Exploring EFL learners’ Difficulties in Perceiving Assimilation and Elision Aspects of Connected Speech

Abstract

The focal target behind conducting this research is to explore the listening comprehension difficulties of third year students at the English Language Department of Mohammed Saddik Ben Yahia-Jijel University of perceiving the native speakers’ connected speech involving assimilation and elision aspects. Accordingly, the research in hand hypothesizes that if EFL learners are well-informed and knowledgeable about assimilation and elision application in connected speech, they will face less listening comprehension difficulties. The study is divided into two foremost parts. The first part exposed theoretical issues associated with the listening skill and listening comprehension difficulties. It also shed light on connected speech features with special reference to assimilation and elision aspects. The second part, which is the practical side of the study, dealt with the findings yielded from tow used research tools. A questionnaire that was addressed to sixty students (60) out of three hundred and four (304) and a listening test that was conducted with thirty students (30) from the same population. Thus, the study confirms the research hypothesis and reveals that the lack of knowledge on the application of assimilation and elision is problematic in the process of the listening comprehension. Moreover, students’ non-sufficient practice, false estimated vocabulary, the inability to distinguish words boundaries, writing the spoken form of words and tenses contradiction are the main difficulties encountered by third year students while listening to the native speakers’ speech. On the light of the results obtained, some pedagogical recommendations and suggestions for future research are suggested ultimately