Improving Listening Skills: A Study Skills Report for Higher Education

This report examines the critical role of study skills, particularly listening skills, in higher education, especially within the context of e-learning environments. It acknowledges the shift from traditional to online learning and the challenges students and teachers face in adapting to new technologies and ...Read More

Study Skills for Higher
Education
Abstract
In today’s scenario, the education system has changed drastically and shift from
traditional way of learning to e-learning and herein the teaching is executed remotely with the

help of digital platforms. Providing online classes arise a major challenge for both the teachers &
students in order to access new technology. In addition to this, it keeps the life of a person busy
with lectures, assignment, worksheets and many more. In order to understand the lectures that is
provided, it is important to have an effective listening skills. It also assist in completing
worksheets and assignments more properly and carefully that has positive impact on the results.
For learning listening skills, there are different strategies adopt and used by students. Moreover,
teachers also help students to develop interest and understand lectures in an appropriate manner.
Table of Contents
Abstract ...........................................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
Evaluate some strategies that students can use to improve their listening ability.......................4

How can teachers help students understand their lectures?........................................................5
Analysis and discussion..............................................................................................................6
Recommendations ...........................................................................................................................6
Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
In the present scenario, the use of online applications and digital applications is enhanced
in order to give lectures, study material and delivering presentation to the students. The major
factor which is required in students to understand the lectures is effective listening skills. It is
basically the ability of an individual to interpret as well as receive message or information
provided to them. It is essential for a student to be an active listener, which assist in better
understanding of topic and also help in gaining effective results or outcomes (Clark, 2020). With
the help of effective listening skills, a student can create effective notes, interact and clear topic,
understand and complete assignments, increase attention and so on. The report will describe the
strategies which improve listening skills of students. Along with this, report covers how teachers
can help students to understand their lectures properly. In the last, some recommendations is
given in a proper manner.
Evaluate various strategies that students can use to increase their listening ability
As per the view point of Michael Linsin, 2020, it is determined that use of online classes is
enhancing at a rapid rate with the help of online applications like Zoom. Such applications allow
lecturers and teachers to provide effective session, assignment and lectures by developing group
of students. Along with this, it also help in making an interactive video session which is same as
the lecture given to the students in class room. For understanding the lectures and to make work
more productive, it is significant for students and people who attend lectures to be an active
listener. For this, it is important to improve listening skills with the use of some strategies, which
are as follows:
Pick up the key points: It is analyzed that many students are facing issues and loose
their interest level mainly when he lecture involve long time. In this case, students can note down
the key points and discuss it with teachers or with friends after completion of lecture. This create
the interest of teacher or speaker towards the students and also develop a positive impact that
students put efforts in understanding topic (Cook and Grant-Davis, 2020). Moreover, it also help
students to clear the topic and gain better results in coming future.
Ask open questions: It is consider as one of the most effective strategy as open questions
are developed for thoughtful response & to learn the concept for longer time. For improving

listening skills, students can directly ask open questions to their teachers and lecturers which
help in engaging them and gaining proper insight about topic in a proper manner.
Practice active listening: It is analysed that there are several students who prefer to
remain shut and is only open their mouth when someone is interacting or talking to them. It is
suggested to students to emphasis on what teachers is saying. It is possible when students pretend
their lectures are like a test going on that the need to heard as well as understand, which will
assist in improving their listening skills. Along with this, it also make them more productive
towards their work. Furthermore, it assist students to practice active listening and attain positive
results which help in gaining best opportunities in coming future.
Be fully in the moment: It is significant for students to keep their mind present at the
time of classes and lecturers given to them. Taking lecturers with open mind assist in gaining
interest and listening to what teachers speak. Moreover, it is determined that an active listening
not only emphasis on words but they also focus on body language, facial expression, voice tone
and so on.
How can teachers help students understand their lectures?
According to MrHooker, 2020, it is analysed that it is significant for teachers and
lecturers to help students in order to understand topic and specific concept that is given through
them via online classes. The strategies which is adopted by teachers is mentioned below:
Break tasks into pieces: It is determined that providing online classes for longer time
declines the level of interest of students to attend lecture (Kumar, 2019). The teachers can break
the long session into 40-50 minute classes so that they can attend class in a better and effective
manner.
Combine visual elements with presentation: It is analysed that if students only have to
see the face of lecturer during the whole session then it wave their attention on other things
rapidly. It is analysed that adding attractive images, facts, figures, quotes and so on make the
lecture and session interesting and gain the interest of students as well. This will leads to better
understanding of topic in an appropriate manner.
Taking feedback from students: It is undertaken as another strategy which is used by
teachers to help student understand the concept and topics taught to them in lectures. It is
determine that taking feedback after the completion of session or conducting an interactive

