ENGL 100 LESSON 2

BARRIERS

AND HABITS

OF LISTENING


By this point, you have already been introduced to

what listening skills are and the basics of listening

models!

In order to be a really good listener, it is important to

understand some of the most common barriers to

listening. Once you know these, it makes identifying

and addressing them much easier.

Common Listening Barriers

One element of communication that acts as an

impediment to successful listening is NOISE.

This is anything that hinders shared

understanding.
Generally, noise or barriers to listening is

classified as external, internal, and semantic.

EXTERNAL NOISE originates from the

communicator’s surroundings or

EXTERNAL

environment. Some examples of this

noise are boisterous laughter, the

NOISE
karaoke sessions in the neighborhood,
and the sound of a fast-moving vehicle.
These environmental distractions,

whether music, television, telephones, or

the sound of a vacuum down the

hallway can be a big enough distraction

that it makes concentration difficult

for someone trying to listen.

INTERNAL

INTERNAL NOISE includes

anything that is self-related, your

NOISE
attitudes, opinions, beliefs- that

may hamper concentration to

actually listen to messages.

Examples can include any

physiological state, like hunger and

pain out of illness and psychological

thoughts, like worry, fear, anxiety,

disappointment, and prejudice. All

these issues make it more difficult

to listen.
More Examples of Internal Noise

that Hinder Listening

KNOWING IT ALL BEING PREOCCUPIED
BOREDOM

If you are listening to
If you have something else on

People find it difficult

someone and you believe you
your mind, it will be more

already know what they are

difficult to think about what is

to concentrate on
being said around you. What

going to say or the answer to

what is being said

what they are speaking about,
your mind is preoccupied with is

when they are not

you are more likely to shut
likely to keep creeping back into

your thoughts, stealing your

interested in the
out what they are saying.

focus. Being preoccupied and

topic, or they are

This is why it's important to

daydreaming are both issues

approach listening with an

simply just bored. open mind.

that will prevent effective
listening.
 SEMANTIC NOISE
SEMANTIC NOISE gets in the way when the

sender and receiver do not share the same meanings

for their verbal or nonverbal signals. Examples are

the jargons.
This also includes language barriers, such as

someone not being a native English-speaker or having

a speech problem. It can create difficulty in how the

listener takes in what is being said. Language

barriers also can make it challenging for the listener

to stay interested in the speaker and resist

daydreaming.
 Eliminate environmental

ADDRESSING

distractions, including

background noise. If you have

THE BARRIERS the ability to reduce or

eliminate the distractions, you

should make the effort.

Keep an open attitude so that you are

Be patient, especially if someone

free of bias, prejudice, or emotional

is having difficulty getting his

barriers as this can complicate your

or her point across or there is

experience. When we engage in

prejudiced listening, we are usually

a language barrier. If you allow

trying to preserve our ways of thinking

people the time to work through

and avoid being convinced of something

what they are trying to say,

different. they will be more successful.

 QUIZ TIME!

Identify whether the

CHECK OUR LMS NEXT MEETING FOR

following situations exhibit

THE QUIZ!
good or bad listening habits!

Quiz questions will also

ALWAYS CHECK OUR LMS TO BE

include the barriers of

UPDATED!
listening!
ANY QUESTIONS?
CONCERNS?

CLARIFICATIONS?
THANK
YOU
See you next time!