Objective 4 – Use Effective Study Skills

Active Listening

It isn’t always easy to listen. Sometimes the person speaking is talking too softly. Sometimes the listener has so much on his/her mind, that he/she is mentally distracted and can’t follow a conversation. Sometimes the topic is just plain boring, and the listener’s mind begins to wander. Whatever the reason, it is essential that students learn how to actively listen in order to be successful in college.

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  Forces people to listen attentively to others
  
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  Avoids misunderstanding as the listener is required to confirm what the other person has said
  
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  Tends to encourage the speaker to say more
  
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  Tends to keep people from becoming defensive, especially if they are in conflict
  

Active listeners should be able to repeat what the speaker has said. It does not mean that the listener agrees with the speaker, but rather that the listener understands what has been said.

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  Content
  
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    Is it new or something with which the speaker has some background knowledge or experience?
    
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    Is it difficult or easy to understand?
    
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    Is it personally relevant?
    

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  Speaker
  
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    Is the speaker nervous or confident?
    
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    Does the speaker display non-verbal cues?
    
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    Is the speaker personable, threatening, humorous, caustic, and/or agitated?
    

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  Message
  
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    Are there visuals or examples associated with what the speaker is saying?
    
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    Does the speaker use technology?
    

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  Physical space
  
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    Is it too hot or cold?
    
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    Are the lights too bright or too dim?
    
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    Is the seating comfortable?
    
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    Is there room for interacting with others and/or the speaker?
    
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    Are there distracting features in the room?
    

Internally, the listener can be affected by:

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  Focusing on the subject at hand, rather than other things that may be on his/her mind
  
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  Preparing for the speaker by reviewing material about the subject beforehand
  
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  Limiting distractions by sitting closer to the speaker and away from distractions
  
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  Acknowledging his/her personal emotional state
  
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  Setting aside preconceived notions, prejudices, or personal opinions
  

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  Look at the person and suspend other things you are doing.
  
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  Listen not merely to the words, but the feeling and the content.
  
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  A large part of human communication is not verbal. It includes the tone of voice, gestures, body language, inflections, etc. These often reveal the unspoken message of the speaker: anger, irritation, sadness, fear, etc.
  
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  Non-verbal messages may be more important than the words used. Be sensitive to them.
  
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  Be sincerely interested in what the other person is talking about. This is difficult for many people because they become bored listening to the opinions and woes of others.
  

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  Restate what the person said. This is a way of letting the person know that you understood not only the words but also the speaker’s intent.
  
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  Ask clarification questions once in a while. This will let the other person know that you are actively listening and that you are really interested in what is being said.
  
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  Be aware of your own feelings and strong opinions. When we are not aware of our own feelings and strong opinions, we tend to express reactions that may arise within us while we listen. Such reactions may cut off effective communication.
  

Stephen Covey in his book Seven Habits of Highly Successful People outlines five levels of listening. Discuss with students each of the levels and have them identify when they are most likely to find themselves listening at each of the following levels:

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  Ignoring – not listening at all
  
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  Pretending – making noncommittal responses, such as “yeah, sure, right”
  
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  Selective – hearing only parts of the conversation, speech, presentation (tuning in and out)
  
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  Attentive – paying attention and focusing energy on the words that are being said
  
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  Empathetic – listening with the intent of understanding
  

Have students work in teams of three or four and identify specific circumstances when they use each of Covey’s five levels of listening. Have students make a master list and display it for the rest of the class. Have them identify ways they can improve their listening skills in each of the situations they have listed.