LESSON 1

“The most basic and powerful way to connect to 5

another person is to listen. Just listen. Perhaps the
1. is the intentional focus on hearing a
most important thing we ever give each other is our
attention.” speaker’s message.
Rachel Naomi Remen . 2. is the attempt to learn the
meaning of the message.
3. is the recollection of the message.
 Define listening and active listening  Remembering begins with effective listening.
 Identify the five stages of the listening process Process the message meaningfully
 Illustrate the relationship between critical thinking 4. is judging the value of the message.
and listening 5. is also referred to as feedback. A
 Give examples of the four main barriers to effective stage where the listener indicates his or her
listening involvement.
 Explain the stages of listening

 Critical thinking skills are essential and connected

 Listening is an active process by which we
make sense of, assess, and respond to what
we hear.
 Listening is the ability to accurately receive and
interpret messages in the communication
process.
 Listening is key to all effective communication,
without the ability to listen effectively
messages are easily misunderstood.
 Active listening is a particular communication
technique that requires the listener to provide
feedback on what he or she hears to the speaker.
to the ability to listen effectively and process the
information that one hears.
 Critical thinking occurs whenever people figure
out what to believe or what to do, and do so in a
reasonable, reflective way.
 People can use critical thinking skills to
understand, interpret, and assess what they hear
in order to formulate appropriate reactions or
responses.
 Critical thinking skills include observation,
interpretation, analysis, inference, evaluation,
explanation, and metacognition.

1. Listening Is Not My Problem!

2. Listening and Hearing Are the Same!
3. Good Readers Are Good Listeners!
4. Smarter People Are Better Listeners!
5. Listening Skills Are Difficult to Learn!
6. It is passive process!

1. Low concentration
2. Lack of prioritization
3. Poor judgement
4. Focusing on style, not substance

1. LOW CONCENTRATION
 not paying close attention to the speaker
 psychological or physical situations
a. visual or auditory distractions
b. Physical discomfort
c. Inadequate volume
d. Lack of interest in the subject material
e. Stress
f. Personal bias
 2. LACK OF PRIORITIZATION
 Listeners need to be able to pick-up on social cues
and prioritize the information they hear to identify
the most important points within the context of the
conversation.

3. POOR JUDGEMENT
 Listeners often engage in confirmation bias, which is
the tendency to isolate aspects of a conversation to
support one’s own preexisting beliefs and values

4. FOCUSING ON STYLE, NOT SUBSTANCE

 Distracting elements in a speech or presentation can
deflect attention away from the most important
information in the conversation or presentation and
can also influence the listener’s opinion.

1. Give your full attention on the person who is

speaking.
2. Make sure your mind is focused, too.
3. Let the speaker finish before you begin to talk.
4. Ask questions.
5. Give feedback.
 LESSON 2
 Reassure, pacify or comfort
 Ex. “If there is any way I can help…”


  Probes, clarifies, inquires or seeks more info
  Ex. “What makes you think that?” “Where were you?”
  OPEN QUESTIONS – require more than a yes or
no answer
 CLOSED QUESTIONS – can be answered with yes
 An individualized form of listening that obtain or no
enjoyment through the words or experiences of
others; like listening to one’s favourite music or
watching tv…  80% of your feedback will use 1 of 5 styles

 Happens when people try to distinguish one sound  Doesn’t help unless sender asks for advice
from everything else; like stopping work to hear if the
phone is ringing
 Works best when your intention is to offer insight into
the problem’s causes
 Happens when people listen for understanding.
Involves trying hard to remember what the person is
saying and to interpret the meaning as precisely as  Works best when the sender has determined the
possible. problem and needs encouragement

 Help the listener sift through what he/she has heard  When your need for additional info is genuine
and make a decision

 This reveals a desire to understand the sender’s

 Also called empathic listening, involves more than thoughts and feelings
just paying attention or listening carefully. It also
entails empathic and supportive behaviours that tell
the speaker “I understand. Please go on”  Listen for total meaning
 Respond to feelings
 Note all cues
  Take time to listen
  Be attentive
  Employ only three kinds of verbal

 reactions: encouraging sounds such as “uhhuh”;

restating what has been said; and silence with a nod of

head
 Avoid probing for additional facts
 say what is right or wrong, good or bad, passes  Always give positive feedback
judgment
 Ex. “That was stupid!” “That’s right!”

 shares advice/offers a solution

 Ex. “If I were you I would…” “Why don’t you…”

 Analyze, explain or teach the sender about the cause

 Ex. “She probably did this because…”
 LESSON 3

 Listening is the process of using our eyes, minds and

ears to understand meanings and feelings.
 Listening also includes the ability to correctly
interpret the genuine content of a message.
 An executive spends 9% of time in writing, 16% in
reading, 30% in speaking and 45% in listening.

