Can We Re-Learn How to Listen?
This sentence comes from our class syllabus
and is the theme for week three. (I took the liberty of assuming the syllabus is
part of our required reading.) For me however this question will be on my mind
for the whole first section, possibly all semester
Why this is important to me is
because I am an older student returning to the classroom after a long absence
and wondering, “do I need to learn how
to re-listen”? Perhaps. As listening is something I do not think about
and have been doing since I was born, I probably have some deeply entrenched
habits. In fact, I am finding the need to re-learn other things as well. The computer
for example. The last time I used Microsoft Office regularly it was Office XP
running in Windows XP. I did not even recognize Word when I opened it in
Windows 10.
I have already begun to think differently
about listening and all it entails. After all, what could be more beneficial to
acquiring knowledge in a college environment than developing listening skills? The
importance of good listening skills and the distinction made between hearing
and listening in this class is also benefiting me in another class, MUS 102-Introduction
to Jazz. In MUS 102 we briefly looked at
the physics of hearing; frequency, amplitude, range of sound audible to human
ears, and the mechanics of vibrating molecules. After learning some musical and
Jazz terminology and basic musical notations, we will get into the cultural
history of Jazz but primarily will be focusing on listening skills. A good complement of classes I thought.
So, can we re-learn how to listen? Our
textbook authors think so, “…if we can account for the ways our modes of
listening may fall short…, then we might begin to change our individual
practices, as well as the larger structures that affect our listening”. * I
agree.
Are we ever too old to re-learn? I
think not. But don’t take my word for it. Consider the op-ed article entitled, “I Graduated Aged 90 –You’re Never Too Old to Learn” **
by Bertie Gladwin. Mr. Gladwin gives a brief account of his life, his decision
to seek an MA degree, and how it benefited him both culturally and intellectually.
(There is also a cool picture of a 1940’S decoding machine at this link).
*Warren, John T. &
Fasset, Deanna L. Communication, a
Critical/Cultural Introduction 2nd Edition SAGE Publications Inc
2015 p77
**Gladwin, Bertie “I Graduated Aged 90 –You’re Never Too Old
to Learn” The Guardian. Retrieved 8
September 2017 https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/may/29/graduated-aged-90-bertie-gladwin
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