Most students who struggle in class are not struggling because the content is too difficult. They are struggling because they are hearing without listening. Hearing is passive -- sound enters your ears and your brain registers it. Listening is active -- you engage with what is being said, connect it to what you already know, and process it in a way that makes it stick.

The good news is that active listening is a skill, and like any skill it can be learned and improved. This section begins with a short self-assessment of your current listening habits, then gives you practical strategies you can use in your very next lesson.