Effects of the Type of Audio‐visual Input and Listenability on Young L2 Learners' Listening Comprehension

Abstract Numerous studies have compared the effect of input mode (video‐based vs. audio‐only) on the listening comprehension of adult second language (L2) learners. However, there is a notable absence of research regarding how various types of audio‐visual input in a listening test affect young learners' listening comprehension. To address this gap, this study examined the effects of audio‐visual input type and text listenability on the listening comprehension performance of 50 English language learners (ELLs) in Grades 3–5 in the U.S. In this study, participants completed a computer‐delivered English listening test comprising three test forms, each containing six passages. These passages included a combination of three video passages and three audio‐only passages. The video passages were carefully designed to balance two key variables in a counter‐balancing manner: the listenability of the text, assessed using Lexile Audio Measure, and the nature of visual elements, which encompassed speaker‐only visuals, visual‐only elements, and a combination of speaker‐and‐visuals. This study found that students performed equally well on both video‐based and audio‐only passages, and the type of visuals accompanying the content did not have a statistically significant impact on students' listening comprehension scores. However, the listenability of the text significantly influenced students' listening scores, especially in the context of audio‐only passages. Furthermore, responses to a post‐test questionnaire revealed that students had a positive perception of all three types of audio‐visual input. This study contributes to our understanding of how audio‐visual input types and text listenability affect the listening comprehension performance of Grades 3–5 ELLs.