Importance of Active Listening Skills

Active Listening: Your Teenager

• According to the University of Florida, active listening is vital to being a good parent to your teenager. Active listening involves focusing on the other person. Active listening manifests itself by asking good questions, paraphrasing what the other person has said and showing empathy. Once the teenager sees that you understand what she is trying to say, she will show interest in what you have to say.

Active Listening: Critical Negotiations

• The FBI teaches active listening skills as part of its crisis negotiation training. It teaches that active listening skills encourage a subject who is already confused and in turmoil to state his needs or demands clearly so the officers can address them and resolve a tense situation.

Following Directions

• The Education Resources Information Center designed a program to improve listening skills in third-, fourth-, fifth- and eighth-grade students. This program found that, because listening skills are not taught in school, most students required multiple attempts before oral instructions could be carried out correctly. Once the program was completed, there was a marked improvement in the listening skills of the targeted students compared with their peers.