Listening critically

3. What are some obstacles to listening well?

• Distractors of different types, e.g. the speaker’s clothing, make up, vocabulary, etc. Moreover, your own physical or psychological problems at any given moment may stop you from concentrating on what is being said. When listening to people, attempt to concentrate more on their speech than their mannerisms, and more on them than on yourself.
• Environment distractors: outside noise, music in the room, other people talking, etc. If possible, try to create good atmosphere for your listening and focus on the speaker.
• Language issues: if the lecture is in a language you do not know well, you may miss most of the message. In addition, if you are not familiar with a specific technical jargon or slang, you may become discouraged and stop listening.