Language learning autonomy through the ‘listening’ skill: A comparison between traditional and multimedia listening

Abstract

The following project is a proposition of a study. Due to a lack of time it has not actually been possible to implement it, but the project provides a theoretical support and explains how the study should be carried out. The aim of the proposed study is to answer the following question: Is listening in a multimedia context more effective for the improvement of the listening skill than traditional listening? In order to answer this question it is proposed to carry out a long-term learning process with 60 students from the Official School of Languages. During this process, participants would be divided in two different groups of 30 students and each group would complete different kinds of listening activities. At the end of the learning process both groups would take part in the same exam and the results of this exam would be compared with a pre-test that participants would complete before starting the learning process. Through this comparison, it would be possible to know which kind of activities are more effective; and therefore, it would be possible to answer the ‘Research Question’. Moreover, the design of the study is based on the concepts presented in the theoretical section which are ‘Autonomy in Language Learning’, ‘Language Skills:The Listening Skill Through Different Language Approaches’, and ‘CALL and Listening in the Multimedia Context’. This part of the project is based on the studies and articles of authors like Benson, Little or Holec in the section ‘Autonomy in Language Learning’; Morley, Lynch or Mendelson in the section ‘ Language Skills: The Listening Skill Through Different Language Approaches’; and Hubbard or Davies in ‘CALL and Listening in the Multimedia Context’