FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROBLEMS EFL ...

Item No.
comprehension. Moreover, the result pointed out that a listening text without visual
support or the speakers’ facial expressions and gestures interfere with learners’
listening comprehension.
4.1.1.3 Speaker factors
Speaker factors can be a source of listening comprehension problems. Problems
of listening comprehension related to speaker can be seen in relation to natural
speech, pronunciation, and varied accents (Table-3).
Factors related to speakers
Item
Statements
No
14 Speaker’s fast speech interfered with my listening comprehension.
15 The speech of the native speakers with different speaking styles from what is
familiar to me interfered with my listening comprehension.
Table-3: Learners’ responses that refer to listening problems related to speech of
the native speakers
Students’ No.
Never
Students’ %
Students’ No.
Seldom Total
positive
Students’ %
Students’ No.
Students’ %
LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY
Sometimes Often Always Total
negative
Table-3 shows that almost all (91%) of the students have responded that
fast speech often or always interfered with their listening comprehension. The
great majority (76%) of the students have also responded that the different
speaking styles of the native speakers often or always interfered with their listening
comprehension. This is in line with the findings of previous research which indicate
that hesitations and pauses in spontaneous speech cause perceptual problems
and comprehension errors for non-native speakers (Voss, 1979).
Students’ No.
Students’ %
14 2 1.34 1 0.67 3 2.01 11 7.38 29 19.46 106 71.14 146 97.98
15 3 2.01 8 5.36 11 7.37 25 16.77 44 29.53 69 46.3 138 92.6
From the result obtained, therefore, we can understand that the natural
speech of the native speakers (which the students perceive as fast speech, and
different speaking styles) interfere with the listening comprehension of many of our
47
Students’ No.
Students’ %
Students’ No.
Students’ %
Students’ No.
Students’ %