Cavesa wrote:lusan wrote:I began listening to RFI. I like it. However, I am concerned about getting used to slow and simplify language. Would that hurt? I would like to know other experiences about RFI. I did notice too that the speakers do not follow the text all the time, which for me, it is very distracting.
As long as it is challenging a bit, the simplified and slow listening practice is a good activity. But once you are too comfortable, leave it behind. Vast majority of people failing to get to the advanced level listening is not failing because they did or didn't use the slow exercises, subtitles, or whatever else. They fail, because they refuse to take the leap of faith and move on to the harder stuff. That is always the important moment.
So, if you are not that advanced and find the audios hard enough, I'd recommend sticking to them. However, I am not sure whether the transcripts are beneficial to you. It seems (from your post), that you are reading and listening at the same time. That is a great activity for some purposes, but not primarily for listening. Listen without the text (read it afterwards), if you really want to train your ears, and not just pretend to be training them. That way, the differences won't distract you at all It will feel difficult at first, but you won't progress without tackling a challenge from time to time.
And don't worry. Even a too easy exercise won't harm you. It just won't move you forward, that's all.
TL,DR version: I recommend listening to the simple RFI without reading the transcript. When it becomes easy, find harder stuff.
Sure, I plan to drop out of RFI after several months of using it. I still need to build my voca further. Maybe by year end.
What about reading the transcript first and then just listen? Will that work? What about a quick check to the transcript for unknown words?