| Few studies have been conducted to investigate the effect of activating the knowledge of learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) prior to listening to an unfamiliar topic. The current study was designed to determine whether Arabic-speaking EFL learners' listening comprehension of an unfamiliar text would vary as a function of being exposed to one of two possible advance organizers to activate their background knowledge. The study consisted of two experimental groups; one whose content schema (knowledge about the topic) was activated, and the other whose formal schema (knowledge about text structure and discourse organization) was activated, and a control group that received neither advance organizer. The results of a listening comprehension test indicated that learners whose content background knowledge was activated scored slightly higher than those whose formal background knowledge was activated. Statistical analysis showed no significant differences. However, based on responses to a post-study questionnaire, the students in the experimental groups perceived the pre-listening activities to be very helpful in enhancing their understanding and prediction of the listening text. The results of this study support the importance of helping learners make connections between their existing knowledge and the incoming aural input. |
