An Extensive Online Listening Program for Preparing Postgraduates to Take the TOEFL Listening Test and Enhancing their Autonomy

Abstract

The current research investigated the effectiveness of a proposed extensive online listening program in preparing postgraduate students to take the TOEFL listening test and enhancing their online language learning autonomy. The program targeted training students on the three major listening comprehension skills addressed in the TOEFL-ITP listening tests (listening for basic comprehension, listening for pragmatic understanding, and listening to connect information). The quasiexperimental design was adopted using a pre-post administration for one group consisting of 15 Master's students at the Faculties of Education and Nursing. The research adopted two equivalent TOEFL-ITP listening tests to measure students' listening skills. An autonomy scale was also designed and administered to assess students' online learning autonomy. Some online tools were employed in the program to provide authentic, extensive listening materials and to facilitate students' interaction (ELLLO, TED Talks, VoA, and Microsoft Teams). The results revealed that the research group students' mean ranks in the post-administration of the listening test and the autonomy scale were significantly higher than the pre-administration. Accordingly, the extensive online listening program proved to have significant effectiveness in improving students' listening skills and enhancing their online learning autonomy.