The Effect of Extensive Listening on Speaking

Skills of English Major Students at HCMCOU

Luu Tung Quan
HCMC Open University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
2057010652quan@ou.edu.vn
Chau Hoang Phuc
HCMC Open University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
2057012103phuc@ou.edu.vn
Dang Truong Thuy Tien
HCMC Open University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
thuytienksj@gmail.com
Pham Nguyen Phuong Nhan
HCMC Open University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
2057012090nhan@ou.edu.vn

Abstract
This research is based on the impact of extensive listening habits on ESL learners’ speaking skills in
junior, senior, freshmen, and sophomores at Ho Chi Minh City Open University. In this quantitative
research, the researcher observed the impact of the independent variable listening on the dependent
variable speaking. This research is in the form of numbers and figures. 87 students of English Language
classes at Ho Chi Minh City Open University were selected as subjects for this research. The
questionnaire is based on the impact of extensive listening on ESL learners' speaking skills. The results
of this study show that the extensive listening practice of ESL learners has a great impact on the
speaking skills of ESL learners at all levels in university.
Keywords: ESL, Extensive Listening Skills, Speaking Skills.
Introduction
English instruction emphasizes effective communication for accelerated language learning, particularly
for ESL learners. Active listening is crucial for fluency and mastery of speech. Regular, extensive
listening sessions provide insights into pronunciation, vocabulary, and accents, enhancing language
proficiency. Ho Chi Minh City Open University also prioritizes pronunciation as a compulsory subject
in its Bachelor of Arts in English (BAiE) curriculum, which reveals students’ struggle with speaking
skills. Accurate pronunciation is crucial for successful oral communication, and students often struggle
with listening skills due to inaccurate pronunciation. This research paper aims to help students become
aware of effective methods to improve their pronunciation, enabling them to choose the most suitable
approach.

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Literature Review
Vandergrift (2007) synthesizes recent research on second and foreign language listening comprehension,
emphasizing cognitive and social influences, perception abilities, metacognitive knowledge, and
teaching strategies. Nunan (2002) highlights the historical neglect of listening in language learning,
noting its essential role in providing input for productive skills. However, recent attention to listening
acknowledges its importance in language acquisition, particularly for ESL learners aiming to improve
their speaking proficiency. Extensive listening practices contribute significantly to vocabulary
acquisition, accent recognition, pronunciation, and motivation
(Cho & Reinders, 2013; Renandya & Farrell, 2011)
. Takaesu’s (2014) study explores the impact of extended listening material on college
students' listening skills, offering insights into tailoring exercises for varying proficiency levels. This
research proposes the "Speaking and Listening (S&L) Course" to enhance students' productive skills
while supplementing authentic speech exposure outside the classroom. The study involved 468 first-year
students, including 349 upper intermediate students with an average TOEFL score of 514 (listening: 52)
and 119 intermediate students with an average TOEFL score of 443 (listening: 45). Two surveys were
administered: Survey 1 at the beginning of the term to gather background information, and Survey 2 to
assess the course's efficacy, including speaking and listening sections. Of 468 students, 303 responded to
Survey 2, and qualitative data from the listening section was analyzed for themes.
Listening Skill
In educational settings, language skills are typically categorized into two main areas: productive
skills (speaking and writing) and receptive skills (reading and listening). Listening is a foundational
receptive skill that involves understanding and interpreting spoken or written language. It plays a crucial
role in language acquisition, as it helps develop proficiency, vocabulary, and understanding of grammar.
Extensive listening (EL) is essential, as is improving speaking skills by expanding vocabulary,
recognizing different accents, and promoting fluency. Real-life listening materials are especially
beneficial for enhancing cultural understanding and motivation. Through EL, learners can tackle
challenges such as understanding fast-paced speech, which helps them develop instinctive reactions and
problem-solving abilities. Emphasizing the development of listening skills in language education is
essential for promoting effective communication and facilitating language acquisition.
Extensive Listening
Definition and Significance of EL
Extensive Listening (EL) involves exposure to significant quantities of readily comprehensible
content in the target language, complementing the principles of Extensive Reading (ER). It cultivates
learner autonomy, empowering individuals to choose materials corresponding to their interests and
proficiency levels. EL enhances automated word recognition, facilitates vocabulary acquisition, and
contributes to overall language proficiency by providing a means to practice English listening skills.
Autonomy in Material Selection
When engaging in extensive listening, learners need the freedom to select materials aligned with
their interests, proficiency levels, and learning objectives. Allowing learners to choose their listening
materials empowers them to take ownership of their learning process, which promotes a sense of
responsibility and self-directedness. Ultimately, autonomy in material selection is vital for promoting
learner-centered approaches to extensive listening instruction, leading to more meaningful and effective
language learning experiences.

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 Benefits of EL
EL aids in developing listening fluency, the ability to chunk information, increasing the enjoyment
of texts and focusing on understanding and interacting with content. It also improves pronunciation,
vocabulary retention, comprehension, and language proficiency. The motivational aspect of EL leads to
heightened engagement and enthusiasm among learners, making it an invaluable tool in language
acquisition.
Types and applications of EL
Extensive listening (EL) encompasses various methodologies and applications in language
acquisition. It involves learners actively engaging with self-selected materials that align with their
interests and preferences. The use of authentic materials, which reflect real-world language use and
cultural nuances, serves to enhance learner engagement and motivation. Activities such as shadowing
allow learners to improve their speaking fluency and accuracy in pronunciation through mimicry and
repetition. Keeping listening journals also facilitates reflective learning, enabling learners to track their
progress and set goals. Furthermore, digital platforms and podcasts provide ample opportunities for
extensive exposure to listening materials, resulting in improved comprehension and vocabulary
acquisition. These diverse methods offer learners versatile tools for effectively enhancing their language
skills.
Extensive Viewing
Like extensive listening, extensive viewing involves long-term exposure to audiovisual content in
the target language. It complements extensive listening by offering opportunities for learners to immerse
themselves in authentic visual materials, such as movies, TV shows, documentaries, and online videos.
Extensive viewing enhances listening skills and improves visual comprehension, cultural understanding,
and vocabulary acquisition. Learners benefit from exposure to different accents, colloquial expressions,
and cultural contexts, enhancing their communication ability and increasing their intercultural
awareness. By participating in extensive viewing activities, learners develop a deeper understanding of
the target language and its cultural subtleties while enjoying authentic and captivating audiovisual
content.
Guides for Material Selection
Effective material selection through extensive listening is essential for supporting language learning
objectives. By prioritizing learners' interests and proficiency levels, engagement is ensured while
frustration is minimized. Authentic listening materials such as podcasts and audiobooks enhance
comprehension and relevance. Furthermore, offering a variety of genres enriches the learning experience
by enabling exposure to different language features and cultural contexts and promoting linguistic and
cultural competence. Moreover, ensuring accessibility through online platforms facilitates convenient
material access. Lastly, incorporating feedback mechanisms assists in monitoring progress and
promoting improvement. By adhering to these guidelines, the benefits of extensive listening can be
maximized, resulting in meaningful language acquisition experiences.
Importance of Oral Skills:
The Significance of Oral Expression
Oral expression is crucial to language acquisition and is a fundamental component of effective
communication. It also contributes to social development and fosters meaningful engagement between
individuals. Moreover, oral expression entails conveying emotions, objectives, and goals, underscoring
the importance of coherence in spoken discourse and its essential role in interpersonal dynamics. The
significance of oral expression lies in its characteristics, which include vocalization, articulation,

