Recently Matt Archer distributed a video in his email group, where he argues, that for the long term it's better to focus more on listening, and avoid reading, because reading will screw up your listening comprehension long-term. (Link: https://www.loom.com/share/9a2639b6faab401d96222fbe039f0389?sid=4d7caba0-8c6d-4c5f-a87f-61db2886f376)
I find that idea bizarre.
Ironically to support his argument, in the same video he explains how he always mistook 'For all intents and purposes' for 'For all intensive purposes' (interestingly enough some time ago Dogen made a video with the exact same example) and always heard it wrong.
That sounds like it completely defeats his argument. Because if he'd actually spend more time reading, then maybe he'd actually know what is the correct phrase. It seems that in regards to this phrase at least, he spent all of his time on listening to the phrase instead of reading it, so in fact not reading has HURT his listening comprehension long term (because he always heard it wrong until one day somebody corrected him).
I think it's a horrible advice and people should not follow it. Reading will help you a lot, not only with listening but also when traveling or living in Japan or interacting with Japanese on the internet. And in fact not reading bears much higher risk of damaging listening comprehension than reading.
by 100k45h