Effective Listening Skills in English
Effective Listening Skills in English
BACHELOR OF ARTS
SEMESTER 1
OBAC102
COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH
Unit: 3 – Listening 1
OBAC102: Communicative English
Unit 3
Listening
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SL Fig No / Table SAQ /
Topic Page No
No / Graph Activity
1 Introduction - -
3
1.1 Objectives - -
2 What is Listening? 1 -
2.1 Purpose of Listening - 1
2.2 Listening Process and Levels of Listening - - 4-9
2.3 Levels of Listening - -
2.4 Types of Listening - 2
3 Inefficiency of Listening - -
3.1 Poor Listening Habits - 3
10-18
3.2 Barriers to Effective Listening 1, 2 4
3.3 Improving Your Listening Ability - 5
4 Summary - - 19
5 Glossary - - 20
6 Terminal Questions - - 21
7 Answers - -
7.1 Self-Assessment Questions - - 22-23
7.2 Terminal Questions - -
8 References - - 24
Unit: 3 – Listening 2
OBAC102: Communicative English
1. INTRODUCTION
Communication is more crucial than ever in today's high-tech, high-speed, and high-stress world,
but we appear to spend less and less time actually listening to one another. The gift of time has
become increasingly rare, which is genuine listening. It fosters communication, resolves issues,
ensures comprehension, settles disputes, and increases accuracy. Effective listening at work
results in fewer mistakes and less time spent. It aids in the development of resourceful,
independent children who can handle their difficulties at home and have the capacity to hear and
comprehend communications properly. Sometimes, it seems like listening is a lost talent, perhaps
due to how much technological communication has grappled with our lives. To communicate
effectively, you must first listen. Messages are readily misconstrued if one lacks the skill to listen
effectively. As a result, there is a communication breakdown, and the message sender may get
upset or dissatisfied.
Listening is the one communication skill you should work to acquire. Listening is crucial; many
prestigious firms provide listening skills training for their staff. This is not unexpected given that
practical listening abilities may result in higher productivity with fewer errors, improved customer
happiness, enhanced information exchange, and, ultimately, more inventive and creative work.
1.1. Objectives
After studying this unit, you should be able to:
Understand the meaning and levels of listening
Explain the process and types of listening
Discuss the inefficiency of listening or poor listening habits
Describe the barriers to effective listening
Analyse the ways to improve your listening ability
Unit: 3 – Listening 3
OBAC102: Communicative English
2. WHAT IS LISTENING?
Effective listening is the process of analysing sounds, organising them into recognisable patterns,
interpreting the patterns and understanding the message by inferring the meaning.
Listening is not to be confused with hearing. Hearing is a physiological process involving the
eardrum's sound waves and transferring them to the brain. Listening is more than hearing. It
consists of the process of interpretation and inference.
Listening is essential for the communication process. Many of the problems we experience with
people are primarily attributable to ineffective or lacking listening. Good listening skills are the
foundation of effective human relations. Good listeners can be good negotiators and can handle
crises successfully.
Table 3.1 Basic Communication Skills Profile
Unit: 3 – Listening 4
OBAC102: Communicative English
Filtering
The next step involves sensing and filtering heard sounds. The heard message is categorised as
wanted or unwanted, useful or useless. The unwanted message is discarded. In this step, the
sense of judgement of the individual comes into play; that is, the filtering process is subjective,
and a person chooses to retain what makes sense to him.
Comprehending
The next level of listening consists of comprehending or understanding. The listener understands
or interprets what the speaker has tried to convey. This activity can be described as absorbing,
grasping or assimilating. The listener uses his knowledge, experience, perception, and cognitive
power to get the message's meaning. The verbal and auditory message is coupled with non-verbal
communication to understand it.
Unit: 3 – Listening 5
OBAC102: Communicative English
Remembering
Remembering relates to a process whereby the assimilated message is stored in memory to
facilitate future recall. Remembering assumes significance because messages received are often
meant not for immediate consideration but for future use.
Responding
For listening to be complete, a response is important. Responding to a message may take place
at the end of the communication, immediately after or later. When it is stored for future use, the
response may take place later. However, if there is a need to seek clarification or to empathize
with the listener, it may take place earlier. Responding may also take the form of prodding or
prompting in order to show that the message is being received and comprehended.
SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS – 1
Unit: 3 – Listening 6
OBAC102: Communicative English
Unit: 3 – Listening 7
OBAC102: Communicative English
Comprehension listening
This type of listening involves something more than just differentiating between various sounds. It
consists in attaching meaning to what is being listened to, that is, the message is comprehended.
It may also include learning the non-verbal messages the speaker conveys intentionally or
unintentionally.
Evaluative listening
This is also called critical listening. This involves comprehending the message and evaluating and
analysing the message being received in light of one’s background. It consists in judging the
acceptability of what is said depending on how logical one finds it to be.
Attentive listening
It involves paying attention to the words being spoken rather than understanding the head and
heart of the person speaking. It consists of making a conscious effort to listen attentively and
decode the message. The concentration is on the verbal part of the message rather than the non-
verbal aspect.
Pretence listening
This involves more hearing than listening. It means pretending through facial expressions that one
is listening to the communicated message when one is not.
Selective listening
Listening is done only partly or selectively. It involves selecting the desired part of the message
and ignoring the undesired portion of the message. The listener's attention is not focused, and the
listener keeps switching off and on.
Intuitive listening
It is a higher form of listening. It means listening through the intuitive mind by simultaneously
silencing the other forms of internal dialogues.
Unit: 3 – Listening 8
OBAC102: Communicative English
SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS – 2
Unit: 3 – Listening 9
OBAC102: Communicative English
3. INEFFICIENCY OF LISTENING
Research shows that we retain only one-fourth of what we hear after two days. We do not hear all
that is said and forget many things we hear. This is a reflection of our poor listening habits.
Inefficiency of listening can be harmful to the organisation. Some people like to talk more than
they want to listen; some listen selectively, some cannot concentrate for long on what others are
saying, or some may listen superficially without really bothering about what is being said. All this
leads to ineffective listening.
Unit: 3 – Listening 10
OBAC102: Communicative English
Unit: 3 – Listening 11
OBAC102: Communicative English
Unit: 3 – Listening 12
OBAC102: Communicative English
Physical barriers
Noise, poor acoustics, malfunctioning of the mechanical devices used, frequent interruptions and
uncomfortable seating arrangements are physical barriers that hamper effective listening. The first
step of the listening process is hearing, and extraneous noise disturbs the hearing process.
Outside noise annoys both the listener and the speaker. If a device like a microphone or telephone
is being used, then the malfunctioning of the device will act as a hurdle.
It may also fail transmission of the message from the speaker to the listener. Poor room acoustics
or uncomfortable seating arrangements may make it difficult for the listener to concentrate on the
speaker. Interruptions by other people or by the telephone while someone is speaking disturb the
listener's concentration, frustrate the speaker and make the listening process less effective.
Message overload, which involves listening to a lot of information one after another, also makes
it impossible to listen attentively after a certain point.
People-related barriers
Both the speaker and the listener influence the communication process. People-related barriers
can be both physiological and psychological.
Unit: 3 – Listening 13
OBAC102: Communicative English
Disability
As discussed earlier, hearing is the first step of the listening process; therefore, hearing
deficiencies may lead to poor listening. Similarly, speech disorders of the speaker may make
speech incoherent to the listener. At times, the speaker’s accent, though not a disability, may
make it difficult for the listener to comprehend. Similarly, when a speaker speaks rapidly, it may
also result in an unclear message reaching the listener.
Wandering attention
Research shows that the human mind can process about 500 words per minute, whereas a
speaker speaks at about 150 words per minute. The difference between the two is quite
significant—350 words per minute. This leaves the listener with sufficient time to let his mind
wander. The listener has to be careful of this rather than let his mind wander. Spending time
concentrating on the message and analysing it would improve listening.
Psychological barriers relate to attitudinal and behavioural aspects. These include the following:
Unit: 3 – Listening 14
OBAC102: Communicative English
Personal anxiety
Sometimes, we are preoccupied with personal concerns and anxieties. This makes it difficult to
perceive what is being said and thus is a barrier to effective listening.
Attitude
Many times, the attitude of the listener acts as a barrier to effective listening. The listener may be
highly selfish with a ‘know it all attitude’ and may not listen because he already knows what the
listener has to say. A casual attitude on the listener's part towards listening, assuming it can be
done without much concentration and effort, also acts as a barrier to listening.
