Proposing a Model for the Glass Slipper Skill in Second Language

Abstract

With its plethora of advantages, learning second language brings out a lot of benefits to students. Acquiring the second language has the potential to attract students to uplift the educational environment to be more productive and more strategised. The present study aims to investigate the relationship between self-efficacy, metacognitive awareness, and emotions towards listening in second language acquisition. Self-efficacy refers to an individual's belief in their ability to perform a task successfully, metacognitive awareness refers to an individual's ability to monitor and control their own cognitive processes and emotions towards listening play an important role in second language listening ability. The study will propose a working conceptual framework regarding the subject matter. The results of the study based on validation study will provide insights into the influence of these three constructs on second language listening ability and will inform the development of effective listening instruction for second language learners. It is concluded that the questionnaire items are deemed suitable and acceptable for further examination on a larger scale. As a result, the instrument can be investigated further in other contexts.

Keywords: Emotions, listening skill, metacognitive awareness, self-efficacy, second language acquisition

Introduction

The "Cinderella skill" of listening was coined by (Nunan, 2005), a notable applied linguist and expert in language teaching. Listening is frequently regarded as a passive ability that is not regarded the same weight as speaking, reading and writing. In addition, a common misconception is that learners will develop the skill of listening naturally as they grow older. Effective listening requires certain strategies and approaches that may be taught and developed via teaching and practices.

In Malaysia, listening skill is particularly important for second language (L2) learners because English is widely used as the medium of instruction in schools and universities. Therefore, the ability to understand lectures, class discussions and other spoken communication is crucial for academic success. However, many L2 learners in Malaysia struggled with listening due to a lack of exposure to authentic English language input, as well as the influence of their own native language.

The influence of listening skill among L2 learners in Malaysia is significant because it affects their overall language proficiency and ability to communicate effectively in English. Poor listening skills can lead to misunderstandings, difficulty following instructions and difficulty participating in group discussions or presentations. Therefore, it is important for L2 learners in Malaysia to focus on developing their listening skills to improve their overall language proficiency and communication skills in English.

Therefore, the purpose of this research is to offer a model for second language learners' listening comprehension by bringing together the areas of self-efficacy, emotion and metacognition. To achieve this goal, a validation study was conducted. The purpose of this research is to present a working framework for analysing the interplay between these three factors and how they shape listeners' comprehension in a second language learning.

The Glass Slipper skill in second language learning

In order to communicate effectively, one of the most important skills necessary is the ability to listen to others (Maresta, 2018). Since the 1970s, educators have recognised the importance of listening as a distinctive skill, devoting a large portion of class time to teaching it. Hence, the listening skill was regarded as the glass slipper of language learning.

The five stages of effective listening

However, effective listening among second language learners can be achieved by providing clear and slow speech, providing visual aids, providing clear instructions and context, providing clear explanations and examples, encouraging learners to use reference materials and providing opportunities for practice. Therefore, there are five distinct stages of effective listening in second language. The illustration of the stages can be viewed in figure 1.

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The five stages of listening can influence effective listening among second language learners in several ways:

Second language learners may have difficulty receiving the spoken message due to their limited knowledge of the language and lack of familiarity with the accent or speech patterns of the speaker. This can be overcome by providing clear and slow speech and providing visual aids.

Second language learners may be more likely to evaluate the message based on their own background knowledge, culture and expectations. This can be overcome by providing clear instructions and providing a context for the message.

Second language learners may have difficulty reflecting on the meaning of the message due to their limited vocabulary and grammar knowledge. This can be overcome by providing clear explanations and examples, and by encouraging the learners to use a dictionary or other reference materials.

Second language learners may have difficulty reconciling any discrepancies or confusion in the message due to their limited understanding of the language. This can be overcome by providing clear explanations and examples, and by encouraging the learners to ask clarifying questions.

Second language learners may have difficulty responding to the message due to their limited language proficiency. This can be overcome by providing clear instructions and providing opportunities for practice.

Listening from the Islamic view

The acquisition of knowledge and direction begins with attentive listening. When seen from an Islamic point of view, listening is a religious obligation. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) would always make time to engage with others, especially young people and pay close attention to what they had to say. He would also actively listen to what others had to say. Providing them with the opportunity to talk about how they are feeling, what they are thinking and the experiences they have had is giving them the room to express themselves. Education is the most important factor in accomplishing this objective. It is one of the etiquette of listening to pay close attention to what is being said, and it is a demonstration of gratitude toward the bounties that Allah has bestowed. As can be observed in figure 2 from Surah Qaf revealed that listening is vital, the religion of Islam places a strong emphasis on it. This is the verse, along with its English translation:

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The influence of listening on Islamic education

The ability to listen attentively and process information is crucial in the context of Islamic education. When it comes to studying and reciting Islam's holy books, the Qur'an, the language of choice is Arabic. Therefore, it is crucial to learn Arabic to comprehend the Qur'an and Islamic teaching. Due to the prevalence of orally transmitted religious teachings in Islamic education, the ability to listen attentively and process the information is crucial. Effective listening skills and the capacity to absorb spoken language are required to grasp and internalise the teachings being conveyed.

