engleski

Holding Back to Reach Out: The Paradox of Active Listening

The presentation focuses on the role of active listening in the process of establishing and enhancing relationship between teacher and students. The communicative model of didactics sees instruction as interaction and teacher’s enabling of communication and establishing of relations. Due to the fact that active listening is understood as an important part of communication, it can be anchored in the philosophical theory that summarizes human existence as being in constant communication. Starting from the point that classroom relations represent an essential aspect of education, and are built upon communication, the socio- communicational skill of active listening can be used by teachers to cultivate a positive rapport with students, if properly applied. To apply it properly, one must employ all of the subskills that active listening encompasses as an umbrella term: paying attention, holding judgment, reflecting, asking for clarification ; summarising and sharing. The subskills aligned in that order serve as six steps of the active listening process. The second step can be particularly challenging for teachers, for it calls for an open mind stripped of stereotypes and prejudice and full of empathy. Even when teachers have strong views, they should hold their criticism and avoid arguing, which does not necessarily mean they agree ; it shows that they are trying to understand what the students are saying. Teacher thus remains rational in their understanding of the students’ viewpoint and by holding back their urge to interrupt, correct, assume, assist, provide an opinion, give solutions, comment etc., they demonstrate their care for students. This way, paradoxically, respect is being conveyed for students and issues that are important to them, which creates a strong rapport between teacher and students. Additional challenge lies in the fact that this seemingly passive role of a teacher is confronted with the expected image of the classroom leader who should dominate the communication process. Furthermore, it can be difficult for teachers if silence is not interpreted as an attempt to understand, but as a sign of agreement or even submission.

active listening, care, communication, educational relation, teacher-student relationship

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