Basic Communication Skills Volume 1 (Listening)

“when you just HEAR”. You need a little effort to listen but do not need effort to hear.

REASONS FOR LISTENING

Selection of reasoning with attention

To get first hand information (news, directives)

To show empathy and not sympathy

For leisure and pleasure

To get knowledge (Education)

To gain comprehension (understanding)

To evaluate and assess what most scholars have agreed that most of the challenges faced by people in life are as a result of not listening.

Serler {1987} “if you do not listen you won’t learn”

The greatest challenges we have is Prioritizing self opinions Onabanjo 2006 (Source Onabanjo 2006)

Listening skill 42-53%
Speaking skill 30-32%
Reading skill 15 -17%
Writing skill 11-14%

Because most of us take listening for granted we think is very simple as a matter of fact listening is a complex thing.

The greatest difference is that listening is an active process. “You can HEAR when you LISTEN but may not LISTEN to what you HEAR

BARRIERS TO LISTENING

• I don’t care attitude (laxity) not giving attention to someone/something.
• Physical, health and psychological difficulty (deaf and dump, insanity)
• Accommodating distraction (side talks, intra-communication)
• Faking/Forming attention
• Divided attention. (Giving attention to listen to two or more events)

IMPROVING YOUR LISTENING SKILL                                

• Make effort or prepare to listen
• Don’t interrupt a speaker
• Empathize with the speaker
• Listen with maximum concentration
• Ready to give feedback
• Ask constructive questions at the appropriate time
• Be flexible with your view
• Follow up from the point of view of the speaker (relevancy)
• Always take note during classes, lectures and talks.