L2 listening: An intervention study of instructional approaches

Abstract This intervention study was conducted to assess the effects of three instructional approaches to L2 listening. That is, a metacognitive pedagogical cycle, an awareness‐raising approach which combined reflections and short discussions of factors associated with successful L2 listening, and an approach that incorporated vocabulary as a prelistening activity and guiding questions during the listening session. This study embraces the need for intervention studies that identify what works best. It addresses methodological flaws in previous studies and concerns associated with long‐term effects. L2 listening was measured before and after the intervention at pretest, posttest, and delayed posttest. The overarching research question was concerned with whether or not there are significant differences in L2 listening between and within the groups. The results indicate that guiding learners through a process that develops metacognitive knowledge and regulatory skills is an effective way of teaching listening. The results also offer preliminary evidence of long‐term effects.