Accordingly, this study aims to measure the importance of integrating Digital Language Learning system in listening skill classroom and to answer the following research questions:
✓ What are the importance of integrating Digital Language Learning system on students’ listening skills performance?
✓ How students feel towards the use of Digital Language Learning system to learn listening skill in EFL classroom?
Review of related literature
1. Language Skills
Listening and speaking are spoken languages. Listening is a first important step of language acquisition and giving attention by listening is an important way to get a good result in communication through learning more the pattern and framework for this language (Rintaningrum, 2018). As Díaz Topete (2020), understanding the value of Digital Competence is crucial and controlling digital technology is important because of its role as a societal force in today's world.
Language teaching has different strategies in class room. Separately, listening also prefers attention as the point of different academic scholars. For instance, according to Linse (2005), listening skills are taught as a basis for the development of other language abilities. Therefore, we must keep in mind that any type of listening comprehension activity must be well-guided and have defined objectives. However, Yusnida et al, (2017) mentioned that teaching ESL students to listen is a difficult task because teaching listening is not just about using the language laboratory as a medium, but also about understanding what the speaker is saying. EFL students, on the other hand, have little outside of the classroom exposure to the target language and little interaction with native speakers.
What kind of questions are raised by different researchers in today’s teaching Language skills? For example, as Renandya & Widodo (2016), the way English is taught and learned has changed as a result of the increased usage of digital technologies in the classroom. They mentioned that language learning is no longer restricted to the traditional classroom setting where the teacher and instructional materials are frequently the primary sources of language input and practice. Nonetheless, the learners can now immerse themselves in a rich and abundant target language input that is literally available 24 hours a day via the internet and to seek out more opportunities to put what they have learned into practice with other English speakers and learners from all over the world.
2. Benefits and impacts of Digital Language System in Language Learning
Learning to listen is a normal part of the learning process for people while learning a new language (Buck, 2001).Although the amount of listening input that a student needs to acquire a second language (L2) is undecided, it is well acknowledged that in order to learn a language, L2 learners require a substantial amount of understandable information (Rost, 2002).Second language learners are often confronted with a number of difficulties such as fast speech, and unknown vocabulary. This makes it difficult to know aural or hearing input. As a result, L2 learners require external assistance in order to improve their listening comprehension (Chang & Read, 2006).Therefore, the effectiveness of a digital conversion for classrooms, districts, and states is judged by how technology facilitates teaching and learning, not by the technology itself (McKnight, et al, .2016).
Listening is one of the most important skills in English language learning. Students often struggle with understanding due to instructors' focus on writing, reading, and vocabulary. This was why Gilakjani & Sabouri (2016) argued that many course texts do not include listening as an important ability, and most teachers do not emphasize it in their classes.
According to scholars in the field of language teaching, and learning, one of the reasons for the perception that listening is a skill that is often overlooked is language teachers' belief that the student acquires this skill automatically as she/he learns to speak the language (Saraswaty, 2018).In addition, listening skills usually take a long time to develop, with the learner experiencing a range of feelings from melancholy and frustration to exhilaration and pride. Teaching listening skills is one of the most difficult tasks that a teacher faces (Walker, 2014). Moreover, Brown (2016) claimed because of teacher less attention to approach to listening teaching, students were not served very well in getting questions beforehand. Furthermore, Nuthatch Afrin (2011) argued that due to insufficient logistic support from institutions and an improper syllabus, English language courses are completed without developing listening skills.
3. Digital Language Learning Technology and Listening comprehension
The increasing use of technology, notably from the Industrial Age to the present has brought the concept of "listening" into sharper foreground. For example, stethoscopes were created as a result of the awareness that the body could express illnesses through sound, and audiences had to learn to "listen" in silence during musical performances after nearly a century of socialization (Hendy 2013).
With regard to points to be considered concern on listening, with the introduction of audio recording and the telephone in the late nineteenth century, technology developed a "new style of hearing." (Gruba & Suvorov, 2020). Listening emerged as a distinct ability that required its own pedagogy and tools, and educators quickly began to emphasize the need of careful listening in mastering difficult subjects. Therefore, audio recordings were brought to classrooms around the turn of the twentieth century, and radio was soon widely used in educational contexts (Hendy 2013).
On the hand, other scholars describe the necessity of teaching listening using ICT equipment’s and different internet based web environment be able to spring students acquaintance to enthusiastic listening regularly, and consequently. For example, according to Peterson (2010), when learners have access to both real and EFL/ESL-specific websites, and become used to selecting listening materials, they are able to plan out their own use of web-based materials in their own time. This aids their development as competent listeners and self-directed learners.
However, Hiroyuki (2021) pointed that language learners depend on many factors to learn listening in which learners want to listen to alternative texts in order to increase listening skills. For him, Short phone conversation boxes, airport announcements, job instructions, voice, poetry, and songs are just a few examples. Meanwhile, HUSZTI (2013) more recommended teaching aids that a teacher uses in a class from Electronic such as Tape recorder, TV or video player, computer, CD Rom, language laboratory.
