Effects of Activating Background Knowledge in Listening Skill and How to Improve IELTS Listening

Abstract

Among the well-known international English tests, IELTS has been seen as one of the most well-trusted and popular to EFL learners throughout the world. In Vietnam, most of the universities require their EFL students to have an IELTS score of 6.5 or 7.0 to fulfil their bachelor degree program, which is not quite an easy job. The paper emphasizes the role of background knowledge in improving IELTS Listening scores for EFL students at Saigon University. The research was done by observing two groups of students learning Listening Module 3 at the institution. They were required to do the same test; however, while a group was constructed with pre-listening activities, the other simply listened and completed the task without preparation. The result showed little difference between the two groups in terms of efficiency, but most of the students in the first group were able to complete their test in the first time listening while some members of the latter group needed a second time. They were then required to complete a survey, including learning styles and attitudes. The results also tell us that EFL students pay much attention to pre-listening activities, and they believe such tasks can help them do their listening test better.