Listening

1. Listening We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.

2. Improving Your Listening Skills How to be an Active Listener

3. Learning Objectives Explain how barriers prevent effective listening Compile a list of trigger words Identify at least six tips to improve effective listening skills Define key words: hearing, listening, thought speed, trigger words

4. We share information with each other 4 ways: • Speaking • Writing • Reading • Listening

5. LISTENING Listening is the ability to identify and understand what others are saying. This involves understanding a speaker's accent or pronunciation, his grammar and his vocabulary, and grasping his meaning

6. Of the time spent communicating each day, 45% is devoted to listening. • Usually a person only remembers about 50% of what is said to them. • After eight hours they forget another 1/2 to 1/3 of what was originally grasped. ? So that means you typically forget about 75% of what you hear.

7. Why is listening important? • Listening will help you in… • School • Relationships • Clubs & organizations • Making good decisions • On the job

8. Listening Exercise Listen and Draw

9. Hearing vs. Listening • Hearing is not the same as listening! • Hearing is passive and occurs even while we sleep. Hearing is the taking in of sound. To perceive by the ear; to listen attentively • Listening is active and involves hearing, paying attention and understanding. The attachment of meaning to the sound. Making an effort to hear something; paying attention

10. Some of the reasons we fail to listen are: • 1.     Laziness - you don’t feel like putting in the effort to listen • 2.     Avoidance – you don’t want to hear what they have to say • 3.     Poor Skills – you don’t know how to listen • Effective communication does not take place until the receiver understands the message. • Paraphrasing allows the sender a chance to confirm that the receiver has understood the message.

11. Ways Listening Gets Blocked • Many factors hinder our listening. Here are a few examples: • Daydreaming. • Prejudging the message • Not caring about the speaker • Interrupting the speaker • You must choose to participate in the process of listening.

12. Ways to Improve Your Listening • Here are some strategies and suggestions to help you improve your listening skills. • 1.) Increase your listening span: • Try to resist the temptation to interrupt. • Make sure the speaker has a chance to make his or her point before you speak. • If you don't get the whole message, ask the speaker to repeat what they said.

13. Ways to Improve Your Listening • 2.) Take time to listen: • Don't put obvious limitations on your listening time - the speaker will feel rushed. • 3.) Listen between the lines: • Don't just listen to what is being said. • Try to understand the attitudes, needs and motives behind the words.

14. Ways to Improve Your Listening • 4.) Give your full attention: • Nodding or interjecting occasionally to clarify a point lets the speaker know you are interested. • If the speaker pauses briefly, don't rush to fill in the silence. • Use open-ended questions to encourage explanations.

15. Ways to Improve Your Listening • 5.) Listen for thoughts as well as facts: • A good listener makes an effort to understand what the facts add up to. • 6.) Don't monopolize: • Resist the urge to dominate the discussion. • Allow the speaker to have his or her say.

16. 3 Problems • Pseudo Listening • Selective Listening • Critical Listening

17. 6 Solutions • Awareness • Be physically & mentally prepared to listen • Set a goal to listen 100% of the time • Sit in front & centered • Practice listening • Pretend to be fascinated if you have to

18. 5 TYPES OF LISTENING 1. INFORMATIVE LISTENING – UNDERSTANDING THE MESSAGE. 2. RELATIONSHIP LISTENING – IMPROVES THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TWO PEOPLE. 3. APPRECIATIVE LISTENING – LISTENS TO MUSIC FOR ENJOYMENT. 4. CRITICAL LISTENING – TO COMPREHEND AND THEN EVALUATE THE MESSAGE. 5. DISCRIMINATIVE LISTENING – DETECTS BOTH SMALL AND MAJOR DIFFERENCES IN MEANING.

19. Traits of an active listener • Looks at the speaker • Makes sure he or she can hear the speaker clearly • Tunes out interference • Sits quietly and politely

20. Traits of a passive listener Sits too far back and ignores the speaker Misses much of what the speaker is saying Lets his or her mind wander Gets easily distracted Creates distractions by shuffling, talking, or even walking around

21. BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE LISTENING THE “HALO” EFFECT – WHEN YOU ASSOCIATE SOMETHING POSITIVE ABOUT THE SPEAKER. YOU NEVER QUESTION THE SPEAKERS POINT OF VIEW OR JUDGMENT. THE “HORNS” EFFECT – SPEAKER GIVES YOU NEGATIVE FEELINGS, YOU MAY NOT LISTEN THE WAY YOU SHOULD.

22. BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE LISTENING DAY DREAMING – LETTING YOUR MIND WONDER; NOT STAYING FOCUSED ON THE SUBJECT OR MESSAGE. EXTERNAL DISTRACTIONS – OTHER THINGS GOING ON IN THE SAME LOCATION WHERE YOU ARE TRYING TO LISTEN. DIFFERENT LEVEL OF POWER – AUTHORITY BETWEEN YOU AND SPEAKER IMPACTS YOUR LISTENING. GENDER PREFERENCES – YOU COULDHAVE DIFFERENT EXPECTATIONS OF THE SPEECH BECAUSE OF THE GENDER. TRIGGER WORDS: WORDS THAT EVOKE AN EMOTIONAL RESPONSE THAT PREVENTS EFFECTIVE LISTENING.

23. Thought speed: The amount of time it takes for people to hear a thought and process it; this is typically a good deal faster than speaking time We listen at 125-250 wpm, think at 1000-3000 wpm. 75% of the time we are distracted, preoccupied or forgetful. 20% of the time, we remember what we hear.