Adapting language learning strategies to critical listening education in sound engineering

Abstract

This article presents educational strategies for critical listening in sound engineering. Derived from listening within the context of language learning as an arguably more mature discipline that uses similar modes of communication, it aims to provide pedagogical methods transferable to a range of teaching and learning situations. Framed within embodied cognition as theoretical perspective, the strategies’ effectiveness is qualitatively assessed using learning journals and focus group interviews of 51 audio engineering students. This evaluation cements the validity of two educational strategies mapped from language learning to sound engineering. First, a communicative approach to critical listening education joins the identification of sound causality with its embodied interpretation to create more meaningful learning experiences. Second, a metacognitive approach to attention regulation and vigilance promotes autonomy in critical listening, enabling learners to continue developing their skills beyond the classroom.