Parent Magazine St. Johns September 2018 | Page 29

IMPROVE
YOUR CHILDʼS
Listening Skills
by Jan Pierce, M.Ed.
LISTENING: MORE THAN JUST HEARING
Focused listening is one of the most important skills your
child will ever learn. Children with strong listening skills do
better in school, sports, relationships and eventually in their
careers. But many children lack this important skill and
parents are rightly concerned. What can you do?
First, listening is much more than just hearing. It is a
given that you will have your child’s hearing checked by
medical professionals and follow up with any problems
discovered. Occasionally a wax build-up, ear infection, fluid
behind the eardrum or other relatively minor ear problems
must be addressed. If your child does have a hearing loss, be
very sure to do all you can to maximize his or her hearing.
But listening problems are a different issue. “Listening is
the conscious process of receiving meaning from the sounds
we hear. It implies the ability to stay focused on the
message, screen out distractions and make a meaningful
connection with the content of the message. Good listening requires practice because it requires effort to do
it well.”
You can see that good listening requires not only the ears, but engagement of the mind and body as well. It is a
series of decisions made by the listener and it can break down quite easily. Even children who want to “pay
attention” and “follow directions” may be unable to if their attention is pulled away by background noise,
movement, or other competing thoughts and sounds. Children need practice in focusing their attention, receiving
the message, understanding the message and then responding in the appropriate way.
Parents, you can help your child be a better listener. Here are ten simple ways to build active
listening skills.
MODEL ACTIVE LISTENING.
Build listening motivation and success by
intentionally gaining your child’s attention
before expecting him to listen. Whenever
possible, make eye contact before speaking.
When he responds, maintain eye contact and
repeat the content of the message or model good
listening by using appropriate body language such
as nodding.
ENCOURAGE
CONVERSATIONS
on topics of her choice. Model good
listening and show your appreciation
for her ideas. It is surprising how little
conversation takes place in our daily lives
with today’s busy schedules. Mealtimes are often
good times to engage in conversation.
S T. JOHNS
parent
MAGAZINE
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