Chapter 4

Listening Skills

Listening Skills: Introduction

Listening is an important skill for speakers.
Good listening can help:
During the research process
During practice when you receive feedback
During your speech as the audience gives
you feedback

Listening Skills: Introduction (cont.)

The Listening Process

Good listening can:
Improve a speakers connection with the
audience by helping him or her respond to
feedback
Help an audience member absorb information
and critically evaluate claims

The Listening Process (cont.)

Listening vs. hearing
Hearing is passive reception.
Listening means actively paying attention to
the message.

The Listening Process (cont.)

Scientific process of listening
Selection (attention, perception)
Organization (interpretation)
Integration (storage recall)

Listening as part of the communication

process

Sensing
Interpreting
Evaluating
Responding

The Listening Process (cont.)

Processing is actively thinking about both
vocal and nonverbal messages and cues.
Retention is your ability to remember
what youve heard.
The Attentiveness Curve
Poor listeners tend to pay little attention at the
beginning of a presentation.
Attentiveness picks up as the presentation
continues, then falls again, and rebounds near the
end of the speech.

The Listening Process (cont.)

The Listening Process (cont.)

Listening styles
Action-oriented
Immediately focus on getting to the meaning of a
message and determining a response
Prefer direct, concise, error-free messages
Easily frustrated by rambling

The Listening Process (cont.)

Content-oriented
Favor depth and complexity of information and
messages
Willing to spend more time listening
Pay careful attention to what is said
Enjoy discussing and thinking about what was said

The Listening Process (cont.)

People-oriented
Willing to invest time and attention
Interested in supporting friends and strengthening
relationships
Notice the speakers mood and body language
Express more empathy toward the speaker

Time-oriented
Concerned with managing time
Can exhibit impatience and rush interactions