Minna No Nihongo I – Listening Task 25 Edition-2

Listening and understanding a foreign language is as challenging as speaking. In fact, it is often said that listening can be even more difficult than speaking. Naturally, due to individual differences in ability, it is not possible to definitively compare which skill is more difficult; however, many learners tend to have greater difficulties with listening comprehension.

For this reason, it is essential to develop listening skills. Even if some parts may be difficult to understand, it is widely recognized that practicing by listening to the general content and training to comprehend the key information is an important part of the learning process.

With this in mind, we decided to create a listening textbook that emphasizes tasks designed to help learners practice understanding essential information. These tasks are based on the sentence patterns and vocabulary already learned through Minna no Nihongo Shokyu I. As a result, in December 2003, we published Choukai Tasuku 25 with the aim of enhancing learners’ listening comprehension skills.

Nearly 15 years have passed since then, and society around us has undergone significant changes—not only in Japan but across the world. In response to these changing times, in 2012, we published the Minna no Nihongo Shokyu I – 2nd Edition Textbook as a successor to the original Minna no Nihongo Shokyu I – Textbook.