Orchestrating Strategy Use: Toward a Model of the Skilled Second Language Listener

TLDR

The study examines how seventh‑grade French learners use listening strategies, comparing more and less skilled listeners during authentic listening tasks. Think‑aloud protocols were coded and analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. More skilled listeners employed more metacognitive strategies—particularly comprehension monitoring, elaborative questioning, and translation—an effect confirmed by qualitative analysis and forming the basis of a proposed skilled‑listener model and instructional program.

Abstract

This article reports on an investigation of listening strategy applications by grade 7 students learning French ( N = 36). I examine the types of strategies used and the differences in strategy use by more skilled and less skilled listeners as revealed while these students listened to authentic texts in French. Think‐aloud data were coded and analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. Significant differences were found in the use of the category of metacognitive strategies as well as in individual strategies for comprehension monitoring, questioning for elaboration, and translation. These differences were reinforced by a qualitative analysis of representative protocols. The article concludes with a discussion of both an emerging model of the skilled listener and a pedagogic program for developing listening skills.