This article draws on the methods of philosophical analysis to provide a competing account of listening. This account distinguishes between two types of listening: a cognitive type and a non-cognitive type. By considering a number of familiar classroom incidents, the author shows that both kinds of listening have important roles in teaching and learning. The author concludes that the empathic type of listening cannot be taught directly, but that teachers can provide three kinds of helps indirectly to foster its growth in learners.