Having good listening skills is an imperative aspect of communication. Cooper and Simonds state that, "In the classroom, listening is the main channel of instruction" (Cooper & Simonds, 2011). When so much time is spent listening in the classroom, "ineffective listening can be costly to students" (Cooper & Simonds, 2011). Cooper and Simonds also state that most of us are inefficient learners, and we only retain about 20% of what we hear. Listening involves so much more than simply hearing what is being said. Judi Brownell (2009) describes listening in what she calls the HURIER model, which stands for six interrelated activities; hearing, understanding, remembering, interpreting, evaluating, and responding (Cooper & Simonds, 2011). We need to do all of these activities in order to understand and retain what is being heard.
There are four different types of listening: informative, appreciative, empathetic, and critical (Cooper & Simonds, 2011). Informative listening is when we are attempting to understand a message to gain knowledge for future use. For example, informative listening takes place when students listen to directions on how to take an exam. Appreciative listening is when we listen to something simply because we enjoy it. For example, when we listen to a teacher because we like to tone of her voice. Empathetic listening is when we are listening for the feelings of another person. When we listen to friend talk about a problem, we are listening empathetically. This kind of listening is very important in the teaching profession. The fourth type of listening is critical listening. Critical listening is making judgements about the messages that are being received (Cooper & Simonds, 2011). All four of these types of listening will be used as an educator. It is very important to be aware of all four types of listening, and utilize them properly in the classroom.
Listening Barriers
Effective Listening Chart from 1000ventures.com
Since it is so important to have good listening skills as an educator, we must discuss some listening barriers, so we know how to overcome them. The four major categories of listening barriers are: factual distractions, semantic distractions, mental distractions, and physical distractions (Cooper & Simonds, 2011). Factual distractions occur because we listen for facts, not the main ideas or feelings behind the message. Therefore, we lose sight of the "big picture" of the message. Semantic distractions are when we misunderstand the terminology being used, or associate certain emotions with the words or phrases. For example, when a student hears the word math, he feels negatively about the meaning of the word. He may not listen in math class, because he associates his negative thoughts and feelings to the word. Mental distractions occur when we are focusing on ourselves. We are so caught up in our own problems and needs that we don't focus on the person we are supposed to be listening to. Physical distractions can be a variety of different things. For example, noises, uncomfortable clothing, and the time of day could all interfere with one's ability to listen.
For effective listening to occur, we must be aware of these barriers, and try to remove as many of them as possible. We should work to always listen for the "big picture." We shouldn't take things literally, and shouldn't let our preconceived notions get in the way of our listening. We should always try to focus on the speaker, and try to avoid thinking only of ourselves and our problems when listening to others. We should avoid judging or stereotyping the speaker, as this will effect our listening skills. We should always strive to remove physical barriers when possible. If we try to limit these barriers, then effective listening will take place.
Effective Listening Strategies
- Remove physical barriers
-Concentrate on the speaker
-Do not stereotype or judge the speaker
-Avoid thinking of one's self
-Listen
-Ask questions
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