The average person spends about 45 percent of his communicating time in listening, 30 percent in speaking and only 25 percent in reading and writing. listening was the chief means of learning until books became abundant after the invention of printing listening has again increased in importance with the spread of radio, telvision, phonographs, and Movies continues of these, however, has increased casual or inattentive listening.

Skilled listening involves thinking as well as hearin. it must usually be taught and learned.Many students find listeninag dificult to master.One student may be handicapped by poor hearing, by limited vocabulary, or by weak language development.

Another may be a rapid thinker and thus get the point and turn to daydreaming.