Is passive listening worth doing for learning a language?

There are many debates around as to whether passive listening for long periods of time works well for learning a language.  Some language learners believe it helps to have audio playing all day long and not really pay any attention to it.  Then there are other learners who believe that doing this is of limited value.  Instead, you should listen whilst concentrating on what is being said.

Unfortunately, I have never seen any research that concludes this in one way or another.

However, I can’t help but think of all those songs where I know the words and I have only ever heard them a dozen times on the radio.  Or the advertising jingles that stick in your head for a whole day.  Even if I am only remembering the words “it’s only half price today!  Call now on 123 123!”  This is still etching words and numbers into my mind with really limited effort.

Of course, the better your listening skills in your target language, the more you will get out of passive listening.  Yet even as a beginner, I can’t help but think that listening to the sounds of the language will help later as your level improves.  This is because you actually hear the tones, the accent of the speakers and the actual sounds of the language.  These are also crucial for learning a language for both listening and pronunciation skills.

Personally, I actually recommend you combine concentrating as hard as you can and at others, you relax and listen passively.

So for those moments when you are busy working on your computer, getting ready for work or school etc don’t forget to put that radio on in the background.  A little bit of chatter on the radio and a little bit of music could be a great way to spend some valuable time with your target language and improve your listening skills.