The TQLR Process

I sit down in my Nutrition class and see all the yawning faces around me.  Why did I think it was a good idea to take a class at eight o’clock in the morning?  My patience is wearing thin, and before the class even begins, I’m already starting to tune out.  I get out my iPhone and start to play minesweeper.  Perhaps this will be the day I finally beat my record…

Any college student may be able to relate to this on some level.  Listening in class can seem tedious and hard, especially with some of the distractions described above.  How can we learn to listen effectively?   Here are some keys to good listening that you may find helpful in those “break of dawn” classes that you have no interest in – we call this the TQLR Process: 

Tune In

As soon as the lecture begins, determine the teacher’s exact topic and review what you may already know about it.  Avoid distractions such as your phone, computer, friends, and other homework. 

Question

Early in the lecture, continue the listening process by mentally asking questions.  Create curiosity by thinking about how this topic relates to you, and decide what you want to learn.  By doing so, you may also be able to help with any attitude problems you may have with the class.  If you find the class boring, actively asking and answering questions will keep you interested and alert. This process, if continued throughout the entire lecture, helps lead to an understanding of main ideas, the speaker's organization of the material, and supporting details. 

Listen

Determine the basic message of the lecture and answer the questions that are raised during the process. In order to accomplish this, you must anticipate what will be said and actively take in the information. Involved listening is extremely important. 

Review

This is the process of checking the message after it has been delivered. To review, evaluate the message against your questions, fit ideas together, summarize ideas, and evaluate the meaning and impact of the message based on your circumstances. This review process should lead you to further questions concerning the lecture material. 

Tune in next time to find how to take effective notes during a lecture!