Workbook
Listen actively to gain information
in an interactive situation
US 11097
Level 3 Credits 3
Name
Contents
Before you start................................................................................................................ 4
The communication process ............................................................................................ 7
Kinds of communication ................................................................................................... 8
Listening ........................................................................................................................ 10
Active listening ............................................................................................................... 14
Responding to non-verbal communication ..................................................................... 21
Make the message clear ................................................................................................ 23
Barriers to successful listening ....................................................................................... 24
The cultural context ........................................................................................................ 28
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11097 Listen actively to gain information in an interactive situation
Before you start
Welcome to this workbook for:
Listen to gain information in an interactive situation
Unit Standard 11097.
For this unit standard you will have:
 this workbook.
 a listening CD or MP3 audio files downloaded from the Careerforce shop.
 a trainee assessment.
In this workbook you will learn more about:
 communication processing.
 active listening.
 listening techniques.
How to use this workbook
 This is your workbook to keep – make it
your own by writing in it.
 Use highlighters to identify important
ideas.
 Do the learning activities included
throughout this workbook. Write your
answers in the spaces provided.
 You might find it helpful to discuss your
answers with colleagues or your
supervisor.
 Finish this workbook before you start on
the assessment.
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When you see a
sticky note like
this, it gives a tip
or hint.
11097 Listen actively to gain information in an interactive situation
Workbook activities
Stop – check what you know about this topic
You will see this stop symbol in places where you
are asked to stop and think about what you know
and:
 record your current knowledge
or impressions,
 check your knowledge.
This stop provides a reference point to return
to later. Stop activities have blue shading like this.
Learning activities
You will come across learning activities as you
work through this workbook.
These activities help you understand and apply
the information that you are learning about.
Learning activities have yellow shading like this.
Rewind
When you see this rewind symbol, go back to:
 think about what you know.
 check your knowledge.
This rewind gives you an opportunity to add to,
change or confirm some of your initial thoughts
and ideas. Rewind activities have green shading
like this.
The glossary and study hints book has study hints
for all trainees. It also explains key words and
phrases from the compulsory unit standards for
Foundation Skills and Core Competencies.
You can download it from www.careerforce.org.nz
or order it from http://shop.careerforce.org.nz
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11097 Listen actively to gain information in an interactive situation
Before you go any further in this
workbook, think about...
Listening
How do you communicate with others and listen to what they say?
Are you aware of non-verbal clues when you are listening to others?
What would the people who know you say about the way you listen?
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11097 Listen actively to gain information in an interactive situation
The communication process
Communication is a two-way process. It is about an interaction between people,
exchanging information, giving and listening.
Many people think that communicating is only about speaking to another person, but for
communication to be effective it includes much more than that. It also involves listening,
processing and understanding the information, and replying to the message(s) received.
For example, when we communicate we speak, listen and look at the faces and body
movements of the people we are communicating with.
The purpose of communication
The purpose of communicating is to share information, facts, ideas, thoughts, beliefs,
values, feelings and wishes, and receive feedback.
How does communication occur?
Communicate occurs when we send a message either verbally, in writing, or
electronically about something we want to say. This is received by the receiver (the
person listening or reading your message). A reply, or feedback, by way of an answer
may then be given. This may be either verbal or non-verbal.
Effective communication can only be achieved when both the ‘sender’ and the ‘receiver’
understand the information as a result of the communication. It involves listening,
processing the information, understanding the information and responding and replying
to the messages received.
The circle of communication
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11097 Listen actively to gain information in an interactive situation
Kinds of communication
There are many different ways that we can pass on and receive information. Some
people prefer particular ways of being communicated with. We communicate in many
different ways as outlined below.
Written communication
Written communication is information that is written down. Examples include service
plans, memos, emails and text messages. Written information can also include pictures,
symbols and drawings.
Verbal communication
Verbal communication is what you say and the words that you use. Examples of verbal
communication are conversations, staff meetings and talking on the phone.
Vocal communication
Vocal communication is what you hear - how you use your voice, and includes the clarity
of your speech, and your voice volume, tone, pitch and pacing (speed).
Vocal communication can be defined as: “It’s not what we say, but the way we say it.”
The message being sent can mean different things when an emphasis is placed on
different words. When we are excited or angry our speech tends to become more rapid,
louder in volume and more highly pitched. When we are bored our speech can be flat
and slow.
