Students often ask, “How can I improve my listening skills?” Other than coming to class every day and speaking English as much as you can while living in the United States, the internet is a great tool to improve your listening skills. The following are three websites that CISL teachers highly recommend. Each has a few features that will help you learn when you are not in the classroom!
Great Website for English Language Learners
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NPR
National Public Radio’s “Five Minute News” publishes a new five-minute news story every hour. Each story includes the transcript so students can listen and read along at the same time. The vocabulary in the NPR news stories is sometimes very advanced; therefore, this site is recommended for High Intermediate to Advanced English language learners.
http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1
BBC Learning English
Would you like to hear the British accent? BBC is for you! The BBC Learning English website offers six-minute lessons. These lessons are created for English language learners (so they are perfect for all levels) and include the transcript and a list of vocabulary words. The topics are on an array of subjects so there is a good chance you will be able to find a story that interests you!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/
British Council English Online Learners
Sometimes students say that English speakers talk too fast. If this is a problem you have, then the British Council website may be the perfect listening website for you. This website is actually designed for students who are preparing to the the IELTS exam (a test some students take to score their English proficiency) however, this site is a perfect tool for any language learner. Students can choose three speeds when listening: slow, medium, or quick. A good tip is to start slow, learn the lesson, and then speed it up.
http://www.englishonline.org.cn/en/learners/ielts-preparation/listening
Featured image from latoro.com.