The Impact of Listening Strategy Instruction on the Learning of English and an Additional Foreign Language

Abstract

While English is one of the most common second or foreign languages learnt in the world today, more and more language learners are pursuing the goal of acquiring more than one second language in order to gain an advantage in an increasingly globalized world. One factor that helps facilitate the acquisition of more than one second language is metacognitive awareness of language learning. Listening in a second language is one particular language skill that has received a lot of attention with respect to metacognitive awareness. This study details a study investigating the impact of an English listening strategy instruction course on participants’ learning of not only English, but also their additional foreign language, Japanese, at a university in Taiwan. The study approach was designed to compare and contrast data from Metacognitive Awareness of Listening Questionnaires (MALQs) and participant survey responses with the aim of describing potential benefits and barriers of English listening strategy instruction in the context of dual foreign language learning. The results describe the potential positive impact of listening strategy instruction in this context. Additionally, perceived barriers for this instruction are discussed from a metacognitive perspective leading to pedagogical implications aimed at improving the positive development and transfer of listening skills for learners of English and an additional foreign language.