It made all the difference in the world when I was doing my PPL to get hold of an airband radio and listen to the "professional" on Gatwick Approach. Many of the things they were saying were not in CAP413! All they did was sound more confident.
The problem generally is when you go further down the scale and your local "Radio" is trying to get you to follow the ambiguous circuit instructions given in Pooleys. I am always inpressed at the truly subtle way that Thames Radar get me to recognise I have confused West with East on my last position report.