An overly critical attitude of the listener may shift the focus of listening from what is being said to
noticing faults and errors in accent, delivery, appearance of speaker, grammar, and so on.
Impatience
The listener may not have the patience to wait for the other person to finish what he has to say.
He may be intolerant or eager to add his points to the discussion. As a result, his desire to speak
overcomes his willingness to listen, thus acting as a barrier.
Emotional blocks
Our deep-seated beliefs in specific ideas may make it difficult for us to listen to opinions which go
against our faith. We may hear such an idea wrongly, get distorted in our mind to match our
perception, or completely block it off by not listening. Often, we block something off entirely
because of painful memories associated with it.
Unit: 3 – Listening 15
OBAC102: Communicative English
Efforts by Listener
As stated earlier, conscious efforts have to be made by the listener to improve his listening ability
and develop practical listening skills. Some essential guidelines for developing listening skills are:
1. Concentration: To be a good listener, you must pay attention to the speaker. When a speaker
is a dull conversationalist, or it is difficult to follow the speaker because of voice problems
like a regional accent, a listener may have to try to avoid being distracted by other things.
Research shows that the more motivated a listener is, the more receptive he is.
3. Show interest: Show that you want to listen by being and looking attentive. It is essential to
focus on the speaker and use nonverbal cues (such as eye contact, head nods and smiles)
to let them know they are being heard. A listener may ask appropriate questions at the right
time to show interest in what is being said.
Unit: 3 – Listening 16
OBAC102: Communicative English
4. Listen for the whole message: Listen through your ears and the other senses to get the
complete news. This includes looking for meaning and consistency or unity in verbal and
non-verbal messages and listening for ideas, feelings, intentions, and facts. Pay attention to
the voice intensity, inflexion, emotional cues, body movements, and so on while listening to
the speaker to ensure the total message is communicated to you.
5. Empathy: Empathize with the speaker. That is, put yourself in the speaker’s shoes. This will
help you better understand what the speaker is saying rather than only what you want to
understand. For listening to be practical, and to achieve its objective, the listener must
understand the message from the speaker’s point of view.
6. Listening before evaluating: Listening to what someone says without drawing premature
conclusions is a valuable aid to listening. Hasty judgment hampers effective listening. Listen
patiently to what the speaker has to say. Give him time to complete what he has to say. By
questioning the speaker in a non-accusative manner, rather than giving advice or judging,
you can discover precisely what the speaker has in mind, which is often quite different from
what the listener had assumed.
8. Paraphrasing: Paraphrasing is simply restating what another person has said in your own
words. Paraphrasing serves a dual purpose. Firstly, it acts as a control device to check
whether the listener has listened carefully. Secondly, it fits accuracy because by restating
what has been said and feeding it back to the speaker, the listener verifies the accuracy of
his understanding. The best way to paraphrase is to listen carefully to what the other person
is saying. The listener must develop the habit of paraphrasing.
9. Body Language: The listener should maintain positive body language— an upright posture
and eye contact with the speaker—which reflects the listener’s interest in what is being said.
A proper posture also helps a listener have better concentration. At the same time, if the
listener leans forward slightly, it shows that the listener is interested in what the speaker is
Unit: 3 – Listening 17
OBAC102: Communicative English
saying. Constantly fidgeting, too much movement, and so on reflect a lack of interest on the
listener's part, which may demotivate the speaker.
Efforts by Speaker
Since communication is a two-way process, the onus of improving the communication process
lies with the listener and the speaker. The speaker, too, can influence how the listener listens to
the message. The following are some guidelines the speaker can use to facilitate effective listening
by the listener.
• The speaker needs to have clarity of thought and purpose; that is, he should be clear about
what he conveys to the audience.
• The speaker needs to communicate the message in a lively, stimulating manner to capture
the listener's attention.
• The speaker should try to empathise with the listeners. He should imagine himself in their
position, which will help him know if the listeners understand his message or if they are bored
or confused.
• The speaker should modulate his delivery to retain the audience's attention. A dull monotone
may induce the listeners to switch themselves off.
Unit: 3 – Listening 18
OBAC102: Communicative English
4. SUMMARY
• In this unit, the meaning and levels of listening, types and barriers, and poor listening habits
are discussed in detail.
