1. Practice “Narrow Listening”
“Narrow listening” means listening to many things about the same topic. This method is more powerful than trying to listen to many different kinds of things. Students who listen to similar things learn faster and speak better than students who listen to different kinds of things.
For example, you can choose one speaker and find many things by him. Listen to all of his podcasts, audio books, and speeches. This is powerful because all speakers have favorite vocabulary and grammar. They naturally repeat these many times. By listening to many things by the same person, you automatically get a lot of vocabulary repetition. You learn faster and deeper!
Another example is to choose one topic to focus on. For example, you could read an easy book, listen to the same audio book, listen to a podcast about the book, and watch the movie.
I did this with my class in San Francisco. We read “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”. Then we listened to the audio book. Then we watched (and listened to) the movie. Then we listened to interviews with actors in the movie. My students learned a lot of vocabulary in a short time, and their speaking improved very quickly.
2. Divide Your Listening Time
Which is better: to listen for two hours without a break, or to divide that time during the day? Well, dividing your listening time is best.
By dividing your time throughout the day, you remember more and learn faster. So it’s much better to listen 30 minutes in the morning, then 30 minutes in the car or train, then 30 minutes coming home from work, then 30 minutes before sleep. In fact, this is the exact schedule I recommend to my students!
3. Use an iPod or MP3 Player
iPods are fantastic. You can put a big listening library on one. Then you can carry your English lessons everywhere. You can learn English while walking, while shopping, in the car, in a train, while cooking.....
With an iPod or MP3 player, you don’t have to worry about CDs.
Also, you can find a lot of English listening on the internet. You can find lessons, stories, podcasts, TV shows, interviews, and audio books.
Simply download the audio, put it on your iPod... and learn English anywhere!
4. Listen To Movies
Movies are great for learning English BUT you must use them correctly. Don’t watch all of an English movie. You will not understand it, and therefore you will not learn anything.
Only watch one scene or segment per week (maybe 2-3 minutes). Follow this method:
a) First, watch the scene with subtitles in your language. This will help you understand the general meaning.
b) Second, watch the scene with English subtitles. Pause. Use a dictionary to find new words you don’t understand. Write the new sentences in a notebook.
c) Listen to the scene a few times, with English subtitles. Do not pause.
d) Listen to the scene a few times, without subtitles.
e) Repeat a) - d) everyday for one week.
On the second week, go to the next scene/segment and repeat again. It will take you a long time to
finish a movie. That’s OK, because you will improve your listening and speaking VERY FAST. This method is powerful-- use it!
5. Read and Listen at the Same Time
Listening and Reading together are very powerful. While you listen to something, also read it. This will improve your pronunciation.
Reading while listening also helps you understand more difficult material. Read and listen to learn faster. After you do this a few times, put away the text and just listen. You will understand a lot more and you will improve faster. Always try to find both audio and text materials.
To start, you can read my blog and listen to my podcast at:
Another great idea is to get both a book and its audio book (ie. the above example of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”).
6. Months To Excellent English Speaking
Follow the above suggestions (and the 7 Rules in my email course) and you will speak excellent English.
I have been teaching over 10 years. Every student who follows these methods succeeds. Always!
The Effortless English method is the key to speaking excellent English. It is the key to fluency.
You only need 6 months -- 6 months and you will speak easily to native speakers.
6 months and you will speak quickly and naturally.
6 months and you feel relaxed when you speak English.
You have tried the old ways.
You tried textbooks.
You tried schools.
You tried grammar study.
It is time to try something new!
Good luck.
I wish you success with your English learning!
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