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Improving the Students' Listening Skill by using Shadowing Technique
Suyik Binarkaheni*, 1, Vigo Dewangga*2.
1, 2Department of Language, Communication, and Tourism, Politeknik Negeri Jember, Indonesia
*Corresponding Email: [email protected]
Abstract
This study aimed to observe of implementation of the shadowing to improve students’
listening skills. The subjects were one group out of 3 groups of first-semester Poultry students Department of Polytechnic Jember, which consisted of 20 students. This study was conducted by using action research and experimental research. The observation and diary notes were employed to collect the data for action research.
Listening tests were employed to collect the data for the experimental research. This research is cyclical research which is divided into 2 cycles. Each cycle has 4 stages, they were planning, implementation, observation, and reflection. The results of the listening test showed there was students’ listening skills improved after the completion of the shadowing method, which is shown by the mean scores of 58,55 and 84,6 at the end of the cycle. Based on the observation and diary notes showed the pleasure, enthusiasm, and motivation of the students to learn English at a high level. As a result, it could be summarized that the shadowing method could be used to improve the students’ listening skills.
Keywords: Student’s listening ability, Shadowing technique, Teaching Listening
1. Introduction
In society, the success of learning a second language can be measured by the success of students speaking and writing in their target languages. Therefore, learning seems to focus more on how students speak and write in target languages. If we follow this example in society, it seems that teachers should spend more time developing productive than receptive skills. However, Krashen (1982) explained that language teaching was the teacher teaching students how to understand a text in a target language meaningfully. In particular, he argued that the learning process should be aimed at developing students' responsive abilities rather than their productive abilities. Fan Yi (2007) also believes that if learning is more focused on receptive skills, students will be described in this way, despite students' good understanding of target language texts, but little time is available to apply language knowledge to communication, so cognitive language knowledge is not used in performance.
Fan Yi (2007) added that if the image above was the same, the consequences of learning the language could cause students anxiety or frustration. There is even fear that they will lose confidence, determination, and motivation to continue learning English. This is because they do not have much time (experience) to confirm whether their language can be understood by
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their listeners. The target language must be practiced, presented, discussed, and practiced as frequently as possible. Richard (2015) identified two language learning processes, namely the noticing hypothesis and output hypothesis, to reduce the gap that natural production skills will develop after students have mastered understanding skills well. The Notification Hypothesis is an input related to the student's interest in the range of remarks heard. Schmidt in Richard (2015) consider the characteristics of inputs for students to develop well in the second language acquisition process through the observation hypothesis, namely, the frequency of inputs, the sensory salinity of material, the instructional strategies that attract the attention of learners, individual processing capabilities and tasks. When observing activities in listening teaching, it is important to consider maximizing teaching activities that trigger language awareness (Richard, 2015). Repeat and imitation will greatly improve the students' awareness of language and gradually become a language understanding. Therefore, a method must be adopted to adapt repetition and imitation with productivity skills.
Shadowing is a technique for learning a second language by repeating the audio after the student has heard it. This will be like an "echo" or "shadow" of the speaker (Lambert in Hamada (2012). a technique for learning a second language by repeating the audio after the student has heard it. It will be like an "echo" or "shadow" of the speaker. Students will try repeatedly to produce the same sound, intonation, pronunciation, stress, and rhythm as heard (Kadota, 2019). Recent research in this decade has shown that the shadowing method is very effective in improving the listening skills of second language learners. Hamada (2015) revealed that shadowing is effective in improving Japanese learners’ listening skills in lower proficiency learners. This method improves students' perception of phonemes. Horiyama (2012) explained that students’ English skills have improved through shadowing exercises, further, it boosted students ‘motivation and active participation in the class. Moreover.
