Active vs. Passive Listening: Why You’re Not Improving Your English
In this video, we’ll explore the difference between active and passive listening, especially when it comes to learning English with podcasts.
You’ll learn what the research says about how each type of listening affects your English skills, including listening comprehension, vocabulary development, and pronunciation.
I’ll share why I changed my mind about passive listening and how you can use both active and passive listening in your English learning routine.
⸻
? Mentioned in this video:
? English Learning for Curious Minds
Learn with Interactive Transcripts: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts
Free Transcripts: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/free-transcripts
➡️ Listen to English Learning for Curious Minds (on YouTube):
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWYV8lHn0fV9rcRuxs_–mzLZewjziP4-
? Free Learn English with AI Prompts Database (Copy/Paste Prompts)
https://bit.ly/4lO20tt
⸻
? You might also like:
https://youtu.be/p8lQ_40tq_c?v=gGXNiaLXg98&list=PLWYV8lHn0fV8U4DO92MJKGwNvaekxObK7&index=3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGXNiaLXg98&list=PLWYV8lHn0fV8U4DO92MJKGwNvaekxObK7&index=3
https://youtu.be/fG5aNNP0FJE?v=gGXNiaLXg98&list=PLWYV8lHn0fV8U4DO92MJKGwNvaekxObK7&index=3
⸻
Let me know in the comments — do you do more active or passive listening? What works best for you? ??
⸻
? What You’ll Learn — Timestamps:
00:00:00 - ? Why I used to dismiss passive listening (and why I’ve changed my mind)
00:00:37 - ? How emails from podcast listeners and research led me to rethink this
00:01:15 - ? Definitions: What counts as passive vs. active listening?
00:03:08 - ⚖️ Passive and active listening as a scale, not a binary
00:03:44 - ? “Meaningful cognitive engagement” explained
00:04:01 - ? What skills does passive listening help develop?
00:05:27 - ? How passive listening is like learning your first language
00:06:09 - ? Passive listening helps train your ear, but doesn’t build grammar/vocabulary
00:06:31 - ? Why active listening improves comprehension and vocabulary faster
00:07:11 - ? 1996 study: Strategy instruction and its effect on test results
00:07:58 - ? Implicit vs. Explicit knowledge — and what each type of listening gives you
00:09:28 - ⚠️ Why many learners miss opportunities by not engaging actively
00:10:07 - ?️ When passive listening is useful (e.g. at the gym, walking the dog)
00:10:40 - ?️ Why podcasts are ideal for both passive and active listening
00:10:59 - ? How to combine both types of listening in your routine
00:11:50 - ? Why truly passive listening doesn’t really exist — if you’re interested
⸻
? Key References
Kurkela, J. L. O., Hämäläinen, J. A., Leminen, A., & Leppänen, P. H. T. (2019).
Passive exposure to speech sounds modifies change detection brain responses in adults.
NeuroImage, 188, 208–216.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.12.021
Zaigham, G. H. K., Jameel, N., Ahmad, R., & Hameed, A. (2022).
Incidental vocabulary learning through listening to songs: Does repetition matter?
Frontiers in Psychology, 13, Article 915846.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.915846
Hamada, Y. (2016).
Shadowing: Who benefits and how? Uncovering a booming EFL technique for listening comprehension.
Language Teaching Research, 20(1), 35–52.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168814559806
Blanco-Elorrieta, E., Kastner, I., Emmorey, K., & Pylkkänen, L. (2021).
Bilingualism shapes active listening: ERP evidence during language comprehension.
Neuropsychologia, 153, Article 107750.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2021.107750
Pica, T., Young, R., & Doughty, C. (1987).
The impact of interaction on comprehension.
TESOL Quarterly, 21(4), 737–758.
https://doi.org/10.2307/3586992
Krashen, S. D. (1982).
Principles and Practice in Second Language Acquisition.
Oxford: Pergamon.
Swain, M. (1985).
Communicative competence: Some roles of comprehensible input and comprehensible output in its development.
In S. Gass & C. Madden (Eds.), Input in Second Language Acquisition (pp. 235–256).
Rowley, MA: Newbury House.
Thompson, I., & Rubin, J. (1996).
Can strategy instruction improve listening comprehension?
Foreign Language Annals, 29(3), 331–342.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1944-9720.1996.tb01246.x
⸻
#LearnEnglish #EnglishListening #PodcastForEnglishLearning #ActiveListening #PassiveListening #EnglishWithPodcasts #EnglishFluency #LanguageLearning #ComprehensionSkills #AdvancedEnglish #ListenAndLearn #SpeakEnglish #EnglishTips #EnglishForAdults #IntermediateEnglish #FluentEnglish #HowToLearnEnglish #ImproveYourEnglish
You’ll learn what the research says about how each type of listening affects your English skills, including listening comprehension, vocabulary development, and pronunciation.