1.
2.
3.
4.

1.
 In hearing, the listener simply attends to the speaker
to hear the message.
 Listening is more than reaction to sounds

2.
 Interpretation depends on the listener’s vocabulary,
knowledge, experience and so on

3.
 In evaluation step, the listener decides what to do
with the received information. View nothing in
isolation

4.
 The response lets the speaker know whether the
listener got the message and what his/her reaction is
Feedback
 Listening is a positive and intellectual activity which
involves not only understanding the content of the
message but also the feeling of the speaker.
 The tone of voice, gestures, expressions and even
silences have meaning

 Understanding the feeling is called EMPATHIC OR

ACTIVE LISTENING. You have to train yourself to
be a good listener
 Interaction with others depends for success on
your ability to listen. Skilled and sympathetic
listening is the effective tool in working with
people. Unless instructions are carefully listened
to, understood and remembered, one cannot
carry out the assigned work.
 Inefficient listening affects interpersonal
relations as well as decision-making and
employee relations.
 LESSON 4
 Define note taking
 Understand the methods of Note taking
 Identify the 4 methods and 5 R’s of note taking
 Identify the Different Strategies in note taking
 Note taking is the practice of writing down or
otherwise recording key points of information.
4
1.
 As the name suggests, this method requires you to
structure your notes in form of an outline by using
bullet points to represent different topics and their
subtopics.
 Start writing main topics on the far left of the page
and add related subtopic in bullet points below using
indents.
 Example of Outline Method
2.
 What differentiates it from other methods is the page
layout.
 The page is divided into three or four sections
starting from one row at the top for title and date
(optional) and one at the bottom along with two
columns in the center.
 30% of width should be kept in the left column while
the remaining 70% for the right column.
 Example of Cornell Method
3.
 All notes that are related to each other are grouped
together in a box.
 A dedicated box is assigned for each section of notes
which cuts down the time needed for reading and
reviewing.
 Example of Boxing Method
4.
 It is an ideal method for notes that involve a lot of
information in the form of facts and statistics, that
need to be learned by heart.
 The information will be organized in several columns,
similar to a table or spreadsheet.
 Each column represents a unique category which
makes the rows easily comparable.
 Example of Charting Method
5 ’
 During the lecture, write all meaningful information
legibly.
 After the lecture, write a summary of the ideas and
facts using key words as cue words.
as you study helps to:
 Clarify meanings and relationships of ideas
 Reinforce continuity
 Strengthen memory retention
 Prepare for exams in advance
 To study properly, you must recite all the information
in your own words without looking at our notes or the
text.
 Think about your own opinions and ideas as you read
over your notes.
 Raise questions, then try to answer them creatively.
 Record original ideas in your notebook and review
them regularly.
 Use your creative ideas when answering exam
questions, in classroom discussions, and when writing
papers.

 Before reading or studying new material, take ten

minutes to quickly review your older notes.
 Skim over the main ideas and details.
 Review enhances your retention of old material while
adding new material to your memory.

 Some ways that could help you identify and retain

important details from a textbook.

 Read only a considerable portion to understand

the material easily. Do not take notes just
comprehend/understand the material.

1. Locate the main ideas and important sub-points.
2. Set the book aside
3. Paraphrase the information


1. Do not copy information from the text book.

2. Add only details enough to be understood.

 Taking down notes of what your teachers are telling

the class. Teachers will talk about topics relevant to
your studies through this notes, you can recall
information which are important especially when you
are taking the exams.
1. Concentrate on the lecture or reading material.
2. Take notes consistently.
3. Take notes selectively. Do not write word by
word.
4. Translate ideas into your own words.
5. Organize notes in logical form.
a) Chronological Order
b) Comparison and contrast
c) Cause and effect
6. Be brief
7. Write legibly
8. Don’t be concerned with spelling and grammar.
 LESSON 5
5.
 Try to end with a memorable punch line or positive
statement
 To clear things up for the First Grading Period
 Lackings (quizzes, activities, and performances)
 Announcement of scores for the  The main purpose of writing an informative essay is
 performances to provide reliable information to your reader on
 Other things for the first grading period. any subject matter.
 Discussion about the Types of Speech

 The introductory part of an academic essay serves as

the orientation for the essential elements in the rest
Informative of the text.
Demonstrative
Persuasive 
Entertaining
o Identifies the subject and usually sets the
scene.
 This speech serves to provide interesting and useful o Establishes the significance and the purpose.
information to your audience. o Identifies scope of the essay.
o States the central or thesis.
o Sets the tone and style.

