Video and audio platforms for improving listening skills in Spanish´s students of EFL: A preliminary and descriptive study

Abstract

Learning English as a foreign language can be challenging because it requires the development of tools which allows an effective communication process. In this sense, the phonetic differences between Spanish and English are one of the reasons why it is difficult to develop listening skills for Spanish native speakers. Thus, in this research, a didactic strategy based on common audio and video platforms was designed in order to improve this ability in a sample of students. The sample was selected at convenience and consisted of fifteen students from an English intermediate course. The strategy was divided into three parts: a diagnostic test to demonstrate the level of listening; learning activities; and an exit test. A descriptive study was conducted. The obtained results showed students’ progressive improvement in pragmatics, understanding, and intonation. In addition, the results indicated that the use of alternative methods, mediated by new technologies, seems to be equal or more effective than traditional teaching and a better learning of English is perceived by using remote strategies than in face-to-face ones.

ROLE OF ENVIRONMENT & INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES IN PROMOTING ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

“…Qualitative scholars strive to understand the meaning that people ascribe to their world and the experiences they have in it. Creswell (2008) states that one-on-one interviews are a data collection method where the researcher asks questions and records responses of one participant at a time. The study is also qualitative and the population constitutes all principals of Govt.…”

“…They were asked about their experiences with semi-structured questions. Creswell (2008) states that semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted for this research project. The data analysis consolidates and interprets collected data concurrently with collection.…”

“…It allows scholars to study emerging concepts, themes and categories against successive data (Merriam, 2009). The process of qualitative data analysis is inductive, as detailed data is used to create general codes and themes, as supported by Creswell (2008). Patil (2008) suggested that using member check-in interviews is important to avoid misinterpreting participant responses and recognizing researcher bias.…”

Using English Movies to Improve Students' Listening Skills

“…Moreover, listening activities must be done frequently to improve learning significantly. Therefore, students not only focus on the visuals of the listening content but also learn the linguistics structure consciously (Portillo & Bernal-Ballen, 2022). Meanwhile, using movies as a teaching medium can construct excitement in the learning process.…”