Hearing is not Listening - How to Develop Effective Listening Skills






Listening is different from Hearing. 

  • English Communication Skills can be learned and improved by practice as well as Listening.
  • If you have sharp Listening Skills, you can become a better communicator.
  • When we think about Listening, we tend to assume that it is the same as Hearing, which is a misconception.
  • Listening can be switched on or off as per the receiver's wish but the same is not true for Hearing.
  • Listening involves paying attention and concentration.
  • Listening starts when the receiver becomes aware and attentive. 
  • Listening requires a deliberate effort.
  • Effective Listening is about absorbing information that ultimately goes into the permanent memory of the Listener. This is the final stage of Effective Listening.
  • Listening is Voluntary, Requires Effort, and is a Two-Way process that happens Actively.
  • Whereas Hearing is Involuntary, happens Automatically, and is a One-Way, Passive process. 

So when you hear a sound you sense it, then interpret & evaluate it, and thereafter you give a response. 

Listening Skills

LSRW


L--LISTENING----To unlock the hidden meaning behind words

  S--SPEAKING----It means expressing interactively

R--READING----Process of receiving and interpreting written words


W--WRITING----Ability to express in written words clearly with  proper use of language

 ·   The success of an individual greatly depends upon how effectively he can communicate

·     Communication skills can be improved by practice and learning

  •           Each individual can become a better communicator by sharpening his skills


Effective listening

  •          Listening is an activity that can be continuously  turned on or off

·         Listening starts with the receiver becoming aware and attentive

·         Effective listening requires deliberate effort

·         Effective listening is absorbing the information

 

Difference between hearing and listening 

Hearing happens automatically at it is an involuntary physical act

 

Listening                                                         Hearing

·involuntary process                                         Voluntary process

·         Requires conscious                                    Happens automatically effort

·         Active process                                              A passive process

·         Two-way process                                           one-way process

 

Four elements of listening skills

·         Hearing---- opening up on the gate of your years

·         Interpredict--- assigning meaning to messages

·     Evaluation--- receiver tries to evaluate the communication

·     Responding--- listener response to the sender

Types of Listening

1-        Discriminating listening--- differences between different sounds is identified

2-        Comprehension listening---To make sense of all content

3-  Biased listening--- person here is what he wants to hear

4- Evaluative listening--- to make a judgment about the speaker

5-  Appreciative listening---Listening to Poetry on music

6- Sympathetic listening---to show concern for a person

7- Empathetic listening----beyond sympathetic and seeking the true  understanding of another process of listening

 

Process of Listening

1-Listening

2-    Sensing --on that seems important

3-     Interpreting stage --the act of decoding

4-    Evaluating Stage-- assigning meaning to the message

5-      Responding stage-the listener is ready to respond

6-     Memory stage---final stage of listening the listener retains what he had heard

 

Essentials of effective listening---

1-  Listening patiently-- Even if you feel that your speaker is wrong

 2-   Understand the speakers feeling- his impulses

3-   Restatement and summary-- encourage a speaker to continue

4-    Time for discussion -- allow time for discussion

5- Rapport--establish a good rapport with the speaker

 

Role of effective listening in communication--


  •   helps in proper communication--the key is good listening
  •  Develops personality
  • Builds better relationship
  •  Helps ease other
  • Forms a bond of respect
  • Increases self-confidence ---it betters self-esteem

Barriers to effective listening ---
  • A--- Physical barrier -----

1-Noise

2- Physical discomfort

3-Physical distress

5-Distance

 

  • B----Psychological barrier

 1-Emotional disturbance

2- Anxiety

3- Emotional distress

 

C--Linguistic barriers --

1-Improper message decoding
 2-ambiguous language


3- Technical terms

 

D--Cultural barriers ---

1-Cultural differences

 2-different values

3-different social norms

 

Overcoming listening barriers -----

1- Eye contact

2-   Avoiding disturbing or distressing actions or gestures

3-   Asking questions

4-   Paraphrase

5-   Do not overtake

6-   Put the speaker at ease 7- Remove disturbance

8-   Hold your temper

9-Respect pause or silence

 10- Listen to total meaning

 11-Observe nonverbal clue

12- Avoid fake attention

13- No personal bias

Use Headphones

So Listen to English News Channels, Watch English Movies, Serials especially ones with subtitles. Listen very carefully and try to imitate the speaker. Catch new words and also pay attention to how they are pronounced. Than Most of what you "Listen to" will be retained in your permanent memory.

Practice by listening to chat shows on TV by using headphones and making mental notes. Watch the ones which have sub-titles.

Try to imitate the speaker's style. Carefully pay attention to the pronunciation of words. Remember words are not pronounced as they are written. 

Be patient while listening because otherwise, you will lose track of what is being said. 

Good Listening involves encouraging the speaker, by being sensitive to his or her thoughts and emotions which are hidden in his expressions. 

Like any other art, it should be practiced with full dedication and concentration. 


Listening Tips

1. Listen using Headphones

2. Listen Patiently

3. Imitate what you have listened

4. Summarise, Restate & Paraphrase what you listened to.

Be an active Listener! 


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