ABSTRACT
The Chinese symbols used to make up the verb ‘to listen’ include the symbols for the eyes, ears, heart and undivided attention, and confirm the fact that we do not just listen with our ears we also hear what we see and what we feeland as a result we sometimes get mixed messages. In addition they confirm that to be a good listener we must also give the speaker our undivided attention. The ListeningforReal activity picks up on this idea and focuses on the different levels at which people listen, consciously and unconsciously. These different levels can be described as Head,Heartand Soul. This activity enables learners to identify their own predominant level of listening and to practise listening at different levels. The activity can be used in a variety of situations and learning processes, especially when people need to develop their ability to listen well.
