(edit title) SFI C and D Listening practice Options

[rofique2]

Hi All,

I've recently passed C course but only just got through the listening part, I only have a 2 hour class each week and only get to about a third of them so of course my listening isn't improving as it should be.

Any suggestions on how to improve it? I drive a lot so good easy to listen to CD's or radio stations maybe?

I know I can talk more with my partner and work collegues but you tend to know whats being said or its technical and you need to swap to English so I'm not finding it that helpful.

Thanks for the help

[gplusa]

I never sat the C test, so I don't know the format for the listening comprehension part but, for the D test, you get the read the questions first. So you know what to listen for. Gives you a chance to think about the key words you need, instead of panicking trying to hear and understand every word. I agree that the listening part is the hardest to master. You're not alone there. The biggest problem I had (have) is tuning out after a while, so I would advise listening to the news or radio for short bursts at a time. Rather than trying to sit through an entire movie etc. If you suffer from the same curse.

[Opalnera]

Indeed gplusa I have the same problem with tuning out. I tried watching kids tv programs on SVT Play but it's a bit boring and understimulating (cute though). Have you listened to klartext? News in easy Swedish. Well it's not really very "klar" but I think it's good.

[ithinkimtink]

In my case watching Swedish tv with subtitles helped a lot, as well as reading Swedish and asking a Swede to pronounce (and explain) the word for me if I couldn't "imagine" it myself.
I wouldn't stay too long in the kids area if I were you, makes you lazy, jumping in the pool is one way of learning how to swim, eh.

[rofique2]

I've been looking around for films etc in Swedish with english subtitles but no jojys so far, or did you mean Swedish subtitles?

The C test, we saw the questions then heard the passage twice. What I found hard was it would be question like, what will the speaker do when they retire. They would then speak around retirement in general what most people do, what theire feinds will do, what they want to do, what they will do. Also it was (according to others in the class) a Skåne accent, which I'd never heard before, but guess it makes sense I need to learn other accents.

Is this simialr in D listening?

I also do the zoning out thing, I suppose its habit of knowing I can't understand so why listen, maybe I did that in the test! But I'll try listening in short bursts.

[bobalong]

It is hard to get the hang of the listening part of the language. If you read a lot, it does not necessarily help you much, you just get very good at being able to read the lingo and do not necessarily learn how the words are said, so of course when you hear them you do not recognise them even though in fact you would know them if written down.

The zoning out thing is a bit of a myth really. Yes you might not necessarily be "actively listening" but your brain is never the less "listening". You are subconsciously hearing the words spoken anyway. Your brain then begins to sort out where words start and stop and the intonations etc. Your active listening comes and goes but your brain and ears do not just close so carry on listening to the radio anyway.

Couple of tips that have helped me to get better.

Go to a loppis/second hand shop and look for books on cd and then try to find the same book in the library. ( Most libraries will not let you have both at the same time). Read a couple of pages of the book so you understand the story then listen to the cd while reading the pages a second time. It is time consuming but it really does help with pronunciation of words and stress etc.

Watching English tv with subtitles helps a little as you begin to pick up new words but note that the translations are not always correct.

While reading, read out loud. You get used to the sound of the words you are speaking and your confidence actually builds up as you are not as self conscious when you do hear your voice talking to someone else when it happens. Sounds odd but it does work. That is how actors practice before doing it before an audience. If it is good enough for them....