The effects of interactive video training in listening techniques, metacognition, and attribution on the listening comprehension of second language video

As second language theorists increasingly focus on listening comprehension, the development of listening skills, particularly the preparation of students for everyday listening situations in the target language world, has become a central concern in second language instruction.;This study investigated the effects of listener training on intermediate level university language students' listening comprehension of a videotext. Listener training was operationally defined as three treatments in which these components were additively combined: listening techniques for use with specific listening tasks; metacognitive techniques for directing and regulating the listening process; and attributional retraining to emphasize the link between effort and strategy use, and listening comprehension. The training was delivered with interactive video lessons based on an episode of a Spanish television soap opera. The study also investigated the effects of attributional retraining on students' causal attributions, and the relationship between students' pretraining causal attributions and posttraining listening comprehension.;A pretest-posttest experimental design with control group was used for the study. Listening comprehension was measured with a 50-item test based on segments of a Spanish film. Causal attributions were measured with the Causal Dimension Scale, an instrument which allows respondents to state a cause and rate it on locus of causality, stability, and controllability subscales. These data were analyzed with analysis of covariance and with the Spearman's rank correlation procedure. Qualitative data was collected on students' attributions and demographic characteristics, and students' posttraining perceptions of listening and of the training program.;No statistically significant differences were found between treatment groups in listening comprehension or in causal attributions. The variation accounted for by the treatments was 32% in listening comprehension and 20%, 24%, and 30% in the attribution subscales. No relationship was found between pretest attributions and posttest listening comprehension scores. The qualitative data suggested positive training effects on students' perceptions of their listening ability and of listener training. These data also yielded information on students' use of the listening techniques presented.;Few strategy training studies have been attempted in the second language context. The researcher recommends that the study be replicated with students at various proficiency levels.