ItemArticle

The role of audiobooks in developing English listening proficiency: A study of undergraduate learner in Tamil Nadu

Title
The role of audiobooks in developing English listening proficiency: A study of undergraduate learner in Tamil Nadu
Creator
Arockiasamy, J. Charles; Hoque, Mohammed Shamsul; A, Sangeeth Kumar; Kumar, J. Sathish; Kotte, Rupesh
Description
Listening is one of the inevitable yet often overlooked skills in the process of learning a second language, especially for Indian undergraduate students learning English as a Second Language (ESL). Even after years of studying English in school, many students still struggle to understand spoken English. This occurs because students do not get sufficient exposure to real English as spoken in daily life, and they often feel nervous or uncomfortable in classroom settings. Various apps and tools are used to facilitate language learning, but there remains limited understanding of how audiobooks specifically contribute to enhancing listening skills. This study examines the effectiveness of audiobooks in developing listening skills through a twelve-week program involving 66 undergraduate students from Tamil Nadu. Students participated in a pre-test before the intervention and a post-test after completing the twelve-week audiobook listening program, which involved daily sessions of one hour. They listened to audiobooks with teacher support initially and then independently. The results indicated a significant improvement in listening scores, with an average increase of 25%. Additionally, students reported feeling less anxious about listening, better retention of new vocabulary, and improved ability to follow spoken English. The findings suggest that audiobooks are a vital component of language learning, providing autonomous, low-pressure, and long-term benefits in listening development. Consequently, audiobooks enhance confidence and foster consistent listening skills among ESL learners. The study recommends integrating audiobooks into regular classroom activities to support language acquisition. Contribution/Originality: This study contributes to the existing literature by validating audiobooks as effective ESL tools. It uses a new estimation methodology through SPSS analysis, originates a formula linking Krashens Affective Filter with audiobook learning, and is one of the few studies on Tamil Nadu undergraduates. The paper contributes quantitative and emotional factors, documents progress, and finds that audiobooks enhance proficiency. 2025 AESS Publications. All Rights Reserved.
Source
International Journal of English Language and Literature Studies;Volume;14;Issue;4;pp.566-578
Date
01-01-2025
Publisher
Asian Economic and Social Society
Subject
Audiobook; Digital technology; Emotional factors; Less anxious; Less anxious; Listening skill; Low pressure; Second language acquisition; Spoken English
Coverage
Arockiasamy J.C., Department of English, St. Josephs College, Tiruchirappalli, Tamilnadu, 620002, India; Hoque M.S., Daffodil International University, Ashulia, Dhaka, Bangladesh; A S.K., Department of English, St. Josephs College, Tiruchirappalli, Tamilnadu, 620002, India; Kumar J.S., Department of English, Vel Tech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology, Tamil Nadu, Chennai, 600062, India; Kotte R., Christ University, Bengaluru, India
Rights
All Open Access; Gold Open Access
Relation
ISSN: 23069910;
Format
online
Language
English
Type
Article

Citation

Arockiasamy, J. Charles; Hoque, Mohammed Shamsul; A, Sangeeth Kumar; Kumar, J. Sathish; Kotte, Rupesh, “The role of audiobooks in developing English listening proficiency: A study of undergraduate learner in Tamil Nadu,” CHRIST (Deemed To Be University) Institutional Repository, accessed June 19, 2026, https://archives.christuniversity.in/items/show/23700.

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