SCOM 123

Fundamental Human Communication: Group Presentations

The Bad Listener Activity
Purpose
To point out to students that when they engage in bad listening practices others
notice. Also, this exercise helps foster empathy by putting students in the shoes of
one who is on the receiving end of poor listening practices.
Time Required
1520 minutes with processing
Instructions
1. Have students break into pairs. Have them decide whos A and whos B.
2. A will spend 34 minutes talking to B about what they would do if they won
the lottery.
3. B will practice glazing over, pseudolistening, and using the occasional shiftresponses (review all of these with class). B should look bored and
uninterested. A must persist despite Bs bad behavior.
4. Switch roles and repeat the process.
Discussion Points
1. Solicit from the class how it felt to be treated so poorly in a communication
setting. Ask if this has ever happened to them in real life. How did it feel?
2. Point out that most people have no problem acting out the role of a poor
listener. Unfortunately, most of us have had ample practice.
3. Discuss how poor listening hinders the communication process and
contributes to feelings of ill will toward the bad listener.
4. Encourage students to monitor themselves and their own listening behavior
in the future.