A Cognitive Perspective of Language Processing

As studying the expertise reversal effect in teaching foreign language listening skills is an uncharted area in the context of cognitive load theory, this chapter reviews language comprehension from a cognitive perspective and expert-novice difference in listening comprehension. It starts with a discussion of three design features of human language. Then it reviews the components of foreign language listening expertise. Two cognitive models of listening comprehension and reading comprehension are viewed respectively. Next, the chapter provides a detailed review of expert-novice differences in listening comprehension. The chapter ends with a discussion of the factors contributing to element interactivity in listening instructional materials.