CNES presentation for the Foundation Apprenticeship in Childcare

1. Active
Listening

2. Active Listening
What is active listening?
Why is it important when communicating with children, parents and colleagues that you are an
active listener?

3. What is active listening
• Active listening is listening in a way that keeps you engaged with the person you are talking to
in a positive way. It is the process of listening attentively while someone else speaks,
paraphrasing ( which means to repeat something back and often using humour to support who
you are talking to) and reflecting back on what is said, without judging or offering advice.
• When you practice active listening, you make the other person feel heard and valued. In this
way, active listening is the foundation for any successful conversation.

4. What are the features of active
listening
 Remaining neutral and being non-judgmental
 Patient (periods of silence are not "filled") allowing space and time.
 Verbal and nonverbal feedback to show signs of listening (e.g., smiling, eye contact, leaning in,
mirroring)
 Asking questions
 Reflecting back what is said
 Asking for clarification
 Summarizing to recall what had been said.

5. What the theorists think
• What are Carl Rogers five rules for active listening?
• If you recognize that you could benefit from the potential benefits of active listening, there are
five basic listening habits you should strive to use.
 Pay Attention. ...
 Be Involved & Use Open Body Language. ...
 Reflect On What's Being Said. ...
 Don't Judge. ...
 Respond Appropriately.
• "Active Listening", first developed by Rogers and Farson, is a therapeutic technique designed to
promote positive change in the others.
•

6. Task:
• Thinking about active listening and body language, explain what they are and how you can
use them in practice. (150 words)
• Explain how you would use active listening, body language and facial expressions when
communicating with:
• A three year old child
• A twelve year old child
• One of your peers
• Teacher or employer.
• Think about stages of development and the relationship you have with each child and
person.
• (200 words)

7. Factors that have a positive effect on
communication
• Positive communication with children means:
• paying attention,
• respecting the child's feelings and watching your tone of voice.
• If you have a busy schedule, make sure to allocate some time every day to simply sit and
listen to your child.
• Children thrive with words of encouragement and praise.
• Effective communication is important with children because:
• it helps them to feel valued.
• As children slowly learn how to respect you, it should help to develop how they
communicate with others.

8. Factors that have a negative effect on children’s
communication skills
• Changes in child's environment for example moving house or changes in nursery or
school, transitions and speech impediments.
• Exposure to too many languages for the child.
• Inadequate opportunity for speech for example the child everyone talks for, the “babied”
child, who has a more dominant sibling. Making the child a bit lazy and not bother
communicating for themselves
• Emotional factors for example behavioural problems, anxiety, pressure to perform. Some
children don’t like the “spot light” on them

9. Factors that have a negative effect on
communication within a team
• They may speak too loudly or too softly, and not pay attention to the other person.
• The content of their conversation may be selfish, pretentious ( an outward show, showing
off) or dishonest.
• People with negative verbal communication skills are not good listeners and may be
impatient or interrupt others during conversation.
• What are the negative effects of poor communication?
• A lack of knowing leads to negativity.
• When people don't have the information or knowledge they feel they need, low productivity
results.
• Employee mistrust, absenteeism and low morale.
• Bad interpersonal relationships.
• The “Grapevine Effect”

10. Task:
• You are working in the nursery with ten members of staff , the manger doesn’t have good
communication skills.
• Research and explain to me what:
• Bad interpersonal relationships are and,
• The “Grapevine Effect
• Then explain to me how these could effect the communication between the manager and
the other members of the team.
• Tell me why you think this might cause problems for the team and what kind of
communication skills you think should be used within the team.