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Non-verbal communication and body language
Most of the messages we give and receive when we communicate face to face come
from non-verbal communication or body language, rather than from the actual words
that we say.
Non-verbal communication is exchanging information without words. It includes what we
do and how we do it. Examples are touch, a certain look, and the use of space. Physical
contact like shaking hands gives a different message from patting a person on the back.
Non-verbal communication also includes communication methods like sign language.
Body language includes facial expressions, eye contact, posture, gestures, and all the
ways we use our body to communicate. Examples include smiling, nodding, shaking your
head, making eye contact and gestures like shrugging your shoulders.
For this reason you need to make sure your body language, as well as how you speak
reflects the words that you are saying. For example, you may say “Pleased to meet you”
when you are introduced to someone. If you do not sound pleased to have met them and
you turn away, the person may get a message that you are not pleased to have met
them.
Body positioning is a combination of body language and non-verbal communication.
People tend to sit closer to someone they like, or lean towards them when talking. This
creates a feeling of warmth and interest in the person.
Ideally you should be on the same level as
the person you are communicating with, so it
is a good idea to sit down by a person who
is sitting in a chair or wheelchair, or is lying
in bed.
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11097 Listen actively to gain information in an interactive situation
Listening
All of us communicate on a daily basis. We may communicate on the phone, in a
meeting situation, in person, in an email, in a letter or in notes for the service delivery
plan.
We communicate with others differently depending on the setting we are in. For instance,
we would communicate with members of our family or whānau in a different way to those
we are supporting in the workplace, or to our colleagues or our supervisor/manager.
Listening to what someone is telling you is an essential part of the communication
process.
We must listen carefully when we support people. This may involve not only listening
to the person we are supporting, but listening to their family or whānau, or listening in
multidisciplinary team meetings. If we don’t listen correctly we may not get the right
message.
Communication may seem a natural and easy thing to do - after all we do it every day.
However listening involves certain skills, knowledge and attitudes.
Listening skills
Listening is not a passive activity as all parties involved need to participate for
communication to be effective. There are a number of key listening skills you need to be
an effective listener, for example:
 give full attention to the person speaking.
 be aware of the speaker’s other ways of communicating through non-verbal
means.
 pay attention to the words and feelings that being expressed.
 use active listening tools such as paraphrasing, reflecting, summarising and
questioning to increase your understanding of the speaker’s message, and
encourage the speaker to provide more information.
 check that you have received the correct message.
Some basic principles of listening well include being accepting and respectful of the
person’s point of view, and being sincere and empathetic. The opportunity to be listened
to without being interrupted or judged helps people to feel encouraged and empowered.
Listening is an essential skill you need to develop so that you can communicate and
build effective relationships with the person you are supporting, other support workers
and family/whānau.
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11097 Listen actively to gain information in an interactive situation
The purpose of listening
There are some keys things that a person listening must do if they are to listen
effectively. They are:
 encourage the other person who has something to say to speak.
 listen to what is being said and shared with you.
 check that what you think you have heard is what the person actually said.
Often, when listening, we do not always pay close attention to everything that is being
said or conveyed. Sometimes we listen selectively, according to the purpose of the task,
or what we may want to hear.
To be an effective listener, we need to adopt particular listening techniques.
As listeners we need to be clear about the purpose of listening. The purpose will help
focus our attention on what is important and the direction of the discussion. It will also
help ‘steer’ the piece of communication, should the speaker wander from the track of the
discussion, or you want to clarify something they say. You might ask a question, ie “A
few moments ago you were saying … I’d like to know a little more about that.”
We need to let the speaker know what our purpose for listening is. This can often be
initiated by asking a question or saying “Could you tell me about …” or “I would like you
to describe how it has been for you.”
As a listener you can encourage communication by:
 having open body language and a welcoming facial expression.
 smiling and using the person’s preferred name.
 reassuring the person that their personal information will be kept confidential.
 making sure that you allowed enough time for the person to share their concerns.
 making sure the purpose for the listening is known. For example, you may start by
finding out what the person wants to talk about. This helps to focus your attention
on what is important to the speaker.
The speaker can encourage communication by:
 making the listener feel comfortable and welcome, for example, by offering the
person a cup of tea or coffee and asking them to sit down.
 using open ended questions, so that the speaker can determine what the listener
wants to discuss.
