Well, you don’t really need to learn how to read kanji for this. But, it certainly helps with giving your brain something to cling onto when faced with new words and speech patterns - kanji is like the hidden clue to listening comprehension I feel.
That being said, you don’t have to start off learning kanji right away. It’s more like, once you’ve hit a wall in what you can comprehend, you’ll need it going forward. So, eventually, you’ll likely want to study kanji too.
But for now, now how about just learning grammar in any study book you prefer and do listening comprehension? It’s a start for speaking as well.
