LESSON 1: Active Listening Skills

What is a Listening Skill?

Listening is the most fundamental component of interpersonal communication skills. Listening
is an active process in which a conscious decision is made to listen to and understand the
messages of the speaker. Listening skills are skills that contribute to your ability to accurately
receive information when communicating with others. It involves receiving sound,
understanding the message conveyed in the sounds you hear, evaluating the message, and
responding to it.

What are Active Listening skills?

Active listening is a communication skill that involves going beyond simply hearing the words
that another person speaks. It's about actively processing and seeking to understand the
meaning and intent behind them. It requires being a mindful and focused participant in the
communication process.

Active listening techniques include:

✓Being fully present in the conversation
✓Showing interest by practicing good eye contact
✓Noticing (and using) non-verbal cues
✓Asking open-ended questions to encourage further responses
✓Paraphrasing and reflecting on what has been said
✓Listening to understand rather than to respond
✓Withholding judgment and advice

The word "active" implies that you are taking some type of action when listening to others.
This involves the use of certain strategies or techniques. Here are seven active listening
techniques to consider.

1. Be Fully Present
Active listening requires being fully present in the conversation. This enables you to
concentrate on what is being said. Being present involves listening with all your senses (sight,
sound, etc.) and giving your full attention to the speaker.
2. Pay Attention to Non-Verbal Cues
During active listening, your non-verbal behaviors are just as important. To show the person
you're truly tuned in, use open, non-threatening body language. This involves not folding your
arms, smiling while listening, leaning in, and nodding at key junctures.
3. Keep Good Eye Contact
When engaged in active listening, making eye contact is especially important. This tells the
other person that you are present and listening to what they say. It also shows that you aren't
distracted by anything else around you.
4. Asking Open-ended Questions
Asking "yes or no" questions often produces dead-end answers. This isn't helpful during
active listening as it keeps the conversation from flowing. It also makes it difficult to truly listen
to the other person because there isn't much you can gain from a short, non-descriptive
response. Instead, ask open-ended questions to show that you are interested in the
conversation and the other person. Examples of open-ended questions you may use when
active listening include:
✓Can you tell me a bit more about that?
✓What did you think about that?
✓What do you think is the best path moving forward?
✓How do you think you could have responded differently
5. Reflect What You Hear
After the person has spoken, tell them what you heard. This active listening technique
ensures that you've captured their thoughts, ideas, and/or emotions accurately. It also helps
the other person feel validated and understood while keeping any potential
miscommunications to a minimum.

One way to reflect what you've heard is to paraphrase. For example, you might say, "In other
words, what you are saying is that you're frustrated" or "I'm hearing that you're frustrated
about this situation." Summarize what you've heard and give the person the opportunity to
say whether you've captured their meaning or intent.
If you'd like to better understand something the person has said, ask for clarification. But don't
focus so much on insignificant details that you miss the big picture.
6. Be Patient
Patience is an important active listening technique because it allows the other person to
speak without interruption. It also gives them the time to say what they are thinking without
having to try to finish their sentences for them.
Being patient involves not trying to fill periods of silence with your thoughts or stories. It also
requires listening to understand, not to respond. That is, don't prepare a reply while the other
person is still speaking. Don't change the subject too abruptly as this conveys boredom and
impatience.

7. Withhold Judgment
Remaining neutral and non-judgmental in your responses enables the other person to feel
comfortable with sharing their thoughts. It makes the conversation to a safe zone where they
can trust that they won't be shamed, criticized, blamed, or otherwise negatively received.
Ways to be less judgmental when listening include:
✓Expressing empathy for the person or their situation
✓Learning more about different people and cultures
✓Practicing acceptance of others
✓Recognizing when you may be judging the other person, then stopping those thoughts

LESSON 2: Nature and Purposes of Listening

Goal of Listening
To produce students who can use listening strategies to maximize their comprehension of
aural input, identify relevant and nonrelevant information, and tolerate less than word-by-word
comprehension.
Nature of Listening: Listening takes up as much as 50% of our everyday communication time.
It is the main channel of classroom instruction and the most used language skill at work and
at home. Many learners want to develop effective listening comprehension because it is
crucial to their academic, professional, and personal success. When we teach listening, we
consider what the object of our instruction is. We look at ideas that have influenced thinking
on learner listening in English language teaching.

Purposes of Listening:
Listening requires conscious mental effort and specific purpose.
1. Information Gathering: We listen to absorb new information, whether it's in a lecture at
school, a news report, or instructions from a colleague. This form of listening expands our
knowledge and informs our actions.
2. Understanding: By listening, we can understand others' viewpoints and emotions. This
helps us empathize with them, fostering stronger, more meaningful relationships.
3. Problem Solving: When faced with a problem, listening to all perspectives allows us to fully
understand the issue and formulate effective solutions. This is crucial in situations like team
projects or conflict resolution. Listening plays a vital role in resolving conflicts. By actively
listening to each party involved, we can understand their perspectives, concerns, and
emotions, leading to better communication and finding common ground.
4. Enjoyment and Entertainment: We listen for pleasure when we engage with music, movies,
podcasts, or storytelling. This form of listening relaxes us and stimulates our imagination.
5. Learning: Listening is key to learning. In educational settings, we listen to grasp new
concepts and ideas. It's also how we learn from others' experiences and stories in everyday
life.
6. Building Relationships: Active listening, where we fully focus on the speaker and show
empathy, is crucial in building and maintaining relationships. It shows we value the other
person and their thoughts, fostering mutual respect and understanding. Listening builds trust
in relationships. When we listen attentively, it shows that we value and respect the speaker's
thoughts and opinions. This creates a safe and open environment for open communication
and trust to flourish.
7. Empathy and Support: Listening with empathy allows us to provide emotional support to
others. By actively listening and showing understanding, we can validate their feelings and
experiences, fostering a sense of connection and comfort.
8. Enhancing Communication Skills: Listening attentively helps in improving overall
communication skills. By actively engaging in listening, we become more aware of our own
listening habits, such as interrupting or jumping to conclusions, and can work towards
becoming better communicators.
9. Personal Development: Listening to others' experiences, perspectives, and insights can
contribute to personal growth. By actively seeking out different viewpoints and being open to
learning from others, we expand our knowledge, broaden our horizons, and develop a more
well-rounded understanding of the world.
10. Cultural Understanding: Listening to individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures
helps in fostering cultural understanding and appreciation. By actively listening to their stories,
traditions, and experiences, we can gain insights into different cultures, promoting empathy,
respect, and inclusivity.
11. Decision Making: Listening to multiple perspectives and gathering information through
active listening aids in making informed decisions. By carefully considering different
viewpoints and gathering relevant information, we can make more well-rounded and
thoughtful decisions.

12. Professional Success: Listening is a crucial skill for professional success. By actively
listening to colleagues, clients, and supervisors, we can understand expectations, gather
information, and build strong professional relationships, leading to enhanced job performance
and career growth.
13. Negotiation and Persuasion: Listening plays a significant role in negotiation and
persuasion. By actively listening to the other party's needs, interests, and concerns, we can
tailor our arguments and proposals effectively, increasing the chances of reaching mutually
beneficial agreements.
14. Resolving Misunderstandings: Listening attentively can help in resolving
misunderstandings. By actively listening and seeking clarification, we can ensure that we
understand the speaker's intended message accurately, reducing the chances of
misinterpretation and confusion.
15. Enhancing Teamwork and Collaboration: Listening is essential for effective teamwork and
collaboration. By actively listening to team members' ideas, concerns, and feedback, we can
foster a collaborative environment where everyone feels valued and heard, leading to
improved teamwork and collective success.