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What is active listening? Active listening is a method of listening in which the listener:
focuses all of their attention on what the speaker is saying. listens for concepts and ideas . checks for understanding by interpreting concepts in their own words . actively avoids distraction . monitors the quality of their listening experience.
What are the benefits of active listening? As as student, much of what you must learn and remember is delivered verbally through live or recorded lecture, or oral instruction. Active listening strategies improve comprehension and increase the retention of verbal information. Active listening also prevents students from misunderstanding content, or missing important instructions. PRODUCT PREVIEW What are active listening strategies? 1. Decide to listen. Yes, it’s that simple. Make a conscious decision to listen to your teacher. Clear your mind of your own thoughts. Control your mind from wandering. Don’t zone out. Focus, and actively try to absorb what your teacher says. 2. Listen for ideas. Don’t just hear words – listen for ideas . Teachers speak in ideas. They may have different lecture or delivery styles, but they are usually clear about the main points they want to get across to students, and don’t drop information bombs without warning. Main points or ideas are often preceded by phrases emphasizing the importance of the information such as: “The most important thing is…” or “The main characteristics are…” or “This is what I want you to know…” or “This will be on the test…” Later, in your career, you will realize that coworkers, bosses, and clients also speak in ideas and may have different delivery styles. Good listening skills can help you truly understand their message.
THE 21st CENTURY STUDENT’S GUIDE TO STUDY SKILLS 121
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