L2 listening and its correlates

Abstract

Second-language (L2) listening ability is considered to consist of a diverse range of components that collectively help one to understand aural messages (e.g., Vandergrift & Goh, 2012). By building on and expanding previous meta-analyses, this chapter reports on a meta-analysis of L2 listening and its components. Two research questions were addressed: (1) what is the overall relationship between L2 listening and all its components collectively? and (2) what is the relationship between L2 listening and each of its components? Regarding (1), results from 118 studies (533 correlations) showed a significant, moderate relationship between L2 listening and its components overall (r = .446). Regarding (2), L2 listening was more strongly related to linguistic knowledge (grammar and vocabulary) than cognitive ability and affective features (aptitude, metacognitive awareness, working memory, attitude, and motivation), with anxiety (another affective feature) located in between. These results suggest how various components relate to L2 listening. The results also support the prediction that generally core components (i.e., linguistic knowledge) were expected to be more strongly correlated with L2 listening than were peripheral components (i.e., cognitive ability).

Examining Second Language Listening and Metacognitive Awareness: A Meta‐Analytic Structural Equation Modeling Approach

“…Metacognitive awareness explained listening comprehension ( b * = .306), suggesting that those who used more metacognitive strategies tended to exhibit better L2 listening performance or higher L2 listening ability. This finding concurs with previous primary studies (e.g., Goh & Hu, 2014; Smidt & Hegelheimer, 2004; Vandergrift et al., 2006) and meta‐analyses (In'nami, Koizumi, et al., 2022; Karalık & Merç, 2019). The proportion of variance explained was 9.364%, which was slightly smaller than the results from previous primary studies, for example, a correlation of 13% in Vandergrift et al.’s (2006) study, and a multiple regression coefficient of 22% in Goh and Hu's (2014) study.…”

“…We further inspected the results as we have described in the next section. Third, we inspected recent relevant resources, including books (e.g., Ockey & Wagner, 2018; see Appendix S1 in the Supporting Information online) and meta‐analyses on L2 listening (In'nami & Koizumi, 2009; In'nami, Koizumi, et al., 2022; Karalık & Merç, 2019; Li, 2016; Shintani & Wallace, 2014; Zhang & Zhang, 2022). Across these three search methods, we scrutinized the reference list of each paper and chapter, both published and unpublished, for additional relevant materials 3…”

“…In'nami, Koizumi, et al. (2022) updated Karalık and Merç’s analysis, adding more studies and addressing multiple, correlated correlations. The results showed that metacognitive awareness was related to listening comprehension, r = .275, 95% CI [.194, .353], p < .05.…”

Rethinking First Language–Second Language Similarities and Differences in English Proficiency: Insights From the ENglish Reading Online (ENRO) Project

“…This suggests high stability and utility of our data for investigation of individual differences. Furthermore, the validity of the ENRO data was supported by the correlations between ENRO measures and these measures' compatibility with the results of recent meta-analyses of reading and listening comprehension (In'nami et al, 2022;Jeon & Yamashita, 2014. In particular, the rank order of component skills of reading and listening comprehension, ordered by the strength of the correlation between the skill test and the comprehension outcome, was highly comparable between the meta-analyses and our primary study (see Appendix S7).…”

“…Correlational analyses allowed a further insight into which specific skills predicted these outcomes. They highlighted the strong role of the same higher-order skill set as indicated in meta-analyses of L2 comprehension (In'nami et al, 2022;Jeon & Yamashita, 2014, that is, grammar and vocabulary knowledge (also measured in lexical decision tasks in our data) and listening comprehension. Thus, our data confirm and enrich the current understanding of how language speakers coordinate and rely on component skills to achieve reading and listening comprehension: This way is demonstrably highly similar in L1 and advanced L2 speakers of English.…”