How To Improve Your LISTENING SKILLS | LBCC Study Skills

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Introduction to the Workshop This workshop is divided into two parts. Today, we will focus on improving listening skills, which are essential for taking good notes. Next week, we will discuss effective note-taking techniques. Many people struggle with concentration and listening skills when teachers speak at full speed. The goal of this workshop is to strengthen these skills.

"Improving Your Listening Skills" - Misconceptions "Improving Your Listening Skills" often elicits interesting responses from students who assume they already know how to listen effectively because they have been doing it all their lives. However, hearing and listening are not the same thing; most people struggle with active listening.

Concentration Challenges and Solutions Many students find it difficult to concentrate while someone is speaking to them. We will address three common reasons behind poor concentration before focusing on solutions that outnumber the problems.

Pseudolistening One of the reasons people have trouble concentrating is pseudo-listening, which means fake listening. Everyone is guilty of this to some extent. There are three categories: those who are fully engaged and paying attention, those who clearly show they're not listening, and those who appear attentive but their minds are elsewhere.

'Mental Vacation' 'Mental vacation' refers to when someone's mind wanders while pretending to listen. It's normal for thoughts to drift occasionally, but if it happens frequently or for long periods of time, important information can be missed. The speaker shares a humorous anecdote about wanting to join someone on their mental vacation in class.

Selective listening refers to the tendency of only hearing what we want to hear while tuning out the rest. However, in this context, selective listening is about being easily distracted by external stimuli. Some people are highly sensitive to even the smallest noises or movements around them, which can hinder their ability to focus on conversations or classroom lectures.

Critical listening refers to the act of analyzing and criticizing what someone is saying, rather than simply being distracted by it. It involves focusing on the speaker's words and actions that bother or distract you, leading to a lack of concentration. This chapter explores examples of critical listening, such as getting fixated on trivial details like someone wearing the same shirt in every class or being offended by a teacher's personal opinions.

The Power of Awareness "Awareness" is a simple concept but holds great power. By being aware of the problems and recognizing when we engage in them, we can stop ourselves from continuing those behaviors. For example, if we catch ourselves pseudo-listening to someone, we can immediately stop and pay attention. This awareness breaks the cycle of negative habits.

Being Physically and Mentally Prepared to Listen To listen effectively, it is important to be physically and mentally prepared. Physically preparing involves getting enough sleep before class and eating beforehand so that hunger or tiredness doesn't hinder concentration during lectures.

To stay engaged in class, it's important to get enough rest before the lecture. If you find the class boring, make an effort to be mentally present and avoid letting your mind wander. While it's natural for thoughts about problems to arise during class, try not to spend too much time thinking about them. One strategy is to imagine leaving your problems outside the classroom door and focus solely on what is being taught.

The wrong approach most students have when entering a college classroom is not setting a goal. The goal should be to listen carefully and understand the topic of the day. Many students think they only need to listen attentively for a certain percentage of class time, but the correct answer is 100%. While it may be challenging, it's important to treat lectures as more than just entertainment and take personal responsibility for staying engaged even if the lecture isn't interesting.

"Where is the best place to sit in a classroom to have the best chance to pay really good attention?" The front. People often assume that sitting in the back makes them experts, but actually, sitting in the front provides better focus and attention.

"The main reason why people who don't sit up here don't sit up here is because they don't want to get picked on." However, it's usually the people in the back who tend to get picked on. When a teacher is looking for someone to answer a question, they often notice those trying to hide behind others and pick on them. Therefore, sitting in the front can actually help avoid being targeted by teachers. Additionally, sitting in the front allows better hearing and visibility especially if it's a large classroom or theater-style seating.

Sitting in the back of the room can be distracting because there are many people to look at. If you're easily distracted, it's best to sit in the front or middle where you can focus better. Sitting in front also helps with participation and building courage.

"Practice, practice" is often emphasized when it comes to improving listening skills. However, many people wonder how exactly to practice listening effectively. In this chapter, we explore the concept of practicing and its significance in developing better listening abilities.

"Dictation" is a unique exercise where you listen to a sentence and write it down exactly as spoken. The rule is not to write while I'm speaking. The sentences will gradually become more challenging.

Improving Listening and Note-Taking Skills In this chapter, the speaker introduces a listening exercise to improve concentration and note-taking skills. The exercise involves listening to sentences and writing them down accurately without any repetition. The importance of silence during the exercise is emphasized to avoid distractions. The speaker also highlights the challenges of taking notes in real-time, such as falling behind or misinterpreting information.

'Creative Writing' Pitfalls in Note-Taking "Creative writing" refers to when students start adding unnecessary details or altering what was actually said while taking notes. This chapter discusses how creative writing can be problematic for accurate note-taking, especially in academic settings where accuracy is crucial. An example is given where a student misunderstood one sentence from an earlier dictation exercise by replacing 'tacos' with 'a Big Mac'. It emphasizes that although individual interpretation may vary, accuracy remains essential.

Improving Note-Taking Skills "One of the biggest frustrations for students is writing down the wrong information during class. To improve note-taking, try holding words in your head long enough to write them down accurately. Another helpful technique is copying sentences from magazines or books to practice concentration."

Pretending to be Interested "When you find yourself losing interest in a class, try pretending to be fascinated. Sit up straight, make eye contact with the teacher and act like what they're saying is interesting. This can trick your brain into paying more attention."