Brain Dominance and Listening Comprehension Strategy Use of Iranian EFL Learners

Subject Areas : Journal of Studies in Learning and Teaching English

Nastaran  Mireskandari ¹ (Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran)
Sepideh  Alavi ² (Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran)

Received: 2015-02-01 Accepted : 2015-08-30 Published : 2015-12-01

Keywords: language proficiency, Brain Dominance, Speaking strategies, Listening strategies,

Abstract :

The present study aimed to investigate the general pattern of brain dominance of undergraduate Shiraz University students and its effect on the use of listening comprehension strategies. Data was collected from 142 undergraduate Shiraz University students. The Hemispheric Dominance Test (HDT) was given to the participants to categorize them as right-, left- and whole-brain dominant, and the Strategy Inventory for Listening Comprehension (SILC) was administered to evaluate their use of listening comprehension strategies. The results were compared using a one-way between-groups analysis of variance (ANOVA) to see if there were any significant differences between the three brain dominant groups in their overall use of listening comprehension strategies. A MANOVA was also run to find out if the groups had preferences regarding the use of any particular strategy type. Results indicated that Iranian EFL university students were mostly right brained. However, no significant differences were found between right-brained, left-brained and whole-brained learners in their overall pattern of listening comprehension strategy use or their preferred strategy category.