English-majored Students’ Problems in Listening Comprehension: The Case of a University in Vietnam

Abstract

The article looks into the difficulties that English-majored students face when it comes to listening comprehension in a Vietnamese university. Listening comprehension, a fundamental skill in language learning, is often challenging for students despite its importance. This study uses a qualitative research approach to investigate the specific challenges that English-majored students have in their listening comprehension abilities. Data is collected using a painstakingly crafted questionnaire instrument, which is targeted to elicit specific comments from participants about their listening comprehension experiences and issues. The findings highlight a variety of barriers to students’ listening comprehension, ranging from language competence levels and exposure to different accents to a lack of realistic listening materials and inefficient tactics. The study emphasizes the necessity of addressing these issues through focused treatments, such as the use of realistic listening materials, more listening practice opportunities, and the teaching of effective listening methods. Teachers can optimize English language training techniques and nurture better language competency among English-majoring students in Vietnamese institutions by addressing the specific needs revealed by the questionnaire instrument.