Listen Between the Lines

I know you've heard of reading between the lines before. That's what you do when you pick up on clues to detect a hidden meaning that is not expressed explicitly.

For example, when you are reading a novel and you come across a scene that involves a chance encounter, darting eyes, and very curt expressions, you know that there's something going on between the characters, perhaps some underlying tension from a previous encounter. You can detect this because you have some sort of life experience that enables you to pick up on the clues the author has provided.

When you take notes on a class lecture, you must learn to listen between the lines. An instructor will give you part of the story, but he or she is expecting you to fill in the "back story" with information you've picked up from your homework readings. This is why it is so important to read your assignments before you go to class!

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How to Listen

Have you ever zoned out during a lecture? After listening to your teacher or guest speaker several minutes, do you sometimes realize that absolutely nothing is sinking in?

If this sounds familiar, you might need to sharpen your listening skills a little. After all, if you plan to go to college or get a job in the future, you’re going to have a lot of speeches to listen to. You can improve your retention by practicing active listening.

What is active listening? Imagine that you’re just sitting down in class to take notes, when the teacher announces that “there will be a quiz on this lecture.” Suddenly, you’re more alert. You watch attentively as your teacher speaks and you underline each and every word that is emphasized or repeated.

Each time you sit down to listen to a speaker or a class lecture, you should listen as if you’re going to be tested on the material. After all, you might be!

Here are some tips to help you learn to improve your listening skills:

• Listen for verbal clues. Your teacher will emphasize any important terms and concepts.
• Watch for nonverbal clues. Eyebrows, hands, pauses, eyes: these features all show expression when your teacher makes an important point.
• Be mindful of your own reactions. When your teacher says something that sound interesting, curious, or surprising, go ahead and nod or smile. If the teacher says something boring or unpleasant, try not to have an ugly response. Why? To keep yourself on track. As long as you’re managing your reactions, you’re still listening.
• Avoid making predictions. If we think we know what someone is about to say, we stop listening and start drifting.
• Focus on the words, not the person. Don’t get distracted by an ugly dress, weird hairstyle or goofy tie.
• Don’t get caught up on one detail. Stay on pace.
• Don’t let your mind wander. Put that food, person, music, or daydream out of your head and save it for later.

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