I’ll share why I changed my mind about passive listening and how you can use both active and passive listening in your English learning routine.
⸻
? Mentioned in this video:
? English Learning for Curious Minds
Learn with Interactive Transcripts: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts
Free Transcripts: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/free-transcripts
➡️ Listen to English Learning for Curious Minds (on YouTube):
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWYV8lHn0fV9rcRuxs_–mzLZewjziP4-
? Free Learn English with AI Prompts Database (Copy/Paste Prompts)
https://bit.ly/4lO20tt
⸻
? You might also like:
https://youtu.be/p8lQ_40tq_c?v=gGXNiaLXg98&list=PLWYV8lHn0fV8U4DO92MJKGwNvaekxObK7&index=3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGXNiaLXg98&list=PLWYV8lHn0fV8U4DO92MJKGwNvaekxObK7&index=3
https://youtu.be/fG5aNNP0FJE?v=gGXNiaLXg98&list=PLWYV8lHn0fV8U4DO92MJKGwNvaekxObK7&index=3
⸻
Let me know in the comments — do you do more active or passive listening? What works best for you? ??
⸻
? What You’ll Learn — Timestamps:
00:00:00 - ? Why I used to dismiss passive listening (and why I’ve changed my mind)
00:00:37 - ? How emails from podcast listeners and research led me to rethink this
00:01:15 - ? Definitions: What counts as passive vs. active listening?
00:03:08 - ⚖️ Passive and active listening as a scale, not a binary
00:03:44 - ? “Meaningful cognitive engagement” explained
00:04:01 - ? What skills does passive listening help develop?
00:05:27 - ? How passive listening is like learning your first language
00:06:09 - ? Passive listening helps train your ear, but doesn’t build grammar/vocabulary
00:06:31 - ? Why active listening improves comprehension and vocabulary faster
00:07:11 - ? 1996 study: Strategy instruction and its effect on test results
00:07:58 - ? Implicit vs. Explicit knowledge — and what each type of listening gives you
00:09:28 - ⚠️ Why many learners miss opportunities by not engaging actively
00:10:07 - ?️ When passive listening is useful (e.g. at the gym, walking the dog)
00:10:40 - ?️ Why podcasts are ideal for both passive and active listening
00:10:59 - ? How to combine both types of listening in your routine
00:11:50 - ? Why truly passive listening doesn’t really exist — if you’re interested
⸻
? Key References
Kurkela, J. L. O., Hämäläinen, J. A., Leminen, A., & Leppänen, P. H. T. (2019).
Passive exposure to speech sounds modifies change detection brain responses in adults.
NeuroImage, 188, 208–216.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.12.021
Zaigham, G. H. K., Jameel, N., Ahmad, R., & Hameed, A. (2022).
Incidental vocabulary learning through listening to songs: Does repetition matter?
Frontiers in Psychology, 13, Article 915846.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.915846
Hamada, Y. (2016).
Shadowing: Who benefits and how? Uncovering a booming EFL technique for listening comprehension.
Language Teaching Research, 20(1), 35–52.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168814559806
Blanco-Elorrieta, E., Kastner, I., Emmorey, K., & Pylkkänen, L. (2021).
Bilingualism shapes active listening: ERP evidence during language comprehension.
Neuropsychologia, 153, Article 107750.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2021.107750
Pica, T., Young, R., & Doughty, C. (1987).
The impact of interaction on comprehension.
TESOL Quarterly, 21(4), 737–758.
https://doi.org/10.2307/3586992
Krashen, S. D. (1982).
Principles and Practice in Second Language Acquisition.
Oxford: Pergamon.
Swain, M. (1985).
Communicative competence: Some roles of comprehensible input and comprehensible output in its development.
In S. Gass & C. Madden (Eds.), Input in Second Language Acquisition (pp. 235–256).
Rowley, MA: Newbury House.
Thompson, I., & Rubin, J. (1996).
Can strategy instruction improve listening comprehension?
Foreign Language Annals, 29(3), 331–342.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1944-9720.1996.tb01246.x
⸻
#LearnEnglish #EnglishListening #PodcastForEnglishLearning #ActiveListening #PassiveListening #EnglishWithPodcasts #EnglishFluency #LanguageLearning #ComprehensionSkills #AdvancedEnglish #ListenAndLearn #SpeakEnglish #EnglishTips #EnglishForAdults #IntermediateEnglish #FluentEnglish #HowToLearnEnglish #ImproveYourEnglish
Leonardo English
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