IMPLEMENTING MOBILE APPLICATIONS: EFL STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS AND LISTENING SKILL IMPROVEMENT

Abstract

Currently, Vietnamese non-English majored students in tertiary education find themselves struggling with English listening skills and rather confused about searching suitable ways to enhance their listening abilities.  This study applied a quasi-experimental design to investigate the EFL students' perceptions and the effects of mobile applications on their listening improvement. One hundred and one non- English majored students were chosen as participants who were divided into two groups, control and experimental. The data were collected through pre- and post - listening tests, questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews. The results indicate that the students in the experimental group outperformed their fellows in the control group, and that the students also had remarkably positive attitudes towards the use of mobile applications for practicing listening to English. The results of this study suggest that mobile applications should be implemented to improve non-English majors’ listening abilities and raise their awareness of integrating technology into listening practice.