session assist in clarifying concept and topic in a proper manner. In addition to this, it also
improve the listening skills, as students are require to give answer of their question to teachers.
From the above discussion, it is stated that adoption of above given strategy will help
students to attain better understanding of topic. In addition to this, it also assist in improving
listening skills of students in a proper manner.
Analysis and discussion
By analysing the above data, it is sate that using of online applications and digital
platforms in education system is increased rapidly by higher schools and colleges for delivering
sessions, lectures and classes to students to their home. In addition to this, due to this pandemic
that is COVID-19, the schools was shut and teachers provide them classes through applications
such as Zoom. It is determined that there are many challenges faced by students and teachers
during the online classes (Simplicio, 2019). One of the issue is access to new technology which
is not easily acceptable and understandable as well. In addition to this, the attention as well as
interest of students is also decline as they ae not prepared to take long hours classes.
Moreover, one of the important key element which is required in student to understand
the concept is proper and effective listening skills. For this, it is important for teachers to adopt
strategies that is by developing effective and attractive presentation, giving breaks, taking
feedbacks after completion of class and many more (Yadegaridehkordi, 2019). All this will
assist students to clarify their mind set towards a concept and gain better results and also enhance
their performance level in an appropriate manner.
Recommendations
 In the present case, it is recommended to students to focus on improving their listening
skills as it only help in gaining understanding of topic in an effective manner. It is
suggested to students to make key points as remains in the mind set and is easily
recognisable as well. Asking question openly and interact with teacher after the class will
help in resolving confusion and attainment of better results as well.
 It is suggested to teachers or lectures to conduct an interactive session and take feedback
from the students after the completion of session (Tseng, Yi and Yeh, 2019). In addition
to this, developing and attractive and fact based presentation will hep in gaining interest
of students towards classes and help in better understanding of topic. Moreover, it is

important for teachers to allow them to ask open ended question so that they can clear
their doubts and gain positive outcome as well.
Conclusion
From the above discussion, it has been analysed that use on online applications is high as
education system is shifting from traditional way of learn to e-learning. One of the most
significant element required in order to take class effectively is listening skills. It is important for
students to be an active listener so that they can understand the concept and attain better outcome
in future. Moreover, teachers help students to improve their listening skills by adopting strategies
and implement them in an effective manner/

REFERENCES
Books & Journal
Clark, J. T., 2020. Distance education. In Clinical Engineering Handbook (pp. 410-415).
Academic Press.
Cook, K. C. and Grant-Davis, K., 2020. Online education: Global questions, local answers.
Routledge.
da Silva, L .F. C., Barbosa, M.W. and Gomes, R.R., 2019. Measuring participation in distance
education online discussion forums using social network analysis. Journal of the
Association for Information Science and Technology, 70(2), pp.140-150.
Jan, S. K. and Vlachopoulos, P., 2019. Social network analysis: A framework for identifying
communities in higher education online learning. Technology, Knowledge and
Learning, 24(4), pp.621-639.
Kumar, P., and et. al., 2019. Online business education research: Systematic analysis and a
conceptual model. The International Journal of Management Education, 17(1), pp.26-35.
Simplicio, J.S., 2019. Strategies to improve online student academic success and increase
university persistence rates. Education, 139(3), pp.173-177.
Tseng, H., Yi, X. and Yeh, H.T., 2019. Learning-related soft skills among online business
students in higher education: Grade level and managerial role differences in self-
regulation, motivation, and social skill. Computers in Human Behavior, 95, pp.179-186.
Yadegaridehkordi, E.,and et, al., 2019. Decision to adopt online collaborative learning tools in
higher education: A case of top Malaysian universities. Education and Information
Technologies, 24(1), pp.79-102.