When talking with a person it is always better to minimise interruptions and reduce any
noise by closing the door to the room and turning off any mobile phones. Providing
comfortable and suitably placed chairs for both parties to sit also helps to improve
relaxed communication.
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11097 Listen actively to gain information in an interactive situation
Purpose of listening
Useful listening techniques
Listening for personal enrichment such Listening for those elements that make for an
as listening to music or stories.
enjoyable experience.
Listening to learn and understand the
others person’s views, thoughts and
feelings.






Attending.
Paraphrasing.
Showing respect.
Using empathy.
Being non-judgemental.
Reflecting.
Listening to help build relationships.



Paraphrasing.
Showing respect.
Using empathy.
Listening to set and monitor goals to
work towards the person’s goals and
desires.



Attending.
Paraphrasing.
Summarising.
Listening to understand.
Approach listening with an open mind.
Recognise your own bias and be nonjudgemental.
Listening to support.
Listen closely to determine how other people
are feeling and respond appropriately.
Listening to evaluate.
Be alert to errors such as bias, incorrect
information, generalised statements that may
be used to sway your action.
As a support worker you should:







listen to the person you are supporting, their family or whānau.
listen with courtesy, empathy, sincerity, understanding and in a non-judgemental
manner.
pay attention to what is being said and be aware of the person’s and your own
non-verbal responses.
listen actively by paraphrasing, summarising, questioning and reflecting on what
is being said.
clarify any directions or instructions.
summarise the information and confirm it with the person speaking, so that you
know you have heard the content of the communication correctly.
ask questions when you are not sure what is being said, or do not understand.
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The four ‘A’s’ of a good listener
The four ‘A’s’ of a good listener are:
 Attentive listening – listen carefully and pay attention to what is being said.
 Accurate listening – make sure you understand what is being said by verifying it.
 Ask – don’t assume you know. Ask a question.
 Active listening– participate in the conversation and respond with verbal and
non-verbal gestures.
Listen well and
you will gain
information that is
valuable to
understanding the
person you are
caring for.
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Active listening
Communicating and listening well includes allowing the person speaking to express their
emotions. Sometimes a person will verbally express their emotion explicitly (openly), or
they may be implicit (unsaid). In each case such as this, the listener will need to clarify
the speaker’s emotions, and listen actively.
Active listening requires the listener to really make an effort to hear accurately what has
been said. It also helps to show the speaker (communicator) that you are interested and
understood what was being said.
Active listening includes the following techniques:
 attending.
 paraphrasing.
 questioning.
 summarising.
 reflecting.
 responding to non-verbal cues.
It also includes giving verbal feedback on what the person has said, while at the same
time acknowledging the person’s feeling and emotions. It includes listening with
undivided attention and with an open mind.
Some further things you can do to ensure you are actively listening include:
 look at the person speaking.
 gesture to show you understand, for example, nod to show agreement.
 use statements to confirm your understanding, for example, “I see what you mean.”
 concentrate on what the person is saying.
 ask questions to clarify what is meant.
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11097 Listen actively to gain information in an interactive situation
Attending
Attentive or attending listening happens when the listener gives their full physical and
emotional attention to the person who is speaking. This technique of listening is not
about talking, it is about listening and hearing.
Attentive listening includes:
 face the speaker and give them your full attention.
 when seated lean gently forward towards the speaker in an attentive manner.
 when standing keep an appropriate distance between yourself and the speaker so
as not to invade their personal space.
 shut out distractions.
 maintain an open posture and do not cross your arm.
 if necessary, start with a question to get the person to tell their story, ie “Tell me
what happened today” or “How have you been feeling about this?”
 nod and smile at the appropriate times to encourage the person to continue and
to show you are listening to what they are saying.
 let them finish what they are saying and do not interrupt.
 pay attention to the person’s non-verbal messages and body language to help
you understand what the person is saying and feeling.
 if the person is overwhelmed with anger or other emotion, sometimes it is
necessary to enable the person to express their emotions.
 try to understand the feeling the person is expressing and acknowledge this. Most
of us have difficulty talking clearly about our feelings, so it is important to pay
careful attention.
 be accepting of their point of view. Do not judge them.
