Does this situation seem familiar to you?Your English is progressing well, the grammar is now familiar, the reading comprehension is no problem, and you are speaking quite fluently.
First of all, remember that you are not alone. Listening is probably the most difficult job for almost all learners of English as a foreign language. The most important thing is to listen as often as possible. The Internet is really a useful tool for English students. You can download the RealPlayer. The RealPlayer allows you to use the Internet like a radio station.
Once you have begun to listen on a regular basis, you might still be frustrated by limited understanding.
Here is some of the advice I give my students:
● Accept the fact that you are not going to understand everything.
● Stay relaxed when you do not understand, and try listening to the material for more times.
● Do not translate everything into your native language.
● Don't concentrate on details before you have understood the main ideas.
● Listen to something you enjoy.
I remember the problems I had in understanding spoken German when I first went to Germany. In the beginning, when I didn't understand a word, I insisted on translating it in my mind. This method usually resulted in confusion. Firstly, translating creates a barrier between the listener and the speaker. Secondly, most people repeat themselves constantly. By remaining calm, I noticed that even if I did not pay much attention I could usually understand what the speaker had said.
A. What should you do?
B. Listen for the general idea of the conversation.
C. But you can't follow a native English speaker at all!
D. But listening is a problem for most of the beginners!
E. So, what you need to do is to find listening resources.
F. However, after several weeks, I got used to the new environment in Germany.
G. Then, after the first six months, I discovered two extremely important facts.
