Understanding Listening Comprehension Processing and Challenges Encountered: Research Perspectives

This paper investigates research done on academic listening for the past 30 years from published research articles found available online. It includes an introduction emphasizing the critical role listening skills have in academic settings. The paper then reviews the three models of listening comprehension processes, namely the bottom-up processing, the top-down processing, and the interactive model that illustrate how information is processed while language learners listen to spoken language. Key factors will also be analyzed. The linguistics factors, the cognitive factors and the affective factors greatly affect learners’ listening comprehension processing. From a deep analysis of literature review, the paper concludes with suggested research perspectives related to brain functions, stress and anxiety in listening studies as well as pedagogical implications which help researchers and teachers find the right paths for their research implementation in the future. One listening model that suits students of all levels while doing academic activities seems unworkable, the paper suggests a rhizomatic approach to help language learners construct their own rhizomatic personal learning environments to resolve any individual challenges and develop their listening skills at their own pace and for their own taste.