Using Good Communication Skills – Listening & Delivery Unit 2.4

Communication Skills Chart

Key “Listening” Terms Letting the speaker know you are paying attention Asking questions Answering questions Participating in speaker’s conversation Saying what the speaker said using less words What is Active Listening? What is paraphrasing?

Listening Most people are poor listeners. Even when we think we are listening carefully, we usually grasp only half of what we hear, and we retain even less. Improving your listening skills can be helpful in every part of your life, including speechmaking. The best speakers are often the best listeners.

Sometimes, however, we listen too hard. The most important cause of poor listening is giving in to physical & mental distractions. Many times we let our thoughts wander rather than concentrating on what is being said. Sometimes, however, we listen too hard. We try to remember every word a speaker says, and we lose the main message by concentrating on details.

In other situations, we may jump to conclusions and prejudge a speaker without hearing out the message. Finally, we often judge people by their appearance or speaking manner instead of listening to what they say.

What Steps Can You Take To Overcome Poor Listening Habits? 1. Take listening seriously & commit to becoming a better listener. 2. Work at being an active listener. Give your undivided attention to the speaker in an effort to understand his/her ideas. 3. Resist distractions. Make a conscious effort to keep your mind on what the speaker is saying.

4. Don’t be distracted by speaker’s appearance or delivery. Set aside preconceived judgments based on a person’s looks or manner of speech. 5. Suspend judgment until you have heard the speaker’s entire message Even if you think you are going to disagree.

7. Develop your note-taking skills. 6. Pay attention to: Main points, Evidence, & Speaker’s techniques. Ethos, pathos, &/or logos 7. Develop your note-taking skills. Improves your concentration Keeps track of speaker’s ideas. Forces you to become more attentive & creative

How Can I Improve My Listening Skills? 1. Identify your listening problems 2. Motivate yourself to listen 3. Pay attention to the speaker 4. Put biases & problems aside 5. Control your reactions 6. Don’t daydream 7. Listen for trigger words “For example”, & “Therefore” 8. Listen for main ideas 9. Focus on the message 10. Withhold judgment until speaker is done

Delivery Skills Delivery is nonverbal communication. How you use your voice & body to convey your message You can’t make a good speech without having something to say, you also need to know how to say it. Effective delivery conveys the speaker’s ideas clearly, engagingly, & w/out distracting the audience.

What Are The Four Basic Methods Of Delivering A Speech? Reading Verbatim Reading word for word from a text Reciting Memorizing a passage from a text Speaking Impromptu “Off the cuff”, speech is not planned Speaking Extemporaneously Used for most presentations. Speaker uses brief notes as prompts Speaker chooses the wording & delivery

How Can I Use My Voice Effectively? By controlling: 1. Volume Loudness or softness of your voice Tells a person if you mean what you’re saying 2. Tone & Pitch The emphasis in your voice - highness or lowness Shows your attitude about what you are saying 3. Rate or Speed Fast = scared & want to get it over Slow = lost, don’t know what you are talking about 4. Pauses Use for impact

6. “I” Messages & “You” Messages 7. Vocal Variety 8. Pronunciation 5. Emphasis Conveys your feelings or attitude 6. “I” Messages & “You” Messages Explains feelings about what you or someone else did 7. Vocal Variety Not monotone 8. Pronunciation Don’t use a word you don’t know 9. Articulation Able to say words clearly & distinctly 10. Dialect Avoid using dialect (words, slang, or phrases) that the audience does not share or will find inappropriate

For Your Presentation Practice all these aspects of delivery plus the words/vocabulary of your speech. Start your practice sessions early so you will have plenty of time to gain command of the speech & how you want to present your information

How Do I Practice For Q & As? Anticipate the most likely questions & prepare answers to them practice delivering those answers Listen carefully to the questions before answering Direct answers to full audience not just questioner Respond: positively briefly courteously, & straightforwardly Make sure to end the session on time!

What Also Affects The Way Listeners Respond To Speakers? Your physical appearance Dress & groom appropriately Gestures Control gestures & bodily movements to enhance your message, not distract from it Making eye contact w/listeners One of the quickest ways to establish a bond w/audience

What Does Body Language Say? Standing up straight & tall Confident Wide eyes Interested & excited Opening your mouth w/out speaking Lost train of thought, not sure what to say Scrunching your eyebrows Concentrating, lost, confused Scratching your head Confused, not sure Winking

Properly Breathe & Enunciate

Write 2-3 Sentences summarizing what you learned Practice your oral presentation of your hazard