I highly recommend podcasts for education. History, mythology, philosophy, and, you guessed it, language are all topics that may be explored on these podcasts. Listening suggestions for many languages may be found in our language guides. In this article, we’ll talk about the greatest ways to learn via podcasts.
Even while podcasts are convenient to take with you wherever you go, passive listening isn’t always the ideal strategy. Even if you listen to a couple hours of Spanish nonstop, you won’t pick up much useful vocabulary.
Podcasts may be used in a variety of ways, from reinforcing your existing language abilities to learning new grammar and vocabulary, but here are some pointers to help you get the most out of your listening experience. Also, if you’re simply searching for podcasts to listen to, scroll down to the bottom. Babbel’s podcasts may be found here.
1. Listen to educational podcasts.
Listening to podcasts that are recorded in the language you’re studying and listening to podcasts about the language you’re learning can help you improve your language skills. You’ll want to go with the latter if you’re just starting off. Because so many fantastic shows are available in various languages, it might be tempting to go into more challenging material. Listen to podcasts where the language is spoken slowly, with instructions on grammar and vocabulary being given along the way.
2. Slow it down a bit.
Slow and fast-forward options are available in many podcast applications. You may find this useful. One of the most difficult aspects of learning a new language is the speed at which fluent speakers can converse. However, if you want to catch all of the phrases that you missed, slowing down the podcast is the way to go.
3. Pay Attention To What You’re Hearing
As a native English speaker, podcasts are ideal since you can listen while doing other things. When you’re doing chores around the house or exercising, you may listen to a podcast. This is great because if you take a few seconds to catch your breath, you’ll be able to quickly get back on track. This isn’t the case with podcasts in other languages. If you lose your bearings even for a second, you’ll probably be entirely unable to find your way back. Listening while doing as little as possible is the best way to deal with this.
4. In order to remember new words, keep a notebook in which you record them.
We’re finally getting to the hands-on learning now. One of the greatest ways to learn new vocabulary through podcasts is to keep a running list of the words you hear. If you can, attempt to decipher the word’s meaning from the context, then look it up and write it down. Use a genuine dictionary instead of Google Translate to learn the full meaning of the term.
As tedious as it may be at first, you’ll soon realize how much progress you’ve made when you find yourself looking up less and less during each episode. And it’s a terrific feeling to complete an entire episode without having to look up any terms for the first time. In addition, you may utilize the notebook to create flashcards so that you can study the words when you’re ready.
5. Consider Obtaining Transcripts
While this will differ from program to show, finding ones that post transcripts in their entirety is a huge time-saving perk. You may use it as a reference when you can’t understand what someone is saying, or you can read along with them. It may be more like reading a book than listening to a podcast, but having both the written and audio versions can help you learn new words and phrases.
6. Play Podcasts in the Background Occasionally
Now that we’ve covered podcasts, let’s take a break and listen to some ambient noise. Listening to the language you’re trying to learn is a good thing, even if you’ve already read that you need to focus on the language. It’s a great way to get a feel for the sounds of the languages and to hear a variety of accents.
Watching the program may also give you a better understanding of how native speakers actually speak. As a result, you won’t hear the natural rhythm of the language or any “ums” and “ers” that occur in everyday conversation when studying a new language. Listening to podcasts is a great way to get a taste of the real thing.
Babbel is a great language learning app that comes with a variety of educational podcasts. Read our complete Babbel Review here.
7. Make Use of Additional Learning Resources
This is not the first time you’ve heard about somebody learning a new language solely by binge-watching soap operas. Even if it seems passive and inviting, this frequently simplifies the entire narrative. They may also be completely immersed in the language. As a result, those who use podcasts to study should expand their horizons.
You should look for tools that can fill in the void left by podcasts. There are a lot of different ways to learn a new language, but you’ll want to look for written materials as well. Another thing to look for is feedback on your learning, as they don’t really do that. There are a plethora of materials available, including Babbel, and merging them would be an excellent idea.
