How to ListenCommunicating with Learners

Causes of Faulty Communication

Each of us comes from a unique perspective that colors how we send a message and what we hear when we receive a message.

Barriers may be caused by culture, gender, differences in the way we think and process information or differences in the senses we use to communicate

Pay Attention to Nonverbal Messages

What message are you sending the learner?

What message is the learner sending to you?

Do the words reflect the nonverbal behavior?

Listening is a most important aspect of the feedback process

“Let the wise listen and add to their learning.” Proverbs 1:5

Listening is difficult

You must listen to what the learner has to say with the intention of understanding his or her message.

Search for the total meaning

Be an active listener

Set aside preconceived ideas Concentrate on the message,

not on your intent to respond.

Listen to understand, not forming an answer while the learner is talking, not jumping ahead to the next thought and not putting words into the learner’s mouth.

Listening skills

1. Repeat the words that the learner is speaking to yourself silently … WORD for WORD

2. Make eye to eye contact

3. Acknowledge comment

4. If you do not have time to listen, tell the learner that and arrange a time to discuss the issues

Listening skills

5. Paraphrase, repeat or restate the important points that the learner says. Restating frequently keeps you both on the same track.

6. Never accept a 3rd person description of a specific site, fact or person..Get the specifics. The individual or group or objects that you think are “we, they, that, or it” are may not be the “who or what” you thought they were.

Listening skills

7. Ask for a repeat what you just said. Once you hear the response you can clarify the discrepancies.

8. Be critical of the details. Ask questions.

9. Be silent. If you do not know what to say, say nothing

10. Never interrupt

Post Test

Down load the post test Return to Dr. Sandra Oliver, OME

Post Test 1

Which of the following describes an active listener?

1. Set aside preconceived ideas2. Focus on your message3. Concentrate on your intent to respond. 4. Listen to form your answer while the

learner is talking

Post Test 2

If you do not know what to say, you should1. Ask questions

2. Change the subject

3. Be silent

4. Arrange for another time to meet with the learner