HOW TO LISTEN
LISTENING SKILLS
LISTENING




HOW TO LISTEN

HOW TO BE A GOOD LISTENER

HOW TO BE A GOOD LISTENER RELATED TOPICS

10 TIPS TO EFFECTIVE & ACTIVE LISTENING SKILLS

HOW TO LISTEN AND RETAIN

ACTIVE LISTENING

HOW TO TEACH YOUR CHILD TO LISTEN

HOW TO TEACH YOUR CHILD TO LISTEN RELATED TOPICS

LISTENING SKILLS

LISTENING LINKS



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SECTION 1



HOW
TO
LISTEN




Do you want to master the art of listening? If you tend to zone
out when someone's talking, or you notice that people don't often
choose you as a confidant, it's time to start practicing this skill.
Taking an active, engaged approach to listening will improve your
relationships and enrich your experience of the world.



How to Listen
http://www.wikihow.com/Listen



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SECTION 2



HOW TO
BE A
GOOD
LISTENER




Being a good listener can help you to see the world through the
eyes of others. It enriches your understanding and expands your
capacity for empathy. It also increases your contact with the
outside world by helping you improve your communication skills.

Good listening skills can provide you with a deeper level of
understanding about someone’s situation, and helps to know what
words are best to use or which words to avoid.

As simple as listening (and acknowledging) may seem, doing it
well, particularly when disagreements arise, takes sincere
effort and lots of practice.



How to Be a Good Listener
http://www.wikihow.com/Be-a-Good-Listener



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SECTION 3



HOW TO
BE A
GOOD
LISTENER
RELATED
TOPICS




How to Listen More Than You Talk
http://www.wikihow.com/Listen-More-Than-You-Talk

How to Become a More Patient Person
http://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-More-Patient-Person

How to Be Patient
http://www.wikihow.com/Be-Patient

How to Practice Nonviolent Communication
http://www.wikihow.com/Practice-Nonviolent-Communication

How to Show Empathy
http://www.wikihow.com/Show-Empathy



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SECTION 4



10 TIPS TO
EFFECTIVE
&
ACTIVE
LISTENING
SKILLS




Listening makes our loved ones feel worthy, appreciated, interesting,
and respected. Ordinary conversations emerge on a deeper level, as do
our relationships. When we listen, we foster the skill in others by
acting as a model for positive and effective communication.


In our love relationships, greater communication brings greater
intimacy. Parents listening to their kids helps build their
self-esteem. In the business world, listening saves time and
money by preventing misunderstandings. And we always learn more
when we listen than when we talk.

Listening skills fuel our social, emotional and professional
success, and studies prove that listening is a skill we can
learn.



The Technique


Active listening is really an extension of the Golden Rule. To know
how to listen to someone else, think about how you would want to be
listened to.

While the ideas are largely intuitive, it might take some practice to
develop (or re-develop) the skills. Here’s what good listeners know
and you should, too:

1. Face the speaker. Sit up straight or lean forward slightly to show your attentiveness through body language.

2. Maintain eye contact, to the degree that you all remain comfortable.

3. Minimize external distractions. Turn off the TV. Put down your book
or magazine, and ask the speaker and other listeners to do the same.

4. Respond appropriately to show that you understand. Murmur (“uh-huh”
and “um-hmm”) and nod. Raise your eyebrows. Say words such as “Really,”
“Interesting,” as well as more direct prompts: “What did you do then?”
and “What did she say?”

5. Focus solely on what the speaker is saying. Try not to think about
what you are going to say next. The conversation will follow a logical
flow after the speaker makes her point.

6. Minimize internal distractions. If your own thoughts keep horning in,
simply let them go and continuously re-focus your attention on the speaker,
much as you would during meditation.

7. Keep an open mind. Wait until the speaker is finished before deciding
that you disagree. Try not to make assumptions about what the speaker is
thinking.

8. Avoid letting the speaker know how you handled a similar situation.
Unless they specifically ask for advice, assume they just need to talk
it out.

9. Even if the speaker is launching a complaint against you, wait until
they finish to defend yourself. The speaker will feel as though their
point had been made. They won’t feel the need to repeat it, and you’ll
know the whole argument before you respond. Research shows that, on
average, we can hear four times faster than we can talk, so we have the
ability to sort ideas as they come in…and be ready for more.

