We recently wrote about the best sites for English listening; for those who haven’t read it yet, we recommend that you read: 6 Best Websites for English Listening. Today we will add another wonderful site to this list. It is also perfect for those who do listening tasks, ranging from levelelementary, including levelspre— intermediate, intermediate. There are also materials for the level upper— intermediate.
We're talking about British Council website, more precisely, in its section for English learners. Here is the link: http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en(Opens in a new tab or window). By the way, there is also a separate section for those who are preparing for IELTS, but more on that below.
What's good about this site? Which useful materials can you find it there? This is what we will talk about today. But first, about the language itself that the site “speaks”. Basically this is the British version of English, plus some audio material, where the speakers are “non-local people”, that is, regional accents (from Far East to South America and Australia). But classic British English clearly dominates on the site. Therefore, those who need exactly this kind of “English” - pay special attention;)
Most audio clips have texts. This allows you to use materials as you please: with or without text, or alternating different options. In addition, many audio clips have special tasks. They check your understanding of the text and help you remember words and phrases.
Now – about the sections of the site.
Large section – Listen& Watch– just what you need for listening lessons. The materials there are very diverse:
- Elementary Podcasts– audio materials specifically for the elementary level. The program has existed since April 2008, and a new audio clip is added every month. You can listen online and complete exercises and tasks directly on the website, or download the audio in mp3 format. There you can also watch or download the script (text) for the audio clip (use the “Instructions & downloads” link just below the player window.
- Big City Small World – « soap opera» in audio format. The style of speech is conversational, several easy-to-remember characters, each episode is approximately 5-8 minutes. There are tasks and text for each episode.
- Word on the Street – everyday English in different everyday situations. The difference from the two previous programs: there is not only audio, but also video (usually 3-4 minutes each). The heroes move through different areas of London and other English cities. There is text not for all videos, but for most. Plus tasks.
- Magazine – articles on the most different topics, read by the announcers. Themes range from Halloween and rainforests to social issues. The duration of the sound is on average from 3 to 7 minutes. The language is literary (magazine, book), the type of audio clip is most often a monologue. Suitable for listening levels from approximately intermediate and above.
- Stories& Poems– a very useful section. English poetry (for example, Kipling's poems) sounds quite unusual for beginners: different rhythms and intonations are very well felt, this is an excellent exercise. Well, you will also have fun, of course.
- Talk about- monologues of the most different people on a variety of topics. There is a lot of English here with regional accents (people from China, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, etc.). There is no need to be afraid of “picking up” incorrect or “inauthentic” pronunciation. Firstly, you will listen to different materials, and not just this section, so you don’t have to worry about pronunciation. Secondly, listening skills develop well if you often listen to a wide variety of English speech: the ear will quickly learn to distinguish accents and grasp the generalities. Thirdly, it is interesting and useful to listen to how your “colleagues” speak English, who are also learning this language, just like you.
- Overcooked, How to…, UK Culture– the remaining sections of this large section. We will not describe them in detail, be sure to look there yourself.
Another pretty large section – Business & Work– excellent materials, very useful for developing listening skills. The main difference from the section Listen& Watch is that the topics here are mainly related to work, career, professions, business communication etc. The vocabulary here is more varied and “adult”. For level Upper— Intermediate it will be just right, you can try it on Intermediate if you have a good one vocabulary(I remind you that we mean listening levels, not your grammar-reading-speech levels, these are not the same thing - see. FAQ). The section contains headings:
- Professionals Podcasts– everything that is written above about the section itself fully applies to the section. Speech - monologues or dialogues, the level of complexity is suitable for listening levels Intermediate, Upper— intermediate.
- You’ re hired– business English. Topic: hiring, selection of candidates for the company. The videos are short (audio+video), there are scripts and tasks.
- Business Magazine– there are no materials for listening, only texts (articles on careers, professional growth, etc.). They differ from ordinary non-adapted articles in magazines and websites in their slightly more “strict” vocabulary, and, of course, in special tasks.
