From B1 to B2 Listening Proficiency: A Systematic Review of Podcast-Based Language Learning, Pedagogical Mechanisms, and Cefr-Aligned Assessment

Listening comprehension remains one of the most challenging receptive skills for learners of English as a Foreign Language (EFL), particularly when they progress from intermediate to upper-intermediate proficiency. Although podcasts have increasinglybeen incorporated into language education, their contribution to measurable CEFR-aligned listening development has not been sufficiently synthesized. This review examines the pedagogical potential of podcast-based learning in supporting the progression of B1-level learners towards B2 listening proficiency. It critically examines research on podcast-assisted listening, extensive listening, repeated exposure, metacognitive instruction, learner autonomy, and technology-enhanced language learning.The review draws on foundational research in second-language listening and published empirical and review studies concerning podcast-assisted language learning. Particular attention is given to the instructional mechanisms through which podcasts may facilitate speech segmentation, lexical recognition, inferencing, comprehension monitoring, and the processing of extended spoken discourse. The evidence indicates that podcasts can provide flexible access to authentic spoken language, increase opportunities for repeated listening, and support learner autonomy. However, their effectiveness depends on the alignment of audio difficulty, learner proficiency, instructional scaffolding, listening objectives, and assessment procedures. A central argument of this review is that podcast exposure alone cannot guarantee progression from B1 to B2. Rather, such development requires a structured pedagogical intervention incorporating graded authentic input, explicit listening-strategy instruction, repeated and extensive listening, vocabulary development, and CEFR-referenced assessment. The review proposes a conceptual framework for designing podcast-based listening programmes and identifies research priorities for EFL contexts, particularly in Uzbekistan and other multilingual educational environments.