LANGUAGE CIRCLE: Journal of Language and Literature .... p-ISSN 1858-0165 Available online at http://journal.unnes.ac.id e-ISSN 2460-853X 332 Indonesian and Thai EFL Learners’ Extensive Listening through Podcasts: A Self-Directed English Learning Intan Ambaria Andini IAIN Pekalongan intan.andini707@gmail.com Ahmad Burhanuddin IAIN Pekalongan ahmad.burhanuddin@iainpekalongan.com Abstract When language learners regulate self-improvement activities in their spare time, a broader space for exploration emerges. The purpose of this paper is to present a narrative study of two young adult EFL learners from Indonesia and Thailand who routinely schedule extensive listening through podcasts for their self-directed English learning. Data for this study were gathered through the use of learners' learning diaries and interviews. They were also subjected to thematic analysis. The researcher claims that this study will provide empirical insights into the lived experiences of independent English learners while also clarifying that learning outside of the classroom is no less meaningful or beneficial than learning in the classroom. Some of the factors that motivated learners to engage in this learning practice were the variety, multitasking, and flexibility of podcasts, as well as personal preferences for auditory learning, opportunities to learn other things besides English, and an unwavering future goal toward study and work advancement. Vocabulary enrichment, speech pace and accent recognition, fluency and pronunciation improvement, as well as a stronger knowledge of pragmatic skill and natural dialogues were highlighted as six major areas of their practice that had an influence. Keywords: EFL learner, extensive listening, podcast, self-directed learning INTRODUCTION Learners' ability to govern their own learning is referred to as self-directed learning (Loeng, 2020). It also refers to a flexible out-of-class learning strategy in which learners plan their own learning rather than attending teacher-led classes. Many studies have demonstrated that learners' success in learning outside of the classroom is typically the basis for their competency (Nunan, 1991). Self-directed learning can also be conducted through a podcast-based extensive listening. When listening to a spoken text, learners frequently fail to catch sounds, phrases, or even miss the crucial point. Many EFL learners, particularly novices, regard listening as the most difficult of all the English skills to master (Bacon, 1989; Farrell & Mallard, 2006). Extensive listening encompasses all types of listening activities that offer a large amount of understandable and enjoyable auditory input to learners (Renandya & Farrell, 2010). Several studies revealed extensive listening could enhance overall language proficiency such as listening comprehension, vocabulary mastery, speaking and reading skills as well as higher confidence in the language (Elley & Mangubhai, 1983). To assist learners with listening problems, it involves self-directed learning for fun outside of the classroom that can be accomplished through audiobooks, YouTube videos, films, podcasts, and other media. http://journal.unnes.ac.id/ mailto:intan.andini707@gmail.com mailto:ahmad.burhanuddin@iainpekalongan.com LANGUAGE CIRCLE: Journal of Language and Literature .... p-ISSN 1858-0165 Available online at http://journal.unnes.ac.id e-ISSN 2460-853X 333 Initially, podcasts appear to be a promising technology-assisted learning alternative for learning. Learners can listen to them freely on any topic of their choice. The use of podcast (Abdulrahman et al., 2018) and conducting extensive listening using authentic materials (Hapsari & Ratri, 2014) can boost learners’ enthusiasm to learn. Listening to podcasts can also help learners improve their listening and speaking skills (Yoestara & Putri, 2019), as they offer meaningful language, real-life dialogues, and fresh material (Hasan & Hoon, 2013). A study by Gönülal (2020) revealed that practicing extensive listening with podcasts and vodcasts for outside classroom learning was extremely effective not only in improving learners’ listening ability, but also to their pronunciation and knowledge of words and phrases. While investigating students’ experience and opinion when using podcasts for independent learning, Rosyidah et al., (2021) found that podcasts were preferred due to its ease of use, wide range of topics covered, and authentic conversation. Furthermore, a recent study (Dwi et al., 2021) suggested that this method helps students to gain better understanding by allowing them to learn summary writing, new vocabulary, and better comprehending native speakers' speeches. Unfortunately, self-directed podcast-based extensive listening does not come without drawbacks. Its diverse selection of texts from varied levels of complexity may lead beginners to lose confidence when encountering difficult materials. Adults are also more likely than youngsters to be successful self-directed learners since their maturity allow them to have greater ability to direct one's own learning (Suanmali, 1981). Thus, this learning strategy is better suited to adult, intermediate, or advanced learners. The majority of studies on language learning have focused on classroom or school settings, yet there has been little emphasis of adults’ independent learning. In truth, there is no compelling evidence suggesting that studying outside of the classroom is less beneficial than learning in the classroom. Studies on language learning need to pay equal attention to both. The major objective of this study is to describe one Indonesian and one Thai EFL learners’ self- directed learning experience through podcast- based extensive listening. Underpinning the exploration on their personal story, three research questions were addressed in this study: (1) why do they choose to conduct self-directed learning through podcast-based extensive listening; (2) how do they learn; and (3) to what extend does such practice help learners with their English learning? Two theoretical frameworks namely dimensions of language learning for outside classroom context by (Benson, 2011) and metacognitive approach to extensive listening (Vandergrift & Goh, 2012) will be used to examine their practice. The first intellectual framework for this paper came from a related study on the subject by Benson (2011). He created a framework for characterizing the engagement of different types of learners in language learning through a concept of 'setting.' A language learning setting was defined by four dimensions: location, formality, pedagogy, and locus of control. Location refers to a physical or virtual space in which a learning activity occur (i.e. out-of-class, after-class, extra-curricular, out-of- school, distance, etc.). Formality relates to whether or not the learning experience is planned and ordered as part of formal education program for which a certification is granted (i.e. formal, informal or non-formal). Pedagogy deals with the learning process to which instruction, material progression, explicit explanation and evaluation are set up (i.e. self-instructed, other-instructed or naturalistic). Locus of control stands for the extent to which learners discern how learning decisions are made and whether they have control over the process (i.e. self-directed or other-directed). Secondly, Vandergrift & Goh (2012) outline a metacognitive approach to extensive listening that can be used in out-of-class L2 listening settings. Variety, frequency, and repetition were proposed by them as three fundamental principles for effectual extensive listening that learners must meet. The principle of variety advises learners to listen to as many distinct sorts of authentic texts as http://journal.unnes.ac.id/ LANGUAGE CIRCLE: Journal of Language and Literature .... p-ISSN 1858-0165 Available online at http://journal.unnes.ac.id e-ISSN 2460-853X 334 possible, on a vast scope of themes and issues; the principle of frequency urges them to keep a predetermined daily or weekly habit of persistent listening for a particular timeframe, ranging from five minutes to an hour; and the next principle, repetition, suggests that learners listen to the text more than once in order to become familiar with it and to be able to verify the information they have received. This study is particularly important in order to better understand how self-directed learners reflect on both participants’ learning as well as how they benefit from extensive listening activity using podcasts. Because English is a foreign language in their nations, they implied to have few opportunity to converse in it or with native English speakers on a regular basis. Their maturity, as well as their distinguished cultural and personal backgrounds, are likely to provide different results, if not a unique, personal story in language learning. These factors should help to explain why this study merits further empirical inquiry. Its goal is to add to knowledge and empirical facts about the practice of self-directed learning. METHODOLOGY This study sought to illuminate two EFL learners' personal experience of performing extensive listening through podcasts by applying qualitative methodologies of inquiry. Narrative inquiry was chosen as the research design to recount humans' stories about their experiences (Connelly & Clandinin, 1990). The researchers was supposed to explore and explain the participants' behaviors, answers, and how they negotiate their feelings. This study involved two female young adults participants: an Indonesian EFL learner, Khadijah (pseudonym) and a Thai EFL learner, Faah (pseudonym). Both are college graduates, with Khadijah having a diploma in computer science and Faah having a BA in tourism industry. They reported listening to podcast for between two and four years, prior to this study. Both implied that their English learning in formal institution and beyond classroom contributed to make up the ground in their previous and current English- environment job. They believe that learning English will help excel their future careers or education. The data for this study was gathered from July to November 2021. The two participants agreed to keep track of their podcast listening schedules and to share their learning diaries. They were invited for an online written interview at the end of October. It was held twice in English, and it primarily focused on participants' experiences and reflections on conducting self-directed extensive listening using podcasts as learning resources. Google Docs was used to share both their learning diaries and written interviews. Thematic analysis approach was used to examine these data, and the steps were involved ‘repeating reading of the data, coding, and categorization of data extracts and their reorganization under thematic headings’ (Barkhuizen et al., 2014:74). Major themes are typically covered in various sections of published narrative studies, where they are broken down into subthemes and illustrated by excerpts from the narratives. RESULT AND DISCUSSION Reasons to conduct self-directed learning through extensive listening using podcasts Both individuals exhibited a strong desire to learn English. Five motivations for performing self- learning through podcast-based extensive listening have been discovered. Multitasking and flexibility features Unlike reading which requires full attention, listening can be done while doing other things. Listening to podcasts not only frees up the hands and eyes of learners, but it can also be carried out everywhere possible. Listening technique is more engaging due to its multitasking and flexibility features. It’s convenient, I can listen to a podcast whenever and wherever I want while doing something else such as exercising, preparing for breakfast, ... (Khadijah) Learners were not bound by the confines of an institution or a classroom, where they must http://journal.unnes.ac.id/ LANGUAGE CIRCLE: Journal of Language and Literature .... p-ISSN 1858-0165 Available online at http://journal.unnes.ac.id e-ISSN 2460-853X 335 adhere to particular regulations in order to study. This sort of learning was a non-prescribed activity that allows learners to expand their knowledge at their own pace and in their own time rather than having to attend a class in a specified location or at a specific time. As a result, in the dimension of language acquisition, this could be