Listening is the first activity. It is the priority activity. It remains both the basic learning vehicle and the primary language acquisition activity well into a student's career. That's not to say that the other areas of acquisition, namely speaking, reading and writing, are not important; and it does not mean that listening is so special that it should be made into a separate curriculum (such as in language labs): but academic research seems to indicate that this is the area where we pick up meaning.

For example, if you don't happen to know that "What's Up?" means "Hello," although you understand the vocabulary and the grammar, you might well assume that someone is requesting you to tell them about what is above you on the ceiling, or in the sky.