Kajal Kardam

What is Listening?
If you ask a group of people to give a one word

description of listening, some would say hearing.

BUT listening is following and understanding the

sound---it is hearing with a purpose. Definition
Listening is the process of receiving, constructing meaning from, and responding to spoken and/or nonverbal messages; to hear something with thoughtful attention.

Listening vs. Hearing

Hearing Listening

Physical Process Accidental Involuntary

Physical + Mental Process Focused Voluntary

Effortless

Intentional

Talking is sharing, Listening is caring.

If speaking is silver, then listening is gold. - Turkish Proverb

Listening Process

Listening is an active process that has three basic steps

Hearing Understanding Judging

Stop Talking Prepare Yourself to Listen Put the Speaker at Ease Remove Distractions Empathise Be Patient Avoid Personal Prejudice Listen to the Tone Listen for Ideas Not Just Words Wait and Watch for Non-Verbal Communication

1. Listening is a matter of intelligence.

Fact: Careful listening is a learned behavior.

2. Speaking is more important than listening in

the communication process.

Fact: Speaking and listening are equally important.

3. Listening is easy and requires little energy.

Fact: Active listeners undergo the same hysiological changes as a person jogging.

4. Listening and hearing are the same process.

Fact: Listening is a conscious, selective process. Hearing is an involuntary act.

5. Speakers are able to command listening.

Fact: Speakers cannot make a person really listen.

6. Hearing ability determines listening ability.

Fact: Listening happens mentallybetween the ears.

7. Speakers are totally responsible for the

communication success. Fact: Communication is a two-way street.

8. Listening means only understanding a

speakers words.

Fact: Nonverbal signals also help listeners gain understanding.

9. Daily practice eliminates the need for listening

training. Fact: Without effective listening training, most practice merely reinforces negative behaviors.

10.Competence in listening develops naturally.

Fact: Untrained people listen at only 25 percent efficiency.

DOs
Be mentally prepared to listen Evaluate the speech not the speaker

DONTs
Not to pay undue emphasis on vocabulary as you can use the context to understand the meaning Not to pay too much attention to the accessories and clothing of the speaker Not to prepare your responses while the speaker is speaking Avoid preconceptions and prejudices

Fight distractions by closing off sound sources

Be open minded Ask questions to clarify and not to overshadow intelligence Paraphrase from time to time

Not to get distracted by outside influences

Not to interrupt too often

Send appropriate non-verbal signals time to time

Not to show boredom