French comprehension through reading versus through listening is very different. For many students learning French for work, reading comprehension comes more quickly, while listening takes a bit longer to master. Although this is natural, there are a few tips for improving your listening comprehension skills that may make a huge difference in your progress.

At POINT3 Language Center, we strive to support our students in every way possible. From small class sizes and personalized attention to career-oriented learning that you can bring directly to your workplace, you’ll be able to make the progress necessary to reach your goals. We use a number of techniques to help you improve your workplace communication skills. Keep reading to learn about some of our top suggestions for improving your listening comprehension abilities.

Speak as Often as Possible to Learn French for Work

Even if you make many mistakes when you first begin, getting into the habit of speaking French whenever possible will help improve both your speaking and listening skills as you learn French for work. When talking to another French speaker, you begin to develop an understanding of your own accent and the improvements you can make to speak more clearly. In doing so, your listening skills improve as you detect errors in your speech and work to fix them. With consistent speaking practice, you’ll be able to sort out any tricky pronunciation rules. Additionally, listening to how another French speaker sounds will help you familiarize yourself with the language’s cadence and flow. Immersing yourself in conversation will result in more efficient progress and will be especially important in the workplace, where verbal communication is crucial.

Speaking often will help you further your listening skills when you learn French for work

Use TV and Film to Improve Your Listening Skills

Media is a great resource to help you improve your language skills. When it comes to listening, you can use TV shows and movies dubbed in French along with French subtitles to help you follow along. Reading the French words that you know while simultaneously hearing them spoken by the actors will help you better associate the written words with their spoken counterparts. It can be helpful to start out by watching a movie that you know well in English but using French audio and subtitles instead. This way, you’ll have an idea of what is happening already, and the context can help you better understand what the actors may be saying.

Active listening during conversations as well as while watching movies in French will help you progress your listening skills

Your instructors will help you navigate online French school seamlessly by providing skill-appropriate lessons with each session. Without wasting a moment, your lessons will maximize your participation and engagement with pre-planned exercises focused on your needs. This way, you can take what you’ve learned and expand it into further language skill development, such as through TV and film listening practice.

Make Listening Part of Your Daily and Weekly Routine

As you progress with your language skills, it’s important to be incredibly consistent to ensure retention of new vocabulary, mastery of pronunciation, and comprehension of written and spoken French. One way to accomplish this is to make listening a part of your daily and weekly routine. Outside of your scheduled class time, you can make it a habit to complete five to ten minutes of listening per day throughout the week. During these listening sessions, whether you’re listening to an online French resource, the radio, a podcast, or an app, you can engage in active listening. This requires you to repeat the words you hear, respond to prompts, and write down new words you want to learn. Once you integrate these tips into your French language practice, you’ll begin to feel more confident with listening to and speaking French in your workplace.

Interested in learning French for professionals?

Contact POINT3 Language Center for more information!