Ways to Improve English Listening Skills and Understand Native Speakers

Summary

In this video, Teela from Deep English shares four practical tips for improving your listening skills and understanding native English speakers. She emphasizes staying present in conversations, avoiding overthinking responses, and learning English in real-life situations. Teela also recommends using movies, TV shows, and audiobooks to improve comprehension and encourages exposure to various English accents. By making English a necessity and practicing regularly, learners can boost both their fluency and listening abilities in any language.

Takeaways

• 😀 Listening is a critical skill, with 60% of communication spent listening, making it vital to improve both language comprehension and general listening abilities.
• 😀 Being a better listener can improve your understanding of any language, not just English, by focusing on tone, gestures, and context, rather than just individual words.
• 😀 To stay present while listening, avoid over-focusing on translating every word in your head. Focus on the broader message instead.
• 😀 Don't try to formulate your response while the other person is speaking. Let the conversation flow naturally and trust that you'll respond when it's your turn.
• 😀 Perfectionism hinders fluency. Aim for fluidity in communication instead of stressing over perfect grammar or pronunciation.
• 😀 Immerse yourself in English by making learning a necessity, such as engaging with content (recipes, repairs) in English to make it practical and essential.
• 😀 Find an English-speaking friend or community to practice with, especially if they don’t speak your native language, to ensure you're constantly immersed in English.
• 😀 Watching movies or listening to audiobooks in English can help improve your listening skills. Start with familiar content in your native language for better understanding.
• 😀 You can improve listening comprehension by listening to books you've already read, or movies you've already seen, in English to tune into finer details.
• 😀 Expose yourself to various accents (Australian, British, American, etc.) to improve your ability to understand English speakers from different regions.
• 😀 Consistently challenge yourself with new accents and topics that interest you (e.g., soccer, makeup tutorials) to broaden your listening skills in English.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of this lesson?

The main purpose of this lesson is to help learners understand a native English speaker more easily and become better listeners in any language. The tips provided aim to improve both language comprehension and listening skills.

Why is listening an important skill in communication?

Listening is essential in communication because we spend around 60% of our communication time listening. Being a good listener can enhance both understanding and the ability to engage effectively in any conversation.

What percentage of what we hear do we typically retain in our native language?

In our native language, we typically retain about 25% of what we hear, and this percentage drops even further when listening in a foreign language like English.

What is the first tip for becoming a better listener?

The first tip is to stay present. This involves focusing on the overall conversation rather than obsessing over every word and not creating responses while the other person is still speaking.

How can trying to translate every word in your head negatively affect your listening?

When you focus on translating every word, you may become stressed and lose track of the bigger picture. This can make it harder to follow the conversation and miss key details, such as tone and gestures.

What does the speaker suggest about perfection and fluency in language learning?

The speaker suggests that perfection is the enemy of fluency. Fluency is about being able to communicate smoothly, not about speaking or understanding perfectly. Trying to be perfect increases stress and hampers communication.

How can we make learning English a necessity?

We can make learning English a necessity by integrating it into daily tasks. For example, by making friends who only speak English, searching for recipes or how-to videos in English, or choosing to use English for tasks like paying bills.

How does watching movies or TV shows in English help with understanding?

Watching movies or TV shows in English helps because you already know the plot and characters, which allows you to focus on smaller details, such as vocabulary and expressions. This helps tune your ear to the language.

What was the speaker's experience with understanding different Spanish accents?

The speaker shared that, while learning Spanish in Ecuador, they thought they understood the language well. However, they struggled to understand someone from Argentina, which showed them that listening skills need to adapt to different accents.

Why is it beneficial to listen to various English accents?

Listening to various English accents, such as British, Australian, or Southern US, helps improve overall listening skills. It allows learners to understand different pronunciations and speech patterns, making it easier to understand native English speakers in diverse contexts.