How To Improve Your Listening Comprehension
Summary
TLDRThis video provides practical advice on improving listening comprehension in a target language. It emphasizes the importance of daily practice using various resources like YouTube, streaming services, and DVDs with subtitles. The speaker suggests using both simplified and native-level materials, and recommends speaking with native speakers through platforms like italki. Key tips include making connections between audio and visual cues, practicing in uncontrolled contexts, and being consistent in listening exercises to enhance understanding and retention.
Takeaways
- π§ Listen to your target language every day for consistent practice.
- π€ Ensure you know the phonology, basic grammar, and vocabulary before working on listening comprehension.
- π Utilize online resources like YouTube, streaming radio, and TV stations for diverse listening materials.
- π» Watch videos with subtitles to connect auditory and visual learning.
- π Use DVDs or videos with removable subtitles to train your listening skills.
- β οΈ Be cautious of automatically generated captions on YouTube as they are often inaccurate.
- π Incorporate a mix of graded language materials and native speaker content for balanced learning.
- π§ Listen to more challenging materials without expectations to internalize language patterns subconsciously.
- π£οΈ Practice speaking with native speakers using platforms like italki to improve comprehension in real-life contexts.
- π Repeat listening exercises with and without subtitles to reinforce learning and reliance on auditory cues.
Q & A
What is the main focus of the talk?
-The main focus of the talk is on improving listening comprehension in the target language being studied.
Who is the target audience for this talk?
-The target audience is people who are already studying a language and know the basics but want to improve their listening comprehension.
Why is listening every day emphasized in the talk?
-Listening every day is emphasized because consistency is key to improving listening skills and it's important to practice listening just as much as reading, speaking, or learning grammar and vocabulary.
What resources are recommended for practicing listening?
-Recommended resources include YouTube videos, streaming radio stations, streaming news networks, streaming television stations, downloadable videos on demand, and full movies in the target language.
How can subtitles be used effectively to improve listening comprehension?
-Subtitles can help make a connection between the visual and auditory aspects of the language. It's recommended to first watch videos with subtitles and then without them to train listening skills.
What should one be cautious about when using subtitles on YouTube?
-One should be cautious about automatically generated captions on YouTube, as they are often inaccurate and can sometimes be humorous due to errors.
Why is it beneficial to use graded language materials?
-Using graded language materials, which are tailored for learners at different levels, helps consolidate learning from textbooks or classes and provides encouragement by being easier to understand.
What is the benefit of listening to materials aimed at native speakers?
-Listening to materials aimed at native speakers helps internalize auditory patterns and prepares learners for higher levels of comprehension without the pressure to understand everything initially.
What are the advantages of speaking with native speakers?
-Speaking with native speakers provides real-life practice in uncontrolled contexts, helping learners deal with unexpected language and improving their ability to understand and use contextual cues.
What online platform is suggested for finding native speakers to practice with?
-The talk suggests using italki.com to find native speakers for language practice, noting that lessons can be affordable and effective.
Outlines
π§ How to Enhance Listening Comprehension
The speaker begins by emphasizing the importance of improving listening comprehension for those already familiar with the basics of a target language, such as phonology, grammar, sentence structure, and basic vocabulary. The key advice is to listen every day with consistency, paralleling time spent on other language skills. Thanks to the internet, accessing listening materials like YouTube videos, streaming radio, and television, or downloadable videos in various languages has become easier. The speaker recounts the limited resources during their study of Hebrew in 1997 and urges learners to take advantage of the abundance of current resources.
πΊ Utilize Subtitled Videos for Learning
The speaker advises using videos with subtitles as an effective tool for learning. Subtitles help learners connect auditory input with visual representation, aiding comprehension. They suggest starting with subtitles and then removing them to focus solely on listening. The speaker warns against relying on automatically generated captions, which are often inaccurate. The use of both simpler materials designed for learners and more challenging native content is recommended for balanced learning and exposure to authentic language patterns.
