In this episode of Research Bites, Ash takes the lead to share key findings from a 2021 study by Kao and Kuo on diagnosing listening difficulties in second-language learners. Andrej and Cooper join Ash to discuss the five biggest struggles students face during listening tasks, including quickly forgetting what they’ve heard, not recognizing familiar words, and struggling to grasp meaning.

The trio explores practical ways to help students, such as replaying key sections, highlighting keywords, and simplifying the focus of listening tasks. They also dive into how these strategies work in classrooms and brainstorm what teachers can do when students lack visualization skills. Tune in to hear thoughtful takes, actionable advice, and a bit of humor as they discuss making listening less stressful and more effective for learners.