Two types of interpersonal listening

Abstract

Background/Context: Although the concept of listening had been neglected by philosophers of education, it has received focused attention since 2003, when Sophie Haroutunian-Gordon addressed it in her presidential address to the Philosophy of Education Society. Purpose/Objeclive/Research Question/Focus of Study: Haroutunian-Gordon offered a cognitive theory of listening according to which an act of listening involves raising questions about both the speaker's utterance and the listener's own beliefs. Research Design: This article draws on the methods of philosophical analysis to provide a competing account of listening. This account distinguishes between two types of listening a cognitive (thinking) type and a noncognitive (empathic feeling) type. Findings/Results: By considering a number of familiar classroom incidents, I show that both kinds of listening have important roles in teaching and learning. Conclusions/ Recommendations: I conclude by questioning whether the empathic type of lis-tening can directly be taught. I conclude that it cannot be, but that teachers can provide three kinds of "helps" indirectly to foster its growth in learners. Copyright © by Teachers College, Columbia University.