Dictation as the core method for improving English listening
The author from New Oriental claims that dictation is the only effective way to improve English listening comprehension. He criticizes reliance on exam tricks and suggests listening four times while writing down the text, then analyzing errors related to pronunciation and connected speech phenomena.
Key takeaways2
- Beginners are advised to pause after each listen, gradually filling in missed words.
- Dictation errors help identify weaknesses in perceiving phonetic features such as linking, weak forms, and unreleased stops.