Unleash the Power of Active Listening

 

The Difference Between Active Listening and Passive Listening When Learning English

by Robert Farmilo, 

The English Language Workout

Listening skills are very important when learning English, and there are two different methods to improve this skill: active listening and passive listening. Understanding the differences between these two methods can help you create an effective learning process.

1. What is Active Listening?

Active listening is a method in which you consciously listen to English and try to understand it. In this method, you focus carefully and try to make sense of the words and phrases you hear.

How to practice active listening?

• You must fully focus on the content you are listening to.
• Take notes of unfamiliar words and look up their meanings in a dictionary.
• Pay close attention to the speaker’s intonation, emphasis, and voice.
• Repeating what you hear (the shadowing technique) helps improve your pronunciation.
• You can write small summaries or ask yourself questions about what you’ve listened to.

Free Resources for Active Listening:

• BBC Learning English – English at the Movies (BBC Learning English)
• ESL Fast Listening (ESL Fast)
• ELLLO – English Listening Lessons (ELLLO)
• TED-Ed (TED-Ed) – Offers short educational videos with English subtitles.

2. What is Passive Listening?

Passive listening is a method where you listen to English in the background without consciously analyzing it. This method helps you develop an ear for English, and over time, your brain starts to recognize words and sentence structures. However, passive listening alone is not enough; it should be supported by active listening.

How to practice passive listening?

• You can listen to English while doing daily activities (e.g., cooking, walking, or driving).
• You can watch content without subtitles or with English subtitles.
• You can listen to English songs and pay attention to the lyrics.
• You can play podcasts or radio programs in the background.

Free Resources for Passive Listening:

• BBC Learning English – The English We Speak (BBC Learning English)
• VOA Learning English (VOA Learning English)
• Librivox – Free Audiobooks (Librivox) – Offers English audiobooks.
• Podcasts: The British Council Learn English Podcast (British Council)

Which Method is More Effective?

Both methods have different advantages. If you want to learn English faster, you should prioritize active listening and support it with passive listening.

• If you are at a beginner level (A1 – A2): You should focus more on active listening because your vocabulary is not yet extensive, and you need to make an effort to understand the content you listen to.
• When you reach an intermediate level (B1 – B2): Passive listening will also benefit you greatly because your brain has started recognizing English sounds and structures.

Recommended Strategy:

1. Do at least 30 minutes of active listening daily.
2. Listen passively for 1-2 hours during daily activities.
3. Choose content appropriate for your level and make sure you understand it.
4. Write down and review new words and phrases.
5. Practice pronunciation by repeating the phrases you hear.

By applying these methods regularly, you can improve your English listening skills. Good luck!