Listening Skills

First, understand this: What is Listening?

• Listening doesn't just mean sound entering the ear.
• Listening means understanding carefully what the other person is saying.
• Like when Mom says something, but our attention is on the TV. We hear Mom's voice, but we don't understand. This is not real listening.
• To listen properly, you need attention, understanding, and patience.

1. Barriers of Listening

Now think, what are the obstacles to listening? Why can't we listen properly sometimes?
Some of these reasons are:

1. Noise

   • When there is a lot of noise around, the sounds are not heard clearly.
   • Like it becomes difficult to talk to a friend in the market.

2. Lack of Attention

   • If our mind is elsewhere, we don't listen properly.
   • Like sitting in class and thinking about playing cricket in the evening, then the teacher's words will not be understood.

3. Prejudice

   • If we already think that the other person is speaking wrong, then we will not listen properly at all.
   • Like if you are angry with a friend, then whatever they say, you will only feel bad.

4. Emotions

   • Our brain cannot listen properly in times of anger, sadness, or great happiness.
   • Like if someone has scolded you, then after that you will not listen to anyone's words carefully.

5. Language Differences

   • If the other person speaks in a language that we don't understand, what will we listen to!
   • Like someone speaking quickly in English and we don't know English well.

6. Physical Barriers

   • If someone's hearing ability is low or their health is not good, then also there is difficulty in listening.
   • Like if there is pain in the ear or a headache, then you will not feel like listening.

2. Approaches to Listening

Now let's understand what are the ways to listen well:

1. Active Listening

   • In this, we listen with full attention and also give a reaction in between.
   • Like nodding the head, saying "yes", "okay", or "understood".
   • This also makes the speaker feel that you are really listening.

2. Passive Listening

   • In this, we just listen carefully without saying anything.
   • We don't give any reaction, just listen and understand.
   • Like listening to a story with full concentration.

3. Reflective Listening

   • In this, we repeat the other person's words after understanding them so that there is no confusion.
   • For example: If a friend says, "I am scared of the exam," you can say, "You are tense about the exam, did I understand correctly?"
   • This makes the other person understand that you have heard their words correctly.

3. How to Improve Listening

If we want to become a good listener, we have to keep these things in mind:

1. Pay Attention

   • When someone is speaking, look at them and don't let your mind wander.
   • Leave the mobile or TV at that time.

2. Don’t Interrupt

   • Don't say anything in between until the other person has finished speaking.
   • This helps in understanding the meaning of their words and they also feel good.

3. Observe Body Language

   • Understand not only the words but also the body language of the other person.
   • Like hand gestures, facial expressions, eye contact.

4. Provide Feedback

   • After listening, ask questions or give your opinion so that the conversation continues.
   • Like: "Then what happened?", "This is a good idea" or "I didn't understand this."

5. Empathize

   • Try to understand the feelings of the other person.
   • Like if someone is sad, understand them and show sympathy.

6. Practice Regularly

   • Practice daily to improve your listening habit.
   • Like listening to podcasts, listening to music lyrics carefully, or listening to a story with concentration.

Listening Skills: 15 Questions and Answers

1. Question: What is Listening?

Answer:
Listening is not just hearing sounds. It means paying attention and understanding what someone is saying, including their words, emotions, and body language.

2. Question: Why is Listening important?

Answer:
Listening helps us understand others better, build good relationships, solve problems, and learn new things. It also shows respect and makes communication effective.

3. Question: What is the difference between Hearing and Listening?

Answer:

• Hearing is just the physical process of sound entering your ears.
• Listening is an active process where you pay attention and understand the meaning of the words.

4. Question: What are the main Barriers to Listening?

Answer:

1. Noise - Background sounds that distract.
2. Lack of Attention - When your mind is wandering.
3. Prejudices - Judging the speaker before listening.
4. Language Differences - Not understanding the language or words.

5. Question: How does Noise affect Listening?

Answer:
Noise distracts our mind and makes it difficult to focus on the speaker’s words, leading to misunderstanding or incomplete information.

6. Question: What is Active Listening?

Answer:
Active Listening is when you fully concentrate, understand, respond, and remember what the speaker is saying. It includes nodding, asking questions, and giving feedback.

7. Question: How can you improve Active Listening?

Answer:

• Maintain eye contact.
• Show interest by nodding or smiling.
• Avoid interrupting the speaker.
• Ask questions to clarify.
• Summarize or repeat important points.

8. Question: What is Empathetic Listening?

Answer:
Empathetic Listening is when you listen with care and understanding, putting yourself in the speaker’s shoes to feel their emotions and thoughts.

9. Question: Why do people face Listening Barriers?

Answer:
People face barriers because of distractions, stress, preconceptions, language issues, and lack of interest in the topic.

10. Question: What is Selective Listening?

Answer:
Selective Listening is when you only hear what you want to hear and ignore the rest. This can lead to misunderstandings.

11. Question: How does Body Language help in Listening?

Answer:
Body language like nodding, leaning forward, and maintaining eye contact shows interest and helps the speaker feel heard and understood.

12. Question: What is Reflective Listening?

Answer:
Reflective Listening is when you repeat or paraphrase what the speaker said to confirm understanding. It helps in better communication.

13. Question: How does Lack of Attention affect Listening?

Answer:
If you are distracted or thinking about something else, you won’t understand the full message, leading to confusion and poor communication.

14. Question: What are some Listening Exercises?

Answer:

• Practice summarizing conversations.
• Listen to podcasts or speeches and take notes.
• Have discussions without interrupting the speaker.
• Try to remember details after listening.

15. Question: How can one overcome Listening Barriers?

Answer:

• Choose a quiet place for conversation.
• Stay focused and avoid distractions.
• Keep an open mind without judging.
• Learn new words if language is a barrier.
• Practice patience and don’t rush to respond.

Conclusion:

Listening is not just the work of the ears; it also involves our mind and brain.
Listening well is an art that strengthens relationships and removes misunderstandings.
If we listen properly, only then can we respond correctly and become proficient in communication.