Reading and listening is required in all effective communication. Reading refers to an ability to use our eyes to recognize words and understand their meaning or interpretation. A person can read silently or verbally. People read news on printed paper or on a computer or TV screen. People differ in their reading capability. Some people read faster than others. The reading speed depends on how fast you can recognize different words. People with little vocabulary have a slow reading speed.
Listening on the other hand involves the use of our eyes and the brain. We recognize words as they are read and determine the meaning of those words. A person with very little vocabulary will be slow in understanding a conversation, listening to news, or instructions.
As you can see reading and listening are very important in school and workplace. Employees need to understand the instructions they are given both verbally and in writing. If they fail to understand they are likely not to do their jobs correctly.
How to improve your reading and listening skills
If you are an adult learner and would like to improve your reading and listening skills there are certain things you can do on your own. You can begin by reading simple books and magazines. This can help you to increase your vocabulary. You can purchase online videos and listen to them as well. You can also listen to the television regularly. Spend much time listening to English channels by native English speakers. Don’t spend a lot of time listening to television in your native language. If you do you will never gain good skills in reading and listening.
Because most people lack motivation we recommend that you attend a school with qualified teachers and a well-designed teaching program.This will help you to improve your reading and writing skills. You will be able to measure your progress through tests and quizzes. There will be progression as you move from one level to another. Its very difficult to accomplish this if you are self-taught.