Research Methods

It is expected that the results of this study will provide insights into the factors that contribute to self-efficacy in listening comprehension in English as a second language among Islamic study students in Malaysia.

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The model developed from the study will provide a framework for educators and other practitioners to use in supporting the development of self-efficacy in listening comprehension among this population. Figure 3 shows the working proposed framework for this study. The first domain is listening self-efficacy, followed by emotions and metacognitive awareness and the last domain is listening comprehension.

Experts in the field need to be consulted throughout the evaluation phase of the study to evaluate how well the instrument was designed to measure the targeted idea and how thoroughly relevant content domains were incorporated into the assessment (Nunnally & Bernstein, 1994). A careful choice of experts is essential for any study attempting to validate its information. Content specialists should assess and analyse the instrument's content based on their knowledge, which includes factors like experience, certification, and relevant training, as stated by Grant and Davis (1997). To this end, this study prepared a content validation form for the questionnaire and converted it to an online survey (Google Form Survey) for an email invitation.

Three experts are recommended as the bare minimum (Lynn, 1986). Gable and Wolf (2012) recommend that the instrument be evaluated by three to 20 expert panels. Nevertheless, the number of experts depends on the required level of expertise and the breadth of knowledge representation among the experts (Grant & Davis, 1997). The number of experts proposed by the preceding study is shown in Table 1. Therefore, in the evaluation stage of this investigation, eight experts were used.

The information of eight experts for judging the instrument's content are shown in Table 2. Following the selection of an expert panel, the study collects and analyses quantitative perspectives on the relevance or representativeness. The completeness of the items used to assess the construct are operationally defined by these items to assure the instrument's content validity. A content validity assessment form is used to obtain input from experts. The arrangement of the assessment form affects the quality of the information (Chen et al., 2019).

The study analysed expert replies quantitatively. Chen et al. (2019) said that there are no specific quantitative ways to figure out how content validity instruments should be calculated. However, Yaghmaie (2003) advocates utilising quantitative indices to rate instrument content. Content validity index (CVI) is the most prevalent method for quantifying content validity (Almanasreh et al., 2019). This study quantified an instrument using the CVI. Expert judgements of instrument content relevance or representativeness determine the CVI. It is preferable to use a 4-point scale ranging from 1 (not relevant to the measured domain) to 4 (very significant to the measured domain). CVI contains I-CVI and Ave-CVI (Lynn, 1986), The I-CVI is determined by dividing the number of experts who assessed the relevant items as 3 or 4 by the total number of experts, which is the proportion of experts who agree on an item's content validity (Polit et al., 2007). This study used Lynn's criteria for calculating the I-CVI (I-CVI=1 with 3 or 5 experts and a minimum of 0.78 for 6 to 10 experts) and an Ave-CVI of 0.90 or above to have outstanding content validity of an instrument. Thus, this study earned 1-point if the experts ranked 3 or 4, and 0-point if they rated 1 or 2.

Findings

Domain 1 demonstrates two items that scored an acceptable range of I-CV (0.78). Seven items scored the acceptable range of 0.78 in domain 2. However, for domain 3, there are eight items scored acceptable range of I-CV (0.78). Domain 4 shows seven out of 20 items scored below the acceptable range. Finally, domain 5 does not show the acceptable value of I-CVI at all for the whole nine items. However, it has been reported that there are three items scored 0.9 for Ave-CVI. The results can be viewed in figure 4.

Hence, it is believed based on the result of the validation study that all the three domains are interrelated with each other in determining the listening comprehension of second language learners. It has proven the working proposed framework.

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Conclusion

In conclusion, self-efficacy, metacognitive awareness, and emotions towards listening are all important factors that influence second language listening ability. Learners with high self-efficacy, metacognitive awareness, and positive emotions towards listening tend to have better listening comprehension skills than those with low levels of these constructs. Therefore, it is important for second language teachers to incorporate activities that promote the development of self-efficacy, metacognitive awareness, and positive emotions towards listening in their classrooms.

Acknowledgments

The author would like to extend her sincerest gratitude to the esteemed supervisors, Dr Mohamad Azrien Mohamed Adnan, Dr Wan Rohani Wan Mokhtar and also Dr Suryani Awang for their invaluable guidance, support and expertise throughout the research process. Their invaluable insights, constructive responses and unwavering support have been instrumental in the development of this paper. The author would also like to extend her gratitude to both beloved parents, families and last but not the least, her little sweetheart for their unwavering love, support and encouragement throughout this academic journey. Their belief in and encouragement has been a constant source of inspiration and motivation. Indeed, the author is deeply appreciative of the contributions and support of these individuals, without which this paper would not have been possible.

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