Teaching Listening in EFL Classrooms: Teacher's Challenges, Strategies, and Perceptions of AI

Thesis Presentation Overview

  • Course Code and Session: THSS6212−2025−26 S2THSS6212- 2025-26 \text{ S2}
  • Candidate: Shaheena Jaleela Faizal (244717244717)
  • Supervision: Dr. Roy Veettil Puspaviliasam
  • Institution: Sohar University (جامعة صحار)
  • Thesis Topic: Teaching Listening in EFL Classrooms: Teacher's Challenges, Strategies, and Perceptions of the Role of Artificial Intelligence in General Foundation Program (GFP)

Statement of the Problem

  • Student-Level Challenges: General Foundation Program (GFP) students encounter significant obstacles in listening comprehension. These are primarily driven by:
    • High-speed native or natural speech.
    • Variations in accents.
    • Limited vocabulary range.
    • A general lack of exposure to the English language.
  • Teacher-Level Challenges: Educators face difficulties in:
    • Implementing effective listening strategies.
    • Integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools directly into classroom instruction.
  • Institutional Constraints: Practical instruction is often hampered by:
    • Large class sizes.
    • Limited instructional time windows.
    • Technical issues.
  • Environmental Factors: Students have restricted opportunities to encounter real English outside of the academic setting, which leads to a decrease in listening confidence and the development of comprehension skills.

Purpose of the Study and Research Questions

  • Study Objectives:
    • To explore the specific challenges identified by GFP teachers during listening instruction.
    • To examine the various strategies employed to enhance listening comprehension.
    • To investigate teachers’ internal perceptions regarding the role of AI tools in listening pedagogy.
  • Key Research Questions (RQs):
    • RQ1: What challenges do teachers face when teaching listening comprehension to GFP students?
    • RQ2: What strategies do teachers use to overcome listening comprehension challenges?
    • RQ3: How do teachers perceive the role of AI tools in improving listening instruction?

Literature Review

  • Learner-Centric Findings: Previous research highlights that learners struggle with rapid speech, accent variation, vocabulary limitations, and the demands of real-time language processing (Pham & Diep, 20252025; Tran & Duong, 20202020).
  • Teacher-Centric Findings: Educators often cite curriculum constraints, a lack of time and resources, and the management of crowded classrooms as primary hurdles (Al-Shamsi et al., 20202020; Vellanki et al., 20222022).
  • Effective Strategies: Literature suggests the utility of:
    • Phased activities (Pre-listening, while-listening, and post-listening).
    • Scaffolding techniques.
    • The use of authentic materials.
    • The application of metacognitive and cognitive strategies (Vandergrift & Goh, 20122012; Liu & Zhang, 20242024).
  • Technology and AI Integration: AI and technology are noted for their ability to personalize the learning experience, provide instant feedback, and increase student exposure to authentic language (Chang & Sun, 20242024; Zheng & Yang, 20242024).

Research Methodology and Data Collection

  • Research Design: The study utilized a Qualitative Research Design following a Descriptive Phenomenological Approach (DPA).
  • Participants:
    • A total of 1717 English language teachers.
    • Recruited from the University of Technology and Applied Sciences (UTAS) and Sohar University (SU).
    • All participants were actively teaching GFP students.
  • Research Instruments:
    • Semi-structured interviews.
    • Reflection sheets.
  • Data Collection Process:
    • Interviews typically lasted between 1010 and 2020 minutes.
    • All interviews were audio-recorded with participant consent.
    • Reflection sheets were completed by participants either during the session or on the following day.
  • Data Analysis:
    • The study applied Thematic Analysis based on the Braun and Clarke (20062006) framework.
    • Instruction followed a seven-step coding and theme development process.

