Communications Coach Shweta Ramkumar shares insights into teaching active listening skills to healthcare professionals. In this episode, Shweta explains what active listening is, why it's important and how we can develop this skill in the ESL classroom.

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KEY TALKING POINTS

Defining Active Listening

Shweta talks about being present in the moment, holding space, and empathising as just a few characteristics that differentiate active listening from other types. Shweta shares insights into working with healthcare professionals and how active listening is crucial to their work.

Active Listening in the Classroom

Shweta reflects on why active listening is so challenging to apply in teaching and other professions due to the multiple tasks we have to manage. Pulling on her own experience, Shweta shares the negative consequences of not practising active listening in our classrooms and workplaces.

Active Listening Training

Shweta shares how she introduces active listening to her clients by getting them to reflect on what they miss in a conversation. By starting with a short warmer of sharing about herself, Shweta encourages her clients to reflect on what they can recall and what they missed as a first step.

Paraphrasing as a Tool

Shweta suggests paraphrasing in the classroom to help learners feel seen and heard. Paraphrasing can be used to replace parroting and asking each other to repeat.

ABOUT

Shweta Ramkumar is a communications coach for healthcare professionals. Her coaching sessions focus on developing her clients' language and skills so they can build stronger relationships, credibility and trust with their patients and the wider community. Shweta shares practical tips and insights on communication skills via her website, YouTube channel and social media channels where you can find her at Healthy Dynamics.

Visit Shweta's website here to learn more.

REFERENCES

1. Healthy Dynamics (2023). The Do's and Don'ts of Active Listening. YouTube. Available here. Accessed on 04.06.2024

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CREDITS

Producer Laura Wilkes

Editor Haven Tsang

Thanks to our inspiring guest, Shweta Ramkumar.

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