What level of listening that focused on perception of both visual and verbal stimuli?

Contributor: Noelani Napoleon | Reviewer: Ann Choe | Date: 2022-03-28

What level of listening that focused on perception of both visual and verbal stimuli?
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Overview

Nonverbal communication has shown to be beneficial in verbal communication, aiding listeners in comprehending the spoken message and assisting the speaker in conveying their message. This study investigated the effects of facial and gesture cues on adult second language (L2) English learners at high and low proficiency levels. The researchers focused on assessing the contribution of visual cues to listening comprehension and surveyed the participants’ perception of visual cues in aiding skill and communication development. They hypothesized that the group exposed to both facial and gestural cues will show better listening comprehension and that students at both proficiency levels will show positive attitudes towards visual cues.

Research Method

The researchers chose a video-recorded lecture titled “Ceramics for Beginners” and developed a multiple-choice listening task and questionnaire to measure the students’ listening comprehension and perception of visual cues. The lecture topic was chosen to avoid the influence of students’ background knowledge. Forty-two L2 English learners were randomly assigned to one of the three stimulus conditions: AV-gesture-face, AV-face, and A-only (the abbreviation “AV” refers to the presence of audio and video to the condition, while “gesture-face” or “face” refers to the inclusion of gesture and facial cues within the video). After the groups watched or listened to the lecture, they were given the listening task to test their comprehension of the lecture. Following the listening task, they were given the questionnaire. The AV-gesture-face and the AV-face groups were given additional questions about their perceptions of the visual cues in the lecture, while the A-only group was asked if they thought their comprehension could have improved by seeing the lecturer.

Results

The results supported both hypotheses, showing that more visual information available to the learners improved their comprehension and that the learners had a strong preference for visual cues in their L2 comprehension. Particularly, the high proficiency learners benefited more from the AV-face stimulus condition while the low proficiency learners benefited more from the AV-gesture-face stimulus condition.

Practical Implications/Significance

The researchers suggested further investigations into the role of visual cues in L2 listening comprehension, such as exploring the effects of a speaker’s visual cues within other topics, the influence of cultural and linguistic experience on the information value of the visual components of speech, or visual cues that show potential for facilitating L2 comprehension to raise learners’ awareness of them.

Original Article: Sueyoshi, A. & Hardison, D. M. (2005). The role of gestures and facial cues in second language listening comprehension. Language Learning, 55(4), 661–699. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0023-8333.2005.00320.x

Cite this summary: 
Napoleon, N. (2022). Why visual cues are important for listening comprehension. Multiʻōlelo Summary of Sueyoshi and Hardison (2005) in Language Learning. Retrieved from https://multiolelo.com/?p=1870

Hearing and listening are not the same. You hear music, the sound of rainfall, or the sound of food being prepared in the kitchen. Listening, on the other hand, requires attention, comprehension of the message that’s being relayed, and recollection of what’s been said.

What level of listening that focused on perception of both visual and verbal stimuli?
Effective listeners not only show interest, they also acknowledge what has been said. Listening is a valuable skill on both a personal and professional level.

Benefits of Being a Good Listener

There are numerous benefits associated with being a good listener. People with refined listening skills can help others feel secure in expressing their opinions. They may also be better able to reduce tension during arguments and communicate respect to the speaker. Other potential benefits include being more likable, building stronger relationships, and having a clearer understanding of what’s being discussed.

  • Good listeners are more likable. Individuals with strong listening skills are present in the conversation. People who listen with focus are often perceived as more likable.
  • Good listeners build stronger relationships. Communication is not a one-way street. Good listeners show interest, ask open-ended questions, and acknowledge what’s being said. This helps reduce misunderstandings and builds stronger relationships.
  • Good listeners have a clearer understanding of the topics being discussed. Individuals with refined listening skills seek to fully understand a speaker’s message. They pay attention to both verbal and nonverbal cues and ask for clarification when needed.

Strategies for Effective Listening

Listening isn’t a passive activity, but a process that you actively undertake. To be a better listener, you must be focused on the speaker, their message, and let the speaker know you understand what’s been said. Below are just a few of the techniques you can use to become a better listener.

