Effects of Noise on English Listening Comprehension among Chinese College Students with Different Learning Styles.

Xiaohu Yang,Yong Zhao,Meng Jiang

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01764

Abstract

This study was intended to determine whether the effects of noise on English listening comprehension would vary among Chinese college students with different learning styles. A total of 89 participants with different learning styles measured using Kolb’s (1985) Learning Style Inventory finished English listening comprehension tests in quiet and in white noise, Chinese two-talker babble, and English two-talker babble respectively. The results showed that the participants in general had significantly poorer performance in the two babble conditions than in quiet and white noise. However, the participants with assimilative and divergent learning styles performed relatively better in Chinese babble, and exhibited stable performance across the three noisy conditions, while the participants with convergent and accommodative learning styles had more impaired performance in both Chinese babble and English babble than in white noise. Moreover, of Kolb’s four learning modes, reflective observation had a facilitative effect on listening performance in Chinese babble and English babble. These findings suggest that differences in learning style might lead to differential performance in foreign language listening comprehension in noise.

Highlights

As speech communication in everyday conditions often takes place in the presence of various kinds of background noise, the ability to understand speech in noisy backgrounds is a very important skill
The results indicated that in Chinese babble, the assimilators performed better than the convergers (p = 0.047), and the divergers were better to a certain extent than the convergers
Our findings showed that the effects of different types of noise on English listening comprehension among Chinese college students varied depending on their learning styles

Summary

Introduction

As speech communication in everyday conditions often takes place in the presence of various kinds of background noise, the ability to understand speech in noisy backgrounds is a very important skill. Speech communication in noisy background is especially challenging for second language (L2) listeners. Their listening experience outside the classroom is always problematic: conversations in restaurants are difficult to continue; the airport announcement is often inaudible; and the telephone never seems loud enough. The present study specially focused on the role of learning styles in English listening comprehension in different types of noise among Chinese college students. By demonstrating how learners’ listening comprehension in different types of noise may vary with their learning styles, the findings of this study may help teachers and students gain a better understanding of the effects of adverse conditions on their listening experience and adopt in turn effective coping strategies in accordance with their personal cognitive features

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion