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When I was in school, we did dictation only in elementary school. Sometimes, it'd be part of a weekly language arts or English class quiz, usually focused on vocabulary. It was boring, repetitive, and didn't seem to have any merit.
But, as an adult learning another language, dictation can be extremely helpful!
It's hard to gauge what level your language abilities are at; how do you know what's beginner, intermediate, or advanced? Add in the fact that many language learners do not aim for tests like the JLPT or TOEFL, and you have even less of a guide for your skills.
Listening is perhaps the hardest to gauge. Speaking ability can be simpler to estimate; how easy was your last conversation? Grammar may be easier; after all, if you can't form the correct sentence, then you won't be understood. And, for me, vocabulary is the easiest to estimate. Did I know the word I wanted? It's a yes/no kind of answer.
My usual estimation for my own listening abilities is vague. Did I get the meaning of a sentence? If so, then I can sweep missed words or phrases under the rug. In doing so, I'm losing out on opportunities to improve.
So I turned to dictation. I would write down what I heard to double check my understanding. With Japanese, choosing whether or not to use kanji in this practice added another challenge.
This is why I'd like to encourage English language learners to test out dictation. Not only is it a good way to determine your listening level, but it can also give you:
- specific vocabulary to practice
- new grammar points to learn
- expose you to more native English speakers
- force you to practice writing or typing in English
- help differentiate homonyms (words like there, they're, and there)
- improve spelling & writing speed
This is why I've opened a new lesson for this practice!
There's a sample guide on my lesson that gives you an understanding of what beginner, intermediate, or advanced dictation would look like.
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