Article Sidebar

Download
PDF
Statistic
Read Counter : 0 Download : 0

Main Article Content

Abstract

Digital learning has increasingly been integrated into English language education due to the widespread accessibility of mobile technology. Nevertheless, the use of internet-based digital media for teaching listening skills in EFL contexts remains limited. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of the Preparation for the TOEFL Test application in improving students’ listening comprehension and to explore students’ perceptions of its use as a mobile-assisted learning tool. This research employed a pre-experimental one-group pretest–posttest design involving 22 EFL undergraduate students. Listening comprehension was measured using a TOEFL-format listening test administered before and after a four-week intervention period. Quantitative analysis revealed a significant improvement in students’ listening performance. The mean score increased from 60.23 in the pretest to 73.73 in the posttest. A paired-samples t-test confirmed that this improvement was statistically significant (t = −17.173, p < 0.001), indicating that the application effectively enhanced students’ listening comprehension. Students’ perceptions were collected through a structured questionnaire. The results showed that most students responded positively to the application. More than 70% of participants agreed or strongly agreed that the application was easy to use, accessible anytime and anywhere, and helpful in supporting independent learning. The application’s structured materials and listening-focused features also increased students’ motivation and engagement in listening practice. The Preparation for the TOEFL Test application proved to be an effective mobile-assisted learning tool for improving EFL students’ listening comprehension while fostering positive learner perceptions.

Keywords

Digital Learning EFL Listening Comprehension Mobile-Assisted Language Learning Student Perceptions TOEFL Preparation

Article Details

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

In submitting the manuscript to the FOSTER: Journal of English Language Teaching, the authors certify that:

  • They are authorized by their co-authors to enter into these arrangements.
  • The work described has not been formally published before, except in the form of an abstract or as part of a published lecture, review, thesis, or overlay journal.
  • That it is not under consideration for publication elsewhere,
  • The publication has been approved by the author(s) and by responsible authorities – tacitly or explicitly – of the institutes where the work has been carried out.
  • They secure the right to reproduce any material that has already been published or copyrighted elsewhere.
  • They agree to the following license and copyright agreement.

License and Copyright Agreement

Authors who publish with FOSTER: Journal of English Language Teaching agree to the following terms:

  1. Authors retain copyright and grant the FOSTER: Journal of English Language Teaching right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0) that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
  2. Authors can enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the FOSTER: Journal of English Language Teaching published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or edit it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
  3. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) before and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
How to Cite
Johan, A. N., & Chasanah, Z. (2026). Enhancing EFL Students’ Listening Comprehension through Preparation for the TOEFL Application: Evidence from a Pre-Test–Post-Test Design. FOSTER: Journal of English Language Teaching, 7(1), 129-145. https://doi.org/10.24256/foster-jelt.v7i1.329
Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC

