Improve listening skills

danki · 23 Dec 2013

As the title says, what do you think is the best method to improve listening abilities? What kind of exercise do you usually do?
I've often read about ondoku and shadowing, and is what I try to do whenever I have the chance (mostly using my textbook and its CD), any other? Any kind of website suggestion with suitable material (say intermediate, around n2 level) is warmly welcomed

Trufs · 5 Jan 2014

Im using Learn Japanese online. With our podcast, learning Japanese is easy. | JapanesePod101.com. They have lessons for all levels. First you listen to scene like 3 times including one time very slowly thrlen they translate it and talk about harder words, grammar construction etc. I think they have still first week free. Theres also script for those listening and other materials. I like listening to it while on a trip or when doing something else. I dont have to fully focus on it and still learn some. But obviously putting your whole attention to it wouldnt hurt.

I guess listenings attached to your lv book are nice to..First you try to understand as much as you can, do excercises like answer questions to it and then see the script in the end to check. Im doing it on my classess. Were using minna no nihongo.

Andromedashun · 5 Jan 2014

Trufs said:
Im using Learn Japanese online. With our podcast, learning Japanese is easy. | JapanesePod101.com. They have lessons for all levels. First you listen to scene like 3 times including one time very slowly thrlen they translate it and talk about harder words, grammar construction etc. I think they have still first week free. Theres also script for those listening and other materials. I like listening to it while on a trip or when doing something else. I dont have to fully focus on it and still learn some. But obviously putting your whole attention to it wouldnt hurt.

I guess listenings attached to your lv book are nice to..First you try to understand as much as you can, do excercises like answer questions to it and then see the script in the end to check. Im doing it on my classess. Were using minna no nihongo.

I used to be a member of Jpod101. But after a while I realized it is boring as **** and I decided to quit it.

Trufs · 5 Jan 2014

Andromedashun said:
I used to be a member of Jpod101. But after a while I realized it is boring as **** and I decided to quit it.

Well it got some chatting between hosts so that can be a bit boring/annoying, but all in all I find it usefull to hone my listening skills, learn new grammar and words, and also learn a bit about japanese culture, because they often talk about stuff like that. WHat i really like about it, that i don't have to use it with any book or anything, i can just take it with my mp4 and listen to it while on a bus or anywhere. I don't have to check translation with book or dictionary, because they translate it during the listening and explain it.

Do you have anything similar but not 'boring as ....' as you said? I'd love to try it.

Anyway, it probably still got some free previews or free first week, so it won't hurt to try (for OP)

Andromedashun · 5 Jan 2014

The vocab are less effective as hell as I don't find them appearing in Manga as I enjoy more. And they try to make up a sequel of nonsensical story. And as you mentioned, English translation are extremely itchy.

Trufs said:
Do you have anything similar but not 'boring as ....' as you said? I'd love to try it.

I try to buid up vocab and Kanji with software like Anki. I still depend a lot on text books but as this point I can understand manga to some point. If I don't understand the text of the manga I look for English translation or guess if I already knew the story.
Enjoy manga and Anime make your life better and easier.

Trufs · 5 Jan 2014

Andromedashun said:
The vocab are less effective as hell as I don't find them appearing in Manga as I enjoy more. And they try to make up a sequel of nonsensical story. And as you mentioned, English translation are extremely itchy.

I try to buid up vocab and Kanji with software like Anki. I still depend a lot on text books but as this point I can understand manga to some point. If I don't understand the text of the manga I look for English translation or guess if I already knew the story.
Enjoy manga and Anime make your life better and easier.

Yeah i use anki to learn both kanji and words, and i try to read some mangas and i do watch anime, but I like to be diverse A little bit of it a little bit of that. Keeps things fresh. Im listening to those podcasts mostly for listening skills, but if i learn a word or two then its cool too I know they are more effective ways to learn, but listening to podcast is quite pleasant and doesnt take that much effort from me as concentrating on anki or textbook. So it fills its niche for me Thats why i ask if you got anything similar -> listening + translation? Not if you got something else to learn japanese, i already got that.

letslearn · 5 Jan 2014

Have you tried mykikitori website? It has listen exercises and quizzes. Some time searching rikitori no renshuu can provided children's story's with dialogues attached.

Trufs · 5 Jan 2014

Ow that's nice. I've seen that site before. But its only good to concentrate on it and work on pc in home, for more 'passive'/outdoor learning seems like jpod is better. Got anything that i can download and then listen to stories that are then translated?

Andromedashun · 5 Jan 2014

Trufs said:
Yeah i use anki to learn both kanji and words, and i try to read some mangas and i do watch anime, but I like to be diverse A little bit of it a little bit of that. Keeps things fresh. Im listening to those podcasts mostly for listening skills, but if i learn a word or two then its cool too I know they are more effective ways to learn, but listening to podcast is quite pleasant and doesnt take that much effort from me as concentrating on anki or textbook. So it fills its niche for me Thats why i ask if you got anything similar -> listening + translation? Not if you got something else to learn japanese, i already got that.

I guess you already knew this, but, don't be fool by the simple grammars that were introduced in Jpod101. The conversation are a lot harder to follow with unknow phrases and words. That's why I said enjoy more anime and manga than that... It explains with pictures and situations rather than texts, and become pretty handy with translation.

On the other hand, I see listening to songs are completely useless for learning Japanese. The songs are for entertaining rather than real learning the actual language, sign...

Trufs · 5 Jan 2014

Andromedashun said:
I guess you already knew this, but, don't be fool by the simple grammars that were introduced in Jpod101. The conversation are a lot harder to follow with unknow phrases and words. That's why I said enjoy more anime and manga than that... It explains with pictures and situations rather than texts, and become pretty handy with translation.

On the other hand, I see listening to songs are completely useless for learning Japanese. The songs are for entertaining rather than real learning the actual language, sign...

Yeah i just mentioned grammar because there is a bit of that. But im learning grammar with my class when we do minna no nihongo book so that's my grammar source, not jpod

I know its hard to follow when you don't know words, that's what jpod is mostly for for me. Learning new words + listening what i already know.

ANd yeah ive noticed songs aren't too good to learn... good that im not big fan of japanese music. I like some, but not that many.

Do you have any site with simple mangas ? I sometimes try to read One Piece, but its too hard usually. I end up checking up most of the words, since they are in furigana and not only kanji.

Andromedashun · 5 Jan 2014

Trufs said:
Do you have any site with simple mangas ? I sometimes try to read One Piece, but its too hard usually. I end up checking up most of the words, since they are in furigana and not only kanji.

That's the most common thing about manga that I believe appear in any book, covers mostly Hiragana and sometimes Katakana. Maybe build up vocab and learn intermediate grammars may help? And dictionary is your friend.

And I can't really help you with site since I read only 5-10 pages per day XD

letslearn · 6 Jan 2014

Trufs said:
Ow that's nice. I've seen that site before. But its only good to concentrate on it and work on pc in home, for more 'passive'/outdoor learning seems like jpod is better. Got anything that i can download and then listen to stories that are then translated?

If you are looking for audio books with script. A good site is thejapanesepage.com.... It has audio book dowloads of some classic short stories and a pdf download of the script. Not bad as you can listen to the story on your commute and follow the text.

Improve listening skills

danki

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