SAUNDERS Matt    Department   Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University  Center for Language Education    Position   Tenured Senior Lecturer
Language	English
Publication Date	2014/10
Type	Research paper (Academic/Professional Journal)
Peer Review	Peer reviewed
Title	Facilitating extensive listening with non-graded materials in EFL programs.
Contribution Type	Joint Work
Journal	International Journal of Innovation in English Language Teaching and Research
Volume, Issue, Page	3(2)
Author and coauthor	Ducker, N.D.
Details	Extensive Listening (EL) is a process by which language learners can increase their proficiency in listening, and acquire a second language (L2) through access and exposure to texts, which are simultaneously comprehensible and enjoyable. However, while there are not many graded materials available for EL, using non-graded materials for extensive listening activities is extremely challenging - texts are liable to be too fast, too complex in terms of language or content, or difficult in terms of pronunciation - and therefore demotivating to many students. In response to these problems, this paper describes setting up an EL component of an intermediate-level, mandatory EFL course in a Japanese university. Difficulties that students reported in completing EL tasks were identified and from this data teachers were able to give students advice to make the EL activities more accessible to students. Analysis of the data reveals relationships between enjoyment and comprehension, enjoyment and appropriate level texts, and increasing use of appropriate level texts as the course progressed.