Preface
Contents
Chapter 1 Introduction
1.1 Origin of the Research
1.2 Aim of the Research
1.3 Method of the Research
1.4 Design of the Research
Chapter 2 Review of the Literature
2.1 Listening Comprehension
2.1.1 The Nature of Listening Comprehension
2.1.2 The Process of Listening Comprehension
2.1.3 The Skills of Listening Comprehension
2.2 Krashen's Input Hypothesis and Listening Comprehension
2.3 Short-Term Memory
2.3.1 The Definition and Nature of Short-Term Memory
2.3.2 Review of the Researches on Short-Term Memory
2.4 Working Memory
2.4.1 The Concept of Working Memory
2.4.2 Working Memory in Neuroimaging
2.4.3 The Relationship Between Short-Term Memory and Working Memory
2.4.4 Working Memory and the Frontal Lobes
2.4.5 Long-Term Working Memory in Everyday Skilled Performance.
2.5 Chunking
2.5.1 The Definition of Chunking
2.5.2 Application of Chunking to Language Study
2.5.3 Chunking and Capacity
2.6 Short-Term Memory and Chunking
2.7 Working Memory (Short-Term Memory) and EFL Listening Comprehension
Chapter 3 Research Methodology
3.1 Experiment 1
3.1.1 Participants
3.1.2 Instruments
3.2 Experiment 2
3.2.1 Research Questions
3.2.2 Variables
3.2.3 Participants
3.2.4 Instruments
3.2.5 Research Design
Chapter 4 Results and Discussions
4.1 Results of Experiment 1
4.1 . l English Proficiency Prior to the Experiment
4.1.2 Results After the Experiment
4.1.3 Correlation Analyses
4.2 Results of Experiment 2
4.2.1 Statistical Procedures
4.2.2 Validity and Reliability of the Instrument
4.2.3 Experimental Results and Discussion
4.3 Summary
Chapter 5 Pedagogical Implications
5.1 Relationships Between Listening and Speaking
5.2 Listening Materials
5.3 The Speaker
5.4 The Listener
5.5 Relationships Between Working Memory(Short-Term Memory) and EFL Teaching and Learning
Chapter 6 Conclusion
6.1 How to Overcome the Limited Capacity of Working Memory (Short-Term Memory)
6.1.1 Applying Chunking to Vocabulary Memorization in Listening Comprehension
6.1.2 Employing Chunking Strategy and Increasing Working Memory (Short-Term Memory) Capacity
6.1.3 Making Use of Chunking in Skill Building
6.1.4 Raising Students' Chunking Awareness and Improving Their Ability to Chunk Language
6.1.5 Applying the Schema Theory in Listening Comprehension
6.1.6 Practice Improves Total Capacity
6.1.7 Long-Term Working Memory as an Alternative to Capacity Models of Working Memory in Everyday Skilled Performance
6.2 Limitations of the Research
6.2.1 Sampling
6.2.2 Listening Materials of the Four Subtests
6.2.3 Scoring
6.3 Suggestions for Further Research
6.3.1 Sampling
6.3.2 Listening Materials of the Four Subtests
6.3.3 Measures of Memory of the Four Subtests
Appendices
Appendix I Posttest Questionnaire (Experiment 1)
Appendix 2 First Final Examination (Experiment 1)
Part I Composition
Part II Listening Comprehension
Part III Reading Comprehension
Part IV Vocabulary and Structure
Part V Cloze
Part VI Translation From Chinese to English
Appendix 3 Second Final Examination (Experiment 1)
Part I Writing
Part II Listening Comprehension
Part III Reading Comprehension
Part IV Vocabulary & Grammar
Part V Translation
Appendix 4 Tapescripts for Pretest (Experiment 2)
Appendix 5 Key for Reference for Pretest (Experiment 2)
Appendix 6 Tapescripts for Research Test (Experiment 2)
Appendix 7 Relative Length of the Sentences (Experiment 2)
Appendix 8 Posttest Questionnaire (Experiment 2)
Questionnaire 1
Questionnaire 2
Appendix 9 Listening Comprehension Test (Experiment 2)
Part I
Part II
Part III
Part IV
Part V
Appendix 10 Key for Reference for Listening Comprehension Test (Experiment 2)
Appendix 11 Scores of Short-Term Memory Rated by Two Raters and Mean Scores of Four Subtests (Experiment 2)
Bibliography
