Active Listening Skills

Which of the following is a sign of active listening?

• paraphrasing, or summarizing what someone has said

• interrupting, or talking over someone

• changing the subject

• being totally silent while someone else talks

Which posture best shows that a person is actively listening?

• slouching

• lying down

• sitting up straight

• standing with your back to the speaker

When you’re actively listening, you should look ________.

• at the ground

• at the speaker

• out the window

• at a page of notes

Which of the following is a verbal cue you can use to show you’re actively listening?

• saying, “Ooh ooh”

• interrupting

• humming a familiar song

• asking a follow-up question

True or False: If you're facing the person speaking, you're always actively listening.

• True

• False

Zoe is giving a presentation on the Midwest region of the US. If you’re actively listening you might ________.

• speak over her to describe your trip to Nebraska

• raise your hand in the middle of the presentation to invite Zoe to the mall after school

• raise your hand at the end to ask her to clarify if Kansas is part of that region

• stay quiet while daydreaming about your trip to Iowa in May

Nigel is actively listening to Courtney. He is most likely ________.

• nodding and trying to put himself in her shoes

• telling Courtney she is wrong before she finishes speaking

• waiting patiently for his turn to speak, so he can change the subject to something more interesting

• facing away from Courtney

William is talking to Jenna, but Jenna is not actively listening. William probably feels ________.

• relaxed

• frustrated

• cheerful

• ashamed

Why is active listening a "two-way street"?

• because if you listen to others, you can force them to listen to you

• because both the listener and the speaker give and receive something

• because it means you are walking and being active while you listen

• because two people are saying the same thing at the same time

True or false: Even if you're silent while someone else speaks, you might not be actively listening.

• True

• False