This article addresses a topic that sometimes gets ignored, and yet it? a really important subject that causes so many people so much difficulty and tends to hold back their progress unnecessarily.

Wouldn? you like to be able to??

• Understand native speakers in far greater detail than usual?
• Discover ways of getting the speaker to help you with your listening without feeling embarrassed?
• Appear to be more involved in the conversation by the other parties?
• Discover new words in a natural and powerful way as a process of learning to be a better listener?

If you answered yes to any or all of the above questions then read on to discover how to apply some simple and basic techniques that will quickly have you on the way to becoming a better listener.

Firstly, you?e got to learn to relax while your listening to others and making conversation.

The first basic fact that you?e got to accept is that you will not understand every word that is being spoken (unless you?e a very advanced speaker of English). Once you?e accepted that fact and realized that its a normal part of learning then you?l start to become a better listener.

Listen for the ?heme??of the conversation,- not the detail.

The thing is that most English learners all try to listen for the same thing,- which is ?oo much detail?? While you?e listening for the detail and meaning in every word you?e missing the essence of the conversation. You have to start listening to the ?heme??of the conversation. Like listening to the overall flavor of the conversation rather trying to taste every word. For sure you?l not understand every word,- but you?l understand the overall theme and message, and then from that you can start to understand those other missing words that you didn? fully understand at the moment that they were being spoken. It? kind of like painting a picture and starting with a sketch that you fill in the detail to later; and just like the artist you will learn to improvise and then complete the detail in your own way until such a time that the sketchy methods give way to the true artistry that will make you into a very capable listener and speaker.

Ask the speaker to help you.

Don? be afraid to ask the speaker to ??em>please speak a little more slowly (or clearly) so that I can understand you better?? Most native speaker wont realize that they?e talking too quickly unless you ask them to slow down,- and when you do ask them to slow down you?l be surprised that they?l be happy to do that and also to help you further if you need it. You can stop them and ask them to repeat a word or even to explain it more for you (this is OK to do as long as you DON? overdo it by asking too much). If there? something that they?e said that you don? understand then just say this,.. ??em>could you elaborate on that for me a little??? and you?l be amazed at how they?l go to extra effort to give you more detail in a an easy to understand manner.

Loosen up, relax, and you?l learn more.