π£ Engage with Native Speakers
Interacting with native speakers is highlighted as crucial for improving listening comprehension. The speaker recommends using platforms like italki to find affordable Skype teachers. Speaking with native speakers in uncontrolled, spontaneous contexts helps learners get accustomed to unexpected language use and trains them to utilize various cues for understanding, such as intonation, context, and body language. This practice helps learners become more adaptable and confident in their listening skills.
π Daily Practice and Resource Utilization
In conclusion, the speaker reiterates the importance of daily listening practice and utilizing the plethora of online resources available. They stress that consistent practice with a mix of simpler and more complex materials, alongside interaction with native speakers, is essential for improving listening comprehension. The use of subtitles can aid in bridging the gap between visual and auditory learning. The speaker encourages learners to make the most of available resources and incorporate listening practice into their daily routine to achieve better language comprehension.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Listening comprehension
π‘Consistency
π‘Subtitles
π‘Graded language
π‘Native speakers
π‘Intonation
π‘Internet resources
π‘Automatic captions
π‘Auditory patterns
π‘Uncontrolled context
Highlights
Emphasizing the importance of daily listening practice for language learners.
Highlighting the necessity of having a foundational knowledge of the language's phonology, grammar, and vocabulary before focusing on listening comprehension.
Stressing the value of consistency in practicing listening as much as reading, speaking, and learning grammar.
Advocating for the utilization of various online resources like YouTube, streaming radio stations, and on-demand videos for listening practice.
Recommending the use of videos with subtitles to aid in connecting visual and auditory learning.
Suggesting watching videos first with subtitles and then without to train listening skills.
Cautioning against relying on automatically generated captions on platforms like YouTube due to their inaccuracy.
Advising learners to practice listening to graded language materials tailored for different proficiency levels to consolidate learning.
Encouraging the exposure to more challenging materials aimed at native speakers to internalize auditory patterns.
Promoting listening to native speaker conversations without the pressure of understanding everything, focusing instead on recognizing familiar words and intonation patterns.
Highlighting the importance of speaking with native speakers to practice listening in an uncontrolled context.
Recommending online platforms like italki for finding affordable native speaker tutors.
Emphasizing the benefits of experiencing unpredictable language use in conversations to build comprehension skills.
Urging learners to use all contextual cues, including intonation and body language, to aid understanding during conversations.
Summarizing the key to improving listening comprehension: daily practice using diverse and readily available resources.
Transcripts
[Music]
good evening everyone today i'm going to
talk about how to improve your listening
comprehension in the target language
that you are studying
now i should point out in advance i'm
not talking to people who don't know any
of the language yet there's no point
trying to improve your listening
comprehension if you don't know the
phonology the basic grammar and sentence
structure and basic vocabulary of the
language really i'm talking to people
who are already studying the language
already know some of the basics but
their listening comprehension is not up
to speed with their other skills and
other awareness of the language all
right so the most important thing is to
listen every day consistency is king you
want to practice listening every day
make sure you are practicing listening
just as much as you are practicing
reading or practicing
speaking or learning grammar and
vocabulary spend just as much time on
the listening because obviously that's
of key importance when you want to
communicate with people so these days
it's very easy to do every day even if
you live in the middle of nowhere if you
have an internet connection you have no
excuse to not practice the listening
when i studied hebrew language back in
like 1997
in those days the internet was just
getting off the ground there were very
few resources you guys today are very
lucky make use of them you have youtube
videos
all languages have you have videos
available on youtube i'm sure you can
find something good there
as well you can find streaming radio
stations streaming news networks
streaming television stations you can
find downloadable videos on demand
full movies in your target language you
can find everything so make sure you get
some of that no excuses do it every day
okay one piece of advice i will give you
is to use videos and to use videos that
have subtitles so if you get a dvd
sometimes you can set the subtitles on
so you can watch with the subtitles and
then maybe remove them
but also on the internet you can find
videos that have been
they've had subtitles added to them as a
way to help second language learners
like i found a website for french that
had all sorts of movies with subtitles
added to them french movies that
somebody added the subtitles as a way to
help second language learners french
learners so there are materials out
there like that with subtitles and those
are very useful for helping you make a
connection between the visual and the
auditory some people are more visual
learners they need to understand the
