What is English listening? How to prepare for a listening test?

Learning foreign languages always consists of several components: writing, reading, speaking, and listening. English listening comprehension is used to assess a student's ability to understand a foreign language by ear. It tests the ability to orient oneself in time, understand the meaning of words, and comprehend the connections and context of sentences.

What is English listening comprehension?

Listening comprehension is the process of assessing a student's understanding of spoken language in a particular language. During the assessment of listening comprehension skills, the student listens to English speech, whether it be a dialogue, lecture, audio recording, or video material. The task is to memorize and understand the content, the ability to identify key information, main ideas, details, and nuances of the statement.

This is extremely important when learning a foreign language, as it allows you to quickly learn to communicate with others. Without understanding spoken language, interaction becomes almost impossible. Those who study languages know that mastering grammar is only half the battle; the main thing is the ability to understand what you have learned by ear.

What formats are used for listening comprehension in educational institutions: how to prepare for listening comprehension in English?

In educational institutions, listening comprehension is used to test students' knowledge and can be conducted in the following formats:

• Listening comprehension as part of a test or exam.

This can be part of a exam or foreign language test, where students are asked to listen to an audio recording or watch a video. After listening, they must answer questions about the content of what they have heard, for example, reproduce the main ideas, details, or meaning of the statement.

• Tests.

This is a classic way of assessing a student's knowledge. The teacher may ask students to complete a test that includes listening comprehension. Often, such tasks are part of a general knowledge test that covers writing, reading, and testing.

• Listening comprehension tasks.

Such exercises may involve listening to texts and then discussing their content. Usually, separate lessons are set aside for this, dedicated to working on oral speech.

Listening comprehension can be practiced by watching films, listening to television programs, lectures, presentations, or audiobooks. The main tool for rapid progress is communication with native speakers who have an authentic accent. Therefore, you should do the appropriate exercises to be prepared for such tasks.

Why train listening comprehension at the beginner level

Listening is one of the most practical and necessary methods of language learning. This practice not only develops language skills, but also enriches the student's life experience, helping them to better adapt to the modern multilingual world. Listening also contributes to:

• Improved perception of spoken language. Regular practice helps students better understand native speakers in various situations. Often, after studying English, students encounter difficulties in understanding the spoken language, because during their studies, not enough attention was paid to communicating with native speakers and listening. Developing auditory skills, the ability to perceive different voices, accents, and speech tempo is what listening comprehension provides.
• Expanding vocabulary. Listening to audio recordings and watching videos allows you to learn new words and expressions in context, which helps you understand the language more deeply, eliminates language barriers, and teaches you how to combine words correctly.
• Immersion in a foreign culture. Audio and video materials introduce you to the traditions and mentality of another country, which improves communication. Listening comprehension immerses students in the linguistic and cultural environment through the analysis of social topics and situations.
• Preparation for real-life situations. Listening prepares you for unexpected moments: communicating with strangers, navigating a new environment.
• Development of critical thinking. Analysis and evaluation of what you hear contribute to the development of critical analysis skills.

The ability to understand native speakers with their natural accents and engage in dialogue increases confidence and helps avoid awkward situations in the future.

Perceiving English by ear: what prevents you from understanding spoken language

Overcoming the language barrier can be difficult even for those who have been studying English for several years and are well prepared. Here are some of the main reasons why difficulties arise:

• Personality type. It is quite arbitrary, but all people are divided into several psychotypes according to their ability to perceive information: visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and digital. If you are not an auditory learner, it may be more difficult to understand English by ear, but this skill can be developed (we will discuss this further).
• Underestimating listening comprehension. Some students do not pay enough attention to developing this important aspect of the English language. To understand foreigners by ear, you need to work on your perception of spoken language and do listening comprehension exercises.
• Low level of knowledge. Recall or determine your level of English (a level test will help you find this out). Studying only formal English. Not knowing abbreviated forms and slang can make it difficult to communicate with native speakers. Develop all skills comprehensively.