classified as out-of-classroom learning (Benson, 2011). Possibilities to learn subjects other than English Khadijah remarked that, in addition to English, she could learn a range of new topics at the same time. She then turned listening for the purpose of learning English into listening for enjoyment. I enjoy it for its entertainment and educational purpose too. It’s indescribably pleasant to understand things that I’ve never known before. (Khadijah) On her learning diary reflections, Faah expressed enthusiasm for learning new subjects addressed in podcasts. Both participants claimed that their learning process was also a type of interest pursuit, and that their language acquisition was thus informal in terms of formality (Benson, 2011). Furthermore, when they control their self-study in their spare time, they create a naturalistic learning environment by shifting their focus away from language acquisition and toward recreation or something other than language (Benson, 2011). Wide choice of themes to choose from Learners argued that podcasts provided them with access to a wider range of knowledge and opinions. Learners' motivation may be boosted if they can include their personal interests into the learning process by choosing the content they wish to hear. Podcasts allow me to get access to various discussions particularly ones that people in my country tend to conceal or refuse to openly speak up. (Khadijah) ….an important access to knowledge that Thai language can’t reach. (Faah) Learners must engage in self-directed learning in order to gain autonomy, which will help them improve their language learning abilities even more (Brown, 2007; Al Qasim & Al Fadda, 2013). When language learners' learning was relevant to their life and interests, they become enthusiastic to learn. Their ability to choose their own learning materials as part of their pedagogy demonstrated that their learning was self- instructed, and when they decided to act it out, their locus of control shifted to self-directed (Benson, 2011). Requirement for education and career advancement Both participant felt compelled to improve their English skills since they would need it for future education or employment prospects. They said that continuing to learn will help them achieve excellence in their future aim. I wish to study abroad or work in international environment someday. So, I see it as my way to create my own English environment. (Khadijah) I want to be able to understand specific research and academic stuff in English, and I have plan to take a TOEIC Test soon too. (Faah) Khadijah and Faah emphasized the importance of learning with a purpose. The fact that they were still conducting self-directed learning proved that language learning did not necessarily stop when they finished their formal education. They felt obliged to create their own English environment because their environment limited their opportunities to practice. They were not influenced by anyone other than themselves in their decisions to engage in self-directed learning and to develop their skill. As a result, their locus of control could be described as self-directed (Benson, 2011). Personal preference for auditory learning I want to elevate my English listening skill by being familiar with a lot of different English accents. That’s why I always try to choose podcasts from different countries and speakers. (Khadijah) Listening really improved me. I don’t think English education system in Thailand works http://journal.unnes.ac.id/ LANGUAGE CIRCLE: Journal of Language and Literature .... p-ISSN 1858-0165 Available online at http://journal.unnes.ac.id e-ISSN 2460-853X 336 because the material and the way of teaching focusing only on grammar and text books. (Faah) The fifth reason for conducting their learning exercise was their preference for aural learning. They had chosen extensive listening as an approach for strengthening their communication skills since they found it beneficial. Their decision to choose and apply a learning method proved that they had self-directed locus of control (Benson, 2011). The characteristics of language acquisition identified by Benson (2011), namely location, formality, pedagogy, and locus of control, were addressed by both participants' motives for performing self-study through podcast-based extensive listening. They recognized the significance of their performance to attain their long-term professional and educational objectives. They acquired their flexibility and capacity to learn without being confined by time or place since they were not bound to classroom instruction. They saw the characteristic of being hands-free and eyes-free while extensive listening as a very tempting motivation to learn, in addition to their preferred aural input. Podcasts have also provided a variety of themes and issues that enabled learners broaden their knowledge and perspectives on both English and other disciplines as their preferred learning medium. Authentic materials delivered via podcasts allowed both participants to gain a better understanding of real- life conversations. Learning Steps The researchers concluded that while both individuals' methods differed slightly, they used some common technique. Seven aspects were delineated as their learning steps based on learners' explanations of what they do before, during, and after listening to the podcasts. Preparation First, I examine myself, in what level I am now before choosing the right material. I begin with the easy ones first (I should be able to understand about 50-80% of them). After reaching some level, completely understanding them, I would move to another level. (Faah) Started with self-examination, the Thai EFL learner emphasized the importance of recognizing one's own level in order to select understandable materials that are appropriate for each learning routine. Easy texts may help beginners gain confidence for a short time (Vandergrift & Goh, 2012) but they can be less challenging or even tedious for more advanced learners. Difficulties in a text are required to some extent so that learners can learn something new and improve their listening skills. Material selection I usually search my podcast by typing the speaker