Active Listening
Supplemental Instruction by Ms. Andrea Haymond-Tang
The information available through this site is inteded to assist students in becoming effective and efficient learners. The pages were adapted from material presetned at two websites: www.academictips.org and www.studygs.net. If you are interested in obtaining additional help, you might visit either of those two sites or perhaps two others: www.studyguidezone.com/resource_tips.htm and www.studytips.org.
General Exam Tips
Answering Multiple Choice Questions
Answering True-False Questions
Answering Essay Questions
Answering Short Answer Questions
Taking Open Book Exams
Preparing for Emergency Exams
Coping with Test Anxiety
Note Taking Strategies
Active Listening
Active Listening
Active listening is an important skill to have in college. It is a habit and a foundation for communicating effectively. By actively listening, you are purposely focusing on who you are listening to so that you understand what he or she is saying. Using your own words, you should be able to repeat back what that person has said. This is not to say you are agreeing with what has been said, just that you understand it.
There are several factors that influence active listening.
External Factors:1. Subject complexity - is it difficult to understand, or easy? Is it meaningful to you? Do you have experience with the subject already, or is it new?
2. The Speaker - is he/she comfortable or nervous? Does he/she use non-verbal cues? Is he/she warm, smart, aggressive, pompous?
3. Presentation - are there visuals or examples? Is the subject presented in a logical format? If technology is used, was it used effectively?
4. Environment - is it noisy or quiet? Are there too many distractions? Can you interact with the speaker?
Individual Factors:
1. Have a positive attitude.
2. The subject should have your focused attention.
3. Do a mental review of what you know about the subject already.
4. Don't let yourself get distracted - sit in the front row and away from avoidable noise.
5. Put your emotions on hold.
6. Set any prejudices and opinions aside - be open to what the speaker has to say.
7. The speaker should have your attention.
8. Acknowledge the points in the speech in a non-verbal way.
9. Use your body language to encourage the speaker - sitting forward and nodding lets him/her know you are interested.
Follow Up Activities
1. Allow the speaker to take a break.
2. Express your appreciation.
3. During Q and A:
- determine if you understood the material discussed.
- restate and summarize points and ask questions.
- continue to talk with the speaker.
- share your experience, give feedback, interpret the content, and apply what you have learned to a new situation.
- if asking a question: say a quick word of appreciation, then give a brief summary of the point at hand, then ask the question.
- if making a point: say a quick word of appreciation, give a brief summary of the point at hand, state your opinion on it, and then allow for a response.
4. Further Development:
- get contact information.
- hold a discussion after the talk is over.
- write a summary that contains questions for continued review.