The Impact of Podcasts on EFL Students’ Listening Comprehension

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the impact of podcasts on students’ English listening comprehension. Quantitative methods were utilized with a one-group pre-test-post-test pre-experimental design involving 20 seventh-grade students from MTsS DDI Seppange during the academic year 2023/2024. Quantitative methods were utilized with a one-group pre-test-post-test pre-experimental design involving 20 seventh-grade students from MTsS DDI Seppange during the academic year 2023/2024. Technical term abbreviations were explained upon first use. The research instrument consisted of questions assessing students’ spoken English comprehension ability. Data processing for this study indicated that the pre-test average score was 29.00, categorized as “poor,” while the post-test average score was rated as “poor” but at 73.35 points. The obtained p-value of .000 was smaller than α (0.05), and the t value (10.138) exceeded the t table (2.101), indicating statistical significance. This study’s findings reveal that seventh-grade students at MTsS DDI Seppange demonstrated an improvement in listening comprehension following several treatments. The increase was only slightly significant since the average scores of the initial and final exams remained in the “poor” range, despite a gain of 47.35 units. Upon experiencing a listening focused instruction for the first time, the school’s implementation of podcasts enhanced students’ comprehension. Furthermore, pupils exhibited eagerness and participation in class by communicating with both their peers and the instructor. Even so, the research has certain limitations, such as the lack of necessary facilities, which makes the utilization of video podcasts less than optimal.

Key words-- podcast, listening comprehension