Effects of Reading-Listening Integrated Dictation on Chinese EFL Students’ Listening Performance

Abstract

Abstract This study examines the effects of reading-listening integrated dictation on Chinese college-level English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ listening. Different from previous research that explored reading while listening for listening development, this study combined the two skills in dictation in which listening was a continuation of reading. Participants were two groups of first-year Chinese EFL learners who were exposed to the target language under two conditions: the traditional dictation (i. e., listening-only) and the reading-listening integrated dictation in a counterbalanced order. Three datasets were collected: listening performance, perception questionnaires and follow-up interviews. Results indicated that the reading-listening integrated dictation was superior in terms of learning gains from listening and that their effect was commensurate with dictation text difficulty. The findings also showed that the reading-listening integrated dictation could enhance EFL students’ confidence and interest and make the use of strategies possible during listening.