Languaging in L1 as a Mediating Factor in EFL Listening Skill Enhancement: Private vs. Collaborative Form

Subject Areas : Research in English Language Pedagogy

Morvarid Lavasani ¹ , Farnaz Latif ² , Amirhosein Rahimi ³

1 - Department of English Language, Yadegar- e- Imam Khomeini (RAH) Shahre Rey Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2 - Department of English Language, Yadegar-e- Imam Khomeini (RAH) Shahre Rey Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
3 - Department of English Language, Yadegar-e- Imam Khomeini (RAH) Shahre Rey Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

Received: 2020-10-14 Accepted : 2021-01-18 Published : 2021-01-01

Keywords: strategy instruction, Private form of languaging, Collaborative form of languaging, L1, Listening Proficiency,

Abstract :

Languaging is considered as the process of making knowledge through the use of language for explaining the concepts. Teaching listening strategies in this study provided students with moments of languaging in L1 that subsequently allowed them to transfer certain strategies to listening comprehension. This study investigated the effects of different modes of languaging on the listening performance of EFL learners. It draws on sociocultural theories and languaging. Initially, an Oxford Placement Test was administered to 62 EFL intermediate learners to ensure homogeneity. Then, the participants were assigned to two groups, collaborative and private mode of languaging. Before applying treatment, the participants were also given a sample of (PET) listening test as a pre-test. During treatment sessions, the listening tasks were practiced by collaborative mode of languaging in one group, while in the second group tasks were accomplished by private form within 10 sessions. At the end of treatment, a post-test (PET) was administered. Consequently, the mean scores of both groups on the post-test led to the rejection of the null hypothesis implying that the learners in the collaborative languaging group and private languaging group significantly improved in terms of listening performance. However, the private form of languaging outperformed the collaborative one.

References:

Al-Azzemy, A., F., T., & Al-jamal, D., A. (2019). Evaluating cognitive, metacognitive and social Listening comprehension teaching strategies in Kuwaiti classrooms. Heliyon, 5, 1-16.

Borer, L. (2007). Depth of processing in private and social speech: Its role in the retention of word  knowledge by adult EAP learners. Canadian Modern Language Review, 64, 269- 295.

Brooks, F. B., & Donato, R. (1994). Vygotskian approaches to understanding foreign language

learner discourse during communicative tasks. Hispania, 77, 262–274.

Cao, Z., & Lin, Y. (2020). A study on metacognitive strategy use in listening comprehension by vocational students. English Language Teaching,13, 127- 139.

Centeno-Cortes. B., & Jiménez Jiménez, A. F. (2004). Problem-solving tasks in a foreign language: The importance of the L1 in private verbal thinking. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 14, 7-35.

Chamot, A. U. (1990). Cognitive instruction in the second language classroom: The role of learning strategies. In J. E. Alatis, (Ed.), Linguistics, language teaching and language acquisition: The interdependence of theory, practice and research (pp.496-513). Georgetown University Press.

Cummins, J. (2007). Rethinking monolingual instructional strategies in multilingual classrooms. Canadian Journal of Applied Linguistics (CJAL), 10, 221–40.

DiCamilla, F. J., & Anton, M. (2004). Private speech: A study of language for thought in the collaborative interaction of language learners. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 14, 36-69.

Donato, R. (1994). Collective scaffolding in second language learning. In J.P. Lantolf, & G.  Appel, (Eds.), Vygotskian approaches to second language research (pp. 33-65). Westport: Ablex. 

Field, J. (2008). Listening in the language classroom. Cambridge University Press.

Flowerdew, J., & Miller, L. (1992). Student perceptions, problems and strategies in second language lecture compréhension. RELC Journal, 23(2), 60-80.

Garcia, P. N. (2012). Verbalizing in the second language classroom: The development of the grammatical concept of aspect. Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation. The university of Massachusetts-Amherst.

Garcia, P. N, & Asencion, Y. (2001). Interlanguage development of Spanish learners:  Comprehension, production, and interaction. Canadian Modern Language Review, 57, 377- 401.

Ghaedi, R., & Shahrokhi, M. (2016). The impact of visualization and verbalization technique on vocabulary learning of Iranian high school EFL learners: A gender perception. Ampersand, 3, 32-42.

Harun, H., Massari, N., & Behak, F. P. (2014). Use of L1 as a mediational tool for understanding

 tense/ aspect marking in English: An application of concept-based Instruction. Procedia- Social and Behavioral Sciences, 134 (2014), 134-139.

Kim, Y. (2008). The contribution of collaborative and individual tasks to the acquisition of L2 vocabulary. Modern Language Journal, 92, 114-130.

Knouzi, I., Swain, M., Lapkin, S., & Brooks, L. (2010). Self-scaffolding mediated by languaging: Microgenetic analysis of high and low performers. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 20, 23-49.

Lavasani, M., & Birjandi, P. (2015). The role of verbalization in listening conceptual formation

among Iranian EFL learners: ASTI perspective. Iranian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 18(1), 95-126.

Macaro, E., Graham,S., &Vanderplank,R. (2007) A review of listening strategies: Focus on  sources of knowledge and on success. In A. Cohen, & E. Macaro, (Eds.), Thirty Years of Research and Practice (pp. 165-185). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Navidinia, H., Khoshhal, M., & Mobaraki, M. (2020). Exploring the effectiveness of using L1 in teaching grammar to English as a foreign language learner. The Asian Journal of English Language and Pedagogy, 8, 31-40.

Negueruela, E. (2003). A sociocultural approach to the teaching and learning of second languages: Systemic-theoretical instruction and L2 development. Ph.D. dissertation, The Pennsylvania State University. University Park,PA.

O’Malley, J. M., & Chamot, A. U. (1990). Learning strategies in second language acquisition.  Cambridge University Press.

Oxford, R. L. (1990). Language learning strategies: What every teacher should know. Heinle & Heinle Publishers.

Rost, M. (2002). Teaching and researching listening. London: Pearson Education.

Saks, K., & Leijen, A. (2018). Cognitive and metacognitive strategies as predictors of language learning outcomes. PSIHOLOGIJA, 51, 1-17.

Storch, N., & Wigglesworth, G. (2007). Writing tasks: The effects of collaboration. In M.P. Garcia Mayo (Ed.), Investigating tasks in formal language learning (pp.157-177). Clevedon, England: Multilingual Matters.