Active or passive listener?

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Are you passive listener or a power listener? Power listeners are quite different from passive listeners. Power listeners are people who actively listen to what is being said. They realize that the classroom is a learning environment in which information is exchanged. Power listeners, like power walkers, are easily recognizable in class. They are intense, focused, and purposeful. They have the right equipment, the right attitude, and the right mental focus, not letting anything distract them from listening to a lecture. Just as power walkers appear to have everything working together to build a better body, power listeners have everything working together to build a better mind.Passive listeners, on the other hand, physically hear the words being said, but they make little attempt to engage their minds to understand the message. Unlike power listeners, passive listeners are like window shoppers strolling through the mall. These listeners are occupying space in the classroom, relaxed and purposeless. They are filling in time and often seem to have this attitude: "OK, I'm here. Entertain me." To them, it is not themselves but the teacher who is responsible for their learning.From the descriptions above, you can see that listening involves more than just hearing. Students' actions and attitudes are also impor¬tant. Obviously, the power listener is going to get a great deal more out of class than the passive listener.The examples that follow will provide you with models of power listeners and passive listeners.Power ListenersJennifer and Dave are power listeners who begin preparing for class be¬fore they ever enter the classroom. They have done their homework, and they arrive on time, sometimes even a little early. If the class is the first of the day and they are commuters, they realize that they need to leave home early enough to allow for delays in driving, particularly in bad weather or traffic. By the time the teacher begins, they already have their note¬books open and their pens out, ready to take notes. They sit in the front of the room so that they will not be distracted by other students.Both Jennifer's and Dave's behaviors in class increase their listening skills. Their body language, especially their posture, indicates positive attitudes. They make eye contact with the teacher when they are not taking notes. Because they are really listening to what the instructor has to say, their body language indicates that they are doing their best to comprehend the information. Jennifer sometimes nods when she clearly understands a point and frowns as she tries to grasp a difficult idea. Dave participates in class discussions and sometimes raises his hand to ask for further clarification during a lesson. They appreciate an interesting instructor, but they still pay attention even if the teacher is dull. They are power listeners who take extensive notes.Jennifer and Dave do not close their notebooks until after the instructor has finished speaking, even if it is a minute or so after class is supposed to end. They also know the simple rules of etiquette: The class¬room is like a conversation—one person does not walk away (or pack up) while the other is speaking. They know the importance of getting as much out of the class as possible.If, for some valid reason, Jennifer or Dave is unable to attend a class, each calls the other to ask for his or her notes, knowing that the notes will be comprehensive. As power listeners, they know the value of having a study buddy, someone they can rely on as a backup person, in every class.Passive ListenersNancy and Frank are passive students. They don't always attend class, and when they do attend, they may not be prepared. They barely arrive on time or are even a few minutes late, so they don't have their note¬books out when the instructor begins speaking. To avoid being noticed by the instructor, they choose the most inconspicuous seats, such as those in the back row or on the fringe.Both Nancy and Frank believe that since they have appeared in class, learning will magically happen. They slouch or lounge in their seats, gaze out the window, or check out their classmates. Nancy frequently looks at her watch, and Frank yawns and sometimes dozes off when the lesson is, not "entertaining." They physically hear what is being said, but they do not mentally listen. Sometimes they do homework for another class. The few notes they take are buried under elaborate doodling.About five minutes before class ends, Nancy and Frank begin get-ting ready to leave. They close their notebooks, unzip their backpacks, stuff everything in, and zip them up again. They are oblivious to the fact that the noise they are making is disturbing those around them. One or two minutes before class is over, Frank stands up and puts on his jacket. Nancy struggles into her coat while sitting in her chair. They are the first ones out the door. One day Frank overslept and missed class. When he saw Nancy later in the day, he said, "Did I miss anything in class today?" "No," Nancy replied, "we just did the same old stuff." As passive listeners, neither Frank nor Nancy seems to realize the need for active participation and responsibility in the classroom.

موضوعات مشابه :

• Active Listening Steps and Instructions