• Listening is not to be confused with hearing. Hearing is a physiological process involving the
eardrum's sound waves and transferring them to the brain. Listening is more than hearing. It
consists of the process of interpretation and inference.
• Listening is essential for the communication process. Many of the problems we experience
with people are primarily attributable to ineffective or lacking listening. Good listening skills
are the foundation of effective human relations.
• Inefficiency of listening can be harmful to the organisation. Some people like to talk more
than they want to listen; some listen selectively, some cannot concentrate for long on what
others are saying, or some may listen superficially without really bothering about what is
being said.
• Some people prefer to do the speaking rather than listen to someone speak. Such a listener
does not wait for the speaker to complete what he is saying to determine the complete
meaning. Still, interruptions often break the speaker's chain of thought, thus hampering the
communication process.
• Research shows that the human mind can process words at about 500 per minute, whereas
a speaker speaks at about 150 words per minute. The difference between the two is quite
significant—350 words per minute.
Unit: 3 – Listening 19
OBAC102: Communicative English
5. GLOSSARY
It is the process whereby individuals or groups of differing ethnic
Assimilation -
heritage are absorbed into the dominant culture of a society.
Stimulus - It is the term used for something that rouses or stirs to action
Unit: 3 – Listening 20
OBAC102: Communicative English
6. TERMINAL QUESTIONS
Short-Answers Type Questions
Unit: 3 – Listening 21
OBAC102: Communicative English
7. ANSWERS
7.1. Self-Assessment Questions
1. (a) patterns (b) sound
2. (a) False (b) True
3. (a) Critical listening (b) Active
4. (a) True (b) False
5. (a) Inefficiency (b) how
6. (a) True (b) True
7. (a) extraneous (b) belief
8. (a) False (b) False
9. (a) attention (b) record
10. (a) Actual (b) False
Answer 1: Effective listening is the process of analysing sounds, organising them into
recognisable patterns, interpreting the patterns and understanding the message by inferring the
meaning. Refer to Section 2.
Answer 3: A lot of one’s time is spent on listening. One-quarter of our waking time is spent in
listening. Refer to Section 2.1.
Answer 4: It is possible to improve your listening habits by identifying the poor ones and then
working on them to change them. Refer to Section 3.1.
Answer 5: Since communication is a two-way process, the onus of improving the communication
process lies with the listener and the speaker. The speaker, too, can influence how the listener
listens to the message. Refer to Section 3.3.
Unit: 3 – Listening 22
OBAC102: Communicative English
Answer 1: Hearing is the first essential step in the listening process and relates to the sensory
perception of sound. The listener further processes the perceived sound. For learning to be
effective, hearing needs to be done with attentiveness and concentration. Refer to Section 2.2.
Answer 2: Three listening levels have been identified Based on the effectiveness of the listening
process. Level 1 is that of Non-listening and is the least desirable, followed by Level 2, which is
Passive Listening. Level 3 is Active Listening, which is the most desirable. Refer to Section 2.3.
Answer 3: The different types of listening are as follows: Discriminative listening is the most basic
type of listening. It involves identifying the difference between various sounds. Refer to Section
2.4.
Answer 4: Noise, poor acoustics, malfunctioning mechanical devices, frequent interruptions and
uncomfortable seating arrangements are physical barriers that hamper effective listening. Refer
to Section 3.2.
Answer 5: Effective listening calls for efforts on the part of the speaker, listener, and others
concerned with the process to remove the barriers that come in the way of effective listening.
Refer to Section 3.3.
Unit: 3 – Listening 23
OBAC102: Communicative English
8. REFERENCES
• Madhukar R.K., Business Communication, Vikas Publishing House, New Delhi.
• Young Dona, Foundations of Business Communication, Tata McGraw-Hill, New Delhi.
• Lesikar R.V. and M.E. Flatley, Basic Business Communication: Skills for Empowering the
Internet Generation, Tata McGraw-Hill, New Delhi.
• Chaturvedi P.D. and Mukesh Chaturvedi, Business Communication Concepts: Cases and
Analyses, Pearson Education, New Delhi.
• Sinha K.K., Business Communication, Galgotia Publishing Company, New Delhi.
Unit: 3 – Listening 24