name or topic as the keyword… I love exploring themes such as spirituality, religion, music, film, literature, education, philosophy, education, feminism, racism, gender, sexuality, mental health, culture, etc.. (Khadijah) The main podcast that I listen to is the BBC learning English. The channel is really made for English learners. They have various materials that are easy to understand, get on point, and include up to date information. Sentences or words in that channel is what English speakers really use. (Faah) It is profound to have a careful material podcast selection as learning resource. There were dozens of accessible, free, or even downloadable podcasts available on the internet, but the ones used as learning material needed to include interesting, engaging, and rich texts. They should provide content with a wide range of structure and language features. In accordance with the principle of variety in the metacognitive approach to extensive listening, both learners had listened to a variety of topics, themes, or discussions from various levels of difficulty that demonstrated a wide range of examples of how language was used in communicative situations (Vandergrift & Goh, 2012). When asked what length of podcasts they prefer and whether they prefer video or audio podcasts, both learners responded: ….30 minutes to more than an hour. I listen daily or at least once or twice a week. I prefer audio podcasts because they don’t give me any visual http://journal.unnes.ac.id/ LANGUAGE CIRCLE: Journal of Language and Literature .... p-ISSN 1858-0165 Available online at http://journal.unnes.ac.id e-ISSN 2460-853X 337 clues about what’s being discussed or going on. (Khadijah) ….5-12 minutes, it’s a good duration for me because I tend to listen to podcasts every day. I prefer both audio and video… Video podcasts help a lot with vocab, sometimes I don’t know a word but the video explains everything and I can guess the meaning of the vocab through the video. Audio is good for focusing on the accent if you really want to get native accent. (Faah) The frequency concept proposed by Vandergrift and Goh (2012) was met by both participants' podcast lengths ranging from five minutes to more than an hour, as well as their daily and weekly routines. In addition, both EFL learners were asked if their national or cultural backgrounds influenced their podcast selection. Yes. Topics such as gender, religion, sexuality, feminism, gender, childfree, etc. are still considered sensitive or taboo in Indonesia. I listen to these discussions on podcasts because I want to know more about what’s truly happen in the real world, be able to independently determine my viewpoints and responses for that matters. (Khadijah) Thai culture doesn’t affect me on making a choice when choosing a podcast. (Faah) Their statements revealed distinct tendencies in how their cultural backgrounds influenced the podcasts they chose. Their content selection differed slightly in terms of learning pedagogy (Benson, 2011) because they each lived in a different type of society and had different goals and interests when listening to podcasts. Repetition I always listen to a podcast at least twice. During the first listening, I do it without a single pause to grasp the flow or the general idea from the speakers’ discussion. For the second listening, I may pause and rewind the audio especially on parts where I lost focus or found unfamiliar words or phrases. (Khadijah) I try to focus when listening. If I didn't catch something or cannot seem to understand, “re- listening” and focus more. (Faah) It was discovered that performing listening only when conducting self-directed learning through extensive listening was insufficient. The technique of repetition was introduced to increase participants' exposure to L2 listening. It was especially important for learners to become ‘familiar with the content, vocabulary, and structure of the spoken text’ (Vandergrift & Goh, 2012:201). It allowed them to validate the information they had obtained by repeating the process and focusing on new areas of the text with each iteration. Note-taking and translation Learners could pause or rewind the audio while listening to take notes and look up translations for words or phrases. Both participants had a distinct practice of taking notes. I take note only on my second listening. I prefer using a notebook and a pen. I would write words, phrases, sentences, quotes, idioms, quotes, lines, etc. that I think are useful, interesting, or unfamiliar. I also give their translation and use signs such as ‘, ~, and / to mark stressed, long, or increased intonation for their pronunciation. ….look up their meaning in digital dictionary. (Khadijah) I have my own specific notebook for learning English. I write down new vocabularies that I’ve learnt or not familiar with. I prefer adding their clear definition in English rather than their Thai translation only. …search for translation and sometimes google a vocabulary. (Faah) Nonetheless, the favoured handwriting offered them advantages. More of the brain was activated when self-generated motions like drawing or writing were utilized for learning, leading in the creation of more complex neural networks (Van der Meer & Van der Weel, 2017). It was something that could not be encouraged by typing notes on a keyboard, because creating individual handwritten letters provided different consequences, leading to a better understanding (Li & James, 2016; James, 2017). http://journal.unnes.ac.id/ LANGUAGE CIRCLE: Journal of Language and Literature .... p-ISSN 1858-0165 Available online at http://journal.unnes.ac.id e-ISSN 2460-853X 338 Imitation Participants' note-taking method was not just for documenting vocabulary and notable phrases; it was also for in-depth evaluation of the pronunciation, intonation, and tempo of a particular speaker's way of speaking. It also aided one of the participants in his imitation practice. I love to be playfully imitating speakers’ pronunciation or intonation, or even repeating after them when they say interesting words or creative sentences. (Khadijah) In terms of how the participant presented the knowledge to herself, imitation was considered a component of her