References

  1. Ahada, I., & Setiawan, I. (2024). Listening Comprehension Concerning Mobile Learning In Listen English Daily Practices Application. Journal of Education and Teaching (JET), 5(3), 279–290. https://doi.org/10.51454/jet.v5i3.329
  2. Bachore, M. M. (2015). Language learning through mobile technologies: An opportunity for language learners and teachers. Journal of Education and Practice, 6, 50–53.
  3. Behbahani, H. K., & Rashidi, N. (2024). Mobile-Mediated Dynamic Assessment as the Linchpin of Grammar Learning, Reflective Thinking, and Emotional Well-Being: A Mixed-Methods Study. Call-Ej, 25(4), 192–213.
  4. Biju, N., Abdelrasheed, N. S. G., Bakiyeva, K., Prasad, K. D. V., & Jember, B. (2024). Which one? AI-assisted language assessment or paper format: an exploration of the impacts on foreign language anxiety, learning attitudes, motivation, and writing performance. Language Testing in Asia, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40468-024-00322-z
  5. Creswell, J. (2017). Qualitative Inqury Research Design Choosing Among Five Approaches.
  6. Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Mixed Methods Procedures. In Research Defign: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed M ethods Approaches.
  7. Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2023). Research Design : Qualitative, Quantitative, and A Mixed-Method Approach. In SAGE Publication. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429469237-3
  8. Duke, N. K., & Cartwright, K. B. (2021). The Science of Reading Progresses: Communicating Advances Beyond the Simple View of Reading. Reading Research Quarterly, 56(S1), S25–S44. https://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.411
  9. Inggita, N. D., Ivone, F. M., & Saukah, A. (2019). How is Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL) Implemented by Senior High School English Teachers? Jurnal Pendidikan Humaniora, 7(3), 85–94.
  10. Ishtiaq, M. (2019). Book Review Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Methods Approaches (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. English Language Teaching, 12, 40. https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v12n5p40
  11. Jaelani, A., & Rahmah, S. D. (2019). Students’ Perception toward the Use of Mobile Learning in Learning English. English Journal, 13(1), 9–19.
  12. Karimova, M., Usmanova, K., Thaskulova, Z., & Imamov, N. (2020). Importance of Listening Skill in Laerning English. International Journal on Integrated Education, 3(12), 400–402.
  13. Kartika, N. H., Darmawan, I. G. N., & Susilo, S. (2024). Perceptions of the technology acceptance model and the impact of mobile technology on learning in english as a foreign language classrooms: insights from students and teachers. Jurnal Info Sains, 14(1), 733–748.
  14. Kim, H.-S. (2013). Emerging Mobile Apps to Improve English Listening Skill. Multimedia-Assisted Language Learning, 16(12), 11–30.
  15. Kormos, J., Eberharter, K., Guggenbichler, E., Baumgartinger, S., Ebner, V., & Kremmel, B. (2024). First Language Literacy Skills, Listening Strategy Use, and Anxiety in Self-Paced versus Single-Play L2 Listening Tests. Language Assessment Quarterly, 21(4–5), 303–323. https://doi.org/10.1080/15434303.2024.2435811
  16. Mulyadi, D., Wijayatiningsih, T. D., Swaran Singh, C. K., & Prastikawati, E. F. (2021). Effects of technology enhanced task-based language teaching on learners’ listening comprehension and speaking performance. International Journal of Instruction, 14(3), 717–736. https://doi.org/10.29333/iji.2021.14342a
  17. Muthahar, S. M. C. (2019). Strategi guru dalam Pembelajaran Keterampilan Berbicara Bagi Siswa Kelas VI di SDN Jatirangga II Bekasi. Sustainability (Switzerland), 11(1), 1–14.
  18. Nabilou, M., Aboutalebi, M., & Soltani, S. (2021). The Effect of Using Mobile Listening Applications on Listening Skills of Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners.
  19. Nabiyev, A. I., & Idiyev, A. R. o’g’li. (2022). the Importance of Listening in Learning English. E Conference Zone, 1(1), 12–13.
  20. Nafa, A. (2020). The Use of Mobile Assisted Language Learning in English Learning of Fourth Semester English Department Students at IAIN Samarinda. Jurnal Tarbiyah Dan Ilmu Keguruan Borneo, 2, 23–34. https://doi.org/10.21093/jtikborneo.v2i1.3162
  21. Novarita, N., & Srikandi, D. P. (2021). The Students’ Perception toward English Mobile Technology. Jurnal Elsa, 19(1), 74–82.
  22. Rahimi, M., & Soleymani, I. (2015). The Impact of Mobile Learning on Listening Anxiety and Listening Comprehension. English Language Teaching, 8(10), 152–161.
  23. Saleh, G. U. (2025). Theoretical exploration of mobile-assisted language learning and its role in English language vocabulary development. AKASA M-J, 1(4), 160–175.
  24. Sepyanda, M., Padang, U. N., Deswarni, D., Padang, U. N., Ardi, H., & Padang, U. N. (2023). MALL, or mobile assisted language learning, is a subset of e-learning that focuses on using mobile devices to aid with language acquisition. Lectura: Jurnal Pendidikan, 14, 60–71.
  25. Sudewi, P. W. (2021). Need Analysis of Listening Skills in the EFL Class at Sulawesi Barat University. IDEAS: Journal on English Language Teaching and Learning, Linguistics and Literature, 9(2), 511–520. https://doi.org/10.24256/ideas.v9i2.2344
  26. Wang, Y., & Shih, S. (2015). Mobile-assisted language learning: Effects on EFL vocabulary learning. International Journal of Mobile Communications, 13, 358. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJMC.2015.070060
  27. Wu, Y., Thongkoo, K., & Daungcharone, K. (2025). Enhancing Chinese Listening Proficiency through Digital Applications : A Case Study of Thai Primary Students Using the Hong En Literacy App. Journal of Digital Education and Learning Engineering, 1(3), 50–66.
  28. Yunira, S. (2019). The Ignored Skill in EFL Context “Listening”: A Review of Selected Article by Omar Gokhan Ulum. Elsya : Journal of English Language Studies, 1, 22–27. https://doi.org/10.31849/elsya.v1i1.2564
  29. Yunita, W., & Ardi, H. (2022). Implementing Open Educational Resource to Strengthen English Speaking Skills. Jurnal Paedagogy, 9, 441. https://doi.org/10.33394/jp.v9i3.5342