In addition to the above points, with regard to methods of teaching listening skills scholars recommended a number of strategies in their recent study. For example, according to Kavaliauskienė (2008) because of online audio publishing, a new technique to teaching listening skills has evolved specifically podcasting which becomes very noticeable since it provides extra listening practice for language learners both inside and outside of the classroom. Furthermore, academic scholars give recognition to the ways of teaching listening skills using technology based. Hence, Ramirez Verdugo, & Alonso Belmonte (2007) describe that teachers of second languages (L2) assign students to do audio, video, computer, or Internet-based listening exercises at home or in a lab location to assistance students better hear the complicated sounds, expressions and content of the target language and to improve their interpersonal communication skills.
Even though teaching language skills effectively is very recommended by scholars, the usage of a variety of technical instruments has a substantial impact on the language learning process in each area (Sharma, 2009) .This is why Akhdiyati 2018 described as performing the skills to deliver and understand the foreign language takes time and continuous process which should be taught ; it is not something that happens by itself.. Therefore, for him, one of the most important tasks is to provide a variety of technological aids
According to Nor(2014),listening can be taught using a variety of methods, including the use of a tape recorder, answering questions based on the text, rewriting songs, watching video movie clips or listening to a CD-ROM, listening to the radio and employing dictation, and so on. The teacher tries to utilize the best strategy to help the students comprehend their lesson better, and they can use it to improve other English abilities like speaking, reading, and writing. So, the availability of a wide range of technology has spawned a new generation of active language learners who own, personalize, and tailor technologies to their specific learning requirements (Conole, 2008).This means that according to Robin (2007), in teaching and learning listening comprehension, attention has shifted away from customized scripts and toward authentic audio and video with remediated tasks (pre- and post-script activities) rather than changing the media itself. Therefore, as Rubin (2007) the authentic materials, particularly if they contain a non-interactive flow of speech, such as radio, television, and movies, remain a problem especially in the early stages of language learning, despite the scaffolding as audio is too fast difficult to manage what were said or included in the speech.
4. The usage of Digital Language system and Teaching of L2 Listening
Using technology in language teaching can help both teachers and students. Therefore,language educators’ role is not only teaching also they should create good opportunity for their students because use of new technology in the long run tend to result in higher productivity (Warschauer, & Meskill,2000). According to Tanrikulu (2020) if compared to listening lessons taught with voice recordings, digital storytelling has a beneficial influence on the development of listening skills, positively improves learning, and increases student motivation.
In order to improve our students´ listening skills difficulty that they encounter to learn listening, prepare them to be effective listeners who can deal with a variety of situations such as the ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) have become an excellent help for both teachers and students (Gómez Martínez,2010).Therefore, according to Demir& Tavil(2021), to better understand the impact of using technology-based listening materials should be motivated on language learners, teachers, and organizations in general.
Language schools can use any of the digital language learning technology in a variety of ways. A school may decide to give students with mobile devices or applications to allow them to do more independent study outside of class time. This is why Thamarana (2016) argued as a computer technologies have been created to enhance education in recent years, notably as evaluation and communication tools.
The primary goal of increasing students' language skills is to make the language learning environment more conducive to their learning. When thinking about how technology can help with the curriculum, we should think about how it can help students, teachers, and the institution as a whole (Levy, 2010). Hence, supports a variety of skills, allowing kids to concentrate on one skill at a time, such as reading or listening is encouraged.
As Kim (2015), in Students' listening abilities improved dramatically after learning with films in the intermediate and advanced competence groups. In addition, the improvement in listening skills among intermediate and advanced students was much greater than that of the low proficiency group. In terms of how students feel about using video resources to improve their English listening skills.
5. Technology for L2 Listening Assessment
The use of multimedia in listening instruments is intended to aid L2 learners in understanding L2 in a real-world setting (Sejdiu, 2017).Therefore, specific parts of the L2 listening process are being given extra emphasis which would eventually lead to a boost in students' listening skills. Any L2 program should contain L2 listening comprehension to answer the question what necessary training for teaching listening should consist of (Blasco Mayor, 2009).
Buck (2001) confirmed that one of the least understood, least studied, and yet most significant aspects of language testing and assessment is the examination of listening ability. However, giving attention to assessing listening skills is crucial because the potential wash back has outcome onto classroom performs.
A number of academic researchers have discovered that high-quality digital resources, context design, and appropriate approaches for learning, as well as adequate and efficient student tutoring, are critical factors (Pareja-Lora, .et al, 2016).Additionally, in today's world, language teachers are expected to know how to incorporate technology into their classes, as well as how to help students use resources like media and the internet to better their learning of all four skills(Richards, 2015).