Mastering the Art of Active Listening in Italian Language: Overcoming Challenges with Effective Solutions

Abstract

The study investigates the development of listening skills in foreign language classrooms, emphasizing its importance as a core competency that naturally aligns with other language skills like comprehension and production. The motivation behind this research is the often overlooked focus on listening in teaching practices, where educators may mistakenly assume it will develop automatically through classroom activities such as lectures or reading exercises. This assumption can result in gaps in language acquisition due to the unique challenges posed by learning a foreign language. The research not only explores listening skills but also examines other key aspects of foreign language education, including student motivation, instructional materials, learning obstacles, and student interests. Conducted in Albanian schools as part of a project by the Faculty of Human Science at the University of Vlora and the Faculty of Foreign Languages at the University of Tirana, the study gathered data through questionnaires. The findings were then analyzed to propose potential solutions to the issues identified. Received: 12 July 2024 / Accepted: 31 October 2024 / Published: 05 November 2024