pedagogy (Benson, 2011). It was also used as a tongue warm-up and to acquaint oneself with new vocabulary. Evaluation I would reread my learning notebook and try to recall what I have learn from the discussion in the podcast. I would review the number of vocabularies, interesting phrases or sentences as well as their pronunciation that I had gained. Sometimes I try to reimagine how the speakers pronounced certain words or phrases and then I try to pronounce it myself. (Khadijah) The BBC learning English included a quiz to test and evaluate ourselves after finish a podcast. (Faah) After they had finished listening, they moved on to the next item on their agenda: evaluation. In the language learning dimension, as defined by pedagogy, evaluation was a component of the learning process (Benson, 2011). Learners assessed or reach a conclusion on their learning by looking into their understanding or reviewing what they had learned thus far. Practice I try to employ particular vocabularies or phrases or produce the same pronunciation that I heard when communicating via messages or speaking English in real life. (Khadijah) I have no chance to speak English because currently I work with Thai people only. But I try to listen to daily news and read English books every day to test myself how much I understand English. (Faah) The third but equally important phase in both participants' learning was practice. It was a self- instructed process that both participants initiated, therefore it was a component of their learning pedagogy (Benson, 2011). They believed that putting what they had learned into practice would help them fully develop their proficiency. To recap, the language learning steps introduced by both EFL learners differed only slightly. Khadijah, unlike Faah, did not believe it was necessary to assess her English level before making material selection decisions. Her focus was on the speakers or the topic being addressed in the podcasts, so she skipped self-examination. Speaking practice as part of the follow-up to their self-learning was difficult, especially for Faah, whose surroundings at the time of this study did not include an English-speaking milieu. Over time, the environments, personal interests, and life and educational experiences of both participants influenced their distinct learning style and views on their learning goal. They all had one thing in common: they had complete control over what they needed to learn, how they learned it, and when they learned it. On that basis, a self-directed learning pedagogy was developed based on how they carried out their language learning steps. Language Learning Benefits When describing the language learning benefits of doing self-directed learning through podcast- based extensive listening for their proficiency, participants in this study had partially comparable opinions. Six key aspects of their practice were identified as having an impact: vocabulary enrichment, speech rate and accent recognition, fluency and pronunciation improvement, and a deeper understanding of pragmatic skill and natural dialogues. Enriching vocabulary To begin, both passionate EFL learners showed similar gains in their vocabulary mastery and pronunciation. http://journal.unnes.ac.id/ LANGUAGE CIRCLE: Journal of Language and Literature .... p-ISSN 1858-0165 Available online at http://journal.unnes.ac.id e-ISSN 2460-853X 339 I’ve got to know more vocabularies and their pronunciation, which in the end they let me have better comprehension when listening or reading. (Khadijah) ….gain more new vocabularies (which helps me) understand news and now I can understand most of what I watch and read in English. (Faah) The four language skills all relied heavily on vocabulary mastery (Alqahtani, 2015). Lexical knowledge was essential to communication ability since it was used to both understand and communicate one's own ideas. Furthermore, recognizing words in written or spoken material needed distinct skills. In that situation, extensive listening to spoken language may aid learners in developing oral word identification through automaticity in sound-script correlations (Li & Renandya, 2012). Better dealing with speech rate and accents recognition Listening might be challenging not only because of the difficult topic or language used in the spoken text, but also because of the speed, which makes it challenging for learners to catch up. According to a study (Chang, 2016), extensive listening can help L2 listeners gradually become accustomed to hearing speech at native speaker rate. It helps me to deal with fast speech and patterns of different accents. I’m happy that in the end, I manage to be familiar when listening to speeches beyond British or American accent. (Khadijah) (I can) understand British accents easily. (Faah) The Thai learner admitted to being familiar with the British accent after listening to podcasts from the BBC Learning English channel, which is produced by a division of the BBC World in the United Kingdom. The Indonesian learner, on the other hand, claimed that one of their initial learning goals was to excel her listening skills by comprehending various English dialects. By researching issues and listening to English speakers from many backgrounds and nations, she has expanded awareness of world Englishes. In this case, Dwi et al. (2021) found comparable evidence that podcast-based prolonged listening assisted learners in comprehending native speakers' talks. Enhancing speaking skill Listening was regarded to be profound in the development of speaking because it supplied information that could help people talk more effectively. Podcast language was rich with meaning-focused and formulaic language (such as lexical phrases, idioms, and collocations), which helped learners improve their fluency. I used to have to think about grammar or tenses’ formula when speaking, and it’s bothersome. I finally manage to have a bank of phrasal chunks, such as: ‘It doesn't really...’, ‘I should have been....’, ‘I've got an...’,‘It might have been…’,‘It feels/sounds/makes....’, ‘She has done…’, etc. They were already in my thoughts, and I sometimes feel mentally prepared before speaking since spilling out subject and verb in