Listening to the TV for your English
Of the four communication skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing), many people find listening to be the most challenging. With listening you have to take into account the subject being discussed, the speed of speech, the speakers’ accents, possible new terminology and many other things. So, how should you go about improving your listening skills?
Obviously, you need to take every opportunity available to you, whether it be listening to your host family, your teachers and fellow classmates, people you meet on the streets, in shops, in pubs, at parties etc. The TV can of course be another great way to develop your listening skills. But with so much on TV (and the Internet) what should you watch? It’s best to watch something that you are interested in as it will make it easier and more enjoyable. Watch the TV at a time of the day when you feel you can best concentrate.
For some people watching TV is easiest in the morning when they feel most awake (perhaps after a coffee!). If you do this then it is recommended that you watch Breakfast TV on BBC 1. The subjects which are being discussed are always interesting and not difficult to follow. They have news items, short documentaries and lots of interviews, often with famous people. Don’t worry if you don’t understand everything that is being said, as long as you understand the overall subject of discussion.
Remember that you don’t need to watch this programme every morning, but try to do so on a regular basis.
More help with listening from Jackie here: