Topic 3: Active listening and verbal skills

Furthermore, most known verbal active listening skills are associated with the following techniques:

• Ask an open question is when the listener requires more than a 1 or 2-word answer in order to encourage the other person to speak freely.

• Paraphrase is the ability to express what has been said by your own words.

• Clarifying is checking understanding of a message by asking to hear it again or asking for more information and details.

• Reflect involves reflecting back to the speaker what the listener believes they mean.

• Summarize is when the listener repeats what has been said in his/her own words.

• React is to give your perspective.