Hearing vs Listening

Sometimes you’re talking to someone and what they are saying is so boring that you just start to tune them out, but as soon as they mention something that interests you, your ears perk up and you hold on to every word they say. That is the biggest difference between simply hearing someone, and listening to someone.

Hearing is something we do all the time whether that’s the lawnmower outside or the roar of traffic on a busy day. Listening is an acquired skill that needs to be tuned, but once it is acquired it can be one of the most useful tools you can use in school.

Listening is active, hearing is passive. The University of Minnesota Duluth describes it as “Hearing is simply the act of perceiving sound by the ear. If you are not hearing-impaired, hearing simply happens. Listening, however, is something you consciously choose to do. Listening requires concentration so that your brain processes meaning from words and sentences. Listening leads to learning.”

Even within listening, there are passive and active listeners. Passive listening the person hears the words, but the information is not sticking. Active listening in the same situation happens but the words the listener is hearing are not just being heard but understood as well and the message the speaker is getting across becomes clear to the listener.

One of the keys to listening effectively is by eliminating distractions. Distractions many may think are just the physical things going on around you, but mental distractions can be just as distracting as physical ones. Distractions can be as simple as someone speaking to worrying about what you are having for dinner. Listening can be thrown off and turn to hearing with ease if you do not agree with the person that is talking.

In the classroom is where listening, compared to just hearing is so important. In the medical field, there are dozens upon dozens terms to know. Listening to the words being told, on top of effective note taking give you the best chance to succeed. While notes are important, having the recall of lecture because you were engaged is what can really give you an advantage over those who are only “hearing” the lecture.

For any additional information, visit us online at www.ach.edu or call us at (951) 729-5320 or (323) 585-9000

American College of Healthcare and Technology has two convenient locations.

Our Huntington Park offers the follow programs: Medical Assistant, Medical Billing & Coding, Veterinary Assistant, and Massage Therapy & Physical Therapy Aide.

Our Huntington Park campus proudly serves the following communities: Bell, Bell Gardens, Compton, Southgate, Los Angeles, Vernon, Maywood, Cudahy, Florence, South Central LA, Watts, Lynwood, City of industry, Lawndale, Paramount, Inglewood, Commerce, Downy, Norwalk, Santa Fe Springs, Carson, Long Beach, Bellflower, Pico Rivera, Montebello, Whittier, Gardena, Hawthorne, El Monte, La Puente, Monterrey Park.

Our Riverside campus offers the following programs: Medical Assistant, Medical Billing & Coding, Veterinary Assistant, Massage Therapy & Physical Therapy Aide, Dental Assistant, Surgical Technology, and Pharmacy Technician.

Our Riverside campus proudly serves the following communities: Corona, Moreno Valley, Norco, Lake Elsinore, Perris, La Sierra, Arlington, Jurupa Valley, Rialto, Pedley, Mira Loma, Rubidoux, Bloomington, Colton, San Bernardino, Redlands, Wildomar, Temecula, Murrieta, Loma Linda, Fontana, Grand Terrace, and Glen Avon.

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