Abstract
This article reports on a small-scale intervention study that examined the impact of a metacognitive approach to listening instruction, in the form of a metacognitive pedagogical cycle, on Chinese university English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ listening proficiency and aspects of metacognitive knowledge over 10 weeks. During each week, participants in the experimental group were guided through the processes of prediction, problem identification, monitoring, selective attention, evaluation and reflection. Quantitative data from tests showed that the metacognitive pedagogical cycle might positively affect learners’ listening proficiency. Qualitative data from reflective journal entries showed that it could contribute to learners’ growth in three aspects of metacognitive knowledge, including person, task and strategy knowledge. These findings are important in understanding how the metacognitive pedagogical cycle works to cultivate self-regulated listeners. This study provides practitioners with an alternative to develop learners’ listening that focuses on the process of learning to listen, especially in test-oriented EFL educational settings.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Cheng, L. (2005). Changing language teaching through language testing: A washback study. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Cotterall, S., & Murray, G. (2009). Enhancing metacognitive knowledge: Structure, affordances and self. System, 37(1), 34–45.
Cross, J. (2010). Raising L2 listeners’ metacognitive awareness: A sociocultural theory perspective. Language Awareness, 19(4), 281–297.
Cross, J. (2011). Metacognitive instruction for helping less-skilled listeners. ELT Journal, 65(4), 408–416.
Field, J. (2003). Promoting perception: Lexical segmentation in second language listening. ELT Journal, 57(4), 325–334.
Fisher, D., Hafner, C., & Young, J. (2007). Integrating independent learning: Lessons learned and implications for classroom. In D. Gardner (Ed.), Integration and support (pp. 33–55). Dublin: Authentik.
Flavell, J. H. (1976). Metacognitive aspects of problem solving. In L. Resnick (Ed.), The nature of intelligence (pp. 231–235). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Flavell, J. H. (1979). Metacognition and cognitive monitoring: A new area of cognitive-developmental inquiry. American Psychologist, 34(10), 906–911.
Goh, C. (1999). What learners know about the factors that influence their listening comprehension. Hong Kong Journal of Applied Linguistics, 4(1), 17–42.
Goh, C. (2002). Teaching listening in the language classroom. Singapore: SEAMEO Regional Language Center.
Goh, C. (2008). Metacognitive instruction for second language listening development: Theory, practice and research implications. RELC Journal, 39(2), 188–213.
Goh, C., & Hu, G. (2014). Exploring the relationship between metacognitive awareness and listening performance with questionnaire data. Language Awareness, 23(3), 255–274.
Goh, C., & Taib, Y. (2006). Metacognitive instruction in listening for young learners. ELT Journal, 60(3), 222–231.
Graham, S. (2006). A study of students’ metacognitive beliefs about foreign language study and their impact on learning. Foreign Language Annuals, 39(2), 296–309.
Graham, S., & Macaro, E. (2008). Strategy instruction in listening for lower-intermediate learners of French. Language Learning, 58(4), 747–783.
Gu, X. (2007). Positive or negative: An empirical study of CET washback. Chongqing: Chongqing University Press.
Higher Education Department of Education Ministry. (2007). College English curriculum requirements. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press.
Karaata, C. (2012). The backwash effect of the university entrance foreign language test on English writing instruction in Turkey. Energy Education Science and Technology Part B: Social and Educational Studies, 4(4), 2299–2310.
Liu, F., & Stapleton, P. (2014). Counterargumentation and the cultivation of critical thinking in argumentative writing: Investigating washback from a high-stakes test. System, 45(1), 117–128.
Mendelsohn, D. J. (2006). Learning how to listen using listening strategies. In E. Uso-Juan & A. Martinezflor (Eds.), Current trends in the development and teaching of the four language skills (pp. 75–89). Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter.
Pressley, M., & Gaskins, I. W. (2006). Metacognitively competent reading comprehension is constructively responsive reading: How can such reading be developed in students? Metacognition and Learning, 1(1), 99–113.
Vandergrift, L. (2003). From prediction through reflection: Guiding students through the process of L2 listening. The Canadian Modern Language Review, 59(3), 425–440.
Vandergrift, L. (2004). Listening to learn or learning to listen? Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 24(1), 3–25.
Vandergrift, L. (2007). Recent developments in second and foreign language listening comprehension research. Language Teaching, 40(3), 191–210.
Vandergrift, L., & Goh, C. (2012). Teaching and learning second language listening: Metacognition in action. New York: Routledge.
Vandergrift, L., Goh, C., Mareschal, C. J., & Tafaghodtari, M. H. (2006). The metacognitive awareness listening questionnaire: Development and validation. Language Learning, 56(3), 431–462.
Vandergrift, L., & Tafaghodtari, M. H. (2010). Teaching L2 learners how to listen does make a difference: An empirical study. Language Learning, 60(2), 470–497.
Veenman, M. V. J., Van Hout-Wolters, B. H. A. M., & Afflerbach, P. (2006). Metacognition and learning: Conceptual and methodological considerations. Metacognition and Learning, 1(1), 3–14.
Wenden, L. A. (1987). Metacognition: An expanded view of the cognitive abilities of L2 learners. Language Learning, 37(4), 573–594.
Wenden, L. A. (1998). Metacognitive knowledge and language learning. Applied Linguistics, 19(4), 515–537.
Wenden, L. A. (1999). An introduction to metacognitive knowledge and beliefs in language learning: Beyond the basics. System, 27(4), 435–441.
Zhang, L. J. (2001). Awareness in reading: EFL students’ metacognitive knowledge of reading strategies in an acquisition-poor environment. Language Awareness, 10(4), 268–288.
Acknowledgments
This research was funded by Northwest A&F University (No. 2014RWYB22).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wang, W. Learning to Listen: The Impact of a Metacognitive Approach to Listening Instruction. Asia-Pacific Edu Res 25, 79–88 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40299-015-0235-4
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40299-015-0235-4