Short videos for short attention spans

Ciao a tutti!

I want to use this post to put you onto the idea of learning with short videos. Today, while I was on my break at work, I listened to some short videos about nutrition. These informative videos not only were interesting and full of great information, but they were also short enough so that I could watch them in the small amount of time I had.

A comment that I hear a lot from people is that videos and podcasts are just too long.  How many of us have an hour or two a day to just sit and listen, especially when the listening requires so much concentration.  Attention spans are shorter now for a variety of reasons, many of them no fault of our own.  So what better way to practice your Italian than with these short five minute videos from Corriere TV.

I think one of the most difficult parts of learning Italian is listening comprehension, especially when you want to comprehend what is being said at native level speeds.  I think it's important to remember that people you meet in shops, on the streets, etc. won't necessarily take it down a notch, especially if they are pressed for time.  In other words, these short films are just long enough to capture our attentions while helping us improve our listening at the same time.

As always, do not be discouraged by words that you don't know -- with the videos, you also have visual clues, too.  Make use of all your senses as you practice your listening comprehension -- context really helps!