This study examined the effect of explicit and implicit instruction on Japanese EFL learners' listening behavior over the course of 16 weeks. 30 university student participants were divided into three groups and given tests at three points in time: at the beginning, at the eight-week mark, and at the 16-week mark of this study. Each of these tests involved participating in an intercultural conversation, completing a questionnaire and being interviewed. In one group, the explanations of rules were given explicitly by a teacher; in the second, implicit instruction evolved mainly from peer group discussions and conversational practice with native English speakers. The third group was a control. The findings demonstrate that both explicit and implicit methods had a positive effect; however, overall, the Explicit group generally outpaced the Implicit group. These findings, thus, provide support for the explicit teaching of listening behavior in the Japanese EFL context.
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