10. Engage yourself. Ask questions for clarification, but, once again,
wait until the speaker has finished. That way, you won’t interrupt their
train of thought. After you ask questions, paraphrase their point to make
sure you didn’t misunderstand. Start with: “So you’re saying…”

As you work on developing your listening skills, you may feel a bit panicky
when there is a natural pause in the conversation. What should you say next?
Learn to settle into the silence and use it to better understand all points
of view.

Ironically, as your listening skills improve, so will your aptitude for
conversation. A friend of my partner once complimented me on my conversational
skills. I hadn’t said more than four words, but I had listened to him for 25
minutes.



10 Tips to Effective & Active Listening Skills
http://powertochange.com/students/people/listen/



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SECTION 5



HOW TO
LISTEN
AND
RETAIN




Have you ever zoned out during a lecture? After listening to your
teacher or guest speaker several minutes, do you sometimes realize
that absolutely nothing is sinking in?

If this sounds familiar, you might need to sharpen your listening
skills a little. After all, if you plan to go to college or get a
job in the future, you’re going to have a lot of speeches to listen
to. You can improve your retention by practicing active listening.

What is active listening? Imagine that you’re just sitting down in
class to take notes, when the teacher announces that “there will be
a quiz on this lecture.” Suddenly, you’re more alert. You watch
attentively as your teacher speaks and you underline each and every
word that is emphasized or repeated.

Each time you sit down to listen to a speaker or a class lecture,
you should listen as if you’re going to be tested on the material.
After all, you might be!


Here are some tips to help you learn to improve your listening skills:

• Listen for verbal clues. Your teacher will emphasize any important
terms and concepts.

• Watch for nonverbal clues. Eyebrows, hands, pauses, eyes: these
features all show expression when your teacher makes an important
point.

• Be mindful of your own reactions. When your teacher says something
that sound interesting, curious, or surprising, go ahead and nod or
smile. If the teacher says something boring or unpleasant, try not to
have an ugly response. Why? To keep yourself on track. As long as you’re
managing your reactions, you’re still listening.

• Avoid making predictions. If we think we know what someone is about
to say, we stop listening and start drifting.

• Focus on the words, not the person. Don’t get distracted by an ugly
dress, weird hairstyle or goofy tie.

• Don’t get caught up on one detail. Stay on pace.

• Don’t let your mind wander. Put that food, person, music, or daydream
out of your head and save it for later.

As you're listening, you'll hear a few words that you don't understand.
Don't stumble over this; just write the word down and underline it.
(Don't worry about spelling.) Be sure not to let unfamiliar vocabulary
block your thought process.

As you take notes, you will notice that you'll hear things that are related
to past lectures, or you'll hear things that give you new ideas. Be sure to
write those little thoughts and impulses in the margins of your notes.
They'll help you later!

If another student asks a question, record the question and the answer in
your margins. These can show up on exams!

If your teacher allows it, try to record the lecture. You can review the
lecture later as you're driving or resting.



How to Listen and Retain
http://homeworktips.about.com/od/homeworkhelp/qt/listening.htm



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SECTION 6



ACTIVE
LISTENING




Hear What People are Really Saying


Listening is one of the most important skills you can have.

How well you listen has a major impact on your job effectiveness,
and on the quality of your relationships with others.


For instance:

We listen to obtain information

We listen to understand

We listen for enjoyment

We listen to learn



Active Listening
http://www.mindtools.com/CommSkll/ActiveListening.htm



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SECTION 7



HOW TO
TEACH
YOUR
CHILD
TO
LISTEN




Many parents find it very difficult to get their children to listen
and behave appropriately. To be honest, it doesn't have to be that
hard. It's really up to parents to teach their children listening
skills.

If your child isn't listening to you, it's time to take a deeper look
into your parenting skills. Take a deep breath, there is help. Follow
these few steps in order to learn how to teach your children to listen.


Things You'll Need

It takes "consistency" in order to teach children how to listen.



Instructions


1. Getting Your Children to Listen to You - For Dummies:

Don't you want your children to be enjoyable to others? Wouldn't it be
nice to know that when visiting family members or friends, you could
have the peace of mind of knowing your children will listen and that
others will enjoy their company?

