: the process of hearing, recognizing, and interpreting spoken language
Mirriam Webster (above)not-withstanding, according to Dr. Tom Sticht, an international expert on literacy.
“The term “oracy”, referring to listening and speaking,
was coined by Andrew Wilkinson of the United Kingdom in the 1960s. The word
“auding” as a parallel term to reading was coined by a blind student, D. P.
Brown, in 1954 while working on his Ph.D at Stanford University. He drew
the parallel as: hearing, listening, auding in relation to seeing, looking,
reading. Both auding and reading involve the use of language in addition to
the specific modality factors.”
He goes on to say;
“Numerous reports by business, industry, vocational, government, and other
organizations have indicated that adults’ oracy (auding and speaking) and
literacy (reading and writing) skills are related to productivity on the
job and hence to a nation’s productivity in the global economy.”
It appears that the speed and accuracy with which we comprehend what is said to us, varies with individuals, just as is the case with reading. But it can really influence our job prospects, and ability to learn things. Youngsters who hear lots of words at home get a head start, which they usually do not lose. They just get better and better.
As is the case with reading, vocabulary, prior knowledge of the subject, and practice can increase our ability to understand what we hear. It seems to me that it is something that we should teach and train in school.
I get back to my idea of having kids run around the school yard listening to lectures on their MP3 players. At first they may tune out. They need to continue in order to develop the habit. My wife used to fall asleep reading. Now she loves to read.
I concentrate on my listening better when I am running than if I tried to sit down in a chair to listen. Maybe just me but I say let’s give extreme mobile learning a chance! Get mobile, get listening!
