On your own
A new trend in American publishing is very fortunate for ESL students. "Books on Tape" are cassette recordings of popular and classic books. Often a famous actor does the reading. The voice is usually clear and you can hear a very well pronounced text. These tapes are selling very well, and are available here in Japan too.
Books On Tape are designed to be listened to by busy Americans who are driving to work or otherwise want to "read" without having to look at the book. You can use them to listen to correctly pronounced English. As always, the key is to find an interesting text. If you like a writer such as Sidney Sheldon or Danielle Steel, you can easily find their books on tape.
On the Radio
FEN radio is the American military station here in Japan. It is on your dial in the Tokyo are at AM 810. The hourly news is usually read too quickly for ESL students and is thus can be a bit frustrating. A better chance for you is to listen to "All Things Considered." This show is on at 7:00 pm. The newscasters speak more slowly and clearly than those doing the hourly updates. More importantly, the stories are in more detail than the 5 minute hourly summary. If the story is interesting, you will naturally listen more carefully.
Of course, you can also take a class and be sure to listen to the other students and the teacher!
-- End of Listening Comprehension section --