1. 
 Establish credibility by demonstrating expertise and
knowledge of the subject – The hook is an introduction that catches the
 conveying information, presenting ideas, facts reader's attention.
and statistics to adequately inform the – Argumentative essays can start with facts,
audience about the subject statistics, quotes, or anecdotes that reference
2. the topic of the essay.
 Repeat all the Key points to ensure maximum
knowledge retention. – a brief detail about the topic to be discussed.
3.
 Conveying the subject with enthusiasm and including – A thesis statement is a sentence that explains
unusual facts or anecdotes about the subject. what you are trying to prove and provides an
overview of the arguments you will make in
your body paragraphs.
– The thesis acts as a roadmap for the rest of your
1. paper. Do not worry about going into too much
 the opening, ice-breaker or attention grabber arguments detail about will be; instead, writing
a clear, concise statement what your focus on
2. that hints at the topics you plan to discuss.
 Tell them what the speech is about and what your
main points will be.
 This is the part where explanations, definitions,
3.
descriptions, discussions, and the connection are made
 Establish credibility by demonstrating expertise and
with the reader.
knowledge of the subject
 It narrates, describes, summarizes, explains, argues,
 conveying information, presenting ideas, facts and
defines comments, reflects, classifies, and examines all
statistics to adequately inform the audience about the
of the possible aspects.
subject
4.
 Confirm and repeat the key points  Everything gets wrapped up in the concluding part of the
essay.
 It also reminds the readers and reasserts the main point.
 It often provides an answer to the question of what it all
really meant.
 It shouldn’t introduce any new point or aspect and
should rather lead to the conclusion.
 The ideal length for the conclusion is same as the
introduction.
 A Demonstrative speech is written to explain and
show people how to do something.
 This might involve using various types of visual aids,
or handout to ensure the effectiveness of the
instructions.
1.
 Providing clear and concise instructions on how to
complete a task
2.
 The task must be broken down in a logical format,
step by step
3.
 Key points must be emphasized including any safety
issues
1.
 the opening, ice-breaker or attention grabber
2.
 Tell them what the speech is about and what your
objective is and what the audience will be able to do
following your demonstration speech.
3.
 Why the audience will benefit from learning how to
complete the task
4.
 The task must be broken down in a logical format,
step by step -- do not leave out any crucial points
 Use Visual aids or props to help you to explain the
process
5.
 Key points must be repeated, including any safety
issues, to ensure maximum knowledge retention
6.
 Prepare an informative handout to give out to your
audience
7.
 Try to 'Go out with a Bang' or end with a memorable
punch line or positive statement
 A persuasive speech is written to persuade, or
convince the listeners, of the validity of the speaker's
argument.
 This might involve persuading someone to change
their opinion or at the very least take into account
some elements that have not really been considered
before.
1.
 Establish credibility by demonstrating expertise,
evidence and knowledge of the subject - presenting
facts, statistics or quotes together with any
personal experiences to make the audience believe
in what you are saying
2.
 Conveying the subject with enthusiasm, passion
and conviction to appeal to the emotions of the
audience
1.
 the opening, ice-breaker or attention grabber
2.
 Tell them what the speech is about and what your
objective is and what your main points will be.
3.
 Establish your credibility by demonstrating expertise,
evidence and knowledge of the subject - presenting
facts, statistics or quotes together with any personal
experiences to make the audience believe in what you
are saying
4.
 Confirm and repeat the main arguments for the
subject
5.
 Discuss the alternatives to strengthen your claim
further
6.
 Try to 'Go out with a Bang' or end with a memorable
punch line or positive statement
 An entertaining speech is one whose sole purpose is
to have the audience enjoy the presentation.
  The purpose of an entertaining speech is
not to educate, inform or inspire … it is to make the
audience smile, relax, enjoy and maybe even laugh their
heads off.