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Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing is where the content of what the person speaking has said is restated by
the listener. Paraphrasing should focus on the facts and/or ideas of the speaker’s
message and should be in the listener’s own words. Listen patiently to what the other
person has to say and then rephrase the message or idea back to the person, eg “I
understand that you are unhappy with the arrangements made at the meeting.”
Questioning
Questioning helps to further understand what a person is saying. It helps to focus the
speaker on the important issues and helps us to clarify information we are unsure of.
Questioning also allows the listener to gather background information from a person in a
supportive manner. Asking a question reassures the person that you are open to their
response and that you really want to understand them.
Open ended questions will encourage the speaker to often give more information than a
simple yes/no answer. Here are examples of open ended questions. “What happened
next?” or “How did you like that?” or “What do you think should be done next?”
Get more information about the person’s perspective by drawing them out with clarifying
questions, eg “Could you tell me more about …?” or “I’m interested in learning your
thoughts on …” Listen to their response and then use this to ask the next question.
When the other person touches on a point you want to know more about, simply repeat
their statement as a question. With this encouragement they will probably expand on
their previous statement. Avoid direct questions and arguments about facts. For
example, “That’s not true” is confrontational and could make people take a firmer view.
Ask sincere questions which request more information and help to clarify the person’s
feelings and concerns.
Always ask a
question
if you do not
understand – do
not make
assumptions.
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Summarising
When a listener summarises, they bring together the main ideas, experiences and
feelings shared by the speaker. This is used to show the speaker that the listener
understood the main points of what was said. It allows the listener to check that they
have understood the main points and shows that they have grasped the meaning of the
message.
Restate the person’s feelings briefly, but accurately. For example: When the other
person has finished speaking, summarise (in your own words) the main ideas the person
said for verification, for example, “I heard you say … Is that right?” or “Please correct me
if I have left something out.”
By saying things this way, and if you haven’t got the message correctly, the speaker will
have the chance to give you immediate feedback.
Reflecting
Reflective listening acts like a mirror to reflect back the person’s feelings and ideas that
have been heard by you as the listener. They may be both verbal and/or non-verbal
clues. Reflective listening combines summarising, paraphrasing and reflecting back to
the person the message received in words, posture and expressions.
Reflective listening is a check of our understanding of the message. It confirms with the
person that you have grasped the message, have listened to what they have said, and
gives them the opportunity to correct any misunderstanding or inaccuracies. It also
increases the effectiveness of the communication. You can show that you understand
the speaker’s point of view without actually agreeing with them.
Try to clarify the person’s feelings without judgement and rephrase in neutral terms, for
example, “I hear that you are very frustrated. Is that right?”
Don’t discount the speaker’s feelings with stock phrases, such as “It’s not that bad.”
It is important that you do not respond with angry, judgemental or argumentative
responses.
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11097 Listen actively to gain information in an interactive situation
LEARNING ACTIVITY
Ideally you need to listen to the conversations that are written down here. You can get a
CD that goes with this workbook for the cost of postage or download the audio tracks as
an MP3 file for free from the Careerforce shop http://shop.careerforce.org.nz/11097cd/
Track one. Listen to this whole track and paraphrase what you believe Jason is saying.
Person One: “Hi Jason. How are you today?”
Jason: “I’m okay, I guess. But…(pauses) I just don’t understand why I have to go work at
that place. It’s too hard, and sometimes the people make fun of me when I’m collecting
the trays.”
Paraphrase in the space below what Jason said on track one.
Track two. Listen to this whole track and paraphrase what you believe Doris is saying.
Person One: “Hi Doris. Can you get your shower things together and I’ll come back and
get you in about 15 minutes?”
Doris: “I don’t want to have a shower today. I just had my hair permed. And I had a
shower on Monday. I don’t want to have to have a shower every day. It’s a waste of
water. And I get too cold.”
Paraphrase in the space below what Doris said on track two.
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Track three. Listen to this track and write three questions you would use and explain
why you would use these questions.
“I’m not very happy about having a new support worker next week. I know that you need
a holiday and everything, but I’m worried that that new lady won’t do things like you do.”
1
2
3
Track four. Listen to this track and summarise what you have heard.
“I’m really annoyed about having to do all of those exercises. I can’t do the exercises
because it hurts and they’re far too hard for me. It’s not easy being my age you know
and I’ve just had that surgery. I just think I’m too unwell and do you know what? I’m not
going to do them. You can tell that physio I did them last week and I can’t do them this
week.”
