Promoting perception: lexical segmentation in L2 listening

This article calls for greater attention to the perceptual processes involved in second language listening—and particularly to the part they play in breakdowns of understanding. It suggests employing basic auditory phonetics as a means of classifying, diagnosing, and predicting problems of lexical segmentation. Recognition of how and why learners find speech input difficult to process can provide a programme of simple practice exercises which anticipate or rectify listening problems.