• tell jokes
• tell funny stories
• dramatize an anecdote
• tell a scary story

1.
– You don’t want the topic to be too dense,
complicated or heavy. Remember, you’re not
trying to give your audience a greater
understanding of anything. You’re there to help
them have a good time.
2.
– Believe it or not, it is hard for an audience to
enjoy your presentation if it looks like you are not
enjoying presenting it!
3.
– Your presentation should be easy to follow. Don’t
make it hard for your audience to keep up with
you mentally … or in any other way.
4.
– Use vivid word pictures. This is not the type of
presentation where you can be lazy in your
descriptions.
– Make your words pop with strong images that pop
in their minds.

5.
– Add unexpected twists and turns to your
presentation.
– When you surprise your audience with where
your story is going, that adds to the entertainment
factor.
 ’
LESSON 6
 Deduce the speaker’s purpose
 Identify the speaker’s tone
 Communication, both spoken and written, is always
addressed to an audience, a set of listeners or readers
you are intending to convey information to or have
some effect upon.
 A public speaker has some purpose, something they
are trying to accomplish or set in motion.
 This is about helping audience members acquire
information that they do not already possess.
 Audience members can then use this information
to understand something or to perform a new
task or improve their skills.
 ’
 Notice that the goal is not to encourage people
to use that knowledge in any specific way.
 When a speaker starts encouraging people to
use knowledge in a specific way, he or she is no
longer informing but is persuading.
 language will reveal his perspective/ opinion (that is
 It is the process of delivering information, skills,
or expertise in some form to people who could
benefit from it.
 When we speak to persuade, we attempt to get
listeners to embrace a point of view or to adopt a
behavior that they would not have done
otherwise.
 A Persuasive speech can be distinguished from an
informative speech by the fact that it includes a
call for action for the audience to make some
changes in their behavior or thinking
2 • I think the new restaurant by the pier is
1. Pure Persuasion
2. Manipulative Persuasion
1.
 Occurs when a speaker urges listeners to engage
in a specific behavior or change a point of view
because the speaker truly believes that the
change is in the best interest of the audience
members.
2.
 It is the intent to fool, control or contrive the
person on the other side of the conversation
into doing something, believing something that
leaves them either harmed or without benefit.
 Entertainment Speaking is focused on the
theme and occasion of the speech.
 An Entertaining speech can either be
informative or persuasive in its roots, but the
context of the theme of the speech requires
speakers to think about the speech primarily in
terms of the audience enjoyment.
 The fundamental goal of an entertaining speech is
audience enjoyment.
 Entertaining speeches are not designed to give an
audience a deep understanding of life but instead to
function as a way to divert an audience from their
day-to-day lives for a short period of time.
 It is the author’s attitude towards the audience, the
subject, or the character.
 You can recognize the tone/ attitude by the
language/ word choices the author uses. His
whether it positive/negative) about the subject.

 A subjective tone is employed in any writing that
uses emotions, personal opinions, and/or
evaluative judgments to reflect upon a topic or
construct an argument.
 In a subjective essay, a writer makes a claim or
assertion about a topic and expresses their feelings
about the topic.
 Examples of Subjective Sentences:
• The book we are reading for this class is
boring and no one likes it.
absolutely atrocious.
• Unfortunately, California’s current drought
has led to an increase in water restrictions.
  The language used in subjective writing typically
employs active voice. Using an active voice
expresses a particular stance towards a subject and
makes an author’s presence felt.
 Subjective writing uses first person pronouns.
 It is mostly employed in non-scientific/social
science disciplines.
 Subjective writing allows for a writer’s presence and
opinions to be expressed within the language.


 An objective tone uses language that does not
express a biased view towards the subject.
 Using an objective tone allows us to support our
thesis using only evidence, facts, and ideas as
they are.
 When writing objectively, opinionated claims
about the topic must be avoided.
 Examples of Objective Sentences
 Historians and literary scholars have had
numerous debates concerning the morality
and ethics involved in Mary Shelly’s
Frankenstein.
 The methodology used for this lab is based
upon the strategies that havebeen
implemented by other researchers.
 The recent drought has had a notable effect
on California’s water supply and has impacted
the state’s water regulations.

 Objective writing presents an argument based around

evidence not personal views/feelings/bias.
 The language used in objective writing shows caution
about one’s views and allows room for others to
disagree.
 When writing in the Science and Social Science fields,
you are often required to write in an objective
manner.
 Objective writing primarily consists of passive voice
and distances one’s opinion from the provided
evidence.