Listening is the most important skill. It’s the most important area of literacy and one sadly overlooked. Reading, writing, and speaking seem to be regarded as the three standout elements when it comes to literacy learning. We fail so often to learn because we don’t listen.

For me, listening is the number one literacy skill because it is the first of the four elements introduced to people after they are born. The rest follow. Listening is a skill neglected at our peril.