Page 49 - Effective group discussion theory and practice by Adams, Katherine H. Brilhart, John K. Galanes, Gloria J

32 Chapter 2

One of the best techniques for increasing understanding is active listening. Active
Active Listening
listening virtually forces the listener to understand a speaker before replying or adding
Listening with the to a discussion. It is a way to practice empathy in listening and avoid premature
intent of responses and defensiveness. Here the motivation to receive information is greater
understanding a 36
speaker the way the than the motive to evaluate and criticize. The main rule is that you must state in
speaker wishes to be your own words, or paraphrase, what you understand the previous speaker meant,
understood and then ask for a confirmation or correction of your paraphrase. Active listeners para-
paraphrasing your phrase; they do not repeat word for word. After all, a parrot can repeat, but that
understanding so the doesn’t mean that the parrot has understood! A paraphrase in the listener’s own
speaker can confirm words forces the listener to process the information cognitively, allowing the original
or correct the speaker to determine whether the message was understood as intended. The original
paraphrase. speaker can then reply to the paraphrase by accepting or revising it or asking the lis-
tener to try again. Only when the original speaker is fully satisfied that the listener has
understood what was intended does an active listener proceed with agreement,
Paraphrase disagreement, elaboration, change of topic, or whatever. Table 2.2 illustrates the
Restatement in one’s technique.
own words of what Active listeners confirm their understanding before they express their positive or
one understood a negative evaluation. Only at that point is critical listening in order, when the listener
speaker to mean. evaluates whether the statement is relevant, is defensible, is likely to be effective, was
carefully thought through, and so forth. If active listeners cannot hear adequately or
are not confident of their understandings, they need to say so and ask for the speaker
to repeat what was said or ask for clarification. We realize you may not be used to lis-
tening actively, and you may at first find yourself with nothing to say for a moment
after the other finishes speaking. Keep practicing; soon you will find yourself making
spontaneous responses instead of preplanned or irrelevant remarks.

TABLE 2.2
Active listening Consuelo: If every college graduate were required to demonstrate some
competence in using a computer, that might help right at graduation. But computers
are changing so rapidly that grads would be no better off in a few years, unless
they kept up to date or had to use a computer all along. (Opinion)
Taylor: Do I understand you right? Are you saying that a computer science
course should not be required to get a degree? (Attempted paraphrase of
Consuelo’s opinion)
Consuelo: No, just that it should be more than just how to use a computer. You
ought to understand computers and what they do and don’t do. (Rejects the
paraphrase and attempts to clarify)
Taylor: So you think there should be a requirement for a graduate to be able to
explain what computers can and can’t do, as well as be comfortable with a
computer. (Second attempt at paraphrasing Consuelo’s opinion)
Consuelo: Yes, more than a course as such. (Confirms Taylor’s paraphrase)
Taylor: I agree with that idea and think we should also have a requirement for
ability to investigate, organize, and write a term paper. (His paraphrase confirmed
that Taylor is now free to add his opinion, on a new topic, to the discussion.)

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