Let’s quickly go through other sections of the site for English learners.
Useful section Grammar & Vocabulary– not so much for listening, but for Grammar and your Vocabulary 😉
Chapter Fun & Games– yes, there is such a thing. It contains useful games, jokes and other entertainment for English learners.
Chapter IELTS – the name speaks for itself. The section is relatively new, but there is not much material there yet. But new ones are gradually being added, so if you are going to take this exam, take a look there too, just in case. Now the section already contains clearly useful materials about the features of listening forms on IELTS.
I think this short “excursion” is enough to get your bearings general outline. Along the way, you will probably come across other interesting materials on the British Council website (for example, there is a special section for children, a section for English teachers, etc.)
Why do you need English? There may be many answers. For work or travel, professional growth or expansion of consciousness. When we talk about “fluent English” or “good English” we mean a well-developed ability to communicate in English. And successful communication is impossible if only you speak.
The interlocutor expects you to listen and hear. But those who study English as a foreign language often encounter difficulty listening to the speech of foreigners. Your interlocutor will not have good diction, a slow pace of speech and clear pronunciation without fail. In addition, he may speak with a strange accent and use slang words. Understanding such an interlocutor is not easy. But you can do this if you improve your listening comprehension skills in English in advance.
We offer a selection of podcasts by level to improve this skill
For Elementary/A1
- – listening resource from the British Council
- Audio English– with the help of the resource you can improve not only listening, but also grammar and pronunciation
- DynEd's Podcast– short podcasts of 10 minutes, high quality diction of lecturers
For Pre-Intermediate/A2
- - a standard (one might even say classic) listening training course from the Air Force.
- is an American resource where you can easily find Learning English Broadcast. Train your listening comprehension of American English
- – on this resource you will find materials on different types pronunciation
For Intermediate/B1
- – materials from the BBC, interesting videos 6 minutes each
- – a podcast by British English teacher Luke Thompson, the author discusses a huge number of interesting topics in English
- – English-language news that will help you improve your English and learn new information
For Upper-Intermediate/B2
- – a podcast authored by British Jade Joddle, an English teacher. Interesting listening materials
- – news from Great Britain
- – a resource from two American women, English teachers. On the resource you will find a lot of materials, including those for developing listening skills.
For Advanced/C1
- – the resource will provide you with a selection of audio tests for taking IELTS.
- – to improve business English
- – for poetry lovers
- – English-language resource for mathematicians
What associations do you have when you hear the word “listening”? Is this something nerdy from school? A set of challenging ear training exercises? Endless rewind of a jamming cassette tape? Listening has changed a long time ago, and we will prove it. From this article you will learn: what are the benefits of listening lessons, how to properly learn English from audio materials, what types of podcasts are there, is there an award for audio series, and where to look for a talk radio show.
Why do you need to do listening and is it worth doing at all?
Many English learners complain that they have difficulty understanding native speakers. If your interlocutor's speech is too fast and full of colloquial and dialect words, how can you get the essence of it all? Perhaps you were offered a cup of tea, and you took these words as threats. To avoid embarrassment, you need to practice, even if you do not live abroad or do not visit there regularly.
How exactly to practice? There are many videos available on the Internet. But what to do when there is no video and subtitles? We are used to always relying on these helpers. They can become a crutch, without which you will not understand speech by ear. That’s why it’s so important to train your perception of speech without pictures and text. Such exercises are called listening.
Where in real life could these skills come in handy? For example, you will have to talk with a person on Skype without a webcam or over the phone. Another case: the museum will offer you an audio guide in English, but if you’re not used to it, you won’t understand the speaker. The simplest situation: on the way to work you want to listen to the music of your favorite artist or an audiobook in the original language.
If you want to overcome the hearing barrier, practice modern listening. Podcasts, audio series and radio programs in English will help you.
