Metacognitive instruction in listening for young learners

Abstract

This article outlines a small-scale study of metacognitive instruction for young second language listeners and discusses the value of lessons that highlight the listening process. Ten primary school pupils participated in eight specially designed listening lessons that included traditional listening exercises, individual post-listening reflections on their listening experience, and teacher-facilitated discussions that focused on specific aspects of metacognitive knowledge about listening. During the eight lessons, the learners demonstrated some knowledge about factors that influenced their listening and strategy use. After the eight lessons, all the students reported a deeper understanding of the nature and the demands of listening, increased confidence in completing listening tasks, and better strategic knowledge for coping with comprehension difficulties. On the whole, the weaker learners have benefited the most from such a process-based approach to listening instruction.