accord as a starter has become more automatic and less arduous for me. (Khadijah) Renandya and Jacobs (2016) discussed how extended listening was proven to influence second language learners' spoken fluency. They claimed that frequent exposure to spoken features could aid L2 learners' comprehension of spoken language. As a result, once these qualities have been internalized and assimilated into their developing language system, learners may begin to use them in their own speech. Correcting English pronunciation The Indonesian EFL learner argued, listening to podcasts was a helpful practice for increasing one's understanding of English speeches. She claimed to have developed linguistic awareness, specifically in the area of pronunciation: My pronunciation is getting better. I can easily pronounce sounds that some Indonesians find them hard to do such as the /θ/ or /ʃ/ sounds, as well as ending sounds in: guests, asks, mask, text, podcasts, strength, change and so on. http://journal.unnes.ac.id/ LANGUAGE CIRCLE: Journal of Language and Literature .... p-ISSN 1858-0165 Available online at http://journal.unnes.ac.id e-ISSN 2460-853X 340 Now, I can also tell when somebody has wrong pronunciation too. (Khadijah) Similarly, the students in Gönülal's (2020) study said that listening to podcasts outside of class helped them improve their English pronunciation. One of the most likely outcomes of listening to actual spoken texts on a regular basis was an improvement in English pronunciation. It allowed learners to replicate and speak what they had heard several times in real-life situations. Gaining better understanding in pragmatic skill In genuine conversations, speakers' meaning did not always match the meaning of the sentence. The learner was able to comprehend pragmatic skills as a result of being exposed to this. I once heard a speaker say, ‘shut the fridge!’—but indeed it is not literally about closing a fridge door. The speaker was just expressing his/her disbelieve or disagreement in a playful manner. It’s the same like when they say funny words to cuss. I guess, listening to slang or idioms allow me to learn to guess meaning through context. (Khadijah) Meaning could not be properly comprehended unless it was encountered in a variety of contexts. A great quantity of exposure to varied and natural input was required for the acquisition of a second language. This was a positive finding since podcasts exposed listeners to a wide range of native speaker voices, slang, abbreviated talks, stress, accents, and dialects. Indeed, some aspects of speech required to be explored in order to improve listener comprehension (Fitch-Hauser et al., 2007; Richard, 2008). Improving comprehension towards natural dialogues Finally, because humans are not robots, interpreting actual spoken communication is always more difficult. Also, in real life, people do not always produce excellent words. (In podcasts), their conversations are mostly genuine and colloquial… After months of listening, I feel like I’m getting better in conceiving what they were meant to say even when, for instance, they speak with imperfect or unfinished sentences. (Khadijah) In spoken conversation, processes such as hesitations, reduced forms, fillers, and repeats were commonly mirrored (Richard, 2008). Spoken texts were frequently context-dependent and personal, assuming that the audience knew what they were talking about. Podcasts contain real-life discussions, which aid learners' comprehension of real-life conversations. This finding backed up Rosyidah et al. (2021)’s study, which looked into the opinions of English majors on the usage of podcasts for independent English learning. Overall, this study used Benson (2011)’s four basic dimensions to define two participants' language learning outside of the classroom. The following is how the researcher summarized them: (1) setting: 'out-of-classroom' and 'post- school' English language learning; (2) formality: informal and independent; (3) pedagogy: a self- instructed pedagogy was developed (in a naturalistic manner); and (4) locus of control: it was self-directed, with learners making the majority of their own learning decisions. Suitable podcasts selection as a learning resource was crucial as a guidance, according to Vandergrift and Goh (2012)'s metacognitive approach perspective. Learners engaged in a broad range of podcasts (i.e. different speakers, themes, speech rate, or even level of difficulty), according to the data analyzed from the participants' learning diaries and interviews, satisfying the first criteria of effective extensive listening, namely variety. Then, the length of the podcasts used, which ranged from five minutes to two hours, as well as the participants' daily or weekly self-directed learning technique, allowed them to develop a habit of persistent listening and reflection on their learning, supporting Vandergrift and Goh's second principle, frequency. Finally, learners' ability to pause and replay podcasts indicated the third principle of repetition. It allowed EFL learners unparalleled control over the listening text, and it became the go-to method for problem-solving and sustained attention. http://journal.unnes.ac.id/ LANGUAGE CIRCLE: Journal of Language and Literature .... p-ISSN 1858-0165 Available online at http://journal.unnes.ac.id e-ISSN 2460-853X 341 Individual listening goals were a key role in how approaches were used. Both participants desire to learn interesting themes, new vocabulary, phrasal use, idioms, or even accent in particular drove their use of the replay function or second listening. Rapid discussion became less of an issue as time went on. Instead, it was seen as a natural component of human communication. CONCLUSION This study suggested that larning is not limited to formal education and that out-of-class learning can be equally engaging and fruitful. When practicing extensive listening with podcasts, both participants are satisfied with their daily or weekly independent self-learning routine. To fully develop as L2 listeners, most EFL learners require a large amount of aural input. Considering this, self-directed learning via podcast-based extensive listening not only allows learners having the freedom to attain their target language exposure anywhere, at any time, but also provides illustrations of real-life English use on a variety of topics. By listening to the real language used in podcasts, they can advance their overall listening comprehension, pronunciation skills, and gain a better understanding of aspects of English linguistics. 