Analysis of virtual learning platforms for the development of listening comprehension competence

Listening comprehension competence, defined as the ability to perceive, process, and interpret spoken language in real-time communication, is a crucial component of foreign language teacher education. In the context of preparing future teachers of German as a foreign language, listening comprehension supports pedagogical fluency, classroom interaction, and the ability to respond to learners’ needs. With the increasing digitalization of education, including the rise of hybrid and remote learning, the development of listening skills is increasingly mediated through virtual platforms. However, there is limited research on how such platforms support professionally oriented Listening comprehension competence in teacher training.The purpose of this article is to review and compare five virtual learning platforms – Moodle, Google Classroom, Microsoft Teams for Education, LingQ, and Duolingo for Schools – based on seven pedagogical and technological criteria: support for auditory content, interactivity, feedback and assessment tools, authenticity of input, multimodality, pedagogical flexibility, and accessibility in Ukraine. The method is a qualitative comparative analysis, informed by document study, platform functionality, and academic literature.Findings show that Moodle provides the most comprehensive support for developing listening skills, including structured, authentic, and profession-specific tasks. Microsoft Teams facilitates synchronous listening and interaction. LingQ and Duolingo offer engaging input but lack assessment and teacher control features. Google Classroom is user-friendly but limited in pedagogical depth. Based on the comparative results, Moodle was selected for future implementation in a listening module for German language teacher trainees. This article contributes to the ongoing discussion about the integration of digital tools in teacher education and offers practical insights for aligning platform functionality with professional listening development goals.