module 3 | part 3 building friendships: listening skills · building friendships: listening skills...

8
Together We Can: Creating a Healthy Future for our Family 103 Building Friendships: Listening Skills MODULE 3 | PART 3 OBJECTIVES: 1. Become aware of the importance of good listening skills. 2. Describe the key elements of active listening. 3. Practice active listening techniques. HANDOUTS: 1. Study Guide for Active Listening 2. Take Home Message for This Session ITEMS NEEDED FOR THIS EDUCATIONAL SESSION: • Handout materials for participant workbooks • Scrapbooking materials • Flipchart and markers • Pencils and pens Children, Youth, Families & Communities • Michigan State University Extension • ©2009 Michigan State University Board of Trustees www.togetherwecan.fcs.msue.msu.edu

Upload: others

Post on 31-Oct-2019

6 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: Module 3 | Part 3 Building Friendships: Listening Skills · Building Friendships: Listening Skills Module 3 Part 3 [List some controversial topics on a flipchart—such as gun control,

Together We Can: Creating a Healthy Future for our Family 103

Building Friendships:Listening Skills

M o d u l e 3 | Pa r t 3

objectives:

1. Become aware of the importance of good listening skills.

2. Describe the key elements of active listening.

3. Practice active listening techniques.

Handouts:

1. Study Guide for Active Listening 2. Take Home Message for This Session

iteMs needed for tHis educational session:

• Handoutmaterialsforparticipantworkbooks

• Scrapbookingmaterials

• Flipchartandmarkers

• Pencilsandpens

Children, Youth, Families & Communities • Michigan State University Extension • ©2009 Michigan State University Board of Trusteeswww.togetherwecan.fcs.msue.msu.edu

Page 2: Module 3 | Part 3 Building Friendships: Listening Skills · Building Friendships: Listening Skills Module 3 Part 3 [List some controversial topics on a flipchart—such as gun control,

Building Friendships: Listening SkillsModule 3

Part 3

[List some controversial topics on a flipchart—such as gun control, nighttime curfews for neighborhoods, legal age to buytobacco,etc.Haveeachgrouppickadifferent topic. After five to ten minutes, have each group share their views. ]

1. What did your group choose to discuss?

2. Did you have different points of view in your group?

Now, exchange your name card with someone in your group with a different point of view. Continue your discussion from the other’s point of view.

What did you think of this activity? Here are a few questions to consider:

• Whatweresomeofthechallengesinspeakingfromsomeoneelse’spointofview?

• Whydoyouthinkthesechallengesoccur?

• Howdidyoufeelduringtheexercise?

• Canyoubeaspassionate(believeasstrongly)aboutanotherperson’spointofview?

activity: Mini-lecture on active listening

Prepare a powerpoint presentation or flipcharts with the following information. HaveparticipantscompletetheStudy Guide for Active Listening.

Listeninginvolvesmorethanhearingwhattheotherpersonissaying.Italsoinvolvesrespondingtowhattheyaresaying.Thisprocessiscalledactivelisteninganditisavitalpartofworkingwithyourchild’sotherparentinparenting.

Activelisteningisacommunicationtoolthatcanhelpyouspeakwitheachotherclearlyandwithunderstanding.Itisnoteasybutaveryworthwhileskilltolearn.

GettinG started

ReviewHomeworkAssignment(IfthePositive Stroke or Discounting lesson is chosen before this, please review homework assignment as the icebreaker.)

Goodlisteningskillsareimportanttodevelopapositiverelationshipwithyourchild’sotherparent.Justlikelearningtorideabiketakestimeandpractice,sodogoodlisteningskills.

Inthislesson,youwilllearntheimportanceofgoodlisteningskills.Wediscusstheimportanceofactivelistening.Activelisteningmeanslisteningtootherpeoplewithoutpre-judgingthem.

activity: learning to listen

Thefirststepincommunicatingwithyourchild’sotherparentistolisten.Mosttimeswhenwearetalkingwithsomeoneelse,weareoftenthinkingaboutwhatwearegoingtosayandnotlisteningto what the other person is saying. We don’t hear whatotherpeoplearesaying.Unfortunately,ifwedon’thearwhatotherpeoplearetellingus,wewon’tbeabletounderstandandheartheirpoints of view. In order to understand a topic fromanotherperson’sperspective,youneedtobeagoodlistener.