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Englisia Journal, 6(1), 15. https://doi.org/10.22373/ej.v6i1.3805 APPENDIX http://journal.unnes.ac.id/ LANGUAGE CIRCLE: Journal of Language and Literature .... p-ISSN 1858-0165 Available online at http://journal.unnes.ac.id e-ISSN 2460-853X 343 Appendix 1: List of Indonesian and Thai EFL Learners’ Material Selection Khadijah’s list of podcasts used No Date Title Length 1 19-Jul-21 We Dive Deeper podcast: Billie Marten being a musician, seasonal affective disosder, social media 55 minutes 2 22-Jul-21 Intelligence Squared podcast: Mona Eltahawy on the seven necessary sins for women and girls 55 minutes 3 23-Jul-21 Are We On Air podcast: ep.46 Golshifteh Farahani 97 minutes 4 26-Jul-21 The Sunday Magazine podcast: Khaled Hosseini reflects on the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, Animal author Lisa Taddeo on female anti-heroes and the utility of rage 50 minutes 5 31-Jul-21 The Blindboy Podcast - Hozier 111 minutes 6 3-Aug-21 CHANEL Connects - Keira Knightley, Lulu Wang & Diane Solway: the new heroines 39 minutes 7 7-Aug-21 Switched on Pop: Hozier waffling of faith in Take me to Church 18 minutes 8 8-Aug-21 BBC Radio 4: Philosopy , Averroes 42 minutes 9 15-Aug-21 Cry Power podcast with Hozier and Global Citizen: Episode 7 - Hozier with Ifra Ahmed 46 minutes 10 16-Aug-21 Iskandar Widjaja at Radio Classical Turquise 16 minutes 11 3-Aug-21 The Funambulist Podcast: Hana Tajima - design of a public body: wearing hijab in the west 32 minutes 12 3-Aug-21 Cry Power podcast with Hozier and Global Citizen: Episode 1 – Hozier with Annie Lennox 41 minutes 13 6-Aug-21 Happy Sad Confused podcast: with Daniel Radcliffe 52 minutes 14 10-Sept-21 Experience podcast: The Ludovico Eunadi story 45 minutes 15 11-Sept-21 All Songs Considered podcast: Hozier on why music from the civil rights movement still resonates 38 minutes 16 18-Sept-21 Meet the Musician: Max Richter via Apple Podcasts 33 minutes 17 23-Sept-21 Nature Podcast: Rosamund Pike in Radioactive, and the resurgence of Russian science 19 minutes 18 3-Oct-21 Call Your Girlfriend podcast: Borders and Boundaries - Shirin Neshat 34 minutes 19 11-Oct-21 The History of Literature podcast: Episode 137 Haruki Murakami 62 minutes 20 18-Oct-21 The Women's podcast: Ep 507 what does it means to be a transgender in Ireland 87 minutes 21 19-Oct-21 The Women's podcast: Ep 492 The Muslim Sisters of Éire 42 minutes 22 22-Oct-21 BBC Radio 4 podcast: In Our Time, Philosophy - Averroes 42 minutes 23 26-Oct-21 The Shift podcast: Isabel Allende on feminism, anger and being fatally heterosexual 36 minutes 24 18-Oct-21 The Happy Sad Podcast: with Cillian Murphy 43 minutes 25 21-Oct-21 The Women's Podcast: Ep 511 women and art identity, sexuality, race, and power 47 minutes 26 29-Oct-21 Radio X: X-poser Playback: Alex Turner on ‘Tranquillity Base Hotel and Casino’ 87 minutes http://journal.unnes.ac.id/ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/max-richter-meet-the-musician/id593095378?i=1000128294273 LANGUAGE CIRCLE: Journal of Language and Literature .... p-ISSN 1858-0165 Available online at http://journal.unnes.ac.id e-ISSN 2460-853X 344 Faah’s list of podcasts used No. Date Title Length 1 03-Jul-21 BBC learning English _News Reviews_Wimbledon: Return of tennis tournament 10 minutes 2 3-Jul-21 BBC learning English_Lingohack_E-scooter rental trials 3 minutes 3 10-Jul-21 BBC learning English _News Reviews_The Queen awards the NHS 11 munites 4 10-Jul-21 BBC learning English_Lingohack_UK's energy revolution 3 minutes 5 16-Jul-21 BBC learning English _News Reviews_Italy win Euro 2020 10 minutes 6 16-Jul-21 BBC learning English_Lingohack_App-controled cows help protect dunes 2 minutes 7 24-Jul-21 BBC learning English _News Reviews_Pegasus Activist spied on 11 munites 8 24-Jul-21 BBC learning English_Lingohack_Foyeco-The Togolese stove 3 minutes 9 28-Jul-21 BBC learning English _News Reviews_Tunisia's prime minister fired after protests 10 minutes 10 28-Jul-21 BBC learning English_Lingohack_could panting trees offset a lifetime's carbon footprint 3 minutes 11 8-Aug-21 BBC learning English _News Reviews_Olympics Sprinter seeks asylum 12 minutes 12 8-Aug-21 BBC learning English_Lingohack_Jurassic fossils found in the UK 3 minutes 13 15-Aug-21 BBC learning English _News Reviews_Climate crisis: Last waring for humanity? 10 minutes 14 15-Aug-21 BBC learning English_Lingohack_Piano artificial intelligence 3 minutes 15 21-Aug-21 BBC learning English _News Reviews_Afghanistan: Taliban retake Kabul 12 minutes 16 21-Aug-21 BBC learning English_Lingohack_The quantum revolution 3 minutes 17 30-Aug-21 BBC learning English _News Reviews_Delay Afghan withdrawal UK asks US 10 minutes 18 30-Aug-21 BBC learning English_Lingohack_Meet the robot artist 3 minutes 19 5-Sep-21 BBC learning English _News Reviews_Charlie Watts: Rolling Stones drummer dies 12 minutes 20 5-Sep-21 BBC learning English_Lingohack_Painting for peoplw with visual impairment 3 minutes 21 11-Sep-21 BBC learning English _News Reviews_Abba: Pop superstars are back 10 minutes 22 11-Sep-21 BBC learning English_Lingohack_The world oldest hat shop 3 minutes 23 18-Sep-21 BBC learning English _News Reviews_Emma Radacanu wins US Open 10 minutes 24 18-Sep-21 BBC learning English_Lingohack_Working on Big Ben 3 minutes 25 25-Sep-21 BBC learning English _News Reviews_La Palma: Volcano erupt 10 minutes 26 25-Sep-21 BBC learning English_Lingohack_Cancer blood test trial 3 minutes 27 3-Oct-21 BBC learning English _News Reviews_Germany elections: Centre- left claim narrow win over Markel's party 10 minutes 28 3-Oct-21 BBC learning English_Lingohack_Future-proofing Stonehenge 3 minutes 29 9-0ct-21 BBC learning English _News Reviews_Pandora papers: Rich exposed 10 minutes http://journal.unnes.ac.id/ LANGUAGE CIRCLE: Journal of Language and Literature .... p-ISSN 1858-0165 