Listening Step 0

Listening: The receiving, retaining and processing of information or ideas.

Step 0: I listen to others without interrupting

Outcomes

To achieve Step 0, learners will have to be able to listen to others, without interrupting.

This is the first step in building this skill, and provides the foundation for more advanced steps in Listening.

Learners need to be able to:

Understand what it means to listen
Understand what it means to interrupt and why to avoid it
Use some strategies to avoid interrupting

Introduction

Listening is about being able to receive information through our ears, and then thinking about it so that we understand what is being said.
We cannot listen if we do not try to, if anything is in the way of our ears, or if we are thinking about something else.

Skill Starter

“If you won £1 million, how would you spend it in a day?”

Ask learners to think about the above question.

One at a time in small groups, each learner is given 30 seconds to explain what they would do with the money. At the same time, each listener is asked to throw a tennis ball in the air and catch it whilst they are listening.

After each learner has had their turn, have a discussion: “Were we showing good listening?” / How did the tennis balls affect our focus?” / “How did it feel when you were talking?”

10 mins

Group activity

Discussion

Teach & Apply

It is important to listen because we might learn new information, understand others' feelings or learn how to do something better.
Interrupting is stopping what someone is saying. You might do this by speaking, looking away or doing something that shows that you have stopped listening. It makes the person feel like you don’t care what they are saying.
If you let someone else talk for longer, you might be surprised about what you learn.
Some good listening strategies to try are:
- Remembering what is being said
- Apologising if you accidentally interrupt and let the speaker talk again
- Check if someone has finished before speaking, if you’re not sure

Optional Activity

No Comment

Explain that learners will be listening to a short piece of sports or event commentary. Challenge learners to remember as much about the event as possible and answer questions on the event after the clip has been played.

“What happened in the clip?”

“What were the names of the players?”

“What words did the commentator use to describe the event?”

To extend the activity, challenge learners to use non-verbal cues (e.g. pointing, nodding, taking turns in order) to each share a response to the questions without interrupting another member of the group.

15 mins

Individual activity

Discussion

Reflection & Assessment

Embed these strategies across your teaching and coaching to help learners apply what they’ve learnt.

Ask learners to channel their frustrations at not being listened to and use it to help them understand the importance of listening skills.

Use these ideas for ways of assessing this skill step to help you check learners’ understanding and confidence.

How do the learners adapt their posture/body language when they are making an effort to listen?
Ask these reflective questions:
- What is listening?
- Why do we listen?
- What is wrong with interrupting someone?