Constructivist Listening

Source: Weissglass. (1990)

• Constructivist Listening is a valuable critical thinking tool that enables the talker to flush out ideas through deep reflection. As the listener rephrases the talker’s ideas, the talker realizes where clarity is needed.
• For the benefit of the talker. Goals are to encourage talker to reflect on meanings of events and ideas; express and work through feelings that are interfering with clearer thinking; construct new meanings; and make decisions. Cognitive and affective processing are necessary for increased understanding and at times it is difficult to distinguish between the two.
• The goal of constructivist listening is to facilitate self-organization.

• It is not passive listening. Instead the listener actively thinks about the talker and helps the talker to explore extensively her thoughts and feelings by asking appropriate questions that focus the talker’s attention. Help the talker express and explore rather than intellectualize or retreat into superficiality.