Ways to improve active listening
There are several ways that a teacher could improve the active learning experience inside the classroom.
Some ways to display a genuine desire to understand what they are saying. Showing your students that you are listening to them could boost their confidence as well as encourage them to talk and listen more for their opinions and insights are important to you. Here are some ways on how to show them that you genuinely desire to understand what they are saying.
Effects to students when teachers listen to them
There are several ways that a teacher could improve the active learning experience inside the classroom.
- Get to know students – and let them get to know you: students will more likely listen to teachers who gives their time and effort to individually get to know their students. Students show great concentration if the teacher knows their name, hobbies and interest because they feel that their teacher is a passionate teacher.
- Talk less: as much as possible let your students do the talking inside the class without compromising the quality of education they have. If it is necessary for you to lecture, make it as short as possible and if it can’t be shortened insert activities in which the students would participate.
- Let others do the talking: there are some instances where you could allow your students to discuss some issues inside the class so that you could see a different point of view.
- Let them help each other talk: students will miss something important now and again. Instead of letting this upset you, consider allocating a couple of minutes for what’s often called a “note-check.” Students compare notes with 1 or 2 students sitting near them and fill in any major gaps they missed.
- Give encouraging acknowledgements (e.g. “Yes” or “I see” or nodding or “Ah ha”).
- Give non-verbal acknowledgements (e.g. relaxed body posture, eye contact, facial expression. Remember that people can speak with their bodies without saying a solitary word; a movement can indicate a great deal about how a person is feeling)
- Invite more responses (e.g. 'Tell me more' or 'I'd like to hear about that' – these few words can imply you are keen for the student to expand on their message because it has relevance to you and the rest of the group).
Some ways to display a genuine desire to understand what they are saying. Showing your students that you are listening to them could boost their confidence as well as encourage them to talk and listen more for their opinions and insights are important to you. Here are some ways on how to show them that you genuinely desire to understand what they are saying.
- Be attentive, alert and not easily distracted.
- Create a positive atmosphere with your non-verbal behavior - your body language and facial expressions.
- Be interested in the students’ needs.
- Listen in a friendly way: be non-judgmental and do not criticize.
- Respect privacy: do not ask intrusive or complicated questions.
- Act like a mirror: reflect what you think is being felt and said
- Show that you are in no hurry. Remember that silences throughout teaching are good, as they give students opportunities to think and reflect on questions and topics in their mind before verbally giving an answer.
- Don’t brush aside the person’s feeling with phrases like 'It’s not that bad' or 'you’re making a mountain out of a molehill'.
- Never belittle or negate any aspect of a problem, even if it seems insignificant to you. To a student, it may be crucial to their learning.
- Don't get emotionally involved, angry, upset or quarrelsome. You need to remain professional in your interactions with students, as you are a role model and the students are looking up to you for guidance and direction.
- Don't jump to conclusions or judgements about any students
- Try not to have any pre-conceived ideas or notions about any student based on what you may have heard from another colleague or former teacher.
Effects to students when teachers listen to them
- Students won’t be afraid to state their answers and ask questions.
- Students will be able to present or discuss a given topic properly because they have the confidence and they know that their teacher listens to them.
- During arguments about certain issues they can comfortably ask for the opinion of their teacher.
- The students will try to listen and understand what their teacher is talking about.
- The classroom will have a better environment for students to learn.