Student Success Skills

Practicing Active Listening

by jennifer

August 31, 2012

Exhibit A

BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE LISTENING

What I Do	Sample Barriers
o	Allow background noise to affect listening.
o	Allow daily events or interruptions to affect listening.
o	Have prejudice or negative attitudes toward the person speaking.
o	Don’t make enough eye contact (which should be made 80% of the time) with the person speaking.
o	Lack interest in what is being said.
o	Become defensive when the other person criticizes me.
o	Want to tell ‘my’ story before the other person is finished.
o	Interrupt the speaker before s/he is finished.
o	Respond emotionally to what is being said.
o	Let the speaker’s voice quality of speed influence me.
o	Let someone else distract me.

Meeting People →

This semester I have made some big improvements to not only my school work, but to all aspects of college life. I have become a lot more time efficient. I have learned a lot of better ways to study, such as making flash cards and using new note taking strategies. I have also started going to class 15 minutes before it starts so I have time to get all of my stuff organized and ready for class. I also plan on using my agenda more effectively. I have really struggled with my time management skills this semester. They are slightly better this semester compared to last, but not as good as I would have liked them to be at this point. I have done a lot better with classes this semester though. I have gone to allmost all of my classes this semester. I have also done really well with homework..