language visually and conceptualize it
visually and if you're just listening
sometimes you won't be able to perceive
the sounds until you make that
connection with the written word so the
subtitles help you do that to make that
connection between the sound and the
visual
and i recommend that you listen with the
subtitles first but then you can remove
them
if it's a dvd and you can remove the
subtitles with a setting then do that
but if the subtitles are kind of
they're already edited into the video
and you can't remove them then you can
try just closing your eyes or covering
your eyes you could do that i'm sure
after you are already familiar with the
content of the video and you know what
it's about you know the the topic and
stuff from reading it then you can
switch off the subtitles just try to
rely on your hearing the second time
around and you are getting rid of that
visual crutch after you've already made
the connection between auditory and
visual okay so watch once with subtitles
once without train yourself like that to
just listen
i should say though beware of captions
on youtube or any automatically
generated captions they usually suck
sometimes they're hilarious so if you
want a good laugh you can watch them and
figure out what they're saying usually
it's way off so just be careful the
captions are not usually accurate okay i
recommend that you practice listening to
a variety of different levels
so
some materials out there are made for
second language learners so they're
graded they use graded language that's
aimed at for example beginners or
intermediate level
or upper intermediate the language is
tailored for learners so it's simpler
and it's easier for you to grasp and
understand so i recommend you use that
sometimes because that helps you
consolidate the things that you are
learning in your textbook the things
that you are studying or the things you
learn in class from your teacher
if you use a simple video
simple audio too that will help you
review and consolidate things you're
already learning and it's encouraging
because it's it's not too far above your
level not too far out of your comfort
zone so you will be able to understand a
lot of it and that will be encouraging
for you you'll feel that you're
improving and you're using the language
for something functional so you'll feel
good and encouraged but at the same time
i recommend that you use more difficult
materials that are aimed at native
speakers so listen to the radio listen
to the news watch tv shows that kind of
thing
and just experience the sound of the
language i recommend that you
have no expectations of understanding
you just relax you don't put any
pressure on yourself to have good
comprehension you just want to
just hear the sounds of the language and
notice the things that you recognize
even if you don't understand what's
being said just think ah i remember that
word i've heard that before and notice
the patterns of intonation notice where
if you notice where one word starts and
then ends or you notice where the next
word begins that's that's all fine just
notice that don't worry about trying to
understand you just want to internalize
those patterns subconsciously so then
once your study
gets to that level you will be very well
prepared to
to understand it because you've already
internalized all of those
auditory patterns okay so i recommend
you
listen to simpler materials also more
challenging materials just
listen
and experience the sounds that's it
and the last thing i'll recommend is to
speak with native speakers maybe it
sounds obvious to some of you but a lot
of people still just study in books and
they still
just they still just learn to read and
write and make sentences out loud in the
language without actually talking to
native speakers but these days with the
internet again you have no excuse you
can go to
italki.com and you can find a skype
teacher some of them are really cheap
depending on the language you're
speaking you can sometimes get a lesson
for like five dollars per hour or ten
dollars per hour is more common
it's cheap and it's effective you need
to speak with native speakers in your
target language
especially in an uncontrolled context
like if it's just um
a very structured scripted lesson where
they do listen and repeat with you or
they have you just read sentences and
that kind of thing that's not as
beneficial you want to have some
surprises you want it to be uncontrolled
so that you
you hear things you aren't expecting and
that kind of trains you to
to
not panic when you hear things that you
don't understand to just relax and
notice the things you do understand to
use all of the cues all of the the
signals that help you understand
including intonation including
including context including body
language all that stuff you just want to
train yourself to to notice the things
that help you understand and ignore the
stuff that doesn't that's why it's good
to
to practice in an uncontrolled context
with native speakers so that you are
doing that with the native sounds of the
language
all right so those are my pieces of
advice for how to improve listening
comprehension it's not rocket science
you just need to do it every day there
are tons of resources on the internet
you can use radio you can use videos you
can watch youtube all that stuff get a
teacher through italki or some service
like that speak with people
and use subtitles when you watch videos
subtitles not all the time but they're a
good tool to help you connect the visual
and the auditory alright hope that made
sense hope that was helpful have a good
night talk to you later
[Music]
big
[Music]
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