SELF-STUDY AND ITS ROLE IN IMPROVING LISTENING SKILLS OF NON-PHILOLOGICAL STUDENTS (ON THE EXAMPLE OF TOURISM DIRECTION)

This article examines the role of self-study in improving listening skills among non-philological students, particularly students of the tourism direction. In modern higher education, listening comprehension has become one of the most important components of communicative competence because it enables learners to understand spoken language in academic, professional, and real-life situations. For tourism students, effective listening skills are especially essential due to the international and service-oriented nature of their future profession. However, classroom instruction alone is often insufficient for developing strong listening abilities, especially in non-philological education where English classes are limited in time. Therefore, self-study activities play a significant role in supporting language development outside the classroom. The article uses a descriptive and analytical approach to explore how independent learning activities contribute to listening skill improvement. It discusses the educational importance of self-study in language learning, analyzes different listening strategies and digital resources, and examines the advantages of autonomous practice for tourism students. The analysis demonstrates that self-study increases learners’ exposure to authentic language, improves pronunciation recognition, develops vocabulary, and strengthens listening comprehension. Furthermore, independent listening practice enhances learner motivation, responsibility, and confidence. The article also identifies several challenges related to self-study, including lack of motivation, inappropriate material selection, and insufficient learning strategies. The findings suggest that effective guidance from teachers and the integration of technology-based resources can significantly improve the effectiveness of self-study in listening instruction.