1. Giving in to mental block
Listening takes a lot of effort and concentration. Sometimes it is hard to understand a native speaker (because of their accent or because they simply speak too fast). In a real life situation you should always ask the speaker to slow down, repeat or rephrase, they won't mind! During a listening exercise, stay focused, don't give up but try to catch up whenever there is a pause.
2. Translating in your head
Translating is a logic thing to do but during a listening test you won't have enough time and it's very difficult to keep up (it takes professionals years of training to get it right!). Try to think in English! The aim of a listening exercise is to help you communicate in English, not to make you a translator!
3. Using materials that are too difficult
Using songs and lyrics to update your listening skills is a good idea. But don't feel disappointed or confused when you don't understand what the song is about. Some American rappers use a form of language that they have created themselves. It is hard, even for a native speaker, to understand what their songs are about so this is not appropriate material for you. The same goes for films. A short but focused listening exercise is a lot better than a long exercise where you have more chances of getting lost. Want to watch a film? Use English subtitles first, then watch it in parts.
4. Doing other things while listening
Listening comprehension takes time to build. It is not necessary to understand every word you hear. Most of the time it is more important to understand the converstation in general than the meaning of a single word. Taking notes or using a dictionary during a listening exercise will not help you in finding out the general meaning of what you're listening to. Practise, practise, practise and in time you will be able to pick up more details!
5. Not using the right strategy
There are several strategies you can use to find out the answers to a listening test or task. The key is to use the right one:
A) Listening for gist - Try to find out the general idea/context.
B) Listening for key words – Try to listen for a specific word, idea or thought, for example, a date, historical fact or piece of informatio.
C) Listening/checking for comprehension – a great strategy is listening to what someone has to say, like directions to get to a place, and then saying them back to check for comprehension
Adapted from: http://busyteacher.org/14669-5-esl-listening-mistakes-do-you-recognize-them.html
Having problems with your Listening Skills? Have a look at:
Listen A Minute. On this website you can find lots of useful (one minute!) listening activities & exercises. Browse through the topics and start practising!
Found an interesting YouTube film you'd like to share? Please, let me know!
Here are some of my favourite fairytales, as told by the wonderful Mister Roald Dahl (I bet they are quite different from the versions you heard before....?) Can you find all the differences?
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