RECONCEPTUALIZING LISTENING IN TASK-BASED LANGUAGE TEACHING: FROM PASSIVE RECEPTION TO ACTIVE UNDERSTANDING

Abstract

Introduction 
Listening has traditionally been viewed as a passive, receptive skill in language 
education.  In  many  classrooms,  learners  listen  to  recordings  and  answer 
comprehension questions, with success measured by the number of correct responses. 
Such practices often reduce listening to a testing activity rather than recognizing it as 
a dynamic cognitive process. However, contemporary approaches to second language 
acquisition suggest that listening should be understood as active meaning construction. 
Task-Based  Language  Teaching  (TBLT)  provides  a  framework  for  this 
reconceptualization. Instead of treating listening as isolated input, TBLT embeds it 
within  meaningful  tasks  that  require  learners  to  achieve  specific  communicative 
outcomes. This paper argues that listening should move from passive reception toward 
active understanding through task-based pedagogy. The discussion explores theoretical 
foundations,  cognitive  dimensions,  pedagogical  applications,  and  implications  for 
academic and professional contexts.