan State World Languages University
Abstract:
Listening is considered as one of the most important criteria during
signifying candidates’ level of language proficiency. Not only in academic exams, but
also in real life conversations, listening plays a crucial role in understanding
speakers. This article suggests several approaches to help candidates improve their
listening skills in their second language.
Key words:
listening, listening strategies, listening comprehension problems,
listening recordings, academic tests, real-life conversations.
Introduction:
Listening is a significant ability to ensure that every interlocutor is able to
understand each other and respond properly. Since many people learn different
foreign languages for various purposes including academic and professional goals,
they need to develop listening skills to succeed, too. However, so many learners face
a difficulty of listening enhancement. According to the research in 2022, in
Uzbekistan, for instance, the average listening score in IELTS exam was 6.0 and got
the 35
th
rank over the world. There are sometimes challenges in comprehending the
listening wholly, for example, candidates may not assimilate words’ pronunciation,
connected speech, etc.
IELTS listening Score by Country
(the rank is formed according to overall
average score)
Sr.
No.
Country
Listening
Band
score
1
Spain
7.4
MODERN EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT
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*There are given top countries in average IELTS score and some middle ones,
emphasizing their listening scores.
Problems that language learners have to deal with
According to
, there are 3 main challenging
problems for linguistic learners, especially ELLs, related to listening which can also
be overcome with teachers’ aid.
1.
Difficulty remembering what they listened to
They claimed that language acquirers might struggle with listening when they
cannot quite remember what they have just listened to. This can happen when listeners
lose their focus or they did not use to listen to new information in long sentences.
2.
Understanding the speaker’s accent or rate of speed
identified that speaker’s accent and the speed of their
speech can challenge listeners as well. Language apprentices who usually listen to
audios in American accent could find it hard to understand them in British or
Australian accents. The same applies to the rate of speed.
3.
Limited listener vocabulary
Vocabulary is an essential element in language learning which can also be
problematic in this case. Based on the research, practitioners who have limited
2
Malaysia
7.5
3
Brazil
7
4
Italy
7.2
5
Russian
Federation
7.2
6
France
7
7
Philippines
7.2
Sr.
No.
Country
Listening
Band score
31
Thailand
6.3
32
Cambodia
6.1
33
Japan
6
34
Saudi
Arabia
5.9
35
Uzbekistan
6
36
Kuwait
5.6
Worldwide
Average
6.5
MODERN EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT
Выпуск журнала №-18
Часть–7_ Январь –2025
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background knowledge and word bank acknowledge listening recordings as a
hardship since they are not able to understand each word that are being said.
Approaches for developing listening skills and solutions for challenges
According to O’Malley et al. (1985), schoolchildren in high schools utilize no
fewer than 638 strategies for merely listening as second-language learners. Actually,
they can be categorized into 20 groups and they include three ways of strategy usage:
metacognitive, cognitive, and socioaffective. Metacognitive strategies refer to the
methods learners use to plan, track, and assess their own learning process. Cognitive
strategies are operations for obtaining the language while socioaffective strategies are
the ways in which learners use others to improve their learning and encourage
themselves to continue learning.
Harmer J. (2007)
suggested some advice and principles like the following to improve
listening skills:
1)
Encourage learners to listen the language as much as possible
When students listen more, they can understand listening recordings and real-
life conversations better which leads to being able to use the pronunciation and
language they have heard in their speaking as well.
2)
Aid listeners to be prepared to listen
Students should be ready for the listening, for example, in academic tests in
advance by looking at the pictures, discussing the questions and being introduced with
them beforehand so that they can predict what is likely to come as answers. This helps
them engage with whole task and make them willing to do it.
3)
Encourage them to focus on the full listening, not just the answers
Students ought to listen to the listening for not only finding the answers, but
also comprehending its content, resulting in better comprehension. For instance,
teachers can ask questions like “Do you agree with what they have discussed?” or
“What language did he use?” in order to conclude its overall meaning with students.
Moreover, John Flowerdew and Lindsay Miller (2005) suggested several
technological devices and modern ways to improve listening skills and overcome
common challenges. Firstly, they stated that the
radio
is a gadget which is much
MODERN EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT
Выпуск журнала №-18
Часть–7_ Январь –2025
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accessible for listeners and mostly underestimated because of its usage period since
people can only listen to the necessary listening recordings or shows in specific times.
Although it is sometimes not so easy to catch, students can practice listening longer
talks by native speakers, and obtain more new information
. Listening to audio tapes
and
watching videos
are also claimed by the authors as helpful methods to develop
learners’ abilities.
Conclusion
Developing listening skills will not be difficult if appropriate approaches are
used strategically. While learners can be encouraged to listen more with paying
attention to the whole recording and preparing to exams beforehand, various
technologies and practical listening items including videos and types. Through
strategies like those mentioned above, students not only can ice their listening tests,
but also do better in real-life conversations, too.
REFERENCES:
1.
Flowerdew, J., & Miller, L. (2005). Second Language Listening. Theory and
Practice. Cambridge University Press, 165-178.
2.
https://www.dfavo.com/blog/academic-ielts-2022-data/
3.
Harmer, J. (2010). How to teach English. Person Education Limited, 133-146.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282599451_The_Problems_Young_
Learners_Encounter_During_Listening_Skills
