Obstacles to Effective Listening In The Classroom At Bethune-Cookman University
A research proposal submitted to the faculty of Bethune-Cookman University in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelors of Arts in the Department of
Communication Studies, Theatre, & Dance
By
Aliyah Bevans
Daytona Beach, Florida
Spring 2019
The H.U.R.I.E.R. model (Brownell, 1996) was created to explain all things a person must
do in order to effectively listen. Hearing, Understanding, Remembering, Interpreting, Evaluating,
and Responding. Hearing and listening are often confused as the same thing; however, they are
different. Hearing is an involuntary every day action, but listening is attentively taking in what is
being said to you. Understanding is comprehending the message. Remember is being able to recall
the message. Interpreting is getting a better understanding from your perspective or how you see
things. Evaluating is not immediately judging, you are trying to put yourself in the other’s shoes.
Responding is replying to what was being told to you.
People spend about 45% to 70% of their day listening to others (Johnson, 1996).
Backchannels are short verbalizations that are needed when effective listeners engage in certain
behaviors that indicate they are actively listening (Thomas & Levine, 1994). These behaviors