Research Question 1: Findings on Teacher Challenges

  • Linguistic Challenges:
    • Dealing with fast speech and various accent variations.
    • Students' limited vocabulary knowledge.
    • Manifestation of student anxiety and low concentration levels during tasks.
  • Limited Exposure to English:
    • Students rarely utilize English outside of the classroom environment.
    • There is a notable lack of authentic listening practice in their daily lives.
  • Mixed Proficiency Levels:
    • There is a divide where strong learners effectively use prediction strategies, while weak learners lose concentration and struggle with basic comprehension.
  • Institutional Challenges:
    • Managing large class sizes.
    • Squeezing instruction into limited timeframes.
    • Technical impediments such as poor audio quality in classrooms.
    • Discrepancies between the curriculum and the assessment methods used.

Research Question 2: Findings on Strategies and AI Perceptions

Note: Based on the transcript, the findings for RQ2 focus on AI-related perceptions and tools.

  • Teacher Perceptions of AI: Teachers generally believe AI can:
    • Provide immediate feedback to learners.
    • Improve pronunciation through practice.
    • Increase exposure to a variety of English accents.
    • Support personalized learning paths.
    • Enhance overall student engagement.
  • Specific AI Tools Mentioned:
    • Gemini.
    • YouTube.
    • AI-generated listening materials.
    • Various online listening platforms.
  • Concerns and Limitations Regarding AI:
    • Lack of professional teacher training for AI tools.
    • High levels of dependence on technology.
    • Existing infrastructure limitations.
    • The potential risk of overreliance on AI systems.

Research Question 3: Findings on Instructional Strategies

Note: Based on the transcript, the findings for RQ3 focus on practical instructional methodologies.

  • Instructional Strategies:
    • Structured listening sessions using pre-listening, while-listening, and post-listening stages.
    • Pre-teaching essential vocabulary.
    • Applying scaffolding techniques and note-taking/prediction activities.
    • The repetition of audio recordings to aid understanding.
  • Use of Authentic Materials:
    • Incorporating videos, podcasts, and recordings of real-life conversations.
    • Leveraging YouTube resources.
  • Student Engagement Strategies:
    • Facilitating group discussions and interactive listening tasks.
    • Utilizing educational games such as Kahoot.
    • Implementing follow-up speaking activities to reinforce listening.
  • Managing Mixed Ability Classes:
    • Simplifying complex tasks for accessibility.
    • Providing additional support specifically for weaker learners.
    • Replaying audio recordings to ensure clarity.

Implications for Practice and Policy

  • For Teachers:
    • Increase the utilization of authentic listening materials.
    • Apply strategy-based instruction and scaffolding.
    • Meaningfully integrate AI tools into structured listening lessons.
  • For Institutions:
    • Provide formal professional development sessions on AI integration.
    • Invest in improving technological infrastructure.
    • Take measures to reduce overcrowded classroom settings.
    • Ensure that assessments are closely aligned with listening objectives.
  • For Curriculum Designers:
    • Incorporate more authentic, real-world listening tasks.
    • Shift toward process-oriented listening assessments.

Recommendations for Future Research

  • Methodological Improvements:
    • Inclusion of direct classroom observations.
    • Adoption of mixed-methods approaches for broader data.
    • Conducting longitudinal studies to see progress over time.
    • Exploring the perspectives of students alongside those of the teachers.
  • Unanswered Questions:
    • The long-term impact of AI on the development of listening skills.
    • The actual empirical effectiveness of AI tools in GFP specific contexts.
    • Comparative analysis between institutions with varying levels of technological access.
  • Suggested Research Areas:
    • Developing AI-supported listening pedagogy.
    • Assessing and improving teacher digital literacy.
    • The relationship between AI and learner autonomy in EFL settings.

Review of Abstract and Study Contribution

  • Summary: This qualitative study explored listening challenges, instructional strategies, and AI perceptions among 1717 teachers using semi-structured interviews and reflection sheets. Findings highlighted linguistic/institutional hurdles, the necessity of scaffolding, and a generally positive outlook on AI.
  • Contribution: This research provides context-specific insights into Omani GFP classrooms and underscores the significant potential of AI in EFL listening instruction.