In the article "Taking a Deeper Look at Whole Body Listening: It’s a Tool Not a Rule", Elizabeth Sautter, MA, CCC-SLP, gives a basic explanation of the concept of "whole body listening", why it is very useful for helping individuals improve their attention, listening and interaction skills, and gives practical suggestions for modifying the core concepts to allow flexibility to accommodate for unique needs. This blog entry is a summary of the article and quotes of the portions of the article that I found particularly useful.
To make listening more concrete and teachable, SLP Susanne Poulette Truesdale (1990) came up with “whole body listening", which broke down the abstract concept of listening by explaining how other body parts (besides the ears) are involved: the brain "listens" by thinking about what is being said; the eyes "listen" by looking at (or toward) the speaker; the mouth "listens" by staying quiet; the body "listens" by facing toward the speaker; and the hands and feet "listen" by staying quiet and kept to oneself.
Whole body listening has been expanded to include the heart as a way to encourage empathy and perspective taking, which is helpful for improving social interactions and relationships by using listening not just to “hear” and interpret what is being said, but also to demonstrate shared involvement to make a positive impression. This expanded concept of whole body listening is woven into parts of Michelle Garcia Winner’s larger Social Thinking® methodology to teach the fundamentals of how and why we listen to figure out the “expected” social behavior. Truesdale emphasizes that whole body listening is “a tool, not a rule,” meaning that adults need to think flexibly about how best to use it. There is no one right way to teach the whole body listening concept. The goal is to create effective approaches for those with a variety of learning styles- an, most importantly, to do this in ways that respect each individual's needs and abilities.
As with any tools or therapy method, the abilities and developmental level of each individual must be considered before implementing whole body listening. Some of the skills expected in whole body listening, such as maintaining eye contact, staying still, or remaining quiet are difficult and may cause stress or simply may not be possible. It is important that parents, teachers, therapists, and employers demonstrate awareness and understanding, make appropriate modifications and help individuals advocate for themselves in a variety of social, educational, and work-related situations.
To aid in teaching whole body listening, some general strategies and accommodations follow, developed by Elizabeth Sautter, MA, CCC-SLP, and Leah Kuypers OT/R. Each person is different and should be assessed for individual needs and support. Also included is information to build awareness for differences that may occur, especially for those with sensory processing challenges. In these incidences modification and differential teaching should be implemented.
Tools & Accommodations to Support Whole Body Listening
- Ears: Limit auditory distractions. Explore the use of an amplifier (e.g., frequency modulation (FM) system) or noise blocking headphones if the individual is easily distracted by background noise. Be mindful: People who are hard of hearing or deaf can listen through ASL interpretation, lip reading, gestures, and written words or images.
- Eyes: Look toward the speaker, maybe not directly but checking in for facial expressions to “read” emotions and others’ intentions. Limit distractions and visual clutter. Be mindful: Direct eye contact can be overwhelming, intimidating, or difficult (even painful) for some. People can hear what is being said even if they are not looking directly at the speaker.
- Mouth: Practice impulse control by pausing and thinking before speaking (brain filter). Chewing gum or crunchy food can provide sensory input that helps regulate one’s system. Drinking water, especially through a straw, can be helpful. Be mindful: Some people need to make verbal sounds to help them process what is being said and stay calm.
- Hands: Use a fidget or doodle. Squeeze hands together. Sit on hands or put them in pockets. Be mindful: Some people move or flap their hands as a way to regulate themselves and can still listen/hear while moving their hands.
- Feet: Tie a Thera-Band or deflated bicycle tubes around legs of a chair as a place to rest the feet and/or use as a fidget for restless feet. Explore proper seating for posture and comfort. Cross or sit on feet to help keep them still. Be mindful: Some people need to move their body to stay regulated, attend, and feel comfortable. If they are moving, they can still listen and may be able to learn better.
- Body: Explore sensory strategies and exercises (e.g., chair push-ups, deep breathing, etc). Consult an occupational therapist to explore adaptive seating options and use of a weighted lap pad. Be mindful: Some people need to move their body to stay regulated, attend, and feel comfortable. If they are moving, they can still listen and may be able to learn better.
- Heart: When children are developmentally and cognitively ready, help them think about why we listen to others. This includes creating rapport, a shared experience, and considering the feelings of the speaker and others and how their listening behavior might affect the thoughts of others. Practice building perspective taking and thinking about others versus themselves and their own interests during social interactions and conversation when wanting to remain part of a group and/or make a good impression. Practice using supportive and friendly comments and using the "Social Fake" (a Social Thinking strategy of acting interested even if you’re not) when needed. Also, help children understand that when we are around others it is socially expected that we care (pay attention to them) enough so that others feel comfortable with our presence in the group. Be mindful: Caring about others and how our own behavior affects others in a social situation can be shown in many different ways. Don’t assume someone doesn’t care just because that person has difficulty with whole body listening. Also, it’s crucial to acknowledge and teach that some people make us feel uncomfortable. We don’t have to personally care about everyone we talk to and adults should not force caring where it doesn’t exist or if the person does not seem friendly or safe.
- Brain: Teach kids about the brain and how it works. Teach short and sustained attention strategies. Practice controlling impulses. Introduce The Social Fake (Social Thinking concept) and limit distractions. Lastly, one of my most favorite tools is mindfulness, which has been proven to be a powerful tool for the brain and all other body parts. Teaching how to be aware of the present moment, on purpose, can really help with knowing when to pause and reflect before acting, and knowing how and when to use whole body listening. Be mindful: It’s important to do a check-in before assuming that someone is not thinking about what is being said—they might show it in a way you don’t expect.
Be An Advocate
If the expectations of whole body listening prove difficult or impossible, it’s important to advocate for your child or for yourself. For example, if you or your child/student find it hard or painful to maintain eye contact, discuss this with the relevant people involved in the situation. Stating what’s real and true at the onset helps to create reasonable expectations and prevents a situation in which expectations go unmet. By modeling and teaching advocacy skills, adults help others develop the ability to speak up for themselves.
Adults can also create an environment that’s conducive to good listening by keeping expectations reasonable for the developmental and cognitive level of students. Keep these ideas in mind:
- Sitting still for long periods of time is hard for everyone, and not possible for some.
- The goal is not to create robots who demonstrate whole body listening in one specific way.
- Whole body listening should not be used to discipline children. It is a teaching tool—not a rule.
- Create an environment that is conducive for listening with your whole body. Limit distractions, teach and practice calming techniques, and support transitions.
- Help create situational awareness by talking about the hidden rules and the level of whole body listening that is expected at a given time.
Whole body listening is a useful tool that breaks down the tasks involved in listening. It has not only aided in making a complex concept clearer, but it increases awareness of expected behavior and can facilitate the teaching of self-advocacy skills. If taught, practiced and supported in a mindful manner, it can become a habit and more automatic response. However, to use this concept correctly, we must be sensitive to the unique abilities of each person. Parents, teachers, therapists, and even employers should consider the challenges that whole body listening may cause and, when needed, should adapt listening strategies to suit a person’s particular needs. When appropriate modifications are made and abilities are taken into account, whole body listening can be a powerful tool that benefits a broad and diverse range of people.