  • Make eye contact. Making and maintaining eye contact with the speaker lets them know they have your undivided attention. Put your phone on silent and put it away, and turn off your radio and TV. If you’re in a Zoom meeting, set your status to “do not disturb” and minimize other browser windows. Looking at your smartphone or scanning the room can make you seem uninterested and interrupt your ability to concentrate on what you are hearing.
  • Ask follow-up questions. If the speaker’s message is unclear, ask clarifying questions to gain more information. You can also ask confirming questions, such as “I want to make sure I got that right. It sounds like you’re saying Is that correct?” This can help you gauge if you’ve received the message accurately. If you’re engaged with a teacher, colleague, or manager, take notes and leave room for silence. This allows you to take a beat and process the information you’ve received before asking for more information.
  • Be present and attentive. Good listeners are attentive and engaged in the moment. They shut out distractions and give their undivided attention to the speaker. Additionally, using positive minimal response, such as nodding, touch, or through sound, also shows you’re listening and actively engaged with the speaker.
  • Don’t interrupt. When you interrupt, it communicates that you don’t care about what’s being said. Interrupting can also make it appear as if you’re uninterested in the subject matter and were looking for a moment to interject.

Examples of Ineffective Listening

Ineffective listeners aren’t engaged, don’t make eye contact, and often miss what’s being presented. Ineffective listening strategies you should avoid include selective listening, inattentiveness, and defensive listening.

  • Selective listening. Selective listening is like listening with a highlighter. Instead of considering the totality of the speaker’s message, selective listeners only pay attention to the parts they think are most relevant to them.
  • Inattentive listeners don’t give speakers their full attention. They’re often distracted and focused on other things, which can mean missing most of what the speaker is saying.
  • Defensive listening. Defensive listeners hear innocent statements, such as “I don’t like people who are indecisive,” and perceive them as personal attacks. Defensive listening can cause strain in both personal and professional relationships.

4 Types of Listening

Listening skills can be developed, but it takes practice. Whether you’re interested in improving your networking, landing a new client, or connecting better with your family, strong listening skills can help. Below are just a few effective listening styles.

1. Deep Listening

Deep listening occurs when you’re committed to understanding the speaker’s perspective. It involves paying attention to both verbal and nonverbal cues, such as the words being used, the speaker’s body language, and their tone. This type of listening helps build trust and rapport, and it helps others feel comfortable in expressing their thoughts and opinions.

2. Full Listening

Full listening involves paying close and careful attention to what the speaker is conveying. It often involves the use of active listening techniques, such as paraphrasing what’s been said to the person you’re speaking with to ensure you understand their messaging. Full listening is useful in the classroom, when someone is instructing you on how to complete a task, and when discussing work projects with superiors.

3. Critical Listening

Critical listening involves using systematic reasoning and careful thought to analyze a speaker’s message and separate fact from opinion. Critical listening is often useful in situations when speakers may have a certain agenda or goal, such as watching political debates, or when a salesperson is pitching a product or service.

4. Therapeutic Listening

Therapeutic listening means allowing a friend, colleague, or family member to discuss their problems. It involves emphasizing and applying supportive nonverbal cues, such as nodding and maintaining eye contact, in addition to empathizing with their experiences.

Become a Better Listener

Becoming a better listener takes practice, but if you succeed, you’ll find yourself learning new and interesting things about the people you communicate with. You may also find you’re better at picking up subtle messaging cues others may miss.

A number of specific strategies can be applied to listening, but they all share one key element: being present and attentive during conversations and respectful of those involved. This ability can help you be a more effective partner, parent, student, and coworker.

Recommended Reading

Time Management for Online Students

What to Do if You Don’t Get That Promotion

How to Stand Out as a Career Nomad

Sources

The Balance Careers, “Types of Listening Skills with Examples”

Customer Service Institute of America, “8 Examples of Effective Listening”

Indeed, Building Communication Skills: 9 Types of Listening

Roger K. Allen, Deep Listening

Silver Delta, 5 Benefits of Being a Great Listener

ThoughtCo. The Definition of Listening and How to Do It Well

Very Well Mind, “How to Practice Active Listening”

What are the 4 levels of listening?

It's about giving them what they want and need. It's about connecting with others on many different levels. There are four levels of listening: being an attentive presence, clarifying and interpreting meaning, providing empathy and acting generatively.

What level of listening is also called as listening on the eye level?

Empathetic Listening It means trying to see things through the eyes of the person communicating with us.

What are the 3 levels of active listening?

3 LEVELS OF LISTENING.
Level 1: Internal Listening (Focused on Self) In this level, the listener is focused on themselves and their reactions to what the speaker is saying. ... .
Level 2: Focused Listening (Focused on Other) ... .
Level 3: Global Listening (Focused on context, and what isn't being said).

What are the levels of listening?

There are actually five levels of listening: ignoring, pretending, selective listening, attentive listening and empathic listening.