Investigating the relationships between listening strategies and speaking performance in integrated listening-to-speak tasks

Abstract

Integrated tasks have been increasingly used in language assessments. However, existing research on integrated tasks has emphasized productive skills, specifically writing, while little is known about the interrelationships between listening comprehension and speaking performance in integrated speaking tasks. This study collected empirical data from 210 Chinese EFL learners through a custom-designed questionnaire to investigate listening strategies and their relationships with listening-to-speak task performance. Exploratory factor analysis and reliability analysis of the questionnaire identified five distinct listening strategies: comprehension evaluation (COE), selective attention (SEA), inferencing (INF), preparation (PRE) and fixation (FIX). Correlation analysis revealed significant relationships between the use of five listening strategies and task performance scores. Multiple regression analysis further indicated that three of these strategies are strong predictors of performance across different scoring dimensions. Specifically, COE positively influenced scores in all four dimensions assessed: (1) Grammar, Vocabulary and Expression; (2) Retelling Content; (3) Pronunciation and Intonation; (4) Fluency. Additionally, SEA was found to affect scores in Retelling Content as well as Pronunciation and Intonation. In contrast, FIX had a significantly negative effect on Retelling Content. These findings could improve our understanding of L2 listening strategy use in integrated listening-to-speak tasks and carry implications for L2 listening instruction and assessment.