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flexibility, and pacing. Vocalization involves proper pronunciation, while articulation relies on
coordinating the various components of speech to ensure clarity. Flexibility in speech includes using
emotional nuances and adjusting speed, pauses, rhythm, and tone appropriately. These elements form
the basis for effective oral communication, further highlighting the importance of conveying emotions,
objectives, and goals and emphasizing the need for coherence in spoken communication during
interpersonal interactions.
Micro and macro-speaking skills
Proficiency in speaking skills requires consideration of both micro and macro dimensions. Micro-
skills, which include distinguishing phonemes, comprehending sentence structure, and mastering
intonation and rhythm, play a fundamental role in oral expression. These micro-skills collectively
contribute to the broader macro skill of oral expression. Striking a balance between understanding
grammatical aspects and independent articulation is essential for developing comprehensive speaking
skills. Recognizing and refining micro and macro elements is critical for effective language
communication.
Learning oral production
Oral production plays a crucial role in the development of communicative competence. To cultivate
independent speakers who can fluently convey ideas, it is necessary to go beyond conventional methods.
To achieve effective communication, bridging the gap between grammatical knowledge and fluent
expression is crucial. Integrating new communication technologies facilitates language proficiency and
promotes overall student growth. Critical micro-skills are vital for developing proficient oral expression,
enabling students to articulate themselves fluently and accurately in diverse contexts.
Extensive listening and speaking skills
Extensive listening is crucial for improving speaking skills. It actively involves learners in decoding
language and non-linguistic cues, which helps them anticipate, react spontaneously, and solve problems.
Unlike traditional categorizations of language skills, this approach focuses on practical language
application. Extensive listening significantly contributes to word recognition, vocabulary development,
proficiency, comprehension, and fluency, especially in listening. It has a multifaceted impact on
speaking skills, as exposure to diverse materials improves understanding of context and vocabulary. It
also plays a vital role in recognizing accents and improving speaking proficiency. The motivational
aspect of extensive listening enhances student engagement and enthusiasm, promoting effective
language communication. Extensive listening addresses the challenge of understanding fast native
speech and improving speaking skills. When combined with extensive viewing, it prioritizes conveying
meaning over formal language elements, enriching language fluency. The combination of extensive
listening and viewing provides a holistic approach to language acquisition, fostering fluency and
proficiency in spoken language. By immersing learners in various listening and viewing materials,
extensive listening facilitates a deeper understanding of language nuances and cultural contexts,
enhancing overall language proficiency. In summary, extensive listening is a fundamental aspect of
improving speaking skills, offering learners a dynamic and engaging pathway to master the intricacies of
oral communication.
Research Methodology
Setting and Participants
The research process employed in this study uses a quantitative approach to investigate the extent of
extensive listening (EL) usage among HCMC Open University students, specifically English-majored
students. The primary aim is to determine the percentage of students who use extensive listening to
engage in discussions and offer solutions. To achieve this, the participant pool of 87 English-majored

