How to Improve Your Listening Skills in Any Foreign Language: Asian Polyglot's Advice

Summary

This video discusses the importance of feedback loops in improving listening skills for foreign languages. It emphasizes that simply listening or speaking more is not enough; instead, learners should engage in exercises with feedback to understand and internalize vocabulary and phrases. The speaker recommends using textbooks with transcripts to practice and self-assess, highlighting the need for targeted practice and feedback to truly enhance language comprehension.

Takeaways

• 😀 The 'dumbest answer' to improving language skills is simply to listen or speak more without a structured approach.
• 🌟 To improve listening skills, one must understand that hearing and listening are different; the sound of a word is a separate piece of information.
• 📚 Learning vocabulary through reading and writing does not guarantee comprehension when hearing the word spoken.
• 🔄 The process of improving listening skills involves going through feedback loops, where you challenge yourself and then receive feedback.
• 📘 Using textbooks with workbooks that have listening exercises and transcripts can be very effective for practicing and getting feedback.
• 🎧 Listening to audio exercises multiple times and then checking the transcript to understand what was not initially comprehended is a recommended method.
• 👨‍🏫 Feedback from a teacher or coach is crucial for understanding what was not understood during listening exercises.
• 🔍 Identifying and underlining specific words or sentences that were not understood in the transcript is a key step in the learning process.
• 📈 Repeated practice and feedback help in storing information related to specific words and improving listening skills over time.
• 📚 For self-study, finding textbooks or workbooks with transcripts of their audios is essential for effective practice and feedback.
• 🌐 The importance of feedback in mastering any language skill, including pronunciation and grammar, is emphasized, not just passive listening.

Q & A

What is the main issue faced by learners when trying to improve their listening skills in a foreign language?

The main issue is that learners can read and write words but struggle to understand them when they are spoken. This is because hearing and listening involve different pieces of information that the learner hasn't stored yet.

Why is simply listening to a lot of content not the best way to improve listening skills?

Listening without understanding is not effective because it lacks the feedback loop necessary for learning. To improve any skill, including listening, one needs to challenge themselves and then receive feedback on their performance.

What is the process of improving listening skills according to the speaker?

The process involves listening to words or phrases in different situations, initially not understanding them, but then receiving feedback to help the brain store this information and create neural networks related to the vocabulary.

What role do feedback loops play in skill improvement?

Feedback loops are crucial for skill improvement as they allow learners to challenge themselves, receive feedback from a teacher or coach, and understand what they did not understand, thereby facilitating learning.

How can learners get feedback on their listening skills?

Learners can get feedback by using textbooks or workbooks that have listening exercises with transcripts. After listening to an exercise, they can check the transcript to identify the parts they did not understand.

What are Yonsei University textbooks and how do they help in learning Korean?

Yonsei University textbooks are a set of learning materials used by the speaker to coach his clients. They include workbooks with listening exercises and transcripts, which help learners practice and improve their listening skills.

Why is it important to underline or highlight the parts that learners did not understand in the transcript?

Highlighting the parts that were not understood helps learners focus on these specific areas, reinforcing their learning and helping them store the information related to those words or phrases.

What is the speaker's advice for practicing listening skills by oneself?

The speaker advises finding textbooks or workbooks with transcripts of their audios. This allows learners to listen to an exercise, answer questions, and then check the transcript to see what they did not understand.

How can learners ensure they are improving their listening skills effectively?

Learners can ensure effective improvement by going through multiple feedback loops, listening to exercises, guessing what the text or situation is about, and then receiving feedback from a teacher or coach.

What additional support does the speaker offer for language learners?

The speaker offers a coaching program where he can personally help learners master any language they want, be it Korean, Chinese, or any other foreign language.