Constructing and validating a scale to assess the listening difficulties of ESL learners
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Abstract
The primary aim of this study is to construct and validate a scale that measures the listening difficulties of multilingual Indian tertiary-level ESL learners. The researchers adapted a 30-item scale from previous studies to identify listening difficulties, and named the improvised instrument, English Listening Difficulty Scale (ELDS). The participants are 628 engineering undergraduates studying predominantly across various parts of India. With the collected data, the researchers performed an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) to examine the significant factors and refine the items. Then, applying Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), they analysed it to estimate its model fit along with validity and reliability measures. Finally, they validated a three-factor scale with 28 items: (a) Linguistic and cognitive processing difficulties, (b) Attention and strategic based difficulties and (c) Listening support difficulties. The estimated calculations comprising factor loadings, composite reliability, and the evaluation of internal convergent and internal discriminant validity, proved that the scale has a good fit. Latent profile analysis and network analysis showed the various categories of listening difficulties based on the data.
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