Fostering listening through strategy instruction

Current Research, instructional implications, and directions for further research

Abstract

Listening comprehension is a fundamental prerequisite for learning in school and an integral com­ponent of German language education. Recent large-scale assessments reveal substantial difficulties in listening comprehension among German students, underscoring the need for more systematic approaches to supporting listening development. Drawing on the SOI model, which conceptualizes listening as an active and self-regulated process of meaning construction, this article examines the role of listening strategies in supporting comprehension. It proposes a conceptual framework that organizeslistening strategies according to cognitive and metacognitive regulation and the phases of the listening process. A review of the literature indicates that strategic regulation can facilitate listening comprehension but also highlights a clear imbalance between the extensive body of research on listening strategies in second language learning and the limited empirical evidence in first language contexts. The article concludes by outlining implications for the systematic teaching of listening strategies in German language classrooms and priorities for future research.