As an ESL student, learning to listen and take notes during lectures is a crucial skill, especially when preparing for college. Though listening in conversation may be easy to practice, it is less easy to practice the type of listening you will need in college. Lectures are much less forgiving than conversations; they don’t allow space for clarification questions, or repetition, nor do they necessarily move at a pace that allows even native speakers to take adequate notes. Within EC Boston English School our Academic Year program is set up to include a monthly lecture for students, so that they begin practicing the skills college listening requires. Check Facebook for postings about the next lecture!
But you don’t have to wait for the next AY lecture to practice your listening—being near colleges and universities is one of the reasons many students come to EC Boston English School, and sets up many opportunities for advanced listening. Boston is known throughout the US and the world as a center of education and research, and has a culture built around its’ academic community. One of the best benefits of living in an education center is the access Bostonians have to public lectures, both at colleges and in the surrounding areas. Check out these links to find free lectures happening in the Boston area, and attend with a friend for an interesting night out and some extra practice!
- Discoveries Lecture Series
- TUFTS lectures and seminars
- Boston Public Library Family History Series
- Boston free lectures and events