Life Skills Development/Module Three/Unit 2: The Art of Communication/Listening

Content
Listening is a process that involves selecting, attending to, constructing meaning from and remembering verbal or non-verbal words and sounds in order to respond.

Terminologies

 * 1) Active Listening
 * 2) Passive Listening
 * 3) Critical Listening
 * 4) Affective Listening

Lessons

 * 1) What is Listening?
 * 2) Active Listening
 * 3) Passive Listening
 * 4) Critical Listening
 * 5) Affective Listening
 * 6) Elements of Listening
 * 7) Keys to effective listening

What is Listening
Listening starts with you. To become an effective listener, open your ears, shut your mouth and open your heart. Listen to what people are saying versus simply hearing them, you will learn a lot about yourself in the process.

Effective listening skills require that you;
 * Repeat what is said to you
 * Write it down
 * Maintain eye contact
 * provide non-verbal cues
 * Avoid outside distractions
 * Listen from the heart
 * Practice-practice
 * Mirror body language
 * Ask clarifying questions

Listening involves:
 * Selecting
 * Attending
 * Understanding
 * Remembering and
 * Responding

ACTIVE LISTENING
Active Listening requires complete focus on the message to confirm an accurate understanding of its content. Communication stimulates open and frank exploration of ideas and feelings and enables learners to establish trust and rapport with others. In active listening, the learner accepts what is being said without making any value judgement, clarifies feelings and reflect on the needs of the messenger.

Passive Listening
Passive listening is hiding any behaviour that would indicate that you are listening. Passive listeners sit with a blank stare or a frozen facial expression. Their thoughts and feelings could be anywhere except on what is happening at the moment.

Critical Listening
Critical listening is listening to evaluate and assess the quality, appropriateness, value, or importance of information. The goal of a critical listener is to use information to make a choice. This skill is crucial in a business environment. It involves:

next, how the argument will be developed and what issues have been and\or should be covered.
 * Reviewing and Previewing as you listen. This involves anticipating where the speaker is going

Affective Listening
 * Mapping is determining the thesis or purpose, identifying the main points and assessing the adequacy of the points.

Affective listening is listening for the emotional healing of the other. It gives the other the opportunity to be heard and to express feelings in a non-judgemental space of acceptance and encouragement. In an affective listening encounter, both parties agree on the time for both at the beginning and then take turns.

Elements of listening
Stop what ever activity you are engaged in and give the speaker your full attention (stop watching TV, Stop reading.)

Look at the person, do not turn away from the speaker.

Keep a good distance between you and the speaker.

Sit-up straight.

Nod your head and make statements such as "uh-uh," "I understand," and "I see what you mean" to show the speaker you truly understand what he/she is saying.

Indicate to the speaker if you do not understand. Do not fake listen!

Repeat back phrases to clarify what the speaker is saying.

Show interest and ask questions to show that you are interested in what the speaker is saying.

Do not interrupt the speaker.



Listening is an important skill in that process.

1. Learners role-play conversations using the skills of effective listening.

Peer assessment
Presentations, discussions and dramatizations

Role play a scenario depicting listening.

Discuss with other learners effective use of the listening skills.

Present to your group your experience and observations regarding the use of listening skills.

Support Materials

 * 1) Handouts
 * 2) Skits
 * 3) Power point presentation
 * 4) Comics
 * 5) Animations