Let’sbeginwithanactivityabouthowyouviewthings. First put your name on a card. Then, get intosmallgroupsandarrangeyourchairsinacircle.Placethecardwithyournameonitonyourlap.

104 Together We Can: Creating a Healthy Future for our FamilyChildren, Youth, Families & Communities • Michigan State University Extension • ©2009 Michigan State University Board of Trustees

www.togetherwecan.fcs.msue.msu.edu

Page 3: Module 3 | Part 3 Building Friendships: Listening Skills · Building Friendships: Listening Skills Module 3 Part 3 [List some controversial topics on a flipchart—such as gun control,

Together We Can: Creating a Healthy Future for our Family 105

Building Friendships: Listening SkillsModule 3

Part 3

Someadditionalthingstorememberaboutactivelistening:

• Ittakestimeandpracticeanddoesnotworkovernight.

• Everytimeyouuseactivelistening,itwillgeteasierandhelpsyoutoincludemoreactivelistening.

• Youcanleadthewaywiththeotherperson.

activity: active listening exercise

This next activity demonstrates the importance ofcarefullistening.Pickapartner,perhapssomeoneyouhaven’tworkedwithinclassbefore,anddecidewhowillbethespeaker(thepersondoingthetalking)andwhowillbethelistener(thepersonreceivingthemessage).

First,thespeakerstelltheirpartnersastoryaboutsomethingthathappenedtothem.Whenthespeakersfinishtellingtheirstory,thelistenersmustrepeatthestorybacktothespeakers.Thespeakerswillthentellthelistenersifthestorywasaccurateornotandtellthelistenersthecorrectinformationinthestory.

Ingoodcommunication,thelistenergivesfeedbackaboutwhatwassaidandthenthespeakerrespondstothelistenerabouttheaccuracy.Now,let’shavethespeakersandlistenersswitchrolesandrepeattheactivity.

[When everyone has completed the exercise, use the flipchart to list their comments during a general discussion about listening and reasons for inaccuracies.]

Thefirststepinactivelisteningisfocusingyourattention on the other person when they are speaking.Thenitinvolvesusingthesestrategiestoactivelylistentotheotherperson:

1. ask good questions.

• Don’taccuseorblameinyourquestioning.

• Lookforthehiddenmeaning.Seekinformation.

• Askopen-endedquestionsandmakesureyour tone is sincere.

• Goodexamples:Whatdoyouthinkweshoulddoaboutthissituation?Whatdoyoufeelaretheoptions?Whathappenedbeforethefighttookplace?

2. Keep yourself from judging what the other person is saying.

• Don’tassumethatyouknowwhattheother person means or is thinking.

• Don’tgiveadvicetotheotherperson.

3. repeat back to the other person what they just said but in your own words.

• Called“paraphrasing”—checkswiththeother person if you have heard them correctly.

• Usuallyleadstoobtainingmoreinformation.

• Letstheothercorrectanymisunderstandings and promotes interest.

4. Put yourself in the other person’s shoes and accept his or her feelings, thoughts, and ideas about the situation.

• Doesnotmeanyouagreewiththe other person.

• Doesnotmeanyouhavetogiveintotheother person.

• Meansthatyouarenot“discounting”whatthe other person is saying.

• Takesagreatdealofworkonthe listener’spart.

Children, Youth, Families & Communities • Michigan State University Extension • ©2009 Michigan State University Board of Trusteeswww.togetherwecan.fcs.msue.msu.edu

Page 4: Module 3 | Part 3 Building Friendships: Listening Skills · Building Friendships: Listening Skills Module 3 Part 3 [List some controversial topics on a flipchart—such as gun control,

Building Friendships: Listening SkillsModule 3

Part 3

HoMeworK:

Haveparticipantstakeaminutetocompletethe“Take-HomeMessage”fortheir magnet. The action step should focus on practicing active listening with someone they know.

closinG:

Today, we learned how to communicate by listening to other people actively. Active listening means to focus our attention on the other person and to hear the meaning inwhattheyaresaying.Inordertodoso,we ask questions, repeat the information we heard and put ourselves in the other person’s shoes. Active listening is an important step toward building a positive relationship with our child’s other parent.