What are the benefits of audio materials in English?
1. You get used to how coherent English sounds.
To better understand English-speaking people, you need to listen to their conversations more often. To get started, choose short educational audio recordings at a slow pace. Then move on to audio material from real conversations between native speakers. This way you will learn the features of intonation, pronunciation of sounds, stress in words, placement of logical pauses.
2. You listen to modern speech
Many of the materials we used for listening lessons at school are outdated. They play out irrelevant situations. The characters' vocabulary is too bookish. The result is unnatural dialogue. Modern listening makes it possible to learn an ever-changing living language.
3. You get used to different accents in English.
Pronunciation depends on national characteristics. The English of an Indian, Chinese and French is quite different by ear. Listen to examples:
Resident of India:
Resident of Burkina Faso (mother tongue - French):
Resident of Spain:
Chinese resident:
You can learn to understand any accent well. Listen and get used to different pronunciation features.
4. You will learn how to use new vocabulary correctly
To vocabulary on new topic firmly ingrained in your mind, it is not enough just to memorize the words. You need to know in what context the speakers use them in life. For example, you have mastered . After that, listen to several podcasts for programmers, so the theory will be complemented by practice.
5. You learn grammar by doing.
Modern listening will teach you to listen to abbreviated grammatical structures and help you understand the application of rules in context. You will also be able to make sure whether native speakers really use such a complex tense as the Past Perfect Continuous, or whether the teachers tormented you with it in vain.
6. You train your concentration
In the age of smartphone addiction and tabletization, we are accustomed to perceiving information visually. But if you want to improve your concentration, then the best challenge for you will be audio materials in English. This is a double job of the brain: changing the usual information channel to an audio one and processing the speech of a foreigner. The more interesting!
7. You broaden your horizons
You can choose podcasts, audio series and radio shows based on your interests. If you learn a new trend in the profession or a popular slang word, you will shine in front of your friends and colleagues.
8. You work out where it’s convenient for you
Whether you're driving, on the treadmill, on a plane or on the beach, you can still continue to practice English. If there is a desire, ears and technology will be provided.
A moment of wisdom from a Quentin Tarantino film character.
You"d be surprised what happens if people just listen... without succumbing to all that pain and anger.
You'd be surprised what would happen if people would just listen... without giving in to all the pain and anger.
How to learn English correctly using audio materials
1. Choose engaging material at the appropriate level.
Has it ever happened to you that someone played a recording of an American stand-up comedian, and you, understanding at best a couple of words, still chuckled politely? Happens to many people. Stand-ups are characterized by a lot of slang and complex wordplay. It’s better to put them aside for a while and choose audio materials of your level.
2. Find the best way for you to work with a podcast
You can simply listen to audio recordings in your free time, or use other tactics:
- Listen to the audio material and try to understand as much information as possible from it. If this is difficult to do, try to grasp the main idea of the recording.
- Find the text of the entry, read it and translate all phrases unfamiliar to you.
- Turn on the audio recording again and try to hear the text that is already familiar to you.
- Retell what you heard to your friends, family, or to yourself in the mirror, trying to imitate the speaker’s speech.
This tactic is not as time-consuming as it seems. You will spend 15-20 minutes analyzing a five-minute audio material.
3. Understand unfamiliar words and grammatical structures
Work with new material. If you come across unfamiliar vocabulary, look for it in combinability dictionaries, new constructions - in grammar manuals. After that, try to make a few sentences with them.
4. Make things more difficult
Let's say you began to easily understand the speech of the leading educational podcasts for entry-level. This is great, but you can’t rest on your laurels. Choose more complex materials, challenge yourself with new challenges. This way you can progress.
Listen to how the same news sounds, adapted for beginners, people with an intermediate level, and unadapted for an advanced level:
Entry level:
Intermediate level:
High level:
Modern materials for listening
Podcasts
A podcast is one or a series of audio files. Educational podcasts cover a variety of topics. Original non-adapted podcasts are devoted to one topic and are released on a regular basis. Listen to the movie podcast trailer to get a sense of what we're proposing to do.
