Content Listening

Content listening, also known as comprehensive listening, informative listening or full listening, is where the listener’s primary concern is to understand and retain the speaker’s message.

Content listening is a type of listening that is found in all areas of our lives. Much of our learning comes from content listening. For example we listen to lectures or instructions from teachers and what we learn depends on how well we listen. It can also be included in academic listening.

You can ask questions, but the information still flows from the speaker to you without interruptions. The main purpose is that the listener understand the data transmitted.

This listening means understanding and retaining the information given by the person who speaks. It can also require finding the key points of the message and making a summary.

It’s essential to understand the difference between sounds and tones of speaking to understand what kind of information we are receiving.

To effectively use content listening, you must identify the main idea of the message. Then you can ask questions for clarification if the information is not clear at first. This will increase the level of understanding of the message.

Along with content listening, there are other different types of listening:

• Discriminative listening
• Empathetic listening
• Analytic Listening
• Critical listening
• Appreciative listening
• Therapeutic Listening