School is back in session for most students in Garland County. Summer is over and everyone is getting settled into the routine of the year ahead. As students start the school year, the lazy, crazy days of summer may still be on their minds, and it will take some effort to refocus their thoughts for the task of listening to their teachers in the classroom.
As the school year progresses, one of the most common statements a parent might hear during a conference with the teacher is that their child does not listen. Listening is an extremely important part of communication, but researchers are finding it to be a little more complicated than it seems.
Various studies stress the importance of listening as a communication skill. A typical study points out that people spend 70 to 80 percent of their waking hours in some form of communication. Of that time, 9 percent is writing, 16 percent reading, 30 percent speaking, and 45 percent listening. While the percentage of listening is highest, studies also confirm that a vast majority of people are poor and inefficient listeners. They have ears that hear very well, but seldom have they acquired the necessary skills to allow those ears to be used effectively for what is called listening.
At the University of Minnesota, the listening ability of several thousand students and hundreds of business and professional people was examined. In each case, those tested listened to short talks by faculty members and were examined for their grasp of the content. These extensive tests led to this general conclusion: immediately after listening to someone talk, only about half of what they said was remembered -- no matter how carefully those tested thought they were listening.
Listening is one of the most important skills a person can have. How well one listens has a huge impact on their effectiveness and on the quality of their relationships with others. Research suggests that the majority of us only remember between 25 percent and 50 percent of what we hear. If this is accurate, it means that when talking to a boss, colleagues, customers, or spouse for 10 minutes, people pay attention to less than half of the conversation. Clearly, listening is an area that we can use improvement. So where does a person begin?
To become a good listener, you should face the speaker and give them your undivided attention. Put aside papers, books, the phone and other distractions. You do not have to stare fixedly at the other person. You can look away now and then and carry on like a normal person. The important thing is to be attentive.
Listen without judging the other person or mentally criticizing the things they are telling you. Do not mentally start preparing a rebuttal! As soon as you indulge in judgmental thoughts, you have compromised your effectiveness as a listener. Keep an open mind.
Listen to the words of the speaker and try to picture what he or she is saying. Creating a mental model of the information being communicated will help you stay focused and alert.
When you don't understand something, of course, you should ask the speaker to explain it to you but wait until the speaker pauses or invites questions from you or the audience in general. Do not try to interrupt and impose your solutions upon the speaker
Show the speaker you are listening by giving regular feedback. An occasional nod or appropriate facial expression or an occasional, well-timed "hmmm" or "uh huh" keeps both the speaker and the listener engaged.
Listening intently is very hard work. We think so much faster than others speak, so it is easy to get distracted by our own thoughts while someone is talking to us. A few more tips that might help us on our listening journey: concentrate on what is being said, try to identify the main points, and make mental summaries as you listen. Being a good listener is a challenge, but good listeners get big rewards.
4-H information
There are several 4-H clubs for our Garland county youths who are 5 to 19 years old. For more information on all the fun 4-H activities that are available for our youths, call Linda Bates at the Extension office at 623-6841 or email her at [email protected].
Master Gardener information
Master Gardener meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month at the Elks Lodge. They're open to the public and guests are welcome. For more information call the Extension office at 623-6841 or email Alex Dykes at [email protected].
EHC information
Are you interested in joining an existing Extension Homemakers Club? EHC is the largest volunteer organization in the state. For information on EHC, call Alison Crane on 623-684 or email her at [email protected].
Society on 08/19/2019