Listening Skills

What is communication?

Communication is the process of transferring information from a sender to a receiver, involving spoken and written words, body language, personal mannerisms, and style, making it a two-way process.

What are the four main types of communication?

Verbal (spoken words), Nonverbal (body language, facial expressions, vocalics), Written (written language, symbols, numbers), and Visual (photography, art, drawings, charts, graphs).

Name the key elements of communication.

Sender, Message, Encoding, Receiver, Channel, Decoding, Feedback, Noise, and Setting.

What is the difference between hearing and listening?

Hearing is passive, the automatic perception of sound; listening is active, requiring focus and effort to understand verbal and nonverbal messages.

What are the five stages of the listening process?

1. Reception/Hearing 2. Attention 3. Perception/Judging 4. Retention 5. Retrieval/Recall.

Why is listening important in communication?

It helps focus on messages, gain accurate understanding, critically assess information, show interest and concern, and observe nonverbal signals.

What are the two general types of listening?

Discriminative Listening and Comprehensive Listening.

What is discriminative listening?

The basic ability to distinguish different sounds and voices, including emotional tone, fundamental to understanding meaning.

What is comprehensive listening?

Listening to understand the message, requiring vocabulary and language skills; also called content or full listening.

Name the four specific types of listening based on goals.

Informational Listening, Critical Listening, Biased Listening, Therapeutic/Empathetic Listening.

What is informational listening?

Listening to learn or receive new information without analyzing or criticizing, often accompanied by note-taking.

What is critical listening?

Listening to evaluate or scrutinize information, involving analysis, judgment, and problem-solving with an open mind.

What is biased listening?

Hearing only what one wants to hear, often misinterpreting messages based on stereotypes or preconceived ideas.

What is therapeutic or empathetic listening?

Listening to understand the speaker’s feelings and emotions, putting oneself in their shoes without judgment, encouraging elaboration.

List some steps of effective listening.

1. Attending (focusing attention) 2. Understanding (listening actively) 3. Remembering (retaining information) 4. Evaluating (listening critically) 5. Responding appropriately.

What techniques help focus attention during listening?

Eliminate distractions, prepare mentally and physically, fully shift from speaker to listener, and adjust listening intensity to the situation.

How can understanding be improved during listening?

Attend to nonverbal cues, ask questions, silently paraphrase, and decode the message accurately.

What are mnemonic devices and how do they aid listening?

Techniques like acronyms or phrases that help remember information, e.g., BODMAS for math operations.

What does evaluating in listening involve?

Separating facts from inferences and critically assessing the truthfulness and relevance of conclusions drawn.

How should one respond appropriately while listening?

Show empathy, ask open questions, reflect key words, remain silent when needed, and avoid interrupting or overwhelming with questions.

What are characteristics of good listeners?

They are fully present, listen to understand rather than respond, and never interrupt the speaker.

What additional types of listening exist beyond the main four?

Pretense listening (pretending to listen), Selective listening (hearing only parts of the message), and Active listening (fully engaging with the speaker).$

What are common barriers to effective listening?

Physical (noise, distractions), Psychological (stress, emotional disturbance), Linguistic (jargon, ambiguity), and Cultural (different norms and language).$

How can physical barriers to listening be overcome?

By minimizing noise, choosing quiet environments, and reducing distractions.$

How can psychological barriers to listening be overcome?

By managing stress, keeping an open mind, and focusing on the speaker rather than personal biases.$

What are the five key elements of active listening?

1. Paying attention 2. Showing that you are listening 3. Providing feedback 4. Deferring judgment 5. Responding appropriately.$

What is the role of feedback in effective listening?

Feedback confirms understanding, clarifies confusion, and encourages the speaker, making communication a two-way process.$

How can note-taking improve academic listening?

It helps retain information, organize ideas, and provides a reference for later study and review.$

What strategies help students listen effectively in lectures?

Previewing material, focusing on key points, recognizing rhetorical questions, and reviewing notes after class.$

Why is empathy important in listening?

Empathy builds trust, reduces conflict, and fosters effective interpersonal relationships by validating others' feelings and viewpoints.$

How does cultural difference affect listening?

Different communication styles, nonverbal cues, and language use can cause misunderstandings unless cultural sensitivity is practiced.$

What is the difference between selective and active listening?

Selective listening involves hearing only parts of the message, often ignoring important information; active listening fully engages with the speaker to understand the complete message.$

How can one overcome biased listening?

By being aware of personal prejudices, keeping an open mind, and focusing on the speaker’s actual message rather than assumptions.$

What is the importance of silence in listening?

Silence allows the speaker to think and express themselves fully and gives the listener time to process information.$