Dear English language learner,

Many English language learners study hard, but do not get desired results. One of the problems could be lack of exposure to authentic English. That’s why I keep telling them to listen to good quality English on a regular basis, and for an extended period of time. To my mind, listening plays a crucial role in one’s language learning and development.

It is possible to acquire a good command of spoken English by listening to lots of English and taking part in meaningful interaction in real-life situations. The first is possible in the comfort of your own home, with absolutely no help from anyone. Well, you might ask: where can I get the right material from? Here’s the answer.

English Language Teaching in Surat

Do you know “podcasts”? A podcast is basically an audio file, and is usually free. The dictionary definition of a podcast is: a digital audio file made available on the Internet for downloading to a computer or mobile device, typically available as a series, new instalments of which can be received by subscribers automatically. Moreover, you can choose a topic from practically hundreds and thousands.

The following are just a few of the links you might like to try.

  1.  https://audioboom.com/
  2.  http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts
  3.  If you are interested in podcasts especially created for language learners, then you can try these: http://learningenglish.voanews.com/podcast/0.html (for American English) and http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish (for British English).
  4.  And here’s a list of top 10 podcasts by the Guardian, UK to help you learn a language: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2015/feb/09/top-podcasts-learning-language-german-japanese

So, friends, do start listening to podcasts and share your experiences with me.

Happy learning, happy sharing!

–Dharmendra Sheth