Educational podcasts:
- LearnEnglish Podcasts - 10-15 minute podcasts for levels and from the British Council. The site presents materials with simple vocabulary, but a fairly fast pace of speech. Any podcast and transcript (text) can be downloaded completely free of charge. Each audio recording comes with a test and several tasks that will help you check how well you understand what you heard. In addition to podcasts on general topics, here you will find materials for learning business English.
- Luke’s ENGLISH Podcast - podcasts from English teacher and part-time stand-up comedian Luke Thompson. Since 2009, his website has accumulated 490 episodes with transcripts. At the end of each issue you will find useful vocabulary, sometimes grammatical structures from the lesson.
- Voice of America Learning English - American podcasts adapted for language learning. Here you will find the latest political, cultural and scientific news, short stories, the history of the origin of idioms. The speaker's pace is moderate and will allow you to understand all the words. In addition, the most necessary vocabulary is highlighted in the transcripts and placed in a separate list, Words in This Story.
- Business English Pod - business English podcasts that teach you how to speak on the phone, give presentations, increase sales and more. You can listen to the podcasts for free, but for many audio recordings, transcripts, tests, and other materials are only available with a subscription.
- Hellenic American Union - topical podcasts with pdf files that you can freely download. Each file includes a transcript, images, glossary, and exercise keys.
Unadapted podcasts:
- BBC Podcasts - podcasts ranging in length from 5 to 60 minutes for level and above. You can download all audio materials for free. But each entry has a kind of expiration date, after which it is deleted from the site.
- TED Radio Hour and Ted Talks Daily are projects based on the famous conferences and educational videos from TED Talks. Each episode consists of one or more interviews on a common topic.
- iHeartRadio - here you can find thematic podcasts collected from various portals.
- Player FM is a platform that contains podcasts on any topic that might come to your mind.
- Radio Wolfgang is not just a podcast, but a whole community of people creating a new media format. Participants propose topics that interest them and choose the best ones by voting. Podcasts are developed based on the winning topics. There is a lot of documentary and scientific material, entertainment content and stories of individuals.
- Check out the Podcast Awards website for the best non-adapted podcasts.
Audio series
In our country, few people know about audio series, but they are extremely popular abroad. Short and long audio dramas, just like their video counterparts, are released for entire seasons and gather a lot of fans. Most of them are freely available. The only thing is that rare audio series are provided with transcripts. Therefore, such materials are usually suitable for students with an Intermediate level and above. Please keep in mind that some series have age and other restrictions. Warnings sound at the beginning of each episode.
Best Audio Dramas:
- Bronzeville is a stylish series about Chicago in the 40s. One of the main roles is voiced by Laurence Fishburne, aka Morpheus from The Matrix. What we have: a specific African-American accent to train your ears and amazing jazz music as a bonus. You can listen to all episodes by following the link. And the trailer for the series is .
- Wooden Overcoats is a British Podcast Awards winner, a British series about the rivalry between two funeral homes. Almost Bezenchuk and “Nymph”, only in the English way. You can listen to the trailer.
- The Once and Future Nerd is an award-nominated and award-winning fantasy series. The audio drama is interesting because each episode is accompanied by a script in pdf. You can listen to the trailer for the series by following the link.
- Our Fair City is a post-apocalyptic audio drama with short episodes of 10-15 minutes. The creators continue to release new seasons, the first two of which are accompanied by transcripts. As a bonus, the series comes with comics.
- MarsCorp is a comedy series about the Red Planet. Twelve episodes of 40-45 minutes each.
- We're alive is one of the best series in the survival horror genre. Over 60 million downloads, awards for best production, screenplay and acting. You can listen to the trailer.
- The Truth - short stories of 10-20 minutes in length from theater professionals from New York. The audio drama has been around for 20 years. You can listen to the trailer for the series by following the link.
