The impact of vocabulary preparation on L2 listening comprehension, confidence and strategy use

Building on previous studies of the effects of planning on second language learners’ (L2) oral narratives and writing, this research reports an investigation of the effects of vocabulary preparation prior to a listening comprehension test on L2 learners’ vocabulary performance, listening comprehension, confidence levels and strategy use. The participants were given three different lengths of preparation time to study new vocabulary that would be heard in a listening text. The instruments involved a vocabulary test, a listening comprehension test, and a questionnaire to elicit their confidence levels and strategy use. A semi-structured interview was conducted immediately after the test. The results show that though a consistent pattern was found for the tests of vocabulary and listening comprehension (the more preparation time they had, the higher score they achieved) significant differences between groups were detected only in the vocabulary test but not in the listening comprehension test. In relation to the level of confidence and strategy use, the group with 30-min preparation showed the highest levels of confidence and more strategy use, followed by the group given 1-week preparation. It is concluded that allowing students to study vocabulary before a test could improve their vocabulary knowledge and confidence but not their listening comprehension. In the light of students’ responses in the questionnaire and reports in their interviews, the paper discusses a few problems participants had studying the vocabulary and suggestions are made for the teaching of listening.