Sumiyoshi and Sveta Nant (2017) informed the Japanese students perceived that shadowing improves speaking and listening abilities, and they feel the usefulness of feedback. While Sweeting (2013) claimed the usefulness of shadowing as a method for the autonomous practice of listening and speaking for L2 learners. Meanwhile, Teeter (2017) shared the result of Likert questionnaires of 1001 first-year university students in Japan, it is mentioned shadowing potentially enhances the students’ motivation in self-confidence, interest in English, ideal L2 self, attitudes towards communicating in the L2, and perceptions of English ability. Binarkaheni (2022) proved the effectiveness of shadowing in improving students' listening skills in her research on students' perceptions of improving listening skills. She found that the advantages of using shadowing in listening class were students’ pronunciation improvement, and students got some new vocabulary and grammar.
In presenting the shadowing technique in listening class Sweeting (2013) proposes a practical way to use such as: 1) choose a short audio text with the written script (e.g., from www.ello.org); 2) examine the text to identify any challenging words or phrases; 3) encourage learners to place the MP3 file on USB or smart phone; 4) encourage students to listen to the audio text as often as possible to know the pronunciation of the speaker, enabling them to hear it outside the classroom for about two days; 5) ask students to concentrate on specific details of the speaker's speech, such the way they pronounce particular sounds, the cadence and rhythm of their voice; 6) Discussions of written text and show the student how
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shadowing technique was done ; 6b) Repeat the speaker's speech as soon as possible, try to copy the speaker's pronunciation as accurate as possible, do not do imitating or repeat after me, (6c) the students can practice individually, focusing on the segments in which they are having problems.; 7) encourage students to record themselves using an audio-recording editor, such as NCH tool (a free online software program) - Record Pad, audiobook, or Audacity (http://audacity.sourceforge.net/), once they think that their pronunciation naturally matches the audio text; (8) suggest the learners to continue practicing outside class
2. Method
This study employed an experimental research and action research. Quantitative data method represented by experimental research. It employed the listening test to know whether the shadowing method can significantly improve students' listening skills. Then students were tested for the completion of the cycle to determine listening improvements. It was in the form of pre-test and post-test listening comprehension test. The pre-test was conducted before the students learned with shadowing technique. The two-post test was conducted in two cycles after the students learned with shadowing technique. Then, it started to analyse the mean scores from the pre-test, post-test I, and post-test II to determine how much the students' listening skills had improved. Then, using SPSS version 20, the computing result of the SPSS t-test was checked to determine whether the improvement of the mean scores was significant.
When 75% of the students achieved the required minimum mastery score of 75, that was the research's success criterion. The participants consisted of 20 students of a polytechnic joining the Basic English course. To know how to improve the listening skill, the percentage technique was used.
The second data method was the Qualitative data method. It was represented by action research. It was used to observe the implementation of the shadowing technique in listening class by knowing the lecturer's presentation, students' listening activities, and their responses during the teaching-learning process. The result of the data collecting method is used to report the observation and listening test. The observation data collecting method was done by informing phenomena happening in the class on the field notes which include students’
activity and student’s response as well as the lecturer’s activity. The procedure of the data collecting method was done in two cyclical processes. Every cycle consisted of four phases;
they were planning, acting, observing, and reflecting. Planning is arranging the planning of the lessons. It collaborates with the first Teaching Learning Planning (RPS) on the Basic English course. The action dealt dealing the act of performing the teaching-learning listening process. While observing was held in of collecting information about the action. The last was reflecting, this process of providing feedback on the action that was done). After learning through the shadowing technique,
3. Findings and Discussion
Using quantitative data, this study would show whether there was an improvement before and after using the shadowing technique. Quantitative data was taken from listening tests.
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pre-test and 2 times post-test. The pre-test was conducted to find the score before students were done with the shadowing method.
3.1. The result of experimental research
Three tests were conducted, once without a shadowing technique at the beginning, which is known as a pre-test, and two with the shadowing technique at the end of each cycle (post- test). The result of the experimental research can be seen in table 1.
