Connection · Communication & people skills
Hear and Be Heard: a communication skills course for listening and speaking clearly
Six short lessons on why misunderstandings happen, listening fully, open questions and say-backs, speaking clearly, being assertive, and repairing tricky conversations.
About this course
Communication skills course: listen and speak clearly.
Starter · About 1 hour of learning · 6 lessons · 14 quick checks · 1 download
Who it's for
Adults who want to listen better, speak more clearly and handle tricky conversations at home, at work and with friends.
How it works
6 guided lessons in your browser, with worked examples, exercises and a quick check after each lesson. Progress is saved in this browser only, and you can restart at any time.
Sources we rely on
14 published sources, mostly regulators and official bodies, listed below so you can check the original guidance yourself.
By the end you can
- Spot attention, meaning and signal gaps behind misunderstandings
- Listen fully, without interrupting or fixing too soon
- Use open questions and say-backs to check understanding
- Prepare a clear three-part message and say it assertively
- Start tricky conversations gently and repair them when they go wrong
Downloads
- Communication skills workbook .docxFull versions of the course exercises: communication audit, listening diary, questions and say-backs with an ALEC planner, message planner, assertiveness practice and a tricky conversation plan.
Rules by country
Learning time
About 1 hour of learning. May count towards your CPD or professional development; check your professional body's rules. Estimated from reading time, exercises, quick checks and downloads.
Sources
Check the originals.
Drafted with AI assistance and run through automated quality and source checks. How these courses are made. Spotted an error or out-of-date rule? Send a correction.
Not therapy or counselling. If you're struggling, please contact a support service. In an emergency call 000 (AU), 999 (UK), 911 (US/Canada) or 111 (NZ). Anywhere else, call your local emergency number.
- Relationships and communication · Better Health Channel (Victorian Government, Australia)
- Assertiveness · Better Health Channel (Victorian Government, Australia)
- Relationships: tips for success · Better Health Channel (Victorian Government, Australia)
- What to do if you think someone is struggling (listening tips) · Samaritans (UK and Ireland)
- How to ask R U OK? · R U OK? (Australia)
- Lifeline crisis support: 13 11 14 · Lifeline Australia
- Contact a Samaritan · Samaritans (UK and Ireland)
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline · 988 Lifeline (US)
- 1800RESPECT: national domestic, family and sexual violence counselling service · 1800RESPECT (Australian Government-funded)
- National Domestic Abuse Helpline · National Domestic Abuse Helpline (England, run by Refuge)
- National Domestic Violence Hotline · The Hotline (US)
- Triple Zero · Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts (AU)
- Contact the police · GOV.UK
- National 911 Program · 911.gov, NHTSA (US)
Publisher
Who publishes this course.
Published by trainyourself.org, a trading name of Combine TRS Pty Ltd (ABN 42 112 983 678), Brisbane, Australia.
How it's made: drafted with AI assistance from published official, public-health, university and support-service guidance (general education, not counselling or therapy), then run through automated quality checks against our course depth standard and automated source checks that match each rule to its official source, listed above. The course guide is an AI presenter and is labelled as one. Read how these courses are made.
Last updated:
General education, not counselling, therapy, medical or legal advice. If you are struggling, contact one of the support services named in this course; in an emergency, call your local emergency number. Spotted an error or an out-of-date rule? Send us a correction.
Keep going
More in Communication & people skills.
-
Common Ground: Conflict resolution training for everyday life
Conflict resolution training in six short lessons: calm down, hear their side, find options, handle work and neighbour disputes, and know when to get help.
-
Feel, Name, Choose: Emotional intelligence training: understand and manage emotions
Emotional intelligence training in six short lessons: notice and name feelings, pause before reacting, read others well and say what you need, at your own pace.
-
Speak Up: How to be more assertive: assertiveness training for beginners
How to be more assertive in six short lessons: assertiveness training for beginners on saying no, asking for what you need, disagreeing calmly and practice.
-
Say It Out Loud: Public speaking course: confident talks and speeches
Public speaking tips in six short lessons: purpose, structure, talking points, rehearsal, handling nerves, delivery and questions. At your own pace.
-
Clear Lines: How to set healthy boundaries
How to set boundaries in six short lessons: know your limits, say them kindly and clearly, handle pushback, and protect your time at work and online.
-
Easy Company: Social skills training for adults: small talk, confidence and conversation
Social skills training for adults in six short lessons: start conversations, keep them going, listen well, build confidence and turn chats into friends.
Opening soon
Waitlist opening soon.
We're not collecting sign-ups yet. When the waitlist opens you'll be able to leave your email here to hear about new courses and tracks. Until then, the open courses need no sign-up.