Summarise what you heard on track four.
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Track five. Listen to this track and using the reflective technique of listening, write how
you would reflect this message back to the sender.
“I’m really excited about going to visit my daughter and her new baby in Melbourne. This
is my fourth grandchild, you know. I’m just a bit worried about the flight, though. I hope I
won’t be too tired to help her when I get there. I hope the flight attendant will bring me a
cup of tea. And maybe I’ll be able to have a sleep.”
What would you say to the person to check that you understood what she was saying?
What would you do to show her that you were listening to her when she was speaking?
How could you give the person the opportunity to check that you accurately understood
what she said?
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Responding to non-verbal communication
Non-verbal communication is communication without words being spoken. It’s about
communicating our feelings without the use of words.
Body language is a non-verbal way of
communicating. It includes smiling, nodding,
shaking of the head, turning away from
someone, shrugging of the shoulders etc.
Facial expressions convey happiness,
disgust, fear, anger, surprise, and sadness. A
raised eyebrow indicates a feeling of surprise,
whereas the rolling of the eyes indicates
frustration.
It is important to
ensure our verbal
communication
matches our
non-verbal
communication
and the pitch and
tone of our voice.
We use eye contact when listening and
speaking to provide important social and
emotional information. How eye contact is
understood differs with different cultures,
as in some it shows respect and attentiveness,
whereas in other cultures it is seen as respectful to look away.
A gesture is a form of non-verbal communication made with a part of the body and can
be used instead of speaking, or with speaking. Gestures are usually used to express a
variety of feelings and thoughts, from fear and sadness to agreement and affection.
Some examples include shaking of the head to indicate yes or no, bringing the hand to
the mouth to indicate the need to eat, clasping hands together beside the face to indicate
the need to sleep, wrinkling of the nose to show disgust, or indicating with thumbs up that
all is OK.
Body postures can indicate a feeling of warmth, interest, anticipation, or they can
indicate disinterest and a lack of warmth towards the other person. For example,
someone sitting forward and making eye contact with the person speaking creates the
feeling of being interested in what the person is saying whereas someone slumped in a
chair looking out the window conveys feeling of disinterest.
Personal space, and distance between people when speaking or meeting, differs with
individuals, genders and styles. For example, women tend to share space more than
men, people working together at a meeting may sit opposite or beside each other, the
manager is likely to have a bigger work space than staff members.
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LEARNING ACTIVITY
Read each scenario and then answer the question.
When you arrive at Jerry’s house he looks very sad. He is slumped in the chair and does
not look up when you enter the room. When you ask him how he is, he says he is fine.
What were the messages you were getting from Jerry?
At work you meet Kerry, who asks if you could work for her next Wednesday as she
wants to go to her son’s school sports day. You say you cannot because of a family
commitment. While you can’t quite put your finger on it, you feel she is annoyed with you
as her voice and attitude become strained, although she said –“That’s ok, I don’t mind.”
What were the messages you were getting from Kerry?
Your supervisor calls you in to his office and asks you about the leave you have applied
for. He says he is not annoyed with you, but he actually looks angry and is not smiling.
What was the message you got from your supervisor?
In the messages you received (verbal or non-verbal) what had the greatest impact on
you and why?
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Make the message clear
The key to communicating is to make your message clear, without ambiguity, and to
listen attentively and well. When listening we are gaining information that could be
valuable in understanding a person in our care.
There are a number of ways in which we can ensure messages are clear. In vocal
communication the message being sent can mean different things when an emphasis is
placed on different words. As an exercise read the following sentences out loud, placing
the emphasis on the word in BOLD.





I didn’t say you were hopeless.
I didn’t say you were hopeless.
I didn’t say you were hopeless.
I didn’t say you were hopeless.
I didn’t say you were hopeless.
One of the basic abilities of successful communication and listening is being able to
recognise the message within the communication, and any underlying message.
Implicit messages refer to the things that we do or the non-spoken message sent
through our actions and behaviour or body language. They are not directly expressed
and there is room for misinterpretation.
Explicit messages are the things we say outright. In explicit messages there is little
room for misinterpretation and the message is very clear. Active listening can go some
way to clearing up any confusion between implicit and explicit messages.
Explicit message sent Implicit message
received
Seek clarification by:
“I really value honesty
and integrity.”
Paraphrasing, questioning, and
reflecting.
