Listening is a vital activity, not a passive one. Listening means being able to hear, see or feel what another person is saying, and that's it. There's no more input, no more interpretation of what someone is saying.
Passive listening is more common in everyday conversation than the other kind. People talk as they normally would but with no intention of hearing what they're saying. They just happen to be talking. Listening, on the other hand, requires some conscious attention on the part of the listener. A person with no awareness of what they're hearing will not be able to decipher what they are saying.
The way we process information in our brain when listening is by observing a person's reaction to whatever is being said. There are two kinds of information processing that take place: active and passive. Active listening involves the conscious effort to focus on what the speaker is saying, and passive listening involves simply listening as he or she goes on talking.
Passive listening is not a quality that is innate to all people. In fact, it is one that must be learned by the person listening to the conversation. Listening is a skill that can be taught. It takes some practice, but there are many audio recordings available that show how to improve your listening skills.
Active listening requires that you learn to hear what someone is trying to say. To do this, you must focus on what is being said, listen attentively and make notes on the speaker. Try to determine what the speaker is trying to convey by the tone of voice he uses, the words that are used and the structure of the sentences he uses. This will help you better understand the speaker and how he is communicating with you.
Passive listening will take some time and practice. Most people listen to what they hear and think about what they hear. Asking yourself a question is not a good way to focus on what you heard. Focus on the action the speaker is taking and listen to him or her in his or her environment.
Listening also requires you to have an awareness of the time that has passed since you last heard from someone. If you've been listening for several minutes, your mind may begin to wander. Be aware of your body's responses. Are you breathing? Do you feel relaxed or stressed?
Active listening involves the active engagement of what you're listening to, your own sense of curiosity and your own sense of observation of the speaker. Listening is an active activity. Listening is an active experience. Listening is not a passive one.
If you want to better improve your listening skills, ask yourself a few questions: What is my attention span? How long have I been in college? How many times did I read the same paragraph? How many times have I had trouble remembering what I've read?
Listen to someone for the answers to these questions. Do you have any idea of what the speaker is trying to communicate? Is what they are saying new information? is he or she trying to make you understand something? is he or she trying to encourage you to do something?
Active listening requires that you listen actively. It also involves the active engagement of what you're hearing. by actively listening you're engaging in the conversation, getting to know the person that is speaking and building a rapport with that person. Your understanding of the speaker's point of view is enhanced.
Listening requires that you listen attentively to the speaker. The speaker may be talking to you, but you need to listen carefully to what the speaker is saying. By listening attentively, you get to hear the other person as well.
Active listening is not a passive listening. When the speaker is talking to you, he or she is trying to reach out to you and engage in the interaction; when he or she is talking to another listener, the speaker is trying to reach out to that other listener and get to know that other listener.
Active listening is an activity that you are not able to do by simply thinking about what you have heard. Listening is an active process.