Ayu Sakai (Nagoya City University, Japan)
Mayumi Kajiura (Nagoya City University, Japan)
Abstract
In this study, we explore how previewing comprehension questions affects English listening test performance among Japanese EFL learners. With 35 participants, we tested three formats: preview questions (P), non-preview questions with different preview questions (NPP), and no preview questions (NPA). Using EIKEN Grade 2 level listening passages, we hypothesized that previewing questions would lead to the highest accuracy by directing attention to essential content. We expected NPP to yield the lowest scores due to less focused listening, while NPA was anticipated to score higher than NPP because learners could concentrate on the entire passage without distractions from preview questions. The results confirmed that P achieved the highest scores, followed by NPA, and NPP scored the lowest. This suggests that previewing questions helps improve performance by directing attention to important details. However, if learners concentrate too much on the content of the preview questions, it may make it harder for them to understand unrelated information.
Student Showcase: Research Paper (Video; 15 minutes)
Listening
Primarily of interest to teachers of university students
About the Presenters
Ayu Sakai is a university student at Nagoya City University, majoring in international language and culture. She is particularly interested in second language acquisition and conducts research in this area. Her interests also include the effect of previewing questions on listening comprehension.
Mayumi Kajiura is an associate professor at Nagoya City University, specializing in second language acquisition. Her focus is on examining listening learning from a neuroscience perspective. She is particularly interested in multimodal learning.
