Good Listening In Class
It is important for you to be a good listener in class. Much of what you will have to learn will be presented
verbally by your teachers. Just hearing what your teachers say is not the same as listening to what they say.
Listening is a cognitive act that requires you to pay attention and think about and mentally process what you
hear
Here are some things you should do to be a good listener in class.
Be Cognitively Ready to Listen. Come to class cognitively prepared to listen. Make sure you complete all
assigned work and readings. Review your notes from previous class sessions. Think about what you know
about the topic that will be covered in class that day.
Be Emotionally Ready to Listen. Come to class emotionally ready to listen. Your attitude is important. Make a
conscious choice to find the topic useful and interesting. Be committed to learning all that you can.
Listen with a Purpose. Identify what you expect and hope to learn from the class session. Listen for these
things as your teacher talks.
Listen with an Open Mind. Be receptive to what your teacher says. It is good to question what is said as long as
you remain open to points of view other than your own.
Be Attentive. Focus on what your teacher is saying. Try not to daydream and let your mind wander to other
things. It helps to sit in the front and center of the class, and to maintain eye contact with your teacher.
Be an Active Listener. You can think faster than your teacher can speak. Use this to your advantage by
evaluating what is being said and trying to anticipate what will be said next. Take good written notes about what
your teacher says. While you can think faster than your teacher can speak, you cannot write faster than your
teacher can speak. Taking notes requires you to make decisions about what to write, and you have to be an
active listener to do this.
Accept the Challenge. Don't give up and stop listening when you find the information being presented difficult to
understand. Listen even more carefully at these times and work hard to understand what is being said. Don't be
reluctant to ask questions.
Triumph Over the Environment. The classroom may too noisy, too hot, too cold, too bright, or too dark. Don't
give in to these inconveniences. Stay focused on the big picture - LEARNING.
Making an Oral Presentation
When making an oral presentation in class, you must know your subject well and convince your audience that
they have something to gain from listening to you. Here are some things you can do to make an effective oral
presentation.
Be prepared. Research your subject to ensure that you are knowledgeable. Practice your presentation until you
feel comfortable. Make sure you can present your information within whatever time limits you will have.
Anticipate questions you may be asked and prepare answers to these.
Know your audience. Tailor your presentation to your audience’s level of knowledge about the subject of your
presentation, what they need to know, and their interests.
Be positive. Make it clear that you are knowledgeable and enthusiastic about your subject.
Don’t read your presentation. Talk to your audience. Use your notes as prompts as needed.
Provide examples. Try to make your presentation as concrete and “down to earth” as possible. Add appropriate
anecdotes and humor to drive home a point.
Use visual aids. Supplement what you say with visual aids such as handouts, charts, transparencies, and
slides. Make sure that everyone can easily see the visual aids. Don’t use visual aids that are so complex that
the audience will spend its time trying to read them instead of listening to you. Visual aids are supplements to
what you say, not replacements for what you say.
Maintain eye contact. Shift your eye contact around the room so that everyone feels that you are talking to
them.
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