Promoting autonomous listening to podcasts: A case study

Abstract

This article reports on an exploratory case study of a Japanese learner of English as a foreign language (EFL) who was introduced to metatextual skills and activities for metacognitive instruction as a route towards promoting her autonomous use of the BBC’s online ‘From Our Own Correspondent’ podcasts outside of the classroom to enhance her second language listening ability. Journal entries and information from weekly interviews over 9 weeks are used to show how, with regular guidance and feedback, the learner employed aspects of metacognitive instruction and developed the metatextual skills for exploiting the podcasts in an increasingly informed, sophisticated and successful manner to develop her listening ability.