Then have each pair introduce one another to the rest of the group. Have the team reverse roles for the second two minutes. Have Person 1 introduce themselves to Person 2 for 2-minutes. Practice through introductions - a good icebreaker! Remind the group that just because they making the motions, doesn’t mean they’re retaining the information. “Listen” to the speaker’s body language.Good listening skills might be communicated with a nod, smile, eye contact, show concern, or encouragement.Poor listening skills might include: look at your watch, interrupt, avoid eye contact, look bored or impatient, tap your foot or fidget, finish the their sentences.Record these on a chart for all to see and fill in any omissions, as needed: T-chart: have the group write down characteristics of good and bad listening skills. The following 7 exercises will help tease how ways your group can make speakers feel as if they are the center of the universe. That evening Disraeli made the woman the center of his universe. Disraeli, I felt as though I was the smartest woman in England.” Gladstone may have been an excellent speaker but Disraeli was the better listener. Gladstone, I felt as though he was the smartest man in England. She has compared the two men this way: “When I dined with Mr.

A young journalist said that she would dine with both so she could decide which one was smarter. William Gladstone and Benjamin Disraeli, both eminent British statesmen were considered as two the smartest persons in England, in the late nineteenth century. I read this story on the importance of active listening on the Tesla Ideas blog. Make the Speaker Feel Heard through Active Listening Listen to Remember and Listen for Underlying Meanings I’ve grouped the 20+ exercises into 5 categories: These 17 Active Listening Exercises have been culled from communication and training experts around the world. Active listening happens when you’re completely focused on the speaker, taking in everything they’re saying, understanding the nuance of their meaning, and giving them feedback. Active listening isn’t just nodding to the speaker. While our library of Communication and Listening Exercises is quite comprehensive, Active Listening is a critical subcategory worthy of deeper exploration. Reflect what he has said to you, and expand on it to give him more words and to learn ways to describe his feelings.Home » Activities » Active Listening Exercises Galore! Active Listening Exercises Galore! Children usually correct their parents if their feelings are described incorrectly. Sometimes when parents are learning active listening skills, they worry that they will incorrectly summarize and label their child’s feelings.

Show your child you care about what she is showing on the outside and may be feeling on the inside by talking about all the feelings. For example, your child might feel sad and afraid at the same time. Help him deal with and understand his feelings, by talking with your child about his feelings.Ĭhildren may have several emotions at the same time. Telling your child to stop feeling a particular way does not show your child you are trying to understand how he feels. Sometimes it is difficult to summarize or label your child’s feelings because you think he should be responding in a different way. You can just sit with your child while she is upset or stay physically close and hold or comfort her. You can let your child know you are paying attention to how she feels by what you do even if you don’t say anything. Your child may not know himself what he is feeling and by talking you can figure it out together. Let him know that you are paying attention by saying, “It seems like you are upset or “It sounds/looks like something is bothering you”. For example, your child may be crying but you may not know if he is angry, scared, or sad. There may be times when you are unsure what your child is feeling. Reflection of emotions is not always easy.

This gives your child a word for the emotion and helps him learn that it is ok to talk about feelings. When you reflect your child’s emotions, you watch your child’s behavior and describe the emotions he seems to be having.

Active listening exercises