People with a high level of English are always looking for new ways to improve their skills. In recent years, listening to podcasts has become a new approach.
However, there are tons of podcasts available out there, making it difficult for you to choose. That’s why we are here!
This article will give you the 12 best podcasts for IELTS listening.
So, let’s get into the details!
Best Podcast for IELTS Listening
Many podcasts focus on teaching grammar, vocabulary, and other related skills. However, these shows tend to be like an English class, making them dull.
It will be more effective if you learn English through something you prefer. So, stop listening to boring English grammar and vocabulary tapes! Instead, it’s time to find a podcast you love to improve your English skills.
#1. In Our Time
In each episode, you will hear Melvyn Bragg, the host, discuss with scholars a specific topic about philosophy, history, religion, culture, science, and so on.
It has no funny sounds and no special effects. Instead, it is simply created to provide helpful knowledge to the audience.
If you think it’s a boring show, you’re wrong! Hosts and scholars always create engaging conversations, which can help you improve your English listening skills in some way.
#2. 99% Invisible
This podcast allows you to explore all the unusual aspects surrounding our lives. In each episode, the host will explain the topic’s history and conduct interviews with people related to that topic to clear things up.
In most episodes of this show, you will only hear an American accent. However, in some episodes, you will hear a non-American accent through the interviews.
#3. Freakonomics Radio
This podcast is perfect for people who prefer sociology, current events, social issues, science, and more.
Led by a funny and sophisticated host, this show is not a boring economics lecture. Instead, it is a fun program to learn many things, including improving your listening skills.
#4. Radiolab
Radiolab is a show about neuroscience. However, it is also one of the most exciting podcasts you should listen to.
Co-hosts Robert Krulwicha and Jad Abumrad create realistic, engaging, and emotional stories simultaneously. So, you will be mesmerized by this podcast.
In addition, Radiolab is also known as a valuable podcast for IELTS. You will hear many different voices, helping you to improve your listening skills.
Moreover, this show discusses a lot of topics. Therefore, it will not make you feel bored at all.
#5. The Joe Rogan Experience
Joe Rogan is a man who has made many listeners lose weeks of their life listening to this podcast.
His show invites many exciting guests, such as cartoonists, celebrities, professors, MMA fighters, and more. His shows are long but not boring at all. You will spend hours listening attentively to him.
#6. BBC Inside Science
It is one of the best podcasts to improve IELTS listening. Each episode will address life issues, such as “why do we lie?” or “parenting.”
The presenter will introduce excerpts from different TED Talks that share this topic in each episode. He will also interview TED Talk presenters to ask questions about their TED Talks.
#7. The Tim Ferriss Podcast
It’s one of our favorite podcasts. The host will interview famous artists from all over the world from various fields.
After each episode, you will feel you have learned something that will make you more successful at whatever you do.
#8. Hardcore History
If you are looking for a novel and engaging history podcast, Hardcore History is one of the best choices.
You can explore a historical event or period in the past, such as the 200 years of the Roman Republic before Julius Caesar or the four years of World War I.
It’s great that you get both history and English knowledge through a podcast. It is true to say that it allows you to “kill two birds with one stone.”
Each episode is very long, ranging from one to five hours. It will give you the feeling that you are sitting across from your history teacher and discussing what he finds strange and fascinating about a historical figure or event from the past.
This show is hosted by one person, Dan Carlin, who has an American accent.
#9. Startalk
Don’t get us wrong! This podcast is not about celebrities. Instead, it refers to the actual stars in the sky.
Dr. Tyson will simplify things so that the average spectator can quickly grasp them. It is an inspirational podcast that thousands of people listen to every week. It will make you feel more knowledgeable after each episode.
#10. Tech News Today
Are you too busy to read the daily news? Do not worry! This show lets you capture what’s happening in the tech world in half an hour or less.
In short, it provides a valuable source of information through each episode of moderate length.
#11. Historical Blindness
Next on this list is still a podcast about history.
Each episode will discuss a historical event or person to uncover the truth behind them. Thanks to that, you can discover stories that seem to be unreal.
It allows you to learn about the mysteries of history and hypothesize them.
The show is hosted by only one host, Nathaniel Lloyd, who has an American accent.
What Are Podcasts?
They are audio (or video) recordings. You can listen to them on a smartphone, tablet, or computer.
An “episode” refers to the recording of a podcast. If you subscribe to a podcast, new episodes will automatically download to your device as soon as it is released.
Many hosts and guests use a variety of idioms and expressions when speaking on podcasts. Therefore, they are a valuable source of knowledge that you can grasp to improve your IELTS listening skills.
In addition, it allows you to improve your vocabulary. This factor is essential for the IELTS listening test. To get a good score, you need to understand what people are saying while looking at the questions on the test.
How to Use Podcasts to Improve Your Listening Skills
You can just listen to them to relax after work and study. It is ‘passive’ listening.
Conversely, ‘active’ listening means you have to actively think about the grammar, vocabulary, and sentence structure used in the podcast. Therefore, this method will be more efficient.
If you come across a new word, rewind it and guess the meaning. Then, write it down on a piece of paper or a notebook and check if you got it right. Over time, your listening skills will improve.
You would do the same thing for a phrase you don’t understand yet. Listen to it a few times until you get the hang of it.
Over time, you will get used to how native speakers join words together to form a complete sentence naturally. It is essential to get a higher score on the Listening test.
Last but not least, “Patience” is the key to success. It means that you cannot expect good results overnight. Give yourself time to try to do better!
With just patience and a little effort, getting a high score on the listening test is not far away for you.
Conclusion
Above are the best podcasts for IELTS listening that you can reach. In addition to providing practical knowledge, they can also help you gain more knowledge about many IELTS Reading, Speaking, Writing, and Listening topics.
So, let’s use these podcasts to practice IELTS at home!
Hopefully, you will get good results soon. Your success is our honor!
