Listening

Listeningthe process of receiving, constructing meaning from, and responding to a spoken and/ or non-verbal message (International Reading Association)

Types of Listening

Types of Listening• Appreciative Listening• Emphatic Listening• Comprehensive/Active Listening• Critical/ Analytical Listening

Appreciative Listening

-listening for pleasure and enjoyment, as when we listen to music, to a comedy routine, or to an entertaining speech

-describes how well speakers choose and use words, use humor, ask questions. tell stories, and argue persuasively.

Emphatic Listening

-listening to provide emotional support for the speaker, as when a psychiatrist listens to a patient or when we lend a sympathetic ear to a friend

-focuses on understanding and identifying with a person’s situation, feelings, or motives

-there is an attempt to understand what the other person is feeling

-listener does not necessarily agree or feel the same way with the speaker instead understand the type and intensity of feelings the speaker is experiencing without judgement

Comprehensive/Active Listening

-listening to understand the message of a speaker, as when we attend a classroom lecture or listen to directions for finding a friend’s house

-focuses on accurately understanding the meaning of the speaker’s words while simultaneously interpreting non-verbal cues such as facial expressions, gestures, posture, and vocal quality

Steps in Active Listening1. listening carefully by using all available senses2. paraphrasing what is heard both mentally and verbally3. checking your understanding to ensure accuracy4. providing feedback

During a question-and-answer sessions, speakers use comprehensive listening skills to accurately interpret the audience’s questions.

Critical/ Analytical Listening-listening to evaluate a message for purposes of

accepting or rejecting it, as when we listen to the sales pitch of a used-car dealer or the campaign speech of a political candidate

Critical/ Analytical Listening-focuses on evaluating whether a message is

logical and reasonable

-asks you to make judgements based on your evaluation of the speaker’s arguments

-challenges the speaker’s message by evaluating its accuracy and meaningfulness, and utility

-uses critical thinking skills

Listening53%

Reading17%

Speaking16%

Writing14%

Proportions of tiem spent by college students in communication activities

References

Engeleberg, I. N. and John A. Daly. (2013). Think: Public Speaking. USA: Pearson Education, Inc.

Lucas, Stephen E. (2009). The Art of Public Speaking. 10th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Pearson, J. et. al. (2008). Human Communication. 3rd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.