Over the years, my CSL students often ask me how to improve their listening skills. I normally recommend them to try a couple of the following to start with:
- Chatting with a Chinese friend on Skype for 10 minutes once a weekChatting with an overseas student from China on campus for 5 minutes every dayCompleting listening exercises such as multiple-choice questions, filling in the gap, listening for clues, etc. as often as possibleFocusing on WH-Questions (e.g., Who, Where, What, Why, Which, etc.) while doing regular in-class listening exercises with your teacherGoing to the local library to borrow a listening course book with tapes/DVDs and listening to them frequentlyJoining a social club and listening to the native speaker talking about a topic of your choice from time to timeListening to a local radio station's Chinese program dailyListening to Chinese songs with the lyrics presented in front of youListening to the CDs accompanying to your Chinese textbook
10. Listening to the Chinese broadcast while doing house chores
11. Listening to the Chinese podcast available online, e.g., http://www.clavisinica.com/voices.html as often as you can
12. Listening to your teacher reading a passage/story in class and answering the questions followed
13. Organising a night out with your Chinese friend(s) to a local Chinese restaurant and conducting conversations in Chinese while dining
14. Participating in a China study tour organised by your school
15. Playing language games by following instructions in Chinese
16. Watching a Chinese movie once a month
17. Watching Chinese TV news regularly
18. Watching Chinese videos available online, e.g., http://video.chinese.cn/
19. Watching online Chinese audio slideshows in your spare time
20. Watching online performances by Non-Background-Chinese-Speaking Learners participating in Chinese language competitions, e.g., available at: http://www.chinese.cn/bridge/
It is essential that when listening, one has to pay attention to the Chinese native speaker's pronunciation, intonation, control of the four tones, tempo, idiomatic usages and body language where present. Listen attentively and with a focused mind.