Enhancing language proficiency through mobile extensive listening and podcasting: A multifaceted approach to metacognition and critical thinking

Abstract

Mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) has gained considerable attention in foreign and second-language education. As part of a two-year project, this study employed a mixed-methods research design with 60 B2-level learners of English as a foreign language. The primary purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of repetitive listening and listening duration on participants' listening comprehension, speaking, critical thinking, listening strategies, and self-regulated learning strategies. The participants were divided into two groups, with the experimental group (n = 30) participating in the innovative Mobile Extensive Listening and Podcasting (MELAP) intervention. MELAP is a novel approach within the MALL framework that involves extensive listening to podcasts in the target language, content creation, and podcasting. The ten-week treatment revealed that unlike in previous studies, our experimental group improved not only in listening comprehension but also demonstrated significant gains in speaking skills and critical thinking. Notably, enhanced critical thinking skills were observed, correlated with an increased total listening duration and repeated extensive listening. Qualitative data analysis sheds light on how participants viewed the MELAP intervention, revealing what motivated them, what distractions they faced, and their opinions on developing and sharing podcasts. These findings emphasize the potential of the MELAP to enhance language skills and foster critical thinking in language learners, contributing to the ongoing discourse on the effectiveness of MALL.