Developing a listening skills program for grade six pupils at Goulds Elementary School

King, Tasker (1981) Developing a listening skills program for grade six pupils at Goulds Elementary School. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a planned listening skills program upon a class of grade six pupils. It investigated (1) the effect of instruction upon the listening habits of pupils, (2) the effect of a listening program upon the listening-reading comprehension skills of pupils, and (3) the relationship between listening and other selected variables such as intelligence and sex. -- A review of the related literature has indicated that the listening habits and listening skills of pupils can be improved through instruction. Studies have also indicated that an improvement in listening comprehension also results in an improvement in reading comprehension. -- The listening skills program used in this study was developed by the intern utilizing the materials from the language arts curriculum and other sources in the school. The program consisted of thirty one-half hour lessons which focussed on the following specific skills: (1) following directions, (2) following sequence, (3) summarizing main ideas, (4) detecting main ideas and details, (5) recognizing cause and effect, (6) visualizing, (7) making inferences and drawing conclusions, (8) organizing and outlining, and (9) distinguishing fact from opinion. -- The study was carried out during the months of February, March and early April, 1980. The subjects included in the study were 29 grade six pupils. Their respective verbal I.Q. scores ranged from 70 to 140. -- The effectiveness of the program and the extent to which its purposes were attained were reflected in the formative evaluation that took place during the program, and the summative evaluation which took place at the end of eight weeks. -- The formative evaluation revealed that the children became aware of the importance of listening in their daily lives and the need for good listening habits. A noticeable improvement in their listening habits and attitudes was seen by the end of the program. -- The summative evaluation revealed that there were significant gains in the listening and reading scores. The findings also revealed that there is a strong relationship between listening and intelligence. Pupils with higher verbal I.Q. experienced the greatest overall gain after they had received instruction. The study did not, however, show a distinction between the listening abilities of boys and girls. -- It was recommended that teachers explore the feasibility of developing their own listening instruction programs for skills in which pupils are found to be weak, using the materials from the language arts curriculum and other sources in the school.

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