Listening and understanding
Practice listening!
Infants “listen” for more than a year before they can say anything close to “mom” or “dad”.
Watch videos and listen to music in your language, download Internet files with “speech” in the language. Try to recognize words, even sounds. Don’t bother trying to understand, just get used to the sound of the language.
Use the language lab.
Prepare yourself by reading exercises, then put them aside and listen.
Only speak or write when asked to.
When others in class speak,
listen for what they say and mentally build images of their answers—in the language itself.
Listen while a tutor or friend reads to you—
maybe even something as simple as a children’s book.
Make friend with a native speaker and practice!