Ebook: Cognitive and Metacognitive Listening Strategies Training for University Non-English Majors

In this action research study, the researcher designed and implemented a strategy-training
program that focused on the development of cognitive and metacognitive strategies to
promote listening comprehension ability among second year non-English majors. Learners
were studying English as a foreign language (EFL) at a university language center in Taipei
City. 56 Taiwanese non-English major undergraduate EFL learners participated in the training.
Participants were second-year students who attended mandatory English laboratory classes
once a week for one hour and fifty minutes in addition to other courses they were taking in
order to satisfy their academic major requirements (e.g., Economics, Communications,
International Trade, Education, Law, Psychology, and Computer Science). Participating
students were tested by the university language department and assigned to the
pre-intermediate level. The class that received the cognitive and metacognitive strategies
training comprised 37 males and 19 females, whose ages ranged from 18 to 23 years old.
Findings revealed that metacognitive strategy of using a notebook and cognitive strategy of
T-list notetaking, followed by semantic mapping of listening texts were the most helpful
listening strategies as perceived by learners who indicated their attitudes towards the training
on Strategy Learning Logs (SLL).