That's interesting, I guess our minds work differently. For example, I used to read A LOT when I was a kid and I'm a visual type - I learn best when I see things (like, words on paper). It's hard for me to learn while listening. I did learn some of English while watching foreign cartoons with no subtitles, though. I agree that listening can be an effective way to develop your language skills, and I guess that's why I write English better than I speak it; I don't have much opportunities to use it in everyday life. I guess that reading books can have more influence on your abilities to write, while listening to movies can help you understand the target language better, along with slang.