Listening and Note-Taking Skills PDF

Listening Skill O Listening: is the process of receiving, constructing meaning from and responding to spoken and or non verbal messages. O Active Listening: is a method of interchange (exchange of ideas) that involves a listener in the communication process. O It involves verbal and non...

Listening Skill O Listening: is the process of receiving, constructing meaning from and responding to spoken and or non verbal messages. O Active Listening: is a method of interchange (exchange of ideas) that involves a listener in the communication process. O It involves verbal and non verbal communication as you interact with another person.  Listening Skill cont… O Listening in a group discussion or one-to-one is a skill that will help students to comprehend the concepts taught – it engages learners; O Effective listening is often the foundation of strong relationships with others at home, socially, in education and in the workplace.  Types of Listening O There are two main types of listening: Discriminative and Comprehensive listening; O Discriminative Listening: most basic form of listening. It does not involve understanding of the meaning or words or phrases It develops through childhood to adulthood; O Comprehensive Listening: it involves understanding the message or messages that are being communicated. It is complimented by non verbal communication such as tone of voice, gestures and other body language; O Listener can seek clarification. Types of Listening cont… O Informational Listening: you listen to learn: e.g. in education and at work, news etc. It requires concentration and conscious effort to understand.. It is often accompanied by note taking; O Critical Listening: the goal is to evaluate or scrutinize what is being said. It involves problem solving or decision making. The listener is engaged by asking him/herself questions: what is the main argument etc; O Therapeutic or Empathic Listening: it attempts to understand the feelings and emotions of the speaker by deeply connecting with another person. A realization and understanding of another person’s point of view. Steps to Effective Listening O Face the speaker and maintain eye contact; O Be attentive, but relaxed; O Keep an open mind; O Listen to the words and picture what the speaker is saying; O Don’t interrupt and don’t impose your solutions; O Wait for the speaker to pause to ask clarifying questions; O Select what is important; O Be able to understand concepts; O Ask questions only to ensure understanding; O Give the speaker regular feedback; O Pay attention to what isn't said: non verbal clues; O Make your own summary for accurate follow throw.  Listening Strategies Promote active listening: O Listen for the gist (important points only) O Listen for specific information; dates, venue etc; O Listen for detailed understanding; O Connect; O Predict; O Note new words; O Take notes; O Respond; O Summarize; O Reflection; O Extend your listening by reading.  Challenges of listening O Mishearing; O De-motivation; O Missing the information; O Misunderstanding the information. Note taking and Note making Note Taking O Is writing a personal version of someone else’s ideas in a lecture, meeting or presentation. It is done in a speaking situation; O The writer takes the main points and supporting details, makes sketches, copies graphical information and maps.  Note making O A process of making notes from a written text – reading: for example, journals and books; O The writer skims through the text to get a general idea; O Reads in detail: the first paragraph; O Writes down the key/main points from the paragraphs; O Notes graphical information and maps provided; O Checks the examples used; O Uses your own words.  Purposes of Notes O Serve as a permanent record for later use; O Help the reader to remember the main points; O Help to interact with the material being discussed; O Planning for tests and assignments; O Help you to avoid plagiarism because you have to use your own words; O Make reference to them; O Help the reader to revise for tests and examinations; O Use them for clarity.  Taking Notes O Write the date; O Use headings and subheadings; O Be brief – avoid writing long sentences to save time; O Be concise; O List details; O Use diagrams and drawings; O Can use colour coding or highlighting; O Abbreviate where necessary: e.g, approx, diff, gov, etc; O Focus on the key points and words; O Number your notes; O Use your own words.  Before the lesson begins O Decide which format you are going to use – how to record; O Check the course outline or the topic you are going to do in class; O Have a proper attitude – to listen attentively; O Be open minded.  During the lesson O Write down the title/topic; O Watch the speaker carefully for paralinguistic devices; O Follow the outline written on the board; O Be brief in note taking; O Make a summary of the notes in your own words; O Organise your points; O Give special attention to maps, graphical information and sketches.  Signal Words O Today we are going to learn about... O First, second, third; O In contrast; O Similarly; O Also; O Furthermore; O For example; O In conclusion, in summation, finally; O Remember that...; O The important idea is that...  Types of notes O Mind maps: (they are a pictorial way of organising your thoughts and ideas) drawing the maps in boxes and circles and plotting the information inside; O Tree diagrams: (look like a family tree)plot the key and supporting details under or at the end of the branches of the tree; O Linear notes: use phrases, sentences and key words, numbers, headings and subheadings, abbreviations; O Tables: for differences and similarities – it is easy to read.