Islamic Azad University
Rasht Branch
Faculty of Human Sciences
Department of English Language
Presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for (M.A.) degree
Title:
The Impact of Speech Rate on Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners`s Listening Comprehension Ability
Supervisor:
Dr. Morteza Khoda Bandehlou
Date:
(Novamber,2015)
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Table of Contents
Title Page
Abstract 1
: Introduction
1.0 Introduction. 2
1.2 Theoretical Framework. 4
1 .3 statement of problem.. 5
1.4. Significant of the study. 7
1.5. Research Question of the study. 7
1.6. Hypothese of study. 7
1.7. Definitions of Key Terms. 8
1.8. Summary. 8
:
2.0 Introduction. 9
2.1What is listening?. 11
2.3 Theory of listening comprehension. 15
2.4 Listening strategies. 15
2.5 One-way listening versus two way listening. 17
2.6 General proficiency in listening comprehension. 19
2.7 Empirical research about listening comprehension. 20
2.8 Role’s of listeners in the classroom.. 22
2.9 Relation between listening and speaking. 23
2.10 General framework about the speech rate. 25
2.11 Defining speech rate terminology. 26
2.12 Speech rate and Preceding research. 27
2.13 speech rate and different effect on listening. 29
2.14 Standard speech rate in English. 30
2.15 Speech rate and interlocutor. 33
2.16 Appropriate speech rate. 34
2.17 Natural rate vs slow rate. 36
2.18 Control speech rate vs. slow speech rate. 38
2.19 Problem of speech rate. 40
- 20 Modified speech rate and listening. 41
3.0 Introduction. 43
3.1 Design of the study. 44
3.2 Participants. 45
3.3 Materials. 45
3.4 Procedures. 46
3.5 Methods of analyzing data. 47
3.6 Summary. 47
:
4.0. Introduction. 47
4.1. Data analysis and findings. 48
4.1.1. Descriptive Analysis of the Data. 48
4.2. Results of Hypothesis Testing. 52
4.3. Summary. 53
General Discussion
5.1 General Discussion. 53
5.2 Pedagogical implication. 54
5.3 Limitation of the study. 55
5.4 Suggestion for further research. 56
References. 57
Appendixes….. 65
Appendix A(OPT Test). 62
Appendix B.. 67
Appendix C.. 71
List of Tables
Title Page
Table(1) shows the “normal” and the “slow” SR ranges adopted. Table 1 Note. NS: normal speeds, 3-Sp: 3-second pauses, DA: deliberate articulation The Listening. 27
Table(2) :Measuring unit 32
Table(3): Standard speech rate. 32
Table (4):Showed different speech rate (ideal speech rate). 41
Table4. 1. 49
Table4. 2. Descriptive analysis of pre and posttest in both groups. 50
Table4.3.The results of T-TEST to examine the differences between pre and. 50
post test in control and experimental 50
Table 4.4. Mean and adjusted means of listening comprehension test in post test 50
Table4.5.listening comprehension covariance in both groups. 51
List of Figures
Title Page
Figure1.1. the Diagram of the Design of the Study. 44
Figure4.1. level of listening comprehension in both groups (experimental, control). 49
Figure4.2. means of listening comprehension in post test in both groups. 52
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to investigate the Impact of Speech Rate on Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners’ Listening Comprehension Ability. To achieve this purpose, forty four participants intermediate language learners were selected based on their scores on a knowledge on an OPT Test as the randomly assigned to two groups experimental and control group. Each group was exposed to as pre-test and post-test. At the end of the experiment, to see whether or not any changes happened regarding their comprehension with two different rate of speech .the results suggested that the participants who receive slow speech rate have higher listening comprehension ability after posttest comparing to control group.
Keywords: Listening Comprehension, Speech Rate, EFL.
Chapter one
1.0 Introduction
1.2 Theoretical Framework
In recent years, there has been a growing of research on the effects of speech modification on L2 listening comprehension. Speech rate research has not been able to precisely define the rate ranges by EFL listeners of different proficiency levels given the disparity among these ranges , according to Zhao (1997) has led to serious methodological flaws and inconsistent results that make the transferability of these conclusions to other contexts almost impossible. Griffiths (1992) studied the effects of speech rates (127, 188, 250 wpm) on the nonnative speaker’s listening comprehension and concluded that the slowest rate was the most comprehensible and the higher rates led to worse comprehension. Teachers and learners should take into account features of slow and natural speech rate and know that both have some advantages and disadvantages. Griffiths (1992) concluded that reducing the velocity of speech rate was positively related to high listening comprehension mean scores . Slow speech rate may be used as a short path practice for comprehending natural speech rate there for comprehending natural speech rate is the optimal objective . This study underlying psychological building block of application of Krashen’s Input Hypothesis (1985) which postulates i+1 input for the learner in the learning and teaching settings. Most of the previous studied about speech rate (e.g., Khatib, 2010; Sakaki, 1996)were carried out on high school in their English books and listening comprehension has been involve in syllabus. Therefore the researcher not only found it useful and practical to have a study in high school but also will compare listening comprehension at two different speech rate therefore main objective whether listening to normal versus slow rate effects on Iranian EFL learners listening comprehension ability or not and investigate the impact of speech rate on intermediate EFL learners’ listening comprehension ability.
