Communications: Overcoming Barriers to Listening

Objective:

• Identify common barriers to effective listening, including distractions, biases, emotional triggers, and lack of focus.
• Evaluate different strategies for overcoming barriers to effective listening, including active listening, questioning, paraphrasing, and acknowledging emotions.
• Apply these strategies to different listening scenarios to effectively manage and overcome barriers to effective listening.
• Reflect on personal listening habits and identify areas for improvement to become a more effective listener in personal and professional contexts.

Age Level: Late secondary school

National Standards: Complies with NBEA Entrepreneurship 2023 Standard Communication 2023 Standard I.A.13 Identify strategies for managing and/or overcoming barriers to listening.

Materials:

• Whiteboard and markers
• Handout on common barriers to listening
• Scenarios for Classroom Game