Table 1. Students Score
No Initial Test 1 Test 2 Test 3
1 S-1 50 65 85
2 S-2 56 78 80
3 S-3 56 65 85
4 S-4 60 70 74
5 S-5 56 75 85
6 S-6 70 70 90
7 S-7 54 70 90
8 S-8 60 75 74
9 S-9 56 60 80
10 S-10 60 75 85
11 S-11 65 70 86
12 S-12 56 60 85
13 S-13 60 63 85
14 S-14 63 75 88
15 S-15 50 75 85
16 S-16 56 70 90
17 S-17 50 65 80
18 S-18 70 75 80
19 S-19 67 78 85
20 S-20 56 78 85
Mean 58.55 70,6 83.85
The mean score of the pre-test was 58,55. The students who reached the minimal requirements were 35%. It indicated that their ability was still low. However, their results consistently improved in each exam that was administered. Based on the mean score of the two post-tests after the students applied the shadowing completion. The mean score of Post- test 1 was 70,6 The students who fulfilled the minimal requirements were 70%. While the mean score of Post-test 2 was 83,85. The students who fulfilled the minimal requirements were 90%. It was consulted with the result of the calculation of the SPSS t-test using the SPSS version 20. The criteria for success of this study itself are 75 percent of students with 75 grades as minimum qualifications.
Based on the table, it could be seen the number of students who received a score of 75 was not shown in the first treatment. The percentage calculation of the first treatment was P1 = 0
20 x100 = 0%. The second treatment showed the number of 7 students who got a score
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of 75. The percentage calculation of this was P2 = 7
20 x100 = 35%. Finally, in the last treatment, all the students got a score of 75. The percentage calculation of this was P3 = 18
20 x100 = 90%.
3.2. The result of action research
This study is divided into two cycles. Each cycle had two meetings. This cycle was held in September – Oktober 2023. Each cycle consists of four phases: planning, action, observation, and reflection. Planning is the preparation of the learning plan. It collaborates with the first Teaching Learning Plan (RPS) for Basic English courses. The action was to manage the act of carrying out the process of learning to listen. During the observation, information was collected on the actions. The last was to reflect this process of feedback on the actions taken.
Cycle one
This cycle was held in two meetings. The first meeting was held on 15 September 2023.
While the second meeting was held on 29 Sep 2023.
Lecturer’ activity
The lecturer's activity began a routine activity: praying and opening the class with an enthusiastic greeting. It followed by distributing the student attendance list and checking the availability of the audio system in the listening class. Dealing with the shadowing method, and lecturer’s activities, firstly the lecture explained the differences between listening and repeat versus shadowing method in lecturing sessions. Then, the lecturer and the technician prepared a short audio text for students. After that, the lecturer instructed the students to mumble sounds according to what they heard without a script (first meeting) while for the second meeting lecturer instructed the students to find the meaning of each sentence of the text. It is followed by encouraging the students to listen to the audio text as many times as they can before the shadowing method so they can be familiar with the speaker's speech such as the speaker’s pace, voice, sound pronunciation, rhythm, and all the appropriate pauses in between. Next, the lecturer might allow the students sufficient time to practice individually, but make sure they have a small break during the process so that the learners do not lose motivation or get too tired. Some optional choices were made that got the learners to put the MP3 audio file onto their cell phones. (if they wish). After that, the lecturer reminds the students to do the answer sheet. Finally. The lecturer led the discussion session to confirm the students’ answers in the form of written form.
The lecturer did not give limitation time in playing the recording in the two meetings of the first cycle. She stands in front of the classroom to play and replay the recording. She let the students who not doing shadowing, which means not copying the sound simultaneously.
She let the students listen and repeat. For the first time lecturer gave me a chance for students to adapt to new methods as
Hamada (2013) said since shadowing is difficult, teachers and students should understand the mechanisms and objectives of this technique to keep students focused and
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motivated. The lecturer should actively observe the dynamics of the class, paying attention to how the teacher engages students, the methods used for teaching listening skills, and the overall classroom environment. As in Arboleda et al. (2023) lectures were responsible for structuring and facilitating shadowing activities to maximize the improvement of students' listening skills.
