Though at Linguistic Aid Kit we are decidedly rooted in the domain of linguistics, we must indeed admit that verbal communication only accounts for less than 10% of the exchanges between people. It is therefore of tremendous importance to master the conveying of messages on all levels, including body language, facial expressions and paralinguistics, among other dimensions of communication.
The Public Speaking Tips section of our blog is going to devote special attention to those in due course. However, there is a very pressing issue stemming from them which concerns particularly tutors and teachers. This is what we call ‘Effective listening’.
The term refers to the ability of individuals to penetrate deep in the meaning of everything that is being said, through analysing thoroughly the various levels of conveying the message. It is, of course, a skill invaluable to teachers since they are responsible for the individual assessment of the needs and problems of their students. They are bound to commit sizeable and incorrigible mistakes if they lack this ability.
Here, we offer a brief description of some main distinctions that can be discerned between those who can listen effectively and those who can’t. We also incorporate this in our workshops and endeavour to raise professionals’ awareness towards it to better the students’ experience in the classroom.
If you are interested in learning more, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Firstly, poor listeners tend to ‘wool-gather’: that is, they are in the habit of collecting each word and expression and treating them with equal importance. They listen for concrete statements and are able to misinterpret ‘deaf words’ (i.e. words which bear no meaning in the context). In contrast, good (or effective) listeners think, mentally summarise, weigh the evidence, arrive to conclusions and ask questions which further the conversation. In addition, they listen ‘between the lines’ for tones of voice, facial expressions, pauses and central ideas, rather than facts.
Secondly, bad listeners tend to tune out during passages which seem irrelevant to them or which they find dull. Their good counterparts are able to maintain focus even in moments when the information they receive is worthless to themselves but may well have value for the one delivering the message. This is equally true for all sorts of distractions.
Note-taking is also a strong indicator as for the listening skills of people. Intensive notes with plenty of information and extensive abstracts are a sign of insufficient practice in gathering information. Experienced professionals may take notes in various ways, most notably shorthand. They will have developed a technique to organise their annotations and will spend considerably less time writing and much more making appropriate eye contact, for instance.
Effective listeners usually interfere with the speech of the interlocutor much less often than poor ones. They will withhold any comments until comprehension is complete and they are able to make an informed remark. Poor listeners, on the other hand, will interrupt and ask questions frequently, will make premature judgements and suggest ultimate resolutions before they have had the opportunity to gather the evidence in full.
And importantly, effective listeners are in command of their own body language and ensure it communicates undivided attention and active interest. They maintain eye contact, appropriately involve body contact (touch on the shoulder, for example), keep their shoulders open and point their feet at the speaker.
To achieve better needs assessment of your students and higher satisfaction among them, you may wish to consider these points, which are by no means exhaustive. Active listening skills can help you in all areas of life and will generally render you a better person.
Please do not forget to leave your comments and, of course,
Stay classy
Linguistic Aid Kit
The Public Speaking Tips section of our blog is going to devote special attention to those in due course. However, there is a very pressing issue stemming from them which concerns particularly tutors and teachers. This is what we call ‘Effective listening’.
The term refers to the ability of individuals to penetrate deep in the meaning of everything that is being said, through analysing thoroughly the various levels of conveying the message. It is, of course, a skill invaluable to teachers since they are responsible for the individual assessment of the needs and problems of their students. They are bound to commit sizeable and incorrigible mistakes if they lack this ability.
Here, we offer a brief description of some main distinctions that can be discerned between those who can listen effectively and those who can’t. We also incorporate this in our workshops and endeavour to raise professionals’ awareness towards it to better the students’ experience in the classroom.
If you are interested in learning more, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Firstly, poor listeners tend to ‘wool-gather’: that is, they are in the habit of collecting each word and expression and treating them with equal importance. They listen for concrete statements and are able to misinterpret ‘deaf words’ (i.e. words which bear no meaning in the context). In contrast, good (or effective) listeners think, mentally summarise, weigh the evidence, arrive to conclusions and ask questions which further the conversation. In addition, they listen ‘between the lines’ for tones of voice, facial expressions, pauses and central ideas, rather than facts.
Secondly, bad listeners tend to tune out during passages which seem irrelevant to them or which they find dull. Their good counterparts are able to maintain focus even in moments when the information they receive is worthless to themselves but may well have value for the one delivering the message. This is equally true for all sorts of distractions.
Note-taking is also a strong indicator as for the listening skills of people. Intensive notes with plenty of information and extensive abstracts are a sign of insufficient practice in gathering information. Experienced professionals may take notes in various ways, most notably shorthand. They will have developed a technique to organise their annotations and will spend considerably less time writing and much more making appropriate eye contact, for instance.
Effective listeners usually interfere with the speech of the interlocutor much less often than poor ones. They will withhold any comments until comprehension is complete and they are able to make an informed remark. Poor listeners, on the other hand, will interrupt and ask questions frequently, will make premature judgements and suggest ultimate resolutions before they have had the opportunity to gather the evidence in full.
And importantly, effective listeners are in command of their own body language and ensure it communicates undivided attention and active interest. They maintain eye contact, appropriately involve body contact (touch on the shoulder, for example), keep their shoulders open and point their feet at the speaker.
To achieve better needs assessment of your students and higher satisfaction among them, you may wish to consider these points, which are by no means exhaustive. Active listening skills can help you in all areas of life and will generally render you a better person.
Please do not forget to leave your comments and, of course,
Stay classy
Linguistic Aid Kit