Selections of audio series:
- Check out the Audio Verse Awards website for a list of the best audio dramas from the past year.
- On Twitter, the hashtag #AudioDramaSunday is responsible for a selection of the most remarkable audio series.
- You can select the series based on a short trailer at Audio Drama Production Podcast.
- Find news, teasers and short reviews of new series on Audiotainment News.
- You will find quite a lot of audio dramas on the already familiar Player FM.
Radio show
Radio broadcasts are not only a source of new music. There are many worthy original talk shows on foreign radio channels. Professional journalists with good diction create high-quality content that is convenient for learning spoken English. As with audio dramas, radio shows rarely contain transcripts, so this type of modern listening is suitable for Intermediate levels and above.
Top radio stations:
- BBC Radio is a British radio station that is heard by everyone who learns English. Here you will find many programs for every taste. BBC Radio 4 is a separate BBC product, aimed not at broadcasting music, but at discussing a wide range of topics: food, travel, book reviews, etc. BBC Ulster (Ulster is a city in Northern Ireland) and other local BBC units will give you an idea about dialects of the English language. The Irish differ from the English in their specific pronunciation; their dialect is quite difficult to understand if you are not used to it. But the presenters, as professionals in their field, speak better than most citizens, so we recommend training on their radio show.
- Bloomberg Radio is an American radio station covering business life. The best portal for learning English on business and finance. 2,700 journalists from 120 countries select the latest materials for you 24/7. You can select and listen to the program in the Shows tab.
- ABC Radio is an Australian radio station with programs divided into categories: news, social issues, entertainment, culture, science, etc. Each episode lasts from 6 minutes to one hour, contains interviews with different personalities and the presenter's point of view on the problem. - a popular American radio show with transcripts. Each issue is dedicated to a specific topic. It is revealed using different stories and situations that happened to real people in the real world. our online English school.
At the moment, there are already a great many different audio courses designed for listening in the car.
Leaving aside the question of the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of this technique, we have made for you a selection of several similar audio materials. Listen and improve your English on the way to work.
Before downloading this or that course, we highly recommend that you at least briefly understand what audio English courses in the car are, what you can expect from them, and what you shouldn’t.
Let's start with the fact that, in our opinion, such audio courses can never replace full-fledged training English language. Let's be honest, in our teaching practice we have not yet met a single person who would learn to speak English only by listening to such courses in the car on the way to work.
“Learning” English using this method is severely limited by several obvious factors.
Firstly, due to objective reasons, you cannot concentrate 100% on learning English, because... forced to simultaneously drive a car, assess the situation on the roads, etc. Therefore, from time to time you will be forced to “step out” from the process for a couple of minutes and then return to the listened material again.
Secondly, by doing this you activate only one of several channels of information perception, namely the auditory one. That is, even when you hear a word, you don’t know how it’s spelled, you don’t see its transcription, and you probably won’t be able to write it on paper without errors. This no longer allows us to talk about an adequate process of language learning.
Let it not seem to you that we are only opponents of such courses. It must be admitted that the method of English courses in a car also has its undeniable advantages:
1) You can listen to the material every day for at least 30-60 minutes, without additional organization of time for classes. It's objectively convenient
2) Listening to the material several times in the car, you willy-nilly begin to remember it. The material is, as it were, recorded in the subcortex of your brain.
Practice shows that the most effective result You can benefit from such courses in addition to basic English training at a language school or with a teacher (such training should be basic in any case!).
That is, when you go over a topic with a teacher, you then reinforce it by listening to it in the car. In this case, with a certain training system, a good result is guaranteed.
Here is a selection of some similar courses that can help you master the language. Go ahead, try it, download it to your flash drive, listen. Perhaps this will become an indispensable support for you when studying English.
1) 1C. English while driving (audio course)
1C English while driving - Part 1
1C - English while driving - Part 2