Wouldn't it be wonderful to go into a public restaurant or to the store
knowing your children will listen and behave appropriately?

Wouldn't it just be wonderful if you could learn how to teach your children
to listen?

Well, guess what? You can teach your kids to listen and behave appropriately.



2. Get Your Child To Listen:

First off, consistent parenting is the one tool that will teach your children
to listen. Consistency is truly the key to parenting. It's so important to
start being consistent with your parenting from the time your child is a young
toddler. The earlier you start, the easier it will be to teach your kids to
listen. However, if you are just now learning the tools to teach your children
to listen, it may take a little extra work, yet it's still worth changing your
parenting skills in order to change the cycle.



3. Tips To Help Teach Your Kids To Listen:

Consistent parenting means sticking to rules 100% percent all of the time. If
you sit and yell or nag at your children to listen, without any consequences,
your children will never take you seriously. You must stick to rules and enforce
them. Actions truly do speak louder than words.



4. How to Teach Kids to Listen:

You should only have to give your children one warning. After one warning, it's
time to show your child that you mean what you are saying. For toddlers and young
children, you should use a time out and it is suggested that you use 1 minute per
each year of age (3 years old equals 3 minutes in time out). If your child won't
sit in time out, you must take the time to sit there with them in order to prevent
them from leaving their time out area. Ignore the fit as much as possible and act
as if it isn't bothering you one single bit. You do not want to give any negative
behavior any sort of attention.



5. Get Your Child To Listen:

Once your child has successfully reached the end of their time out, it's time to
bend down to their level and look into their eyes with a soft but firm voice and
let them know why they were in time out. Children often forget very easily and
it's best to remind them of their actions and why they were being punished.



6. How to teach your children to listen:

While using consistent parenting, it's also important to use positive reinforcement.
This means letting your children know when they are showing good behavior and reward
them. This can be as simple as praising them and telling them that you are proud of
their behavior, or giving them a sticker at the end of the day for positive behavior.
Children react very will to positive reinforcement.



Tips & Warnings


It takes time and effort to teach your children to listen. However, the effort is
well worth the results. Over time, consistent parenting becomes easier and easier,
as children learn their boundaries. Studies have also shown that children are much
more happier when given consistent rules and shown consistent parenting.



How to Teach Your Child to Listen
http://www.ehow.com/how_5598888_teach-tips-teaching-children-listen.html



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SECTION 8










How to Teach Toddlers to Listen
http://www.ehow.com/how_2221612_teach-toddlers-listen.html

How to Make a Listening Chart
http://www.ehow.com/how_2099391_make-listening-chart.html

How to Teach Children Listening Skills
http://www.ehow.com/how_4882873_teach-children-listening-skills.html

How to Help Kids Who Won't Listen in School
http://www.ehow.com/how_7802265_kids-wont-listen-school.html

How to Teach Children Listening Skills
http://www.ehow.com/how_4882873_teach-children-listening-skills.html

Games to Teach Kids to Listen & Calm Down
http://www.ehow.com/info_12071035_games-teach-kids-listen-calm-down.html

How to Get Your Children to Listen to You
http://www.ehow.com/how_2088123_children-listen.html

How to Get Children to Listen
http://www.ehow.com/how_4675133_children-listen.html

Activities to Teach Children to Hear God's Voice
http://www.ehow.com/info_8044166_activities-children-hear-gods-voice.html

Easy Games to Teach Children to Follow Instructions
http://www.ehow.com/info_7921974_easy-teach-children-follow-instructions.html

How to Get a Toddler to Listen & Obey
http://www.ehow.com/how_7419269_toddler-listen-obey.html

How to Teach Your Dog to Listen
http://www.ehow.com/how_4590151_teach-dog-listen.html

How to Discipline a Child That Does Not Listen
http://www.ehow.com/how_5022086_discipline-child-not-listen.html



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SECTION 9



LISTENING
SKILLS




You probably spend more time using your listening skills than any
other kind of skill. Like other skills, listening takes practice.



What does it mean to really listen?


Real listening is an active process that has three basic steps.


