CRITICAL LISTENING IN LANGUAGE CLASSROOMS: A COMMUNICATIVE APPROACH
Abstract
This study explores the integration of critical listening into Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) to enhance learners’ interpretive, analytical, and reflective listening skills in second language classrooms. Drawing on theoretical frameworks of communicative competence and metacognitive listening, the research investigates how CLT-based instructional strategies can foster higher-order thinking in listening comprehension. The mixed-method study was conducted across four higher education institutions in Uzbekistan and involved 160 intermediate EFL learners. Data were collected through pre- and post-tests, classroom observations, learner questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews. The findings reveal that students exposed to CLT-integrated critical listening tasks demonstrated significant improvements in their ability to evaluate speaker intent, identify bias, and apply reasoning during listening activities. Additionally, learners reported increased use of metacognitive strategies such as monitoring and inference-making. The results underscore the pedagogical value of embedding critical thinking in listening instruction and advocate for a shift from passive listening models to more interactive, cognitively engaging approaches. The study offers practical implications for curriculum design, teacher training, and language policy development aimed at cultivating critically literate language users.
Keywords
critical listening, communicative language teaching (CLT), EFL, metacognition, listening comprehension, language pedagogy.How to Cite
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