Listening comprehension testing methods and their impact on student performance

Abstract

This study is designed to investigate the effects of testing methods on testing L2 listening comprehension. The study sets out to investigate the impact of audio versus video testing methods on the performance of the Armenian students. The investigation is conducted at the European University in Yerevan, Armenia. The quantitative method of data analysis is used for analyzing the data gained from 30 Armenian students with an intermediate level of L2 proficiency aged between 16 to 17 years. The materials used in this investigation are a listening comprehension section from TOEFL test (a test of English as a Foreign Language) and attitude questionnaires. The data gained from the listening comprehension test are analyzed on the basis of both a paired t-test and an independent t-test. The data gained from the attitude questionnaires are analyzed through the calculation of the frequency of the students’ responses. Findings of this study provide strong evidence that both the audio and the video testing methods have the same impact on the examinees’ performance. The results gained from the questionnaires reveal that the majority of the students consider video testing more motivating and interesting compared to that of audio testing. In this regard, the study supports the idea that visual stimuli may be helpful in interpreting the provided message through adding motivation and raising interest towards the provided oral input.