Abstract:

The integration of digital technologies has transformed language pedagogy, with podcasts emerging as a versatile tool for enhancing English as a Second Language (ESL) listening skills. This study investigated the perceptions of Saudi university students regarding the effectiveness of podcasts in improving their listening comprehension. Adopting a quantitative descriptive research design, data were collected via a Likert-scale questionnaire from 32 undergraduate English and Translation majors at Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University. The results indicated a strongly positive disposition toward podcast use, with 90.6% of participants agreeing that podcasts facilitate vocabulary acquisition and 84.4% perceiving them as more effective than traditional textbook materials. Key benefits identified include exposure to authentic pronunciation, increased learner autonomy, and improved confidence in English conversations. However, 25% of students reported challenges with the rapid speech rate of authentic audio, highlighting a need for instructional scaffolding. The findings suggest that podcasts serve as a powerful catalyst for autonomous learning and should be systematically integrated into the EFL curriculum to bridge the gap between classroom instruction and real-world language use.

Keywords:

Podcasts, ESL, Listening Comprehension, Authentic Input, Mobile Learning.