Exercises to Evaluate Your Listening Skills

Exercises to Evaluate Your Listening Skills

From the list below choose the five obstacles that most often get in the way of your listening in class. In the space following the obstacle, explain in detail how you can overcome this obstacle. (Not just, "I won't do it anymore!")

Obstacles To Listen:

1. Talking instead of listening.

2. Thinking of what you're going to say instead of listening.

3. Mentally arguing with the speaker.

4. Thinking about something else while the speaker is talking.

5. Getting impatient with the speaker.

6. Giving in to a poor environment——too noisy, too hot, too hungry!

7. Dividing your attention——getting homework, writing a letter, staring at

someone cute!

8. Not listening actively——taking notes, asking questions, etc.

9. Not being motivated to listen. The subject is boring!!

10. Being distracted by the speaker's mannerisms, voice, or appearance.

Improving Your Listening. There are some common sense principles that will help you become a better listener in class.

Study the list below and answer the questions which follow.

1. Come to class prepared. What does this involve?

How will this make you become a better listener?

What memory principles does this involve?

2. Sit as close to the instructor as possible. Why?

3. Come to class as early as possible. Why?

4. Listen for verbal clues that something is important. What are some

examples of things the instructor might say to let you know that a point is important?

5. Watch for non-verbal clues that a point is important. What are some examples?

6. Listen with a pen or pencil in your hand. Why?

7. Think of questions as you are listening. Mentally ask questions such as "What is the main idea?" Or, "What point is he trying to make?" What other questions might you ask? How will this help?

Why Take Notes. Remember, you listen better if you understand the lecture. This involves being prepared, developing a basic background of the material if you don’t already have one, and asking questions. You probably also noted that you can pay attention and become more interested if you take notes.

Below is a list of reasons for taking notes in class. Read them and decide which is the most important reason to you and number it 1. Number all the reasons in order of importance with number one being the most important and numb er eight the least important. If there are reasons you think of that are not listed, list and rate them.

____ 1. Taking notes makes me pay attention. It keeps my mind from wandering. I am more likely to remain conscious of what is important.

____ 2. Taking notes helps me concentrate. When I am trying to take good notes, I concentrate more on what the speaker is saying.

____ 3. Taking notes gives me a record of what was said in class. I know what was said on which days and also what was not covered in class.

____ 4. Taking notes forces me to select the main ideas. I can't write down everything.

____ 5. The simple act of writing something down helps me remember it longer.

____ 6. Taking notes gives me a place to write down assignments so that I will be able to find them later.

____ 7. Taking notes gives me information to use to study for tests and for class assignments.

____ 8. Taking notes reminds me of what the teacher emphasizes.

____ 9._________________________________________________

____ 10. ___________________________________________________