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students will be divided into two groups: those who frequently use extensive listening and those who
rarely use it. The research shows that juniors comprise 48.3% of the total participants, followed by
seniors at 36.8%. Freshmen and sophomores constitute smaller proportions, with 9.2% and 5.7%,
respectively. A questionnaire and an interview will be used to categorize the participants.
Research questions
How does EL support the development of academic mastery, leading to proficiency in speaking skills?
What should the linguistics program at the university incorporate to support students integrating EL to
improve their speaking skills?
Research Result
Google form
The survey predominantly involved junior and senior students (85.1%), with English language
students showing familiarity with extensive listening (73.6%). Students autonomously select materials
for extensive listening based on individual interests, contributing to increased motivation and
engagement (95.2%). Regular, extensive listening practice improved spoken language understanding
(64.4%) and comprehension (78.2%), with nearly half reporting enhanced proficiency in understanding
various English accents. Extensive listening positively impacted English speaking proficiency, with
significant changes in pronunciation (47.1% experiencing level 4 change), leading to improved speaking
accuracy (47.1% at level 3, 39.1% at level 4). Fluency and intonation also improved significantly, with a
high percentage at level 4 and 15% at level 5 for intonation. This boosted students' confidence in real-
life communication situations, evident in responses to questions 15 and 18. Overall, extensive listening
enhances English language skills and confidence among Ho Chi Minh City Open University students,
aligning with Vandergrift and Goh's theoretical framework (2007).
Interview via Google Meet
Through the Google Meet platform, we will conduct interviews with eight participants to investigate
the impact of extensive listening on speaking skills. The interviews will explore various aspects, such as
its applications, effects, motivations, frequency of practice, and suggestions for improvement.
Additionally, participants will be asked to complete a survey questionnaire. Participants will be
categorized as high, medium, or low based on their awareness level. High-awareness participants will
discuss their study plans for extensive listening and speaking skills. Medium-awareness participants will
elaborate on the impact of extensive listening on speaking skills and discuss their challenges. Low-
awareness participants will share their perspectives on the significance of extensive listening and
provide suggestions for improvement. This section aims to analyze the study's findings regarding
extensive listening and speaking skills and provide insights into their applications, effects, motivations,
practice routines, and recommendations for improvement. Furthermore, it will examine the educational
environment at Ho Chi Minh City Open University and propose practical recommendations for
integrating extensive listening into the curriculum.
Findings from the interview
Questions 1 - 10
The participants' viewpoints highlight the crucial role of extensive listening in enhancing speaking
proficiency. They emphasized the importance of customized and engaging listening materials that cater
to their interests and proficiency levels. Content created by native speakers, such as podcasts and
educational videos, was seen as valuable in improving listening and speaking skills. The participants
also stressed the importance of extensive listening in refining pronunciation, intonation, and expanding
vocabulary by exposing themselves to different linguistic contexts. Regular and disciplined practice,

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consistent listening habits, and focused engagement with the materials were necessary. Strategies for
maintaining motivation during extensive listening sessions, such as selecting preferred content and using
structured approaches, were also shared.
The participants noted the transformative impact of extensive listening on their confidence and
comfort levels when speaking English. They observed improvements in fluency, conversational abilities,
and overall communication skills. Challenges incorporating extensive listening into their language-
learning routines were also acknowledged, including difficulties in selecting suitable materials,
maintaining focus, and sustaining motivation. Nevertheless, the discourse underlined the crucial role of
extensive listening in enhancing speaking proficiency, emphasizing the importance of tailored materials
and consistent practice in achieving success in language acquisition.
In conclusion, the participants' perspectives validate the effectiveness of extensive listening and
provide valuable guidance for language learners looking to improve their speaking proficiency. The
discourse emphasizes the transformative influence of personalized and engaging listening materials,
disciplined practice, and effective learning strategies in achieving language learning goals.
Question 11 - 13
English language learners new to extensive listening can benefit from the fundamentals identified in
this study. These strategies include adopting a consistent approach to learning, exploring personal
interests, and establishing regular listening habits. Beginners should start with simple materials and
gradually increase difficulty. Selecting appropriate materials aligned with proficiency levels and
interests is essential. The importance of perseverance, even if progress is slow, is emphasized. Learners
are encouraged to identify official listening sources and understand their interests to make adequate
progress. These insights emphasize the significance of consistency, personalization, and persistence in
integrating extensive listening into language learning routines, providing learners a clear path to success.
Participants in the study also offered valuable insights into enhancing the English linguistics
program at Ho Chi Minh City Open University by integrating extensive listening to improve students'
speaking skills. They highlighted the program's current efforts in the foundational years, which exposed
students to various listening, speaking, and reading tasks. However, they also identified limitations
regarding the appropriateness of listening materials and the need for structured guidance on
implementing extensive listening techniques. Participants stressed the necessity of introducing the
advantages of extensive listening, providing practical advice on how to apply it, and recommending
authentic listening resources that align with students' interests. They also emphasized the importance of
lecturers' proactive engagement in promoting extensive listening, highlighting the value of diverse
learning materials and innovative teaching methods to enhance involvement and improve learning
outcomes. Overall, the discourse underscores the crucial role of lecturer involvement, appropriate
material selection, and structured guidance in optimizing the benefits of extensive listening for speaking
proficiency within the university's English Linguistics program. These recommendations provide a
roadmap for creating a supportive environment integrating extensive listening into the curriculum,
ultimately enhancing students' speaking skills and language proficiency. By addressing these
suggestions, the program can better equip students with the tools and strategies to excel in spoken
English, preparing them for academic and professional success.
Implications of the findings
The survey shows that language learners prefer extensive listening to improve their speaking skills.
85.1% of the surveyed students, primarily juniors and seniors, are familiar with extensive listening and
recognize its benefits. Statistical analysis confirms that extensive listening improves pronunciation,
accuracy, and comprehension of English accents. Personalized guidance and tailored strategies are
essential to supporting learners effectively. The data also reveals that 95.2% of the respondents choose