Students’ activity
Some students’ activities were conducted to gain the data. Firstly, the students followed the lecturer's instructions along the teaching-learning process. Then, the students shadowed the listening text simultaneously. After that, the students tried to get the meaning of the text.
Then, the students wrote the meaning and started to make recordings to answer the questions.
Finally, the students are involved in the discussion sessions.
Mostly, the shadowing activity was applied spontaneously by the students after the second - third playing of the recording. They paid attention to reading the answer sheet or even writing down something. Some noises would happen in the class. Some of them did shadowing by letting his chair go to the corner to confirm that his/her voice would match the recordings. However, some girls could sit still to do shadowing. Some students were looking for a comfortable place to demonstrate shadow techniques. They left their seats and went to the corner of the classroom. This is in line with Hamada’s (2013) statement that students need to coordinate several cognitive processes to reproduce the sound they hear from the recording. He added that the bottom-up process was activated by the shadowing technique.
The reason is shadowing allows students to recognize the native elements and details of the language (bottom-up process), such as individual sounds, phonetics, and word recognition.
Students’ reflections
From the students’ activity could be seen that they were shocked because they were still confused to apply the shadowing technique or listen and repeat. They could not differentiate between two methods, listening & repeat, and shadowing. In the beginning, they got that there was improvement in pronunciation. They can produce a word, two words clearly with the sound phoneme clearly and appropriately. They cannot apply the shadowing method well.
They were enjoying shadowing by using a headset, not using a speaker in the classroom.
Some of them realize there is not only pronunciation improvement during this shadowing but also grammar, rhythm, pace, and differentiation of the mankind sound.
They looked shy and confused to share information about the information they were listening to. They were frustrated because the task demanded them to listen and speak. It was hard work to these Skills together in a limited time. So, that is why Sweeting (2013) suggested students’ shadowing activity as an outdoor class before they came and joined the shadowing class. He proposed the students shadow several times until they were satisfied with the result.
It would avoid frustrated feelings.
Cycle two
This cycle was held on October 13, 2023 and October 27, 2023. Knowing that cycle 1 was merely frustrating for the students, the lecturer changed the students’ performance of understanding in the sixth time's spoken form. Unlike the two meetings in previous, the third
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and the fourth meetings were conducted in enjoyable situations. The application of shadowing brought enthusiasm situation for the students to imitate the recording vividly and rapidly repeatedly.
The lecturer’s activities
Considering the second cycle applied the spoken students’ performances, the lecturer’s activities consisted of: firstly, preparing a short audio text for students to work with completely with the transcript. Then, the transcript would complete the shadowing method for the first time. Next, made copies of the transcript and distributed them to the students. It is followed by guided students to analyse the vocabulary in the transcript to identify which items need to be clarified. Get coding on it. After that lecturer instructed the students to listen to the audio text two minutes before the shadowing method so they could adapt the speaker's speech such as the speaker’s pace, voice, sound pronunciation, rhythm, and with all the appropriate pauses in between. In order not to lose motivation or get tired, the lecturer allows the students to have sufficient time to practice individually, but make sure they have a small break during the process of shadowing. The optional choice was made for the learners to put the MP3 audio file onto their cell phones. If the students feel that they could produce the same pronunciation that matches the audio text naturally then invite them to record their production to answer the questions. After that, lead the discussion session to confirm the students’ answers in the form of a recording (spoken). Finally, share suggestions with the students that the shadowing method could be applied outside the class until they were satisfied with the result of shadowing accordingly.
The lecturer’s activity was to look around the classroom and sometimes help the students relate to the lack of their devices. To solve this technical obstacle, the lecturer made a group of students. This group used a laboratory facility. Related to the existence of shadowing in the class. Arboleda et al. (2023) stated that lecturers play an important role in the preparation and implementation of shadowing activities in the classroom. They need to provide appropriate guidance on how to implement this technology effectively and create a positive and stimulating learning environment. In addition, lecturers should familiarize students with the target content before implementing shadowing exercises.
