Recent developments in second and foreign language listening comprehension research

Listening comprehension lies at the heart of language learning, but it is the least understood and least researched skill. This paper brings together recent research and developments in the field of second and foreign language (L2) listening. It begins with a brief discussion of the different cognitive and social factors that impact listening, followed by a summary of recent research into the development of perception skills and metacognitive knowledge. An integrated model for teaching learners how to listen is then elaborated. In addition, recent research on listening in multimedia environments, academic listening and listening assessment is presented. The paper concludes with a discussion of areas for…