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their materials, emphasizing the importance of catering to individual interests. Educators should
incorporate extensive listening activities into language instruction to promote fluency and confidence in
speaking. Combining speaking practice with listening sessions is also essential for overall language
skills. Learners should practice extensively, about four times a week, to optimize language acquisition.
These recommendations highlight the need for personalized approaches, integration of speaking skills,
and regular engagement to fully utilize extensive listening in enhancing speaking proficiency.
For schools and instructors aiming to support students in practicing extensive listening and applying
it to enhance their speaking skills, various insights can inform course syllabus design and teaching
strategies. Educators should guide students on effective listening techniques and material selection while
establishing a nurturing environment that promotes independent learning and experimentation.
Professional development programs for instructors are emphasized to effectively integrate extensive
listening into teaching practices and improve the quality of language instruction. By providing
scaffolded activities aligned with course objectives and student interests, educators can foster a
comprehensive approach to language acquisition, thereby assisting students in achieving speaking
proficiency through extensive listening practices.
Conclusion
The research investigates the link between extensive listening and speaking skills in language
learners. A literature review establishes the importance of oral skill development and the potential
impact of extensive listening on speaking proficiency. Objectives are set to achieve this through research
methodologies, including surveys and interviews. Findings indicate a significant correlation between
extensive listening and improved speaking skills, suggesting the need to integrate such activities into
language learning programs. Further research is needed to explore additional factors and refine
instructional strategies for optimal outcomes.
Recommendations
The study emphasizes critical recommendations for enhancing ESL learners' speaking skills through
extensive listening. Firstly, educators should advocate regular listening practice and diversifying
materials to expose learners to various accents and vocabulary. Selecting appropriate materials ensures
engagement and comprehension. Active involvement with content, coupled with speaking exercises,
reinforces language acquisition. Emphasizing the connection between listening, speaking skills, and
cultural awareness encourages engagement. Patience and persistence are crucial for improvement.
Teachers can employ dynamic teaching methods and provide tailored resources to create an engaging
learning environment. These recommendations offer personalized support for educators and students
alike.

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 References
Cho, M., & Reinders, H. (2013). The Effects of Aural Input Enhancement on L2 Acquisition. Noticing and
Second Language Acquisition: Studies in Honor of Richard Schmidt.
Nunan, D. (2002). Listening in language learning. Methodology in Language Teaching: An Anthology of
Current Practice, 238–241.
Renandya, W. A., & Farrell, T. S. C. (2011). “Teacher, the tape is too fast!” Extensive listening in ELT. ELT
Journal, 65(1). https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/ccq015
Takaesu, A. (2014). TED Talks as an Extensive Listening Resource for EAP Students. Language Education
in Asia, 4(2). https://doi.org/10.5746/leia/13/v4/i2/a05/takaesu
Vandergrift, L. (2007). Recent developments in second and foreign language listening comprehension
research. Language Teaching, 40(3). https://doi.org/10.1017/S0261444807004338