One research study in New Zealand has found strong evidence that extensive listening to a foreign language, in whatever form, makes a huge difference in a person’s overall ability to quickly acquire a particular vernacular. That means immersion activities such as listening to natives in conversation or enjoying songs can accelerate your overall results in language learning.
While this has long been prescribed by many language teachers, the study brings the activity to the forefront, arguing that it’s one of the most natural and indispensable strategies that you can employ in increasing your overall language facility. In fact, the researchers go so far as to suggest that it is possible to acquire the language even without formal training using this method.
There is no doubt that listening can help you develop your communication skills. If you’d like to make speedy and long-lasting gains, however, we highly recommend employing formal lessons, like you can get from a language software or a complete course book.
According to the research, the brain automatically makes the necessary neural connections to make sense of unfamiliar sounds, eventually allowing you to gain some amount of comprehension for a language even if you do start out from a blank slate. Coupled with the strategic training that language lessons can provide, it is highly likely that your overall improvement will be much more pronounced.