What Kind of Listener Are You?

Photo from Google

Every one of us listens and tries to relate to some of the conversations which we may belong. We listen, yet all of us do not have the same reason why we do this. In addition, we also do not have the uniform way of listening to someone. Yes, the skill that we perform is the same but our intention or manner of doing this varies in some different ways.

Perhaps, you have not heard nor grasped the categories or types of listeners yet, but this article will surely help you to be mindful on this matter.

The following classifications are enlisted by Bernales (2010):

a. Eager Beaver

This kind of listener presumes that he really has the heart of listening. He, most of the time, looks straightly to the one talking to him and sometimes nods and smiles as if he fully understands the words being said. The act of this particular listener is very deceiving but if he surely understands what he is listening of, that should be a very big question mark.

b. Sleeper

From the word it suggests, the act of this listener seems to be very obvious. He prefers to stay on the side (maybe of the classroom) and then slowly closes his eyes until he falls asleep. This kind of listener can really be a great problem for the teachers or respective speakers because, in spite of this, he still has the courage to protest whenever he hears something that disturbs his endeavor or alarm him from sleeping.

c. Tiger

This is the type of listener who excels in criticizing the speaker. He longs for the misspoken words of the latter and then grabs the chance of attacking like a tiger. If he got a chance, this listener could have the “Best in Reaction” award.

d. Bewildered

Have you ever encountered a person who struggles so hard of listening at you? This is the bewildered kind of listener. He feels confused when listening to somebody because as much as he wants it, he has the hardest time of understanding the words being said to him. Most of the time, you will notice him by his overt reactions such as his moping forehead, act of distortion, and feeling puzzled of the words he heard.

e. Frowner

It is true that asking question does not mean ignorance, but in some cases, some people tend to ask just to be impressed. This kind of listener has a basin full of questions and confusions in his mind. If you happen to observe him, you may see him attentive in listening but the truth is that, most of the time, he does not fully understand what he hears. He only pretends he does and longs for the chance to ask questions to get people’s attention.

f. Relaxed

Maybe some of you happen to become this type of listener. As you recall your experiences, there could be a chance when you settled in the classroom, for example, picked up your phone, scrolls early coming messages, and then installed the headset, put it in your ears and felt relaxed enough that you forgot to pay attention or listen to the one talking in front of you; despite this, you already know to yourself that you do not really have the willingness to listen and so as the people observing you as well.

g. Busy Bee

This is a class of listener who does a lot of irrelevant things aside from deeply listening and understanding what the speaker is saying to him. We can say that he sometimes listens but this skill of him seems to be insignificant at all because he prefers to be distracted by doing anything else. Most of the time, while his teacher is speaking, for instance, he only shows interests in eating by himself, texting, drawing unrelated outputs, and even singing alone at the side.

h. Two-eared Listener

Now, this is the most excellent type of listener. He does not only show interests and willingness in listening, but he also assures that he enormously understands the subject matter discussed in front of him. Aside from that, he further asks related questions whenever it is necessary. This class of listener has the qualities of being a good role model for all listeners like me, you, and the people around us.

After understanding each type of listener, can you now identify which classification do you belong? Ask yourself. Answer honestly. Determine which type best describes your character as a listener.