A Brief Analysis of Factors Affecting College English Listening Comprehension and Teaching Strategies

Among the four basic skills in language learning, listening seems to present more difficulties for the students in their college English study. This paper tries to examine various obstacles affecting college students’ English listening comprehension based on the author’s 20 years of teaching experience. Through systematic analysis of both linguistic and non-linguistic factors, the study proposes targeted teaching methodologies to enhance students’ listening proficiency. The research highlights the importance of integrated skill development, psychological factors in language acquisition, and effective listening strategies. Practical classroom techniques are suggested, including the combination of listening and speaking practice, motivation enhancement approaches, and systematic training in listening strategies. The findings emphasize the need for comprehensive solutions addressing multiple dimensions of listening comprehension difficulties in Chinese EFL learners.

Anderson, A., & Lynch, T. (1988). Listening. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Cross, J. (2021). Integrated skills approaches in EFL. TESOL Quarterly, 55(2), 301-325.

Nation, P. (2006). How large a vocabulary is needed for reading and listening? Canadian Modern Language Review, 63(1), 59-82.

Vandergrift, L. (2007). Recent developments in second language listening comprehension research. Language Teaching, 40, 191-210.

Zhang, L. (2022). Phonetic challenges in Chinese EFL learners. Journal of Asian EFL Studies, 24(3), 45-68.