Mobile Audiobooks, Literature and Listening Comprehension in EFL

The present study proposes the integration of mobile audiobooks to help develop EFL students’ listening comprehension skills in English. It will give the following: (i) examples of English literature mobile audiobooks; (ii) the advantages of using mobile audiobooks; (iii) criteria for selecting audiobooks; (iv) listening comprehension, vocabulary and literary appreciation skills that can be developed with mobile audiobooks; (v) instructional stages with mobile audiobooks.

Mobile audiobooks can be used as extension activities or as a supplement to in-class instruction in ESL/EFL. They are free, easy and quick to download, update and delete, can be used anywhere, anytime and as many times as the students need.

Students can download an audiobook from children’s audiobooks, short classic audiobooks or Disney audiobooks by the students, whether simplified, authentic; children or adult audiobooks depending on the students’ proficiency level. The instructor can ask pre-questions that require the students to identify the main events of the story (plot), setting, characters and main theme. Questions can be posted in an online discussion forum. The students can post their responses to the questions in the online discussion forum. They can also summarize the novel or story and post their summary in the forum. They can post comments on each other’s’ responses. They can retell or summarize the story, discuss the elements of the novel under study in class (face to face).

The integration of mobile audiobooks showed improved listening comprehension, vocabulary and literary analysis skills among participating students and increased student engagement in listening activities.