Investigating the effects of multiple-choice listening test items in the oral versus written mode on L2 listeners' performance and perceptions

This study explored the effects of varying the mode of presenting multiple-choice tests items on L2 listeners' performance and perceptions. In the study, 87 Chinese college students in Taiwan took a listening test with 30 written multiple-choice items and another 30 items presented orally. In addition to test-taking, the participants also completed a short questionnaire on their perceptions of the task, and participated in a post-test discussion. The test results showed that the students scored almost the same with the oral (66%) as the written mode (68%). However, an interaction between the modes and the students' listening proficiency was detected: lower level students scored significantly higher on written items, whereas higher proficiency students had similar scores in both modes. Although the students' overall listening performance did not vary significantly, in their questionnaire responses 78% of the students favoured the written over the oral mode. There was evidence that higher proficiency students were able to deal with the memory load of the orally presented items through effective test-taking strategies that lower level students did not employ. Thus, while presenting the test items orally may create a pure test of listening ability, it appears that there are good reasons for written presentation of multiple-choice listening items.