Active Listening Explained + 7 Ways to Get Started!

Fall 2020 • Tips From Us

Active Listening is a key tool in school and in life. However, it is not taught in class and can be difficult to learn. Here are our tips and tricks to get started!

By KidsRead2Kids Team

Have you ever felt lost during class? Do you have a hard time listening to others? Many people don’t know there is a difference between hearing and listening.

We hear sounds all day. We are born with that ability. But being an Active Listener is a skill we must develop.

So, what is Active Listening?

Active Listening is the ability to process what we have heard and remember what we have learned.

To describe the difference between hearing and listening, we at KidsRead2Kids use the phrase, “I hear you but I’m not listening.” This signals that although we have heard the speaker, we have not processed the information. Therefore, we cannot remember it later.

Unfortunately, active listening techniques are not taught in school. Listening, similar to reading, is one of the most important skills you will ever have. You will need to listen in school, at work, and in life.

If you are struggling, please do not worry. It is nothing to be ashamed of. Learning to actively listen can be very challenging – especially with a learning difference. Trust us, we’ve experienced it ourselves.

Dyslexia, ADHD, and other processing delays make it even harder to pay attention. As we know, when we struggle to focus, we struggle to learn. That’s why we have designed our program specifically to help you improve your listening skills. The more you practice, the stronger you will become.

No matter what, always remember that you are not alone. We’ve been there, too. So, here are our top tips for getting started. These steps helped us, and we hope they help you.

1. Find a quiet place to listen.

 “Personally, I cannot focus when I’m in a noisy space,” our co-founder Alana says. “I get easily distracted, so I like to find a cozy, quiet spot to study.”

2. Choose a relaxing time of the day (such as bedtime).

“Sometimes when I try to read at a very busy time of day, it’s hard for me to focus,” Reuben (14) says. “When I come back to it later, or at night, it’s a lot easier to get into it.”

3. Make eye contact with your reader.

“When I’m in class listening to a lecture, it’s easier to stay focused and engaged when I’m actually making eye contact with my teacher,” our sister Julia explains.

4. Close your eyes and imagine the story as it is read.

“You know you understand a story when you can picture it in your mind,” our mom Carol shares.

5. Practice staying completely present and engaged with the story.

To be fully engaged, Julia likes to start with her favorite stories. “I would start with something I’m interested in and then move on to something more complicated,” Julia (16) says.

When she’s in class, Julia once again points out the importance of eye contact. “It’s harder to listen when I’m not interested but focusing on my teachers allows me to hear what they’re saying and interpret it in my own way.”

6. Summarize the story to yourself out loud after each chapter.

“Whenever I’m struggling to remember or process information, I try to teach it to myself,” Alana (20) says. “Talking out loud always helps me.”

7. Listen to the chapter again. See how much you remember from the first time!

“When you’re learning, it’s so important to listen to things more than once,” Alana shares. “When I listen again, I often hear things that I missed the first time.”

Now, you’re ready to start practicing. On our website, we offer 17 video-audiobooks of abridged classic novels, as well as a range of decodable chapter books. Pick your favorite story, press play, and enjoy!

In between chapters, put your active listening skills to the test with our lesson plans! Currently, our offerings include Peter Pan and Anne of Green Gables. Click HERE to start.

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The Benefits of Listening to Stories...

    Allows me to practice paying attention and listening carefully.

    Helps me focus on the sounds of words read with no interruption.

    Provides me with a model for fluent reading.

    Helps me learn of punctuation, enunciation, and emphasis in a sentence.

    Inspires my imagination as I bring the story to life in my mind.

… Helps me become an Active Listener

We would love to hear from you. Please share your stories on how you listen best.