LISTENING SKILLS AND NOTE-TAKING
Listening skills
Communication in and outside of the classroom requires active listening and talking. Listening should be an active, not passive
process.
How is hearing different from listening
Listeners must first hear what is said. Listening skills involve identifying and selecting relevant points recognised as having
meaning; that are understood and held in short-term memory. These can be related to what has gone before and to what comes
after. Any information considered important is selected and stored for future reference in the long term memory.
Decoding (understanding) a message is generally easier for the listener if a person is speaking rather than reading something out
loud. In addition the speaker's facial expressions, and the stress placed on words help the listener to understand the message.
Listening problems and solutions
Problems connected with listening
Listeners may experience difficulty if:
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if appropriate ask the speaker to slow
down
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come to class having done background
reading
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concentrate on the gist or the main points
of what the speaker is saying

use diagrams, tables, charts etc. to record
certain types of information

arrange for breaks at reasonable intervals
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if you have lost the gist of the message
ask the speaker to recap
the speaker speaks too swiftly or too
quietly
the speaker has an unfamiliar accent or
pronounces words in an unfamiliar way

the classroom is noisy

s/he does not have sufficient background
knowledge to follow the gist of the
message

Solutions
the short-term memory is unable to cope
with the amount of input because the
message is difficult to follow

s/he becomes fatigued because of the
concentration demanded

s/he is anxious that there will be only one
chance to hear the information, becomes
panicky and loses track of what is going
on.
TOP TIPS:
Go to class prepared.
Review your notes regularly.
Recite and repeat key concepts from class.
Reflect - connecting class ideas to other notes and
readings will help you to understand and
remember what you are learning.
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Note-taking
Remember the lecturer's introductory comments usually cover the key ideas of the lecture. If you are late for
class, it can be difficult to work out what is going on. Listen for verbal cues:
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"There are two main aspects…"
"To summarise…."
Repetition of a point
An emphasis in voice tone
Avoid attempting to take down every word spoken by the lecturer. You may miss other communication cues
such as the body language s/he uses to emphasise important points.
Some suggestions for successful note-taking
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Start each lecture on a new page noting the date, lecturer’s name and topic. Also indicate the number
of the lecture e.g. Lecture 5 - The Treaty of Waitangi.
Leave space to add comments if there is a class/group discussion later as part of the session.
Develop your own shorthand:
ToW = Treaty of Waitangi
mn = main
imp = important
gw = group work

Make use of symbols:
& = and
< = decrease
> = increase
= caused, led to

Take notes in your own words. It will help you to think about and relate to the topic from both
objective and subjective points of view.
Revise your notes as soon after the lecture as possible - ideally within 12 -24 hours. If you wait you may only
have a hazy recollection of the lecture. If necessary rewrite your notes by adding your responses, questions to
points you’d like to follow up in your readings, and examples that come to mind. Clear, legible, and informative
notes are excellent material for revision and assignment and exam preparation later on.
Referencing
James, J., & Brooks, J. (1996). Study skills guide. Porirua: Aotearoa, New Zealand.
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