چکیده:
Abstract This study aimed at investigating the possible impact of gender and proficiency level on the relationship between autonomy and listening comprehension ability among Iranian low and high proficiency male and female EFL learners. One hundred six English learners, based on the results of Oxford Placement Test (OPT), version II, took part in this study. Both female and male learners with the age range of 13 to 29 from two girl language institutes in Khomeynishahr and one boy school in Shahrekord participated in the study. The instruments of the study consisted of an OPT, an autonomy questionnaire, and two listening comprehension tests. First of all, the participants were required to take the OPT and autonomy questionnaire and then in a different session they were asked to sit for the listening comprehension tests. The collected data were analyzed by means of SPSS and the results of statistical analysis indicated that (1) gender could not modify the relationship, (2) proficiency level, on the other hand, had a significant effect on the relationship between autonomy and listening comprehension ability and those with higher proficiency outperformed the lower proficiency learners. The findings of this study could have implications for learners, teachers, and material developers.
خلاصه ماشینی:
ir Abstract This study aimed at investigating the possible impact of gender and proficiency level on the relationship between autonomy and listening comprehension ability among Iranian low and high proficiency male and female EFL learners.
The collected data were analyzed by means of SPSS and the results of statistical analysis indicated that (1) gender could not modify the relationship, (2) proficiency level, on the other hand, had a significant effect on the relationship between autonomy and listening comprehension ability and those with higher proficiency outperformed the lower proficiency learners.
Keywords: Autonomy, Listening Comprehension Ability, Gender, Proficiency Level, Iranian EFL Learners Introduction Since its emergence, autonomy has been subjected to different interpretations and definitions such as independent learning, flexible learning, and student-centered learning (Macaro, 1997).
The purpose of this study was to investigate if there was a significant relationship between autonomy and listening comprehension ability among Iranian male and female EFL learners when proficiency level was in focus.
Accordingly, the following research questions and null hypotheses were put forward: Research Question An attempt was made in this study to find appropriate answers to the following questions: 1) Does proficiency level have a significant impact on the relationship between autonomy and listening comprehension ability among Iranian EFL learners?
Results The present study used a correlational design to examine the relationship between male and female L2 learners’ level of autonomy and their listening comprehension ability, and for learners at different levels of proficiency.