Needs Analysis of Listening Skills among Grade 9 Students in Secondary English Course in Nepal

Abstract

Listening skills are primary source of linguistic input in language learning. Listening is recognized as a significant component of EFL classrooms and second language acquisition (SLA) research. This study examined the needs, challenges, and learning strategies of secondary-level students in developing listening skills. This study followed a basic qualitative research approach that used in-depth interviews and document study methods to collect the data. The study participants were eight secondary-level (class 9) students from two schools in the municipality of Rupandehi. The collected data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings of this study revealed that though students recognized listening as a crucial skill, its instruction remained mainly neglected due to irregular classroom practice, inadequate curricular emphasis, inadequate textbook activities, inadequate authentic resources, lack of assessment, and linguistic, contextual, and environmental obstacles, which hindered the development of listening competence. The findings also revealed that students viewed teachers' supportive and facilitative roles as central to effective listening instruction. The study recommended developing and implementing student-centered, innovative, and technology-integrated listening strategies for fostering better learner engagement and improving the English listening proficiency of the students at the secondary level in Nepal.