One way to improve your listening and speaking skills is to listen to native speakers on a regular basis. But how can you do that in a foreign language environment (i.e., in countries where English is not the primary language)?
One effective way is by listening to podcasts or the radio online.
👉 See the entry “How to practice listening outside of class” in the TOEFL® Tactics Blog for more ideas.
Watching Films and TV – Is It Effective?
Watching television or films can help with the listening and speaking sections of the TOEFL® test.
However, since audiovisual media includes non-verbal cues (body language, facial expressions, etc.), it’s more useful to focus on pure audio sources to better simulate the TOEFL® test environment.
Recommended Websites for Listening Practice
Here’s a list of recommended websites with free listening materials, descriptions, and usage tips.
1. ESL Lab – www.esl-lab.com
- Large collection of audio and video-based listening comprehension exercises.
- Activities are graded by level.
- Everyday life topics and higher-level video themes.
- Includes:
- Student study guide
- Help page
- Mailing list
- Discussion forum
🛠 Requires freeware audio/video players (downloadable from the site).
2. English Listening – www.englishlistening.com
- 30+ graded quizzes using authentic native-speaker dialogues.
- Topics: family, travel, customs, sports.
- Includes transcripts and answers.
🎧 Tip: Take notes during listening and compare with the transcript to improve your note-taking.
3. BBC Learning English – www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish
- Designed for intermediate-level learners.
- Based on BBC news and educational content.
- Covers: news, sports, music, and current affairs.
- Transcripts available for each audio clip.
✏️ Tip: Listen and take notes before reading the transcript.
4. University of Stirling Events – www.stir.ac.uk/events/recordings
- Lectures and presentations on diverse academic topics.
- Great for simulating lecture-type listening.
- Many videos include transcripts.
🎯 Tip: Listen without watching to simulate TOEFL-style audio.
5. CDLP – www.cdlponline.org
- 200+ reading passages read aloud by American speakers.
- Topics: working, law, family, school, health, housing, money, science, and more.
📝 Tip: Listen, take notes, and then compare with the full reading.
6. VOA Learning English – learningenglish.voanews.com
- Offers seven programs focused on improving English listening.
- Includes transcripts and downloadable content.
📌 Tip: First listen and take notes; check transcript afterwards.
7. NPR – www.npr.org
- Access to radio news on a wide range of topics.
- Downloadable MP3 files available.
- Transcripts also provided.
📌 Tip: Listen first → take notes → compare with transcript.
8. TED Talks – www.ted.com
- Wide range of presentations on diverse topics.
- High-quality speakers and engaging topics.
📌 Tip: Listen only (don’t watch) and take notes. Then review transcript.
9. Academic Earth – www.academicearth.org/playlists
- University-level lectures from Yale, Harvard, Stanford, MIT, etc.
- Ideal for lecture-type listening practice for TOEFL iBT®.
📌 Tip: Practice listening and note-taking. Use transcript after listening.
Final Tip
Focus your efforts on listening to diverse topics and accents, taking effective notes, and comparing them with transcripts to continuously improve your comprehension and test performance.
