GOOD LISTENING SKILLS - from the Net

GOOD LISTENING SKILLS You're aware of problems to avoid when listening in class. Keep them in mind and check your listening behavior often. Here are some positive steps to take to help improve your listening skills: Prepare to listen.  Your attitude in attending class is important. If you feel that a particular class is generally a waste of your time, you obviously won't be in a good mood to listen. Use some positive self-talk by deciding before class that this time will be well spent. Commit yourself to this learning experience. Some students consider lectures supplementary to the textbook studying they do at home. With an attitude like this, listening becomes a chore. Learn to study while listening in class. Watch the speaker.  Don't take your eyes off the speaker! Eye contact is a very important part of the active listening process. Of course, taking notes is recommended to help you maintain your focus; however, when you look away, you'll be aware of visual distractions that compete with the instructor for your attention. You have to listen with your eyes and your ears! Try to develop an awareness of your instructor's mannerisms.  Gestures, tone of voice, and other body language usually emphasize a speaker's remarks. Some experts say that tone of voice and body language are 95% of the listening communication process. All speakers communicate physically as well as orally, so you must watch as you listen. Note questions.  If you listen with a questioning attitude, learning will be easier for you. When the instructor asks a question, pay close attention. This is usually a signal that the instructor thinks this is important information. You have to realize that the instructor knows the answer, so there's nothing he or she can learn from the answer. She is asking it so you will learn. She wants you to understand and remember the answer. Speakers' questions are designed to help you listen and learn. Also, be sure to notice questions asked by others in class. Student questions signal the instructor about how the information is coming across to students. At this point, the instructor will often give a more detailed explanation, repeat the point, or give examples to help the listeners to understand better. Questions from both the instructor and students are valuable; pay attention to them. Listen creatively.  You should not be listening and thinking about other things at the same time, but you should be evaluating and organizing the speaker's words by taking notes. If you sit passively, like a sponge, expecting to soak up knowledge, you are really only half listening. To listen totally, you have to react by putting your mind to work. Like a computer, start to process the data coming in. This causes you to think ahead and anticipate what is coming up. Listening is a prime source of information in college. No matter what your learning style, you'll discover that much of the information you are given in college is auditory and visual.   How well you listen in class is vital to your success as a student. Practice good  listening skills as tools for academic success!