Honesty and integrity
should be valued.
“My tummy is rumbling.” The person is hungry. Clarifying and ask the person, do not
assume.
Looking down or away
with no eye contact
made.
The person is not
Ask the person, don’t assume, and
interested, or is hiding remember it may be a cultural custom.
something from you.
“I am not going to take
these tablets.”
“They are not working, Clarifying and questioning.
or doing any good.”
“My leg really hurts and “Can we go in the car Paraphrasing, questioning and
I can’t walk very far.”
or take a bus?”
reflecting.
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Barriers to successful listening
Barriers stop us from really hearing what is being said and understanding the person’s
ideas, beliefs, thoughts and wishes. A barrier is an obstacle to good communication and
good listening. It can occur at any point in the communication process.
Listening barriers may include:
 noise and distractions such as the TV or stereo.
 a busy work place.
 the sender of the message using large, uncommon words that are not easily
understood.
 the listener or the speaker being tired.
 the listener has poor listening skills.
 having a poor attitude towards, or understanding of the sender.
 lack of interest in the message.
 personal or and/or emotional problems.
 cultural differences and understandings.
These barriers may be external, for example:
 noise from lawnmower.
 interruptions by other people.
Or the barriers may be internal, for example:
 our own perceptions.
 past experiences.
 prejudices and assumptions we may have already made.
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Common barriers to listening
This table identifies some common barriers to listening, what can go wrong in the
communication process, and how this can be avoided or overcome.
Barrier
Not listening
What can go wrong


How this can be avoided or
overcome
The person wants to tell you
Use the active listening technique:
something, but they cannot get  Concentrate on what is being
their message across.
said.
You are thinking about
 Restate what has been said, to
something else and not
clarify, correct if required, and
concentrating on what is being
show the speaker you
said.
understand.

Using
inappropriate
language
The language used is too
technical or uses uncommon
words.
 Use of offensive or unfamiliar
words.
These may make it difficult for a
person to understand.
Use words that are commonly used
and understood by the person.
 Consider the person you are
talking to.
 Don’t talk down to them.
 Check the person understood
by getting their feedback.
Being
defensive
The listener may not concentrate
on what is being said, but is instead
thinking of ways to dominate the
situation, win an argument, or talk
over the top of a person.
Recognise behaviour that is
defensive, and when this happens
tell the person you are
uncomfortable with the situation
and the message you are getting.
Not giving
feedback
By not responding to a piece of
communication can lead to
misunderstanding.
Offer feedback in a supportive way,
expressing how you feel and your
thoughts.
Distractions
Thinking about something else
while the other person is speaking
prevents you from listening
effectively and may result in you
misunderstanding the other
person’s message and what they
are trying to tell you.
Concentrate on using active
listening techniques. If you find it
difficult to listen properly, explain to
the person that you need to deal
with your distraction first and that
you will get back to them soon.
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11097 Listen actively to gain information in an interactive situation
LEARNING ACTIVITY
Listen to tracks six and seven on the CD that goes with this workbook or download the
audio as an MP3 file from the Careerforce shop http://shop.careerforce.org.nz/11097cd/
Track six. Pay close attention to the words that are emphasised and write how the
message changes because of it.
“I thought we had agreed that we would help Jim to shower at 10.15. After I had finished
reading the letter to Doris.”
“I thought we had agreed that we would help Jim to shower at 10.15. After I had finished
reading the letter to Doris.”
What words were emphasised?
When the emphasis was changed to different words, what happened to the message?
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11097 Listen actively to gain information in an interactive situation
Track seven. Pay close attention to the words that are emphasised and write how the
message changes because of it.
“I am not angry with you.”
“I’m not angry with you.”
“I’m not angry with you.”
“I’m not angry with you.”
“I am not angry with you.”
Track eight. Listen to this track and identify four of the listening barriers that you can
hear.
“I’m really excited about going to visit my daughter and her new baby in Melbourne.
This is my fourth grandchild, you know. I’m just a bit worried about the flight, though.
I hope I won’t be too tired to help her when I get there. I hope the flight attendant will
bring me a cup of tea. And maybe I’ll be able to have a sleep."
What were four listening barriers you heard?
