Identifying and addressing key challenges in foreign language listening comprehension among primary school students

This research aims to identify the major difficulties encountered by primary school students when learning foreign language listening comprehension and to propose strategies for overcoming these identified challenges. Listening comprehension, as a critical aspect of foreign language acquisition, plays a vital role in the development of students' overall language proficiency. However, in practice, many children experience significant difficulties in understanding spoken language, which weakens their motivation and hinders further language learning. The novelty of this research lies in identifying specific difficulties arising in the process of foreign language speech perception, determining the levels of listening skills development in primary school students and their correlation with the age at which foreign language learning begins, and developing recommendations for teaching listening comprehension to primary school students. The results of the study revealed that primary school students have a relatively limited vocabulary, insufficient command of the phonetic aspects of the foreign language, and exhibit low motivation and cognitive barriers. Particular attention is given to the inadequate preparation of students for listening comprehension, and the need to consider individual student characteristics, such as their level of confidence and concentration abilities. The study highlights the necessity of incorporating interactive and game-based technologies into the learning process, taking into account the psychological and age-related characteristics of the students.