Students’ activities
Some students’ activities in cycle two were: to start the second cycle, the students followed the lecturer's instruction along the teaching-learning process. Because they have already experienced the next step the students shadowed the listening text simultaneously within 2 minutes. The students tried to imitate again and over again. They did improvement not only in pronunciation but also in grammar, pace, intonation, and stress. That was going beyond the listen and repeat. The students made recordings to answer the questions. Finally, The students are involved in the discussion sessions.
The student’s activity in the second cycle could be managed well. The students seemed to comprehend what should they do with the shadowing method. The lecturer doesn't need to play the three times to see her students apply the shadowing method. They are imitating the sound until they are satisfied with the sound that they are produced repeatedly. Sometimes they were smiling and laughing in shadowing. They seemed focused on this method, the same
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with cycle 1, they sat apart from each other to concertante their imitating. During this cycle is more comfortable using his smartphone and headset. Shadowing is a technique that improves the ability to listen to and understand language learning (Hamada, 2012). Repeating what someone else is saying is an effective method of improving listening skills. Shadowing and other activities such as reading silently and simply listening are recommended.
Students’ reflections
The students were feeling relaxed and enjoyed because they could pass cycle 1 and already knew how to work with the shadowing method well. They started to conclude that with the listen-and-repeat method they reached vocabulary, pronunciation, and the structure of the sentences. While shadowing, the students enjoyed studying English because shadowing forces the students’ brains to focus on what students see and what they hear, so it is easy to memorize it. Besides this process gave the students pleasure to be able to produce words that are similar while keeping the speaker’s pace, rhythm, and intonation. The students were trying to sound like a native speaker. Finally, imitating the recording could increase the self-confidence in speaking English is more likely and change the student’s mindset about learning English as a second language.
Students seem to be happy and excited to use the shadowing technique in class because of some of the language elements they get unintentionally. Example: When doing repetition, they will recognize the pronunciation of intonation. rhythm in sentences that they did not realize before that one utterance comes from 2 words but the way of pronouncing it is made into one. Field (2009) explains that in this case, students' comprehension breakdown does not occur. Students can recognize and understand words so that students can recognize the word even when the position of the word is in the sentence. The shadowing technique triggers the student to learn English, more and more (Sweeting, 2013).
4. Conclusion
Based on the findings, this study show that shadowing techniques can improve the listening skills of poultry students in the first semester. Factors that influence improvement are lecturers' activities, students' activities, and students' responses to learning using shadow techniques in the class of listening. Based on quantitative data, the activity of the teacher in the organization of learning using shadowing techniques in the listening class, from listening to the teaching activities, listening evaluation, and student breaks, is very clear, so that students do not feel frustrated with learning. All the activities of the tutors are described and set with a motivating and happy class. It can be seen in the result of the observation and diary note of cycle 2. In addition, the activities of the students have also been improved.
Quantitative data prove that student activity has also increased. As the minimum standard of education was 30% in the first cycle and 90.01% in the second cycle, these students were 75 points. This is due to the involvement activities of students; students seem to focus on listening activities. It can reproduce the recording spontaneously until the words are understood. These are the results of observations and diary notes on student activities.
Students can use shadowing techniques to enrich vocabulary, improve pronunciation,
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increase stress and rhythm of words they already know, and explore new things of grammar, shadowing techniques can be self-organized, they are motivated to learn English using English materials they choose, wherever and whenever they want.
References
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http://dx.doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v12i9.43105
Arboleda.G.G., Zambrano,M,A.R., Santos.J. (2023). Shadowing technique: Exploring pre- service EFL teachers' perspectives to improve speaking skills. Research, Society and Development. Vol 12 No. 9.| DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v12i9.43105
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