How to Become a Good Listener in Classroom

Become Good Listener
Being a good listener is one of the most important and enchanting life-skills anyone will have. Being a good student means being a good listener. Whether you are a young student or entering college, it's important to learn to pay attention in class and take good notes that will help you succeed. Learn to pay attention well and set yourself up for success by avoiding distractions. It's important for you to be a good listener in class. Much of what you will have to learn will be presented verbally by your teachers. Just hearing what your teachers say is not the same as listening to what they say. According to a dissertation writing service UK, listening is a cognitive act that requires you to pay attention and think about and mentally process what you hear.

Listen Closely Instead Of Just Getting Ready To Reply:
The first way for someone to become a better listener is to ensure that they are actually listening to what the other person is saying, rather than waiting for a break so they will say no matter what was in their head. If people don't pay attention and consider what the other person is saying, it's likely that they will miss vital information, and therefore miss opportunities to learn. Really listening to someone allows one to build better relationships and actually leads to the other person forming a more positive impression of the listener, as well as making it more likely they'll cooperate with them.

You Have Two Ears And One Mouth - Use Them In This Ratio:
Research has shown that when individual talks a lot or is always the one to introduce new topics to the conversation, this can lead to negative connotations, such that they are seen as domineering or controlling. In order to facilitate effective conversation, everyone involved needs to contribute, listen and consider what the other has to say in equal ways.


Be Open-Minded:
Research has demonstrated that students become inefficient listeners when they try to make the new knowledge that they obtain from conversations fit with pre-existing representations they already hold. This causes them to be close-minded and jump to conclusions. One particular study demonstrated the extent to which this can occur. Students were taken to an office where they believed they were waiting for an experiment. However, unknown to them was that this office actually formed part of the experiment – when they left, they were asked to recall items they had seen in the office. The researchers found that the students were able to correctly recall more of the items that would typically be associated with an office, and in some cases falsely recalled typical office items that weren’t present.

Focus On What Is Being Said, Rather Than Who Is Saying It:
Unfortunately, people often hold biases and these can influence their views of others. Once you categorize someone as a ‘foe’ instead of a ‘friend’, it's likely that you can disregard what they say. Clearly, it's better to focus on the content, not the messenger.

Use The Principle Of Charity:
The ‘principle of charity’ states that people should interpret what others are saying in the best possible light. We don’t always know someone’s motivation, so it's probably a good idea to interpret it in the most positive way, instead of jumping to negative conclusions.

Pause For Thought:
The best listeners always pause for thought before replying. Recent research showed it to be an effective method, as it allowed participants to express themselves clearly and give more interesting answers. That one extra second to gather one’s thoughts can often be invaluable.


Make Eye Contact:
One of the most vital non-verbal cues displayed by good listeners is eye contact. Eye contact is essential as it allows people to show that they are listening which they respect what others have to say. It also increases the likelihood that they will remember the information from a conversation. In one particular study, when the speaker in a video was looking at the students, they were much more likely to remember what was said in comparison to when they were looking away.

Ask Questions:
Asking relevant questions is a trait of a good listener, as it demonstrates that they have been listening and considering the information. Posing questions also stops miscommunications.

Be Honest About Your Current Limitations:
If you’re in a rush or feel very tired or stressed out, let the other person know. If you have listened for long while and your mind has hit its limit and starts to wander and you need a break and maybe something to eat, say that too from occurring, by allowing the listener to check their understanding and clarify any information they are unsure of.

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