is the single most important thing a language learning can do.

Hi, I'm Gary Buck,

CEO Lidget Green. Let me tell you

why extensive listening practice so very, very beneficial

for language learners. There are four reasons.

Firstly,

spoken language is quite different from written language.

Learners have to

learn spoken language. They have to

learn the phonology, the sound system, they have to learn

idiomatic usage, they have to learn spoken grammar

they have to learn to deal with, hesitations, false starts,

so forth, and they can only do that through

listening. Secondly,

listening develops automatic processing.

If language uses is to be effective

it needs to be instant and automatic.

There's no time for language users to think about things.

Because speakers speak so quickly,

normally about 3 word a second,

and because listeners have to listen

at the speed determined by the speaker, it forces them

to develop automatic processing skills.

This not only improves their listening,

it improves all their language skills: reading, speaking,

and writing, as well.

Thirdly, we learn language through communication,

through using the language for genuine communicative purposes.

By listening to these speaker's, who are talking about

what interests them, and by understanding what they say,

listeners are engaged in communication,

real communicative language learning.

And fourthly, listening provides

optimum conditions for input for acquisition.

This is what Crashen in called, "I Plus One".

While they're listening, speakers will always use

some new language, something the listeners don't know.

And they'll understand that from the context. And this

enables them to acquire new language. For these reasons

extensive listening practice is very powerful

for language learners. We hope you enjoy our site.