Efl Learners' Listening Strategies Use and Their Learning Preferences

The aim of this study is to investigate the listening strategies use of English major students and their learning preference. The study used descriptive statistics and inferential statistics to analyze the data. The result of analysis revealed that the participants employed meta-cognitive listening strategies the most, followed by cognitive and socio-affective listening strategies, and in terms of learning styles, they preferred communicative styles the most and concrete styles the least. Their second and third styles were analytical and authority-oriented. The finding also indicated that both male and female learners utilized meta-cognitive, cognitive and socio-affective listening strategies sequentially. Whereas, the mean scores indicated that male students employed each listening strategy more often than females. The Pearson correlation analysis showed that there was a statistically significant relationship between learning styles and listening strategies employed by the students. Therefore, EFL teachers should involve learning styles into listening strategy instruction. This would help them which kinds of listening strategies should be focused and how to deal with learners.

Lemma W/Michael has obtained his MA in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TFEL) from Bahir Dar University. Currently, he is working as a lecturer at Bule Hora University, Ethiopia.