Visual Contextual Cues and Listening Comprehension: An Experiment

more visuals the better" is a sound strategy. While there are probably some intuitive reasons for using visuals in various instructional tasks, empirical support for promoting the widespread use of visual aids in language teaching is virtually nonexistent. Omaggio contends, moreover, that "we know practically nothing about how students benefit (if they do) from visual materials."' In 1970 Jarvis wrote: "The nature of optimal visual support and identification of its appropriate role in the instructional strategy remains a matter in need of considerable research."2 Unfortunately, the research which should have addressed this problem has not emerged. In fact, from a recent review of more than 300 foreign language related studies undertaken since 1970, Frechette concluded, "little notice seems to have been given to audio-visual materials. . . "3