THE CHALLENGES FACED BY ESL LEARNERS IN DEVELOPING LISTENING AND HEARING SKILLS

Listening comprehension is not easy to master for ESL learners. Even though we have learnt the second language since primary school but, we still have problems. It is supported by Rapheal (2015) who stated that there are many difficulties an individual may face in understanding a talk, lecture or conversation in a second language (and sometimes even in their first language). The speaker, the situation, and the listener can all be the cause of these difficulties. Below are some of the challenges faced by the learners:

·         Lack of vocabulary

Cameron (2001) stated that vocabulary is one of the knowledge areas in language, plays a great role for learners in acquiring a language.

Lack of vocabulary is one of the challenges face by me and other learners in listening comprehension. This affects the process of learning. In a long time, we were not exposed to learn the language through listening. We are not had motivation to improve ourselves. However, it would have given a positive impact if we understood the listening activity. It is supported by Azmi Bingol, Celik, Yidliz, and Tugrul Mart (2014) who stated that when listening texts contain known words it would be very easy for students to them. If students know the meaning of words this can arouse their interest and motivation and can have a positive impact on the students’ listening comprehension ability 

            Lacking of vocabulary also gives other effects because when we listen to a word which is unfamiliar, we will get stuck and lose concentration. We will focus on the meaning of the word. So, in this situation, we will miss the next part of speech.

           Vocabulary knowledge and language are complementary. We can use the language when we understand the vocabulary. We cannot do anything with the language if we do not know the meaning of the word let alone to pronounce. It is supported by Nation (2001) further who describes the relationship between vocabulary knowledge and language use as complementary: knowledge of vocabulary enables language use and, conversely, language use leads to an increase in vocabulary knowledge.

 

·         Accent and variety of native speakers

Different ethnics have different accents and their accents will influence their tongue in pronunciation. When they want to speak in another language likes English, they cannot pronounce like a native speaker without extensive practise. The accent of a second language learner is affected by his or her pronunciation. It is supported by Goh (1999) who stated that 66% of learners mentioned a speaker’s accent as one of the most significant factors that affect listener comprehension. Unfamiliar accents both native and non-native can cause serious problems in listening comprehension and familiarity with an accent helps learners’ listening comprehension.

The Australian English, the British English, and the American English also have differences style and pronunciation. If we are familiar with the American English, we also have a problem in catching up and understanding other accents from different part of the World for example, the word “here”. The American English person will pronounce the word as /hɪər/ while, the British will pronounce /hɪə/. Another example, word “advertisement”, the American English person will pronounce the word as /ədvərtəzmənt/ while, the British will pronounce as /ədvɜ:tɪsmənt/.

The challenges exist because of several reasons. I will explain below:

·         Lack of vocabulary

Lacking vocabulary is one of the challenges faced by the ESL learners. It is supported by Graham (2006) who stated that there are some other factors that increase learners’ listening comprehension problems such as restricted vocabulary, poor grammar, and misinterpretations about listening tasks.

This challenge will never end as long as the learners rarely add their vocabulary list. They have to increase their vocabulary every day even though this task is too boring. Moreover, cannot give up.

The other reason for this is they do not find the interesting strategy to avoid them from getting bored. So, as teachers, we have to introduce them several strategies such as by using an object, using illustrations and pictures, contrast, enumeration, guessing from context, eliciting, and translation. Besides, the learners have to adopt and adapt which best strategy they want to use suitable for them.

The problem also arises when there are many new words created because of derivation, compounding, conversion, portmanteaus, loanwords, and reduplication such as. So, they have be aware of these new words and have to learn the sophisticated words as well too.

 

·         Accent and variety of native speakers

The intermediate and basic learners rarely use the second language in their daily conversation. Usually, they only use in the classroom when they were forced to use it and most of them only answer and give feedback in simple sentences or they rather kept quiet.

Besides, when the learners listen to other ethnic speakers, they cannot catch up of the different pronunciation. It is supported by Buck (2001) who stated that when listeners hear an unfamiliar accent such as Indian English for the first time after studying only American English will encounter critical difficulties in listening. This will certainly interrupt the whole listening comprehension process and at the same time, an unfamiliar accent makes comprehension impossible for the listeners. This situation also happens in Malaysia because of the multi ethnic society. The Chinese and the Indian pronounce in different way when they speak English because of their accent.  Sometimes, we ask them to repeat because they cannot catch up.

The teachers never expose their students with a variety of native speakers. So, that is why the students cannot catch up even though between British English and American English. It is supported by Abbas Pourhosein Gilakjani and Narjes Banou Sabouri (2016) who stated that teachers should help their students to be familiar with the accents of different native speakers. Due to the fact that native speakers have specific accents, it is necessary for students to recognize the differences between American and British accents.