Learning to Listen

1. Learning to Listen

2. Overview • What is the difference between listening and hearing? • What are the types of listening? • Why is listening important? • What are some myths about listening? • What are some bad listening habits? • What are steps for practicing effective listening techniques? Chapter 1, Lesson 2

3. Quick Write Stop for a moment. What do you hear? Think you can’t hear anything? Listen more closely! • Concentrate on anything you can hear—no matter how small the sound. • Write down a description of five things you hear. • Then share your list with a few classmates. Chapter 1, Lesson 2 Graphic courtesy of Clipart.com

4. Hearing Versus Listening • Hearing is continual, unfocused and unconscious • Listening is a focused, conscious activity Chapter 1, Lesson 2 Photo courtesy of Thinkstock Images

5. Time Spent Listening Each hour people are awake they spend 50 minutes communicating: Chapter 1, Lesson 2

6. Types of Listening PassiveOne-way, no feedback CompetitiveReceiver only listens to needed information ActiveTwo-way, feedback given ReflectiveReceiver interprets speaker’s feelings Chapter 1, Lesson 2

7. Importance of Listening • Failure to listen to your teacher’s instructions could get you in trouble • Failure to listen in class could result in a poor grade • Failure to listen to your friends could hurt someone’s feelings • Failure to hear a car come around the corner when crossing the street could get you seriously hurt Chapter 1, Lesson 2 Graphic courtesy of Clipart.com

8. How Important Is Active Listening? Name some situations and professions in which listening is vital. How might a failure to listen well result in danger or harm? Chapter 1, Lesson 2

9. Busting Listening Myths • Myth #1: Listening is not my problem People falsely assume listening is easy • Myth #2: Listening and hearing are the same Listening must interpret sounds you hear • Myth #3: Good readers are good listeners Little correlation between reading and listening; even good readers need to work on it Chapter 1, Lesson 2

10. Busting Listening Myths • Myth #4: Smart people are better listeners Smarter students have the capacity for better listening, but that potential is often not realized • Myth #5: Listening improves with age Ability to listen well does improve, but performance actually declines with age • Myth #6: Listening skills are hard to learn It takes practice and effort, but the skills are not hard to learn Chapter 1, Lesson 2

11. Bad Listening Habits • Bad Habit #1: Thinking about what to say rather than listening to speaker • Bad Habit #2: Talking when you should be listening • Bad Habit #3: Interrupting Chapter 1, Lesson 2

12. Bad Listening Habits • Bad Habit #4: Listening for what you expect to hear rather than what is actually said • Bad Habit #5: Being preoccupied • Bad Habit #6: Falling victim to tendency to stereotype Chapter 1, Lesson 2

13. Bad Listening Habits • Bad Habit #7: Being self-centered • Bad Habit #8: Not paying attention All other bad habits stem from this one, because you must be paying attention to listen effectively Chapter 1, Lesson 2 Graphic courtesy of Clipart.com

14. Practicing Effective Listening • Clarify Ask specific questions—good feedback clarifies • Restate, paraphrase, or repeat back Repeating what the speaker said is a good way to ensure you got the right message Chapter 1, Lesson 2

15. Practicing Effective Listening • Acknowledging Let the speaker know that you understood the message—this doesn’t mean you have to agree • Summarizing Highlight the main points you noted during the conversation Chapter 1, Lesson 2

16. Effective Listening • Framing Framing gives you a chance to find areas of agreement on which to focus • Note taking Don’t write down every word! Jot down key phrases, words, or diagrams that will help you recall main points Chapter 1, Lesson 2 Graphic courtesy of Clipart.com

17. Review • Hearing is continual, unfocused, and unconscious, whereas listening is focused, conscious, and active • Listening can be: • passive • competitive • active • reflective Chapter 1, Lesson 2

18. Review • Failing to listen can be dangerous • There are six myths about listening that people often believe • Failing to pay attention is a bad listening habit—and all other bad listening habits stem from it Chapter 1, Lesson 2

19. Review • To improve your listening, try some of these techniques: • clarifying • restating, paraphrasing, or “mirroring” • acknowledging • summarizing • framing • and note taking Chapter 1, Lesson 2

20. Summary • What is the difference between listening and hearing? • What are the types of listening? • Why is listening important? • What are some myths about listening? • What are some bad listening habits? • What are steps for practicing good listening skills? Chapter 1, Lesson 2

21. Next • Done—effective listening • Next—we’ll learn about critical thinking Chapter 1, Lesson 2 Graphic courtesy of Clipart.com