The long and the short of it

Purpose —To explore the effects of passage length, information density, and working memory on second language (L2) listening comprehension.

Conclusions —The extent to which test developers and instructors need to consider length and information density when selecting passages to test or teach listening comprehension depends on the task listeners undertake. Recall tasks are consistently affected by these factors, but multiple-choice tasks are not. The listeners’ working memory capacity predicts performance on both tasks, as do L2 proficiency levels. These results were consistent for both native and nonnative speakers.

Relevance —The Defense Language Proficiency Test’s emphasis on testing listening comprehension with authentic materials has led to a growing interest in the passage-based factors that make L2 listening difficult. CASL’s studies indicate that the amount and density of information presented do not have a large impact on listening comprehension as measured by multiple-choice comprehension items.