UNDERSTANDING EFL STUDENTS’ LISTENING CHALLENGES IN GENERAL ENGLISH COURSE 3: PRACTICES AND PERCEPTIONS AT A VIETNAMESE UNIVERSITY

Tran Kieu My, Thai Cong Dan

Abstract


In response to the increasing importance of English as a global language, this study investigates the listening challenges, perceptions, and coping strategies of EFL students enrolled in General English Course 3 at a Vietnamese university. Focusing on linguistic, cognitive, affective, and external factors, the research employed a mixed-methods design using a 25-item questionnaire completed by 94 students and follow-up semi-structured interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS, and qualitative data were thematically coded. Findings show that students struggle most with fast speech, unfamiliar vocabulary, diverse accents, and extended spoken texts. Affective barriers such as anxiety and low confidence further impede comprehension. While students recognize the importance of listening skills and are aware of useful strategies, their actual use of these strategies is limited and inconsistent. The study highlights key areas for pedagogical improvement and offers practical implications for enhancing listening instruction in tertiary EFL contexts.

 

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Keywords


EFL students, listening challenges, listening comprehension, perceptions, coping strategies, General English Course 3

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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejae.v10i3.6424

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