Discussion questions:

• Howdidyoufeelwhenyouwerethelistener?

• Didyoufindyourselflisteningcloselybecauseyou knew you were going to have to repeat what was said?

• Didyousometimesmakemistakes?

• Whydoyouthinkthatthe“receiver”doesn’talwaysrepeateverythingaccurately?

• Doyousometimeshaveadifferentideaaboutwhat something means?

activity: scrapbooking Page on active listening

Haveparticipantsprepareascrapbookpage that shows the importance of active listening and the positive ways it effects one’s relationships.

106 Together We Can: Creating a Healthy Future for our FamilyChildren, Youth, Families & Communities • Michigan State University Extension • ©2009 Michigan State University Board of Trustees

www.togetherwecan.fcs.msue.msu.edu

Page 5: Module 3 | Part 3 Building Friendships: Listening Skills · Building Friendships: Listening Skills Module 3 Part 3 [List some controversial topics on a flipchart—such as gun control,

Together We Can: Creating a Healthy Future for our Family 107

What is active listening?

What is the first step in active listening?

What are the four steps in active listening?

1.

•Don’taccuseorblame.

• Lookforthehiddenmeaning.

• Askopen-endedquestionsandmakesureyourtoneissincere.

• Goodexamples:Whatdoyouthinkweshoulddoaboutthissituation?Whatdoyoufeelaretheoptions?Whathappenedbeforethefighttookplace?

2.

• Don’tassumethatyouknowwhattheotherpersonmeansoristhinking.

• Don’tgiveadvicetotheotherperson

Study GuideFor Active Listening

Mo

du

le

3 •

Pa

rt

3 •

Ha

nd

ou

t 1

Children, Youth, Families & Communities • Michigan State University Extension • ©2009 Michigan State University Board of Trusteeswww.togetherwecan.fcs.msue.msu.edu

Page 6: Module 3 | Part 3 Building Friendships: Listening Skills · Building Friendships: Listening Skills Module 3 Part 3 [List some controversial topics on a flipchart—such as gun control,

3.

• Called“paraphrasing”—checkswiththeotherpersonifyouhaveheardthemcorrectly.

• Usuallyleadstoobtainingmoreinformation.

• Letstheotherpersoncorrectanymisunderstandingsandpromotesinterest.

4.

• Doesnotmeanyouagreewiththeotherperson.

• Doesnotmeanyouhavetogiveintotheotherperson.

• Meansthatyouarenot“discounting”whattheotherpersonissaying.

• Takesagreatdealofworkonthelistener’spart.

Whataresomeotherthingsweneedtorememberaboutactivelistening?

Mo

du

le

3 •

Pa

rt

3 •

Ha

nd

ou

t 1

Study GuideFor Active Listening

108 Together We Can: Creating a Healthy Future for our FamilyChildren, Youth, Families & Communities • Michigan State University Extension • ©2009 Michigan State University Board of Trustees

www.togetherwecan.fcs.msue.msu.edu

Page 7: Module 3 | Part 3 Building Friendships: Listening Skills · Building Friendships: Listening Skills Module 3 Part 3 [List some controversial topics on a flipchart—such as gun control,

Together We Can: Creating a Healthy Future for our Family 109

Take Home Message for This Session

directions: Thinkofonestepyouwilltakebeforethenextsessionandwriteitdowninthespaceprovided.Inaddition,writedownthetime,date,andlocationofthenextsession.

to actively listen, ask good questions and tell the other

one what you heard.

MyActionSteps:

TheNextSession:

DATe

TIMe

LoCATIoN

Mo

du

le

3 •

Pa

rt

3 •

Ha

nd

ou

t 2

Children, Youth, Families & Communities • Michigan State University Extension • ©2009 Michigan State University Board of Trusteeswww.togetherwecan.fcs.msue.msu.edu

Page 8: Module 3 | Part 3 Building Friendships: Listening Skills · Building Friendships: Listening Skills Module 3 Part 3 [List some controversial topics on a flipchart—such as gun control,