1. Introduction

Introduced the definition, importance, and position of listening comprehension in second language teaching. It is pointed out that listening comprehension ability is the key to language communication, but it is often overlooked in second language teaching. Explored the role of interactive models in second language listening comprehension, emphasizing the influence of cognitive control ability on speech segmentation function. Meanwhile, the impact of cognitive factors such as vocabulary, grammar, attention, working memory, and processing speed on second language listening comprehension ability was analyzed. Special emphasis has been placed on processing speed as an important cognitive ability, but its role in the development of second language listening comprehension has not received sufficient attention.

2. Literature review

Deeply explored the importance of speech processing speed in the development of second language listening comprehension ability. Research has shown that individuals must possess rapid speech processing abilities to effectively encode heard speech information and construct semantic information, which is crucial for maintaining effective communication. Hui u0026 Godfroid's (2021) study found that second language vocabulary processing speed significantly predicts listening comprehension level, while syntax and sentence processing speed do not make significant contributions. The study by Song Qichao and Fei Xiaodong (2022) revealed the interactive effect of working memory capacity and vocabulary processing speed on the listening comprehension of Japanese second language learners. In addition, a comparative study by Andringa et al. (2012) found that the processing speed of native speakers has a significant impact on listening comprehension, while the processing speed of second language learners does not independently contribute after controlling for vocabulary and intelligence levels. These research findings emphasize the importance of second language vocabulary in exploring the independent contribution of second language processing speed to listening comprehension ability.

3. Research methods

A study was introduced to investigate the impact of speech processing speed on the development of second language listening comprehension ability. The research subjects are 35 non English major undergraduate students from a university in China, with an average age of 18.84 years old. They are all native Chinese speakers and their second language is English. The comprehensive proficiency level and various skill scores of the subjects indicate that they belong to non proficient second language learners.

4. Results

Through descriptive statistics and correlation analysis, it was found that the self-assessment score of second language listening comprehension ability is significantly correlated with the post test score, indicating that self-assessment can predict English proficiency. There is a significant correlation between second language vocabulary and listening comprehension ability, but there is no significant correlation between first and second language phonological processing speed and listening comprehension ability. There is a significant correlation between the processing speed of first language phonetics and the increase in second language listening comprehension ability, indicating that the faster the processing speed of first language phonetics, the greater the improvement in listening comprehension ability. Hierarchical regression analysis shows that the processing speed of first and second language speech has a predictive effect on the increase of second language listening comprehension ability, while second language vocabulary and general processing speed have no significant predictive effect. The individual contributions of the processing speed of first and second language phonetics to the increase in second language listening comprehension ability are 36% and 25%, respectively, with the contribution of first language being greater. After controlling for other variables, the two together explained 37.7% of the variation.

5. Discussion

The role of speech processing speed in the development of second language listening comprehension ability was discussed. Research has found that speech processing speed has a unique contribution to second language listening comprehension ability, while general processing speed is not significantly correlated with this. Research supports that speech processing is an important component of listening comprehension ability, particularly with a significant correlation between vocabulary processing speed and second language listening comprehension ability. The research results also confirmed the inference that second language learners tend to concentrate their cognitive resources on vocabulary comprehension when understanding listening texts. In addition, the processing speed of both first and second language speech contributes to the improvement of second language listening comprehension ability, with the prediction ability of first language speech processing speed being stronger. Research has shown that the processing speed of first language phonetics is closely related to the development of second language listening comprehension ability, which may be related to second language learning experience. Research suggests that separating the processing speed of first language and second language can help identify the causes of second language listening difficulties and assist learners in improving their listening comprehension. However, this result is only applicable to non proficient second language learners, and further research is needed to investigate the role of speech processing speed in the long-term development of second language listening comprehension ability.

6. Conclusion

The importance of speech processing speed in the development of second language listening comprehension ability was emphasized, and it was pointed out that the speech processing speed of both first and second languages can predict the improvement of second language listening comprehension ability, with the prediction ability of first language speech processing speed being more significant. The research results indicate that unskilled second language learners rely on first language phonological processing to improve their listening comprehension ability. Future research should focus on the role of speech processing speed in the long-term development of second language listening comprehension ability, as well as its interrelationships with other language cognitive factors, in order to promote the efficiency of second language teaching and the improvement of listening theory models.