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CLASS ACTIVITY WORKSHEET
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What’s Holding YOU Back from Being an Active Listener in the Classroom? The concept of active listening is simple: Decide to listen, listen for ideas, make eye contact, pay attention to visuals aids, and make schema connections! So why are so many students poor listeners? What behaviors, habits and attitudes prevent students from actively listening? What’s holding you back from being an active listener in the classroom? (Check all that apply.) 1. When I’m in class listening to my teacher I often: look around at friends. text. get lost in my own thoughts (it’s so beautiful in there!) flirt with the hot guy/gal next to me. finish (or start) homework for that (or another) class. study the insides of my eyelids. zone out. If you checked any of these boxes, poor self-control is holding you back from being an active listener. Do you know that the human mind processes information much faster than the normal rate of speech? In the lag time between the listener’s processing and the speaker’s speaking, listeners who lack self-control can get distracted and lose focus. Make a conscious decision to listen. Resist the urge to talk to a friend, flirt, text, or lose your concentration. Active listening takes practice. In high school and college you will need a great deal of self-control to succeed. Practice developing zen master-like control over your thought processes and impulses . 2. When I’m in class listening to my teacher, my usual attitude is: disagreement. disinterest. boredom (I’ve heard it all before…) natural resistance to whatever he or she says. If you checked any of these boxes, your attitude is getting the better of your listening skills. Never assume you already know what your teacher is going to say. Studies show that when people do this, they often hear what is expected, rather than what is actually said . If you disagree with something your teacher says, make a mental or quick written note but keep listening! Don’t stop to form a rebuttal in your head. Stay focused. Don’t let boredom distract you from listening. Boredom is an attitude. Active listening requires a positive attitude, and a conscious effort to generate an interest in the topic even when it’s not all that interesting to you. PRODUCT PREVIEW
THE 21st CENTURY STUDENT’S GUIDE TO STUDY SKILLS 123
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