There is a belief that you can learn English from scratch by watching TV series such as Friends, How I Met Your Mother, or House M.D. in their original language. Although these series are interesting, they are not suitable for beginners or elementary learners, as such students lack the necessary vocabulary and other skills. Therefore, let's repeat once again: only comprehensive language learning produces results.

How visual learners find it easier to perceive English by ear

Visual learners absorb information better through images, so listening to English can be challenging for them. However, there are several effective ways to help develop listening skills.

• Combine audio with video.

Watch educational videos that combine sound and images, offering videos with subtitles that make them easier to understand. There is a lot of such content freely available on YouTube.

• Use subtitles with caution.

Subtitles help you better understand what you hear, but you shouldn't get too used to them. First, watch the material with subtitles, and then try to do without them. Constant dependence on text can slow down the development of auditory perception.

• Take notes.

Writing things down helps you organize information and see it visually, which makes it easier to remember. For better structuring, you can use colored markers, tables, diagrams, or even simple drawings. It's a good idea to write down new words along with examples of their use — this way, they will become part of your active vocabulary more quickly.

• Listen to audiobooks along with the text.

Combining audio and reading significantly increases your level of understanding of the material. It is helpful to pause at difficult passages, highlight important phrases, and write them down immediately.

How much time should you devote to listening to get results?

The best results in language learning are achieved through complete immersion in the language environment. The more you listen to English-language content, the faster you will progress.

• For beginners: devote 10-15 minutes to listening every day. This can be one session or several short ones.
• For intermediate learners: increase the time to 20-30 minutes, dividing the listening into one or two sessions.
• For advanced learners: watch movies or TV series in English for 30-60 minutes every day for effective training.

The key to success is consistency. Even 5 minutes of listening every day will be beneficial if you do it regularly.

Why Speaking Clubs also help improve listening

Participating in conversation clubs is a great opportunity to improve your English without boring textbooks, in live communication and an interesting atmosphere.

• Immersion in a real language environment. Live English with different accents, speeds, and intonations helps you get used to the natural sound of the language faster and understand your conversation partners more easily in real situations.
• Practice in a dialogue format. Discussions, debates, and even casual conversations train your ability to respond to different points of view and formulate your own thoughts in English. If necessary, you can always clarify the meaning of a word or ask for an explanation.
• Combining listening and speaking. Listening to other participants and practicing your own speech helps improve pronunciation, intonation, and reaction speed. Feedback from conversation partners suggests areas for improvement.
• Confidence in communication. Regular participation in clubs gradually removes the language barrier. Over time, English is perceived as a natural tool for communication, rather than an exam.
• New acquaintances and cultural exchange. Conversation clubs bring together people from different countries. After all, it is always interesting to learn more about other cultures, broaden your horizons, and even just talk about yourself!

Conversation clubs are not just about learning. They are also a great opportunity to have fun and make new friends.

How to effectively develop English listening skills

Listening to English-language content is not the only way to improve your listening skills. There are other methods that will make your learning more interesting and productive.

• Shadowing technique.

Listen to a phrase and repeat it immediately after the speaker. This method helps you better understand pronunciation and intonation and memorize new words.

• Communicate with native speakers.

Use platforms such as Tandem or HelloTalk to communicate live with native English speakers. Real communication allows you to get used to the natural pace of speech and get valuable advice.

• Games for training your ear.

Interactive games make learning fun. Try guessing words from songs or use apps to test your skills.

• Interactive platforms for practice.

Services such as Duolingo or Babbel offer special listening exercises. They help you focus on key aspects and train you to recognize words in context.

Why can listening be difficult?

Listening is not just hearing, but an active skill that requires the ability to pick up on details and intonations and respond accordingly. By developing this skill, you will learn to better feel the rhythm of speech and recognize humor, emotions, and nuances in conversations, songs, or movies. We wish you success in your studies!