Exploring some feasible solutions for listening comprehension impediments observed among the first year faculty of arts undergraduates - university of jaffna

Abstract

The primary objective of this investigation was to recognize the peculiar listening comprehension (LC) issues encountered by the Tamil medium first year undergraduates in the Faculty of Arts during transactional listening and suggest feasible and effective recommendations for the stakeholders based on classroom investigation. In order to accomplish this objective, 27 Tamil medium ESL (English as a Second Language) first year listeners were randomly selected as sample population in the Faculty of Arts and a classroom investigation employing an intervention programme for one complete semester was conducted; the intervention programme was based on the information which has been elicited via questionnaire and informal discussion before the commencement of the programme. The intervention programme incorporated some specially selected LC texts/activities, participant observation and informal discussions. Having employed qualitative methodology with the questionnaire, participant observation and retrospective report/verbalization, this study, at the end, found out that the ESL listeners’ comprehension level progressed dramatically when training was provided with specially selected texts with appropriate background knowledge and activities to match our listeners’ requirements to encounter their LC impediments which were traced at the beginning of the study.