This document defines listening and provides information about the listening process. It begins by defining listening as the ability to accurately receive and interpret messages. It then compares hearing and listening, noting that listening is an active mental process that requires concentration while hearing is a passive physiological process. The document outlines the 5 stages of the listening process: hear, attend, understand, respond, and remember. It also discusses different types of listening like appreciative, empathetic, critical/analytical, and comprehensive listening. Barriers to effective listening like physical, physiological, and psychological barriers are explored. The document concludes with characteristics of effective listeners and ways to improve listening skills such as maintaining eye contact, being attentive yet relaxed, keeping an open

1. BY : WILLIS KHEDIA

3. DEFINITION
Listening is the ability to accurately receive and
interpret messages in the communication
process
Listening involves identifying the sounds of
speech and processing them into words and
sentences
According to oxford dictionary “To listen is to
give attention to sound or action”

4. Comparison Chart
Hearing Listening
Meaning Ability to perceive sound Analysis and understanding of the sounds one
hears
What is it An Ability A Skill
Nature Primary continuous Secondary orTemporary
Act Physiological Psychological
Involves Receipt of messages through ears Interpretation and understanding of the
message
Process Passively bodily process Active mental process
Occurs at Subconscious level Conscious level
Sense Only one More than one
Reason Can not control We listen to require knowledge and receive
info
Concentration Not require Require

5. Listening
The process of
1. Receiving
2. Deriving meaning of
3. Responding to
A verbal or non verbal message

6. The Listening process involves 5 stages
Hear
Attend
Understand
Respond
Remember

7. The Listening process involves 5 stages
HEAR occurs
when sounds
wave hit the
ear is a
prerequisite to
listening
ATTEND filters
heard
messages,
focus on some
UNDERSTAND
assigns a level
of importance
to the message
RESPOND
gather insight,
share own
views, ask
related
questions and
doubts etc.
REMEMBER
recall
information
from memory ,
builds
relationship
and trust

8. Why do we listen?
Converse Learn Respect
Build Credibility
andTrust
Observe Socialize
Take order Perform Duty
For
entertainment

9. Types of Listening

10. Appreciative Listening
Listening for pleasure (Music, comedy
show, entertaining speech)
Describes how well speakers choose word,
humor, ask questions, tell stories and argue

11. Emphatic Listening
Listening to provide emotional support for the speaker
Focuses on identifying with person’s situation, feelings or
motives – attempt to understand the situation
Listener does not necessarily agree or fell the same way with
speaker instead understand the type and intensity of feelings
the speaker is experiencing without judgment

12. Critical/Analytical Listening
Listening to evaluate a message for purpose of accepting or rejecting it – sales pitch by a salesman or election
speech of a political reader)
Focuses on evaluating whether a message is logical or reasonable
Asks you to make judgements based on your evaluation of the speaker’s arguments
Challenges the speaker’s message by evaluating its accuracy and meaningfulness
Uses critical thinking skills

13. Comprehensive/Active Listening
Listening to understand the message of speaker as currently you are listening to me
Focuses on accurately understanding the meaning of the speaker’s words while simultaneously
interpreting non verbal cues such as facial expression, gestures, postures, and vocal quality

14. Steps in Active Listening
Listening
carefully by
using all
available senses
Paraphrasing
what is heard
both verbally
and non verbally
Checking your
understanding
to ensure
accuaracy
Providing
feedback

15. Common prerequisites for Good Listening
Observe – Non
Verbal Behavior
Focus – Do not do
anything else
without listening
Acknowledge –
Acknowledge the
message, even if you
do not agree with it
Respect – let the
speaker finish

16. Characteristics of effective Listeners
Focused Responsive Alert Empathetic Unemotional Interested
Patient Cautious Open Attentive Willing Objectivee

17. Barriers of Listening
Physical
Barrier
Physiological
Barrier
Psychological
barrier

18. Physical Barrier
Noise
Poor acoustic
Frequent
interruptions
Uncomfortable
sitting
arrangements
Message
overload

19. Physiological Barrier
State of Health :That of speaker
of listener. Fever, Pain any other
bodily discomfort can make it
difficult for a person to listen or
speak even
Having deficiencies may lead to
poor listening . Similarly speech
disorder , speaker’s accent make
it difficult to understand
Wandering Attention : Human
mind can process words @
500/min whereas speaker speaks
@ 150/min.This gap is enough
for the listener to wander at will

20. Psychological Barrier
Apprehension
about speaker’s
ability :
Prejudice
Personal Anxiety
: Preoccupied
with personal
concern
Attitude :
Egoistic
Impatience :
Intolerant
Behavior
Emotional Block
: It is difficult for
us to listen to
ideas which go
against our
belief

21. Ways to improve Listening Skills
Face the speaker
and maintain eye
contact
Be attentive, but
relaxed
Keep an open mind
Paraphrase – listen the words and try to picture
those words
Try to feel what speaker is saying
Give the speaker regular feedback
Pay attention to what isn’t said – to nonverbal cues

22. Ways to improve Listening Skills
Don’t interrupt
and don’t impose
your “Solutions”
Wait for speaker
to pause to ask
clarifying
questions
Ask questions
only to ensure
understanding

23. Active Listener will

24. ThankYou