Listening – Good & Bad Habits
Student Support and
Learning Center
9 Bad Listening Habits1
1. Calling the Subject Dull
Bad listeners often find a classes and subjects “boring” and “inconsequential” which then gives them
license to wander and day-dream. Good listeners consciously decide to seek for anything in the lecture
that may be new or nuanced. Good listeners are active hunters for/of new, practical and useful
information.
2. Criticizing the Speaker
Bad listeners often find fault with the way a speaker looks, acts and talks to justify their tuning out. Good
listeners may agree but are prospectors of information and sift through the observable “dirt” or
imperfections of the speakers for gold.
3. Getting Overstimulated
Do not tune a speaker out if they use a politically charged phrase and/or if you disagree with them.
Ineffective and inefficient listening efficiency occurs when you disagree with a speaker early and tune
them out. You don’t have to agree with everything your professors say or with everything you read, but it
still informs and contributes to your knowledge repertoire.
4. Listening Only For Facts
Good listeners listen for the main ideas. During a lecture, use the facts to connect threads and get a sense
of the whole. Do not be preoccupied with “the facts,” instead ask: How are these facts connected? What do
these facts mean? Are there emerging themes? How are they organized? Why and how are they
significant?
5. Trying To Outline Everything
As a listener, outlines may not be the most effective. Be flexible: adapt your notes; decipher patterns; take
note of themes; make an outline; write a summary; list facts and principles. Be flexible. Outlines will
emerge during re-write and review. Outlines are effective tools particularly when framing a writing
assignment.
6. Faking Attention
Good listening is not relaxed or passive; it is dynamic and constructive. Practice active learning.
7. Tolerating Distraction
Poor listeners are easily distracted and may even create disturbances that interfere with their own
learning/listening efficiency and that of others. Poor listeners make little or no effort to conceal their
boredom: they squirm; they talk with their neighbor; they shuffle papers. Good listeners adjust to their
environments and make an effort to minimize distractions.
8. Choosing Only What's Easy
Active listening is a choice. Lectures and presentations with new and dense language may provide
opportunities for great frustration and for great learning. Accept that there are many things yet to learn
and this is part of your student journey. Not knowing everything is not a handicap.
1
Adapted from Nichols, R. G. (1960). The Supervisor's Notebook, Scott, Foresman & Co. Vol. 22, No. 1, (Spring 1960).
1
Listening – Good & Bad Habits
Student Support and
Learning Center
9. Wasting the Differential Between Speech and Thought Speed
People normally think an average of 400 to 500 words per minute as they listen. Before an audience, a
speaker slows down to about 100 words per minute. The differential lures the listener into a false sense of
security and breeds mental tangents. However, the difference between thought speed and speech speed
can be made a source of tremendous power. Listeners can hear everything the speaker says and not what
s/he omits. Listeners can “listen” between the lines and evaluate as the lecture progresses by:
 Anticipating the next point: Good listeners anticipate the points a speaker will make. If one
anticipates correctly or not, student’s recall of information and understanding will increase because
anticipation is active versus passive listening.
 Identifying supporting material: Good listeners identify a speaker's supporting material. Active
listening means active reading and preparation for class.
 Summarizing: Because of the tremendous thought speed that everyone has, quickly summarize the
highlights covered in any lecture. When the speaker takes time for a transition, jot down the mental
summaries you are already making. This will increase your understanding, retention and application of
the new information.
2