According to psychologist Joel Minden, good listeners make regular eye contact without staring. They also match facial and emotional expressions to the speaker’s. To become a better listener, practice your “interviewing skills.”
“By asking questions early in a conversation, you’re making it clear that learning about the other person is a priority and you’re not just there to talk about yourself,” notes Minden. Balance asking relevant questions with offering a personal connection.
Taking listening to the next level involves offering reflective responses, mirroring back both what the speaker says and the underlying emotions; extending ideas and connecting information, and above all, to do so without trying to solve the other’s problems or to drive the conversation to something important to you only.
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Comments (2)
Displaying All 2 CommentsEugene, OR, United States
Yes, Judy, I think the idea of creating questions and environments for deep thinking deserves an article in Exchange... Are you up for writing one? Let us know!
SE Distrct LCMS
Wade, NC, United States
I thought the article was very thought provoking.
I can't see it being used more in an elementary school classroom than an early childhood. I would LOVE to be there and listen to responses....AND, how we, as teachers, can create questions/environment to provoke/encourage "deep" thinking.
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