Listening Comprehension Recommendations

[blindcat]

The universities in my area don't offer Japanese as a course, so I'm trying to teach myself (like most of us here probably). I use Jpod as a supplement but I chose the Genki series for my main textbook (and I am very satisfied with the course btw).

My reading comprehension is coming along fine and I'm slowly building up vocabulary and grammar. However, since I don't get to practice speaking and listening in a classroom, the listening comprehension exercise really give me trouble.

Mostly it is an issue of speed. If I pause the CD playback and process a sentence of dialog, I can understand the meaning. But trying to listen and comprehend exercises at normal speaking speed is impossible for me right now.

So long story short, I'd like to buy another learning series that focuses mostly on listening; one with lots and lots of audio exercises. Does anybody have a good recommendation?

[jemstone]

actually... i feel there's a pretty good resource out there that's free, albeit the reason for it's existence isn't for listening comprehension.

if you hop over to http://www.englishpod101.com/ and listen to their lessons, you could train your listening comprehension skills. the lessons are conducted in japanese and are constructed for japanese. if you can comprehend what you hear (not the english parts), you're good at listening comprehension. =D

[blindcat]

Wow... so after having done some research of my own, I can't believe no one said Pimsleurs. Either no one has tried it, no one likes it, or no one really uses this forum.

At any rate, I bought Pimsleurs Japanese 1 and I asked my wife for Rosetta Stone Japanese 1 for xmas. Those two together should supplement Genki quite well. In fact it seems like an excellent combination. I'm expecting to move up to the next plateau in a few weeks.

[kc8ufv]

Wow... so after having done some research of my own, I can't believe no one said Pimsleurs. Either no one has tried it, no one likes it, or no one really uses this forum.

Pimsleur wouldn't be good for listening comprehension. It is more based around the same thing as JP101's lessons, especially the review tracks. (more of a focus on basic speaking) I listened to all of Pimsleur through part of 2B. I found it to be rather dry. The lessons here spice things up a bit. Had I been stuck with only the Pimsleur discs, I probably would have quit studying Japanese. (Sheer willpower can only get you so far.) For listening practice, I use EP101, watch some anime with subs turned off, and occasionally watch the news.

[NickT]

Pimsleurs isn't so bad... I used them, many years ago, and it was a pretty good start to learning Japanese. They are really expensive though, I don't think they really represent value for money (How many years membership could you buy at jpod101 for the same price?), but if you resell them on eBay after you are done they can be almost affordable.

[kc8ufv]

Pimsleurs isn't so bad... I used them, many years ago, and it was a pretty good start to learning Japanese. They are really expensive though, I don't think they really represent value for money (How many years membership could you buy at jpod101 for the same price?), but if you resell them on eBay after you are done they can be almost affordable.

Not counting any extra discounts on your subscription (1 yr premium subscription 180USD), it would be about 2 years jp101 subscription for each level (based on list price of 345USD), and there are 3 levels. And you only get audio with that. You get a much better value here.