Testing Listening in ELT – Article 1

Article’s name is “TESTING LISTENING COMPREHENSION IN

JAPANESE UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE EXAMINATIONS”. Written by: Gary
Buck in November 1988 for “JALT Journal, Vol. 10, Nos. 1 & 2” in Osaka,
JAPAN. The present study examined mostly “Testing Listening in Japanese Schools”.
At present, a number of universities, including Tokyo University; have added an
English listening test to their other entrance examinations. Many other colleges are
likely to follow this lead and include listening tests in their own entrance
examinations. However, listening comprehension is an extremely complex process,
about which little is known, and thus the testing of listening comprehension presents
considerable problems. The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, to examine some of
the complex issues involved in understanding listening comprehension, how these
relate to the construction of listening comprehension tests, and to offer some practical
suggestions about the advantages and disadvantages of most of the common methods
of testing it.
Several major Japanese universities have recently included or are shortly to
include an English listening comprehension section in their entrance examinations. It
may be expected that a large number of other colleges will follow suit. This paper
examines the nature of listening comprehension, and the problems of testing it, with
emphasis on those problems relevant to constructing university entrance examinations.
This article looks at the importance of college entrance examinations in Japan, and
their effect upon classroom instruction. Then examines the nature of listening
comprehension~ reviews theories and research, and provides criteria for creating and
evaluating listening texts. Afterwards, the most common methods of testing listening
comprehension are discussed in terms of these criteria, and in terms of practical
implementation and washback effect in the classroom. Practical recommendations are
made for constructing comprehension tests suitable for Japanese university entrance
examinations.
To sum up, testing listening comprehension is far more complex an undertaking
than it would seem to be at first sight. However, this applies not only to testing
listening comprehension, but to testing any aspect of second language ability.
Language use is a very complex phenomenon, about which far too little is known. The
question test makers have to ask themselves is whether they are prepared to face up to
the complexity of the issue or not. The writer believes very strongly that, as
professionals, there is only one answer we can possibly give to such a question.

Article - JALT Journal Link: “https://jalt-publications.org/files/pdf-article/jj-10.1-art1.pdf”

Testing Listening in ELT – Article 2
Article’s name is “THE IMPORTANCE OF LISTENING IN LANGUAGE
LEARNING AND LISTENING COMPREHENSION PROBLEMS
EXPERIENCED BY LANGUAGE LEARNERS: A LITERATURE REVIEW”.
Written by: Selin YILDIRIM and Özgür YILDIRIM in Bolu, TURKEY in 2016 for
“Abant İzzet Baysal Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi”. The purpose of this
literature review is twofold: first, it aims to review the basic concepts related to the
place and importance of listening skill in learning English as second or foreign
language; second, in the light of the related literature, it focuses on listening
comprehension problems experienced by English language learners. Although the
centrality of listening in second and foreign language learning is well established
today and an appropriate listening comprehension instruction is essential for target
language competence, listening was one of the most neglected skills in second and
foreign language classrooms especially until late 1960s. Both researchers and
language teachers paid more attention to reading and grammar, and teaching listening
was not accepted as a significant feature of language states that “in the early days of
English Language Teaching (ELT), listening chiefly served as a means of introducing
new grammar through model dialogues”. 　
Listening has an important role both in daily life and in academic contexts as it
is crucial for people to sustain effective communication. In spite of the importance of
listening in the development of the communicative and cognitive skills, it did not start
to take its place in language teaching curriculum for long years. However, in recent
years, with the emphasis given in communication in language teaching, listening
started to take its long-deserved place in language programs. Although there are
different perspectives to teaching listening, the success of each perspective somewhat
depends on addressing and minimizing the listening comprehension problems
experienced by language learners. This literature review aims to review the basic
concepts related to the place and importance of listening skill in learning English as
second or foreign language, and, in the light of the related literature, it focuses on
listening comprehension problems experienced by second and foreign language
learners.
　To reiterate, The Direct Method proposed the idea that the best way to learn a
foreign language was the natural development of that language, an aural/oral system of
teaching was the most suitable, and teachers and students were expected to use L2 in
the classroom. This study has been discussed and applied in Turkey.

Article - AIBUEFD: “https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/291967”