Listening Fidelity Among Native and Nonnative English-Speaking Undergraduates as a Function of Listening Apprehension and Gender

Abstract

Recent trends have shown a dramatic increase in the number of nonnative English speakers among the undergraduate populations at American colleges and universities. The current study applied Powers and Sawyer's listening fidelity framework to examine listening fidelity (LF) and listening apprehension (LA) among native English speakers (NES), their nonnative English-speaking (NNES) counterparts, and their respective genders in each group. The results indicated that NES students generated significantly higher LF than did NNES students, with no differences indicated between males and females. In addition, NNES students reported significantly higher LA than their NES counterparts. Moreover, females reported higher LA than did males. No interaction effects were detected for any of these results. These findings were generally consistent with previous listening research and are discussed within the context of the emerging listening fidelity research framework.

Keywords:

• Gender
• Listening Apprehension
• Listening Fidelity
• Native English Speakers
• NES
• NNES
• Nonnative English Speakers

Notes

Note

According to the Open Doors International Student Census, the number of international students in the U.S. rose to an all-time high of 690,923in 2009/10, a three percent increase over the previous year. The enrollment of new international students (students enrolling for the first time as a U.S. campus) increased by one percent to 202,970 students. (Rajka, 2009, p. 3).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Chris R. Sawyer

Chris R. Sawyer (PhD, University of North Texas, 1992) is a professor in the Department of Communication Studies at Texas Christian University.

Kurk Gayle

Kurk Gayle (PhD, Texas Christian University, 2008) is Director of the Intensive English Program at Texas Christian University.

Andrew Topa

Andrew Topa (MS, Texas Christian University, 2013) is a graduate student in Communication Studies at Texas Christian University.

William G. Powers

William G. Powers (PhD, University of Oklahoma, 1973) is a Professor Emeritus at Texas Christian University.