Tuesday, April 15, 2014

"So the experiment is?"

picture of an icon for listening

Dr. Strange had us listen to a podcast. Dr. Strange also stated in his weekly assignments...


"This is also an experiment. I failed to record the video so only the audio is available. (We all make mistakes). But there is really no need to watch Anthony and me talking. So the experiment is?"

Well, Dr. Strange, I beg to differ. There IS a need to watch Anthony and you talk. Just listening without seeing facial expressions is much more difficult than watching and listening to the two of you have the conversation. So I think the experiment you wanted us to pick up on was that of listening compared to listening and watching. 

Although I do find it easier to listen and watch compared to just listening, I think listening is a skill that we all need, and some or most of us are losing. When I taught in Texas, I was the coach for the Listening Team. The students listened to a passage and answered questions immediately afterwards. They were allowed to take notes that they thought would be helpful in answering the questions. I'm happy to say that my students worked very hard and placed at the district competition each year that I coached. I don't take any of that credit. They did all the work! I was extremely proud of them though. 

I remember doing listening activities when I was in elementary school. I found them extremely difficult then too. It's just much easier to have visual stimulation that complements the auditory stimulation. The combination leads to a better understanding, at least for me. 

I did a little research on this topic and found a wonderful TED talk about how to become a better listener. Julian Treasure: 5 ways to listen better.  

Final thought... As teachers we need to be good listeners, and we also need to teach our students the skill of listening. 


1 comment:

  1. Right. Listeners and watchers who also are doers!

    Next time I will not forget to use Screenflow and then you can have a choice: listen, listen and watch, or mix and match!

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