Why should I do it:

• Helps students to feel they have been heard and understood
• Improves student buy in and participation
• Improves student/teacher communication
• Builds student/teacher rapport
• Helps students feel validated
• Makes students more likely to share and discuss things with teachers
• Gives students positive attention
• Provides clarification
• Improves students cooperation and compliance

When should I do it:

• All the time with all students and parents

How do I do it:

• Simply stated, reflective listening is when you listen to what someone says and repeat it back to them so they know you heard and understood them
• The links below will help to further explain, give examples, and ideas for using reflective listening with students, parents, and other teachers

Resources & Support for technique:
(Items with footnotes link to external websites)

• 10 Tips to Effective & Active Listening Skills ¹
• How To Use Reflective Listening ²
• Encyclopedia Of Psychology: Reflective Listening ³
• Reflective Listening ⁴
• Active Listening ⁵
• Reflective Listening Worksheet (Google image search) ⁶
• This really is truly the single most important verbal skill that you will ever learn in your whole entire life ⁷
• Reflective Listening Formula.pdf ⁸

Footnotes:

1. Cortright, S., Power To Change Ministries. 10 Tips to Effective & Active Listening Skills. [http://powertochange.com/students/people/listen/].
2. Morris, R. How to Use Reflective Listening Techniques. [http://www.ehow.com/how_2314760_use-reflective-listening-techniques.html].
3. Lane, L. L. Gale Encyclopedia of Psychology, 2001. Reflective Listening. [http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3406000543.html].
4. Wikipedia. (2011). Reflective listening. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reflective_listening].
5. Fisher, D. Active Listening. [http://www.analytictech.com/mb119/reflecti.htm].
6. Google. Reflective Listening Worksheet (Google Image Search). [https://www.google.com/search?q=reflective+listening+worksheet&client=safari&rls=en&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=41BXU8v3ErSJ8gGYxYH4Cw&ved=0CCgQsAQ&biw=1248&bih=757].
7. only-effective-communication-skills. This really is truly the single most important verbal skill that you will ever learn in your whole entire life. [http://www.only-effective-communication-skills.com/reflective-listening.html].
8. Brandon, D. J. University of Tennessee Extension Family & Consumer Sciences. Reflective Listening Formula. [fcs.tennessee.edu/humandev/kidsmart/ks_c1a.pdf].