Available online at http://journal.unnes.ac.id e-ISSN 2460-853X 345 30 9-0ct-21 BBC learning English_Lingohack_UK's first no heading adult football match 3 minutes 31 18-0ct-21 BBC learning English _News Reviews_Afghan female footballers get UK visas 10 minutes 32 18-0ct-21 BBC learning English_Lingohack_Dying seabirds mystery 3 minutes 33 22-0ct-21 BBC learning English _News Reviews_Earthshot Prize: Prince's new awards 10 minutes 34 22-0ct-21 BBC learning English_Lingohack_Healthcare robots 3 minutes Appendix 2: Sample of Learning Diaries Khadijah’s learning diaries Sample 1 Date : 23 July 2021 Podcast title : Are We On Air podcast: ep.46 Golshifteh Farahani Length : 97 minutes The speaker, Golshifteh Farahani is a smart, unique Iranian artist living in exile, in French. She's very philosophical, reflective person. She often speaks about Persian mysticism, and mysticism itself is a topic that I am interested. I listen to this podcast expecting her to talk about this. Goly gives her insights on Persian mysticism, music, culture, and philosophy. I feel so excited and happy when listening to this podcast. I feel even more ecstatic when in several segments, she recommends a song and the podcast played it. Goly then explained what it was about its relation or its representation on life, culture, religion, or mysticism. I really love the cultural and spiritual values content in it. This podcast is a delight. I am addicted to listen to it again and again. I played it several times I’ve lost my count. Unfamiliar/interesting vocabularies/phrase/quote: • Caterpillar (n) : ulat bulu • Moth (n) : ngengat • Threshold (n) : ambang pintu, permulaan • Catastrophe (n): mala petaka • Enigma (n) : teka-teki, ucapan yang membingungkan • There’s no birth without pain • It’s impossible … to do this metamorphosis in a comfort zone. • It’s like I’ve lost an arm. It’s hard in the beginning, then you go to para Olympic without an arm, and you became the champion. It’s okay. It becomes your new life. • No matter what, the Mongols, the Greeks—Alexander, Genghis Khan, Arabs… whoever invaded, they always melted in Iranian culture and poetry, and etc. Sample 2 Date : 31 July 2021 Podcast title : The Blindboy Podcast - Hozier Length : 111 minutes http://journal.unnes.ac.id/ LANGUAGE CIRCLE: Journal of Language and Literature .... p-ISSN 1858-0165 Available online at http://journal.unnes.ac.id e-ISSN 2460-853X 346 Hozier is my favourite musician. I love listening to him telling his stories about his life experiences or his creative process when writing music. It's also delightful when he talks about his favourite books, musicians, songs, and so on. I think he is smart, critical, empathic, artistic and always full of interesting thoughts. I want to know more about him and learn from him too. Both Hozier and his interviewer speak in a rather fast phase, that sometimes I lost focus in the middle of discussion. However, I get familiar with Irish accent pattern now, for example: • Long sounds, such as: pa~per, emo~tion, se~rious, commu~nity, ma~stered, la~beled, ba~sically, co~rd, a~lways, comple~tion, achie~vement, mo~rnin’, ca~pable, sta~yn’inbe~d (staying in bed), the sma~llest, perfO~rmance, etc • Distinctive rolling R sound, such as: weaR, cultuRe, water, seaRching foR, haRd, remembeR, inteRpret, IRland, • Distinctive L sound, such as: coLd, myseLf,, chiLd, weLL being, mentaL heaLth, expLore digitaL wiLderness, • T sounds that are voiced like S sound, such as about(s), what(s), that(s), letting it(s), figure out(s), how did you find out(s)?, polit(s)e, not(s), at(s), • Bold O sound, sometimes with long pronunciation too, such as: wOrk (not werk), bO~dy, hO~se (house), O~cean • U pronounced with O, such as jOst (just), POOrly (not pu~rly for poorly), bOt(s) (but), fOnny (funny), etc. Unfamiliar/interesting vocabularies/phrase/quote • Recoil (v) : mundur, berkecut hati • Foulness (n) : kekotoran, keburukan • Harrowing (adj) : mengerikan • Nuance (n) : nuansa, perbedaan yang sangat sedikit • Ambiance (n) : suasana • Stumble upon (v): tersandung • lent into (v): dipinjamkan ke • Physical discomfort • Freezing cold • Spike of adrenaline • Explore digital wilderness • Conscious decisions • Super self-conscious • Pitch black night • I recoil in the foulness of thee (quoted from Randy Newman’s lyric) • You kinda see distorted mirror. • I become very protective of my internal life as it were and my immediate external life. I try to keep myself to myself a little bit. • …achieveing that mindful “I’m in my body now” experience • Learning to step away • Etc. Faah’s learning diaries http://journal.unnes.ac.id/ LANGUAGE CIRCLE: Journal of Language and Literature .... p-ISSN 1858-0165 Available online at http://journal.unnes.ac.id e-ISSN 2460-853X 347 Sample 1 Date : 24 July 2021 Podcast title : BBC learning English_Lingohack_Foyeco-The Togolese stove Length : 4 minutes I regularly listen to the BBC podcast, it's the latest episode for this week. The invention "Foyeco" is a real game-changer for African life especially business owner, because normally they only use open fire to cook, it's take time to prepare the fire, bad for their respire system especially lung and it's cost a lot more money compare to Foyeco. Basically Foyeco it's a stove that got small fan on the side to blow air and use coal scarps. I've got to know new vocab such as: • Discarded : thrown away • Scraps : small pieces of something, usually waste • Residue : substance which remains after something has been burned • Toxic : poisonous; harmful • fuel-efficient : not using too much fuel while working Sample 2 Date : 15 August 2021 Podcast title : BBC learning English _News Reviews_Climate crisis: Last waring for humanity Length : 15 minutes Following my weekly routine of studying English. Climate change is now effected all over the world, I've read news recently there's severe flood in the north china and North Korea, wildfire in Turkey, Algeria and North Africa and in the Thailand where I live the summer is unusual, it's longer that other years . I think the climate change is real enough and we should really do something. New vocabularies: • Stark : thrown away • Dire : very serious; bad http://journal.unnes.ac.id/