1
2
3
4
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11097 Listen actively to gain information in an interactive situation
The cultural context
There are cultural differences between groups of people that can impact on the way the
message is heard. This can result in cross cultural miscommunication where people
misread each other and the message being sent is lost. Cross cultural
miscommunication happens when we judge each other based on our own experiences
and make assumptions based on our belief that everyone communicates in the same
way as us.
When this happens we fail to listen to the person’s message. When listening to others it
is important to understand that cultural differences in understanding body language,
facial expression and words can occur between cultural groups.
Acceptable protocols can influence how we communicate with other people, for example
a powhiri, or formal introduction.
All communication is
cultural – it builds on
and reflects the ways
we have learnt to
speak. Listening also
occurs in a cultural
context.
Here are some common forms of communication with a cultural significance.
 An upward movement of the eye brow can indicate surprise or questioning,
whereas in another culture it can be interpreted as understanding or a form of
greeting.
 Some cultures combine the use of the word “yes” or “no” with a nod or shake of
their head, while others may just use one or the other.
 In many European cultures, eye contact is a sign of respect and indicates to the
speaker that you are listening and are interested in what they are saying.
However in other cultures this is not the case, and can be seen as disrespectful.
 Some cultures prefer a formal welcome and introduction prior to opening up
conversation, while others my want to cut out formalities.
 A shrugging of the shoulders can mean “I don’t care” or “I don’t know.”
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11097 Listen actively to gain information in an interactive situation


Strict silence is often seen as a mark of respect, especially at meetings or formal
talks. In other cultures and situations some level of noise is acceptable, even
when someone is talking publicly.
Food is seen as very important by some cultures as it indicates friendship and
sharing. To refuse food in these situations can be seen as being disrespectful. In
some cultures food is not eaten together as a family group, but according to rank
or status. For example in some cultures elderly women and children eat first or
last.
A cultural group can also include people within a group. The elderly, the very young, or
teenagers are examples of this. New Zealanders communicate differently based on their
shared values, beliefs and attitudes. For example, how we communicate with elderly
people may differ to how we communicate with our friends. How we communicate with
our friends will differ to how we communicate with our colleagues at work. How we
communicate with the people we are supporting will differ to how we communicate with
our family. The responses we receive will also relate to both the language used and the
protocols of the group.
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11097 Listen actively to gain information in an interactive situation
LEARNING ACTIVITY
Watch several commercial advertisements on TV with people in. Select two of the
commercials and answer the following questions.
Question
Commercial 1
Commercial 2
What was the commercial
advertising?
What body language was
used?
How was the body language
used?
What message did you
receive?
How was the tone of voice
used?
What words were
emphasised?
What was the effect?
How was the posture used?
What was effective?
What message did you get?
How was facial expression
used and why?
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11097 Listen actively to gain information in an interactive situation
LEARNING ACTIVITY
Choose one of the following topics and ask a colleague or friend to talk with you about
the topic for several minutes.
 The price of groceries.
 Abortion.
 We need to change the government.
 Getting a pay rise.
 Smoking.
 Teaching religion in schools.
Your role is to listen and understand your colleague or friend and their point of view. After
they have finished, consider your listening skills and answer the following questions.
Describe how you listened.
What did you discover
about the person?
Did the person have strong
opinions?
What did the person
emphasise, and how did
they do that?
Describe ways you may
listen differently in future.
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Rewind to page 6...
When I listen from now on I intend to:
When I am speaking I will:
How will good communication benefit the person you are supporting and your
colleagues?
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11097 Listen actively to gain information in an interactive situation
My notes
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11097 Listen actively to gain information in an interactive situation
Completion and assessment
Congratulations!
You have come to the end of the workbook. Please check over all the activities in this
workbook to make sure you have completed them.
Your assessment is next.
You need to complete the trainee assessment successfully to be credited with this unit
standard.
Acknowledgements
Careerforce thanks the people who have contributed to this workbook by:
 researching and validating content.
 providing advice and expertise.
 testing the activities.
 sharing personal experiences.
 appearing in photographs.
The images contained in these workbooks are visual illustrations only and are not representative of
actual events or personal circumstances.
All rights reserved
© Careerforce. Except as provided by the Copyright Act 1994, no part of this publication may be
reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of
Careerforce, PO Box 25 255, Christchurch 8144. www.careerforce.org.nz
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11097 Listen actively to gain information in an interactive situation
© Careerforce – Issue 3.0 – Dec 2013
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11097 Listen actively to gain information in an interactive situation