Enhancing Communication in Learners through Critical and Empathetic Listening

Handout 4

Handout 4

While listening empathically…

• Ensure a comfortable atmosphere in order to heighten concentration

The setting should be a quiet place. The room should not be too noisy, warm
or too cold. The speaker and listener could sit or stand comfortably with no
disturbance.

• Keep away distractions and other compulsions.

Listeners should not be worried about tasks to be completed or own problems.
Should not distract themselves by playing around with objects or fidget. Do
not take calls or make calls.

• Your positioning and body language must be open and friendly

The way you sit and your pose should be relaxed, open and friendly. You
should not bear down upon the speaker.

• Your stance should be neither too neutral nor too emotionally charged.
You should not appear to be unconcerned. On the other hand do not display
an overplay of emotion for that will alter the way the speaker thinks and will
affect his or her message.
• Be genuinely interested in what the speaker is going to say.
The speaker is obviously troubled. So listen with the intent of helping and
problem-solving.
• Keep away any opinions or assumptions
Your assumptions might bias you in a way that you may miss out on important
bits of the message. Do not interrupt to give your opinions. That will inhibit the
speaker and communication will be disrupted.
• Take time and be patient.
Do not rush the speaker as if you are in a hurry. Do not complete the speaker’s
sentences for him/her. Do not fill in the pauses with your comments or pauses.
Allow the speaker to continue.

• Use phrases or sounds that show that you are listening closely.
Look at the speaker and use responses like ‘I see’, ‘And then…” “Hmm..mm”.
Encourage the speaker to continue.

Shefali Ray, 4 October, 2021

Enhancing Communication in Learners through Critical and Empathetic Listening
Handout 4

• Ask questions by rephrasing what the speaker said in order to seek

clarification.
Ask questions like, “You are saying that …..(paraphrase what the speaker has
just said), Ask questions to seek clarification like “When did that happen..?
• Mirror what the speaker said in order to show that you have
understood the import of what is being said.
Say, “So you bundled up your things and left the room, right?”
“You waited for a long time but got no response.”
• Be mindful of what is not being said and try to empathize with the
speaker’s emotional state.
• Do not fill up the silences with your comments or your thoughts. Allow
the speaker to continue.

Shefali Ray, 4 October, 2021