Paying real attention to what someone is saying increases trust and empathy.Īctive listening can be challenging when we have strong disagreements or we’re just too stressed and busy to concentrate. It helps us take feedback on board and learn from it, which is essential for resolving conflict, tackling power dynamics and working more effectively. It enables us to really understand what each other is saying to make collaborative decisions that take everyone’s needs into account. Listening well is key to many aspects of effective groups. The phrase ‘active listening’ comes from the psychologist Carl Rogers, but this guide is not for people who want to use the technique in a therapeutic context! It is for people in social change groups and co-ops who want to use better listening to improve their meetings, relationships and the work or campaigning they do together. That sounds simple, but we often don’t even realise when we aren’t listening carefully! The core of active listening is to really focus on understanding what someone is trying to put across. However, it is an essential part of effective communication, and requires an active effort to do well. Learn more about USIP’s resources for students and educators.Listening is a skill that is often under-estimated and under-valued. How can active listening help you resolve conflicts?Īdapted from Exercise 4.2.1, Creating a Culture of Peace in the English Language Classroom by Alison Milofsky (United States Institute of Peace).What made this activity challenging for you?.What did it feel like to really be listened to without being interrupted?.How did you know that your partner was listening to you?.Lead a class discussion using some or all of the following questions:. Share with your partner the qualities of a ally.Share with your partner a conflict you successfully resolved.Share with your partner a time you made an assumption about someone and you were proven wrong.Share with your partner an experience when you thought someone made assumptions about you.After two minutes have the partners switch roles. Instruct students to use active listening skills when they are not speaking. Have each student speak for two minutes on the following topics (or on other topics which you think are relevant). Ask the class which skills they observed in the demonstration. Have the student talk about their favorite holiday. Do the demonstration again this time using the active listening skills the class has suggested.After you have generated two lists, you may want to review the handout Core Principles of Active Listening or It’s Easier for Others to Talk When I…. You may want to use a t-chart (see below). Write these on the board, separating the verbal and non-verbal skills. Ask students for examples of how to be a good listener. Explain to the class that good listening requires active participation.Ask the class what listening skills, good or bad, that they observed.At the end of the conversation, ask the student how he or she felt while they were talking. When the one student starts to speak, the other student will start exhibiting good listening skills (nod, smile, show concern, or encouragement). Scenario 2: Demonstrating good listening skillsĪsk one student to talk about what he/she did over the weekend. When the one student starts to speak, the other student will start exhibiting poor listening skills (look at your watch, interrupt, avoid eye contact, look bored or impatient, tap your foot or fidget). Scenario 1: Demonstrating poor listening skillsĪsk one student to talk about what he/she did over the weekend. Tell students to observe you in the conversation.
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