Hearing

Hearing just means listening enough to catch what the speaker is
saying. For example, say you were listening to a report on zebras,
and the speaker mentioned that no two are alike. If you can repeat
the fact, then you have heard what has been said.


Understanding

The next part of listening happens when you take what you have heard
and understand it in your own way. Let's go back to that report on
zebras. When you hear that no two are alike, think about what that
might mean. You might think, "Maybe this means that the pattern of
stripes is different for each zebra."


Judging

After you are sure you understand what the speaker has said, think
about whether it makes sense. Do you believe what you have heard?
You might think, "How could the stripes to be different for every
zebra? But then again, the fingerprints are different for every
person. I think this seems believable."



Listening Skills
http://www.infoplease.com/homework/listeningskills1.html



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SECTION 10



HOW TO LISTEN
LISTENING SKILLS
LISTENING
LINKS




5 Tips on How to Listen Effectively
http://verysmartgirls.com/relationship-communication-skills/5-tips-on-how-to-listen-effectively/

The 10 Principles of Listening
http://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/listening-skills.html

10 Steps To Effective Listening
http://www.forbes.com/sites/womensmedia/2012/11/09/10-steps-to-effective-listening/

10 Ways To Teach Your Toddler to Listen
http://mommyshorts.com/2012/02/10-ways-to-get-your-children-to-listen.html

25 Ways to Talk So Children Will Listen
http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/parenting/discipline-behavior/25-ways-talk-so-children-will-listen

Active Listening Skills
http://www.taft.cc.ca.us/lrc/class/assignments/actlisten.html

Build Friendships With Good Listening Skills
http://stress.about.com/od/relationships/ht/howtolisten.htm

Getting your toddler to listen
http://www.babycenter.com/0_getting-your-toddler-to-listen_11531.bc

How can I teach my toddler to listen?
http://www.parents.com/advice/toddlers-preschoolers/activities-for-toddlers-and-preschoolers/how-can-i-teach-my-toddler-to-listen/

How to Be an Effective Listener
http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/kline-listen/b10ch5.htm

HOW TO BE A GOOD LISTENER
http://www.rogerdarlington.me.uk/Listening.html

How to Get Your Child to Listen
http://www.empoweringparents.com/How-to-Get-Your-Child-to-Listen-Giving-Effective-Consequences.php#

How To Listen Effectively
http://www.howtodothings.com/family-relationships/how-to-listen-effectively

How to listen effectively
http://www.examiner.com/article/customer-service-101-how-to-listen-effectively

HOW TO LISTEN EFFECTIVELY
http://www.guidanceassociates.com/howtolisef.html



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How to Teach Listening Skills
http://busyteacher.org/14411-how-to-teach-listening-skills-best-practices.html

Learn How to Listen Effectively
http://www.100studytips.com/taking-in/learn-how-to-listen-effectively.html

Learning the Manly Skill of Paying Attention
http://www.artofmanliness.com/2012/05/02/how-to-listen-effectively/

Listen Effectively
http://www.aish.com/sp/48w/48971111.html

Listening Skills
http://www.infoplease.com/homework/listeningskills1.html

Listening Skills
http://careerplanning.about.com/cs/miscskills/a/listening_skill.htm

Listening Skills
http://www.listening-skills.net/index.htm

Listening Skills
http://www.articlesforeducators.com/directory.asp?fid=49

Teaching Your Child to Listen
http://www.schoolfamily.com/blog/2011/05/09/teaching-your-child-to-listen-the-first-time-you-say-it

Teaching your Child to Listen
http://parentingcenter.co.za/teaching-your-child-to-listen/

Tips on Effective Listening
http://www.drnadig.com/listening.htm

Tips To Help Teach Your Kids To Listen
http://www.more4kids.info/430/tips-to-teach-listening/

You Can Teach Your Children to Be Better Listeners
http://www.parenthood.com/article/you_can_teach_your_children_to_be_better_listeners.html#.VP1m2s90w5s



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Academic Kids Free Online
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http://academickids.com/




Children's encyclopedias
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Children%27s_encyclopedias




Difference Between
http://www.differencebetween.info/




Education.com
http://www.education.com/




Nick Jr.
http://www.nickjr.com/




Highlights Kids.com
http://www.highlightskids.com/




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