Listening Skill

Language Proficiency and Skill Development Course

True or False? It is possible to listen without hearing.

It is possible to hear without listening.

Listening SkillListening requires effort

Faulty listening styles

Reasons for poor listening

Listening skills and listening strategies

LISTENING WITH...“EXPERIENCE”“WHAT WE KNOW”BIASESSTEREOTYPESPERCEPTIONSEMOTIONS

Ten Causes for poor listening Effort – its hard to stay focused Message overload – too much at once Rapid thought – 600 wpm vs. 140 wpm Psychological noise – personal concerns Physical noise – distractions (fatigue) Hearing problems – frustration Faulty Assumptions - “heard it all before” Talking has more advantages = > who interrupts

more? Cultural Differences Media influences – MTV, radio, TV.

LISTENING What do good listeners look like?

◦ Verbally◦ Nonverbally

Listening is not a natural process. Listening requires effort (active not passive) All listeners do not receive the same

message.◦ We hear uniquely different messages◦ Physiological factors, social roles, cultural

background, personal interests, and needs.

Listening Stages Attending – paying attention. Mindfulness. Understanding/Interpreting

◦ Assigning meaning to messages◦ PRINCIPLE: The greater the similarity between

individuals, the greater the likelihood for more accurate understanding.

◦ PRINCIPLE: People understand best if they can relate what they are hearing to something they already know.

Listening Stages … continued◦ PRINCIPLE: You understand best that which you

also experience. Responding: Giving observable feedback to

speaker◦ Clarifying a message◦ Care about what the speaker says◦ Confirming understanding of a message◦ Nonverbal responses◦ Feedback – verbal responses

Remembering

LISTENING

LISTEN TO RESPOND

LISTEN TO UNDERSTAND

LISTEN TO UNDERSTAND

1. RESTATE/REPEAT2. PARAPHRASE3. REFLECT FEELING4. PARAPHRASE CONTENT AND REFLECT FEELING5. SAY NOTHING

LISTEN TO UNDERSTAND

Before I can walk in another person’s

shoes, I must remove my

own.

Unknown

Four Personal Listening Styles CONTENT ORIENTED: Focus on issues and

arguments PEOPLE ORIENTED: Focus on feelings and

emotions ACTION ORIENTED: Impatient and often

finish speakers’ thoughts – tend to second guess

TIME ORIENTED: Prefer bulleted talking points quickly and briefly.

Ten Rules for Good Listening

Rule Listening Reasoning Behind the Rule1. Stop talking You cannot listen if you are

talking.

2. Put the person at ease Help a person feel free to talk; create a permissive environment.

3. Show the person you Look and act interested; listen to want to listen understand, not to oppose.

4.Remove distractions Don’t doodle, tap, or shuffle papers; shut the door if

necessary to achieve quiet.

Ten Rules for Good Listening

Rule Listening Reasoning Behind the Rule

5. Empathize Try to see the other person’s point of view.

6. Be patient Allow plenty of time; do not interrupt; don’t start for thedoor or walk away.

7. Hold your temper An angry person takes the wrong meaning from words.

Ten Rules for Good Listening

Rule Listening Reasoning Behind the Rule

8.Go easy on argument Don’t put people on the defensive and criticism and cause them to “clam up” or

become angry; do not argue even if you win, you lose.9. Ask questions This encourages a person and

shows that you are listening; it helps to develop points further.

10. Stop talking This is first and last, because all other guides depend on

it; you cannot listen effectively while you are talking.

LISTENING STRATEGIES

Informational

Critically

Emphatic

INFORMATIONAL LISTENING

Don’t argue or judge prematurely

Separate the message from the speaker

Be opportunistic

INFORMATIONAL LISTENING

Look for key ideas Ask questions

Sincere questions

INFORMATIONAL LISTENING

Counterfeit questionsseek “correct” answersbased on unchecked

assumptions

INFORMATIONAL LISTENING

ParaphraseTake notes

Don’t wait too long before beginning to jot down ideas

Record only key ideasDevelop a note-taking format

CRITICAL LISTENINGListen for information before

evaluatingEvaluate the speaker’s

credibility Is the speaker competent? Is the speaker impartial?

CRITICAL LISTENING

Examine speaker’s evidenceExamine emotional appeals

Is the evidence recent enough? Is enough evidence presented?

CRITICAL LISTENING

Examine emotional appealsIs the evidence from a reliable

source?Can the evidence be interpreted

in more than one way?

EMPATHIC LISTENING

AdvisingBe confident that the advice is

correctAsk yourself whether the person

seeking your advice seems willing to accept it

EMPATHIC LISTENING

AdvisingBe certain that the receiver won’t

blame you if the advice doesn’t work out

EMPATHIC LISTENING

JudgingThe person with the problem should

have requested an evaluation from youYour judgment is genuinely

constructive and not designed to be a put-down

EMPATHIC LISTENING

AnalyzingOffer your interpretation in a tentative

way rather than as absolute factYour analysis ought to have a

reasonable chance of being correct

EMPATHIC LISTENING

AnalyzingYou ought to be sure that the other

person will be receptive to your analysis

Be sure that your motive for offering an analysis is truly to help the other person

EMPATHIC LISTENING

QuestioningDon’t ask questions just to satisfy your

own curiosityBe sure your questions won’t confuse

or distract the person you’re trying to help

EMPATHIC LISTENING

QuestioningDon’t use questions to disguise your

suggestions or criticisms

EMPATHIC LISTENING

SupportingMake sure your expression of

support is sincereBe sure the other person can

accept your support

EMPATHIC LISTENING

Prompting involves using silences and brief

statements of encouragement to draw others out, and in so doing, helping them solve their own problems

EMPATHIC LISTENING

Paraphrasing Is the problem complex enough?Do you have the necessary time and

concern?Are you genuinely interested in helping

the other person?

EMPATHIC LISTENING

ParaphrasingCan you withhold judgment?Is your paraphrasing in

proportion to other responses?

EMPATHIC LISTENING

When and How to HelpThink about the situationThink about the other personThink about yourself