CB

Lecture Notes: Listening Skills, Controversial Topics, and Intro Speech Logistics

  • Active Listening and Obstacles to Listening

    • Are you actively listening or are you processing what he or she is saying while they are giving a lecture during the class period? This will be one of your obstacles and one of the things you will judge or critique on.
    • First step in recognizing problems: recognize that we listen selectively; oftentimes, we hear what we want to hear.
    • Case in point: relationships. Husbands, wives, boyfriends, girlfriends. One of the biggest issues or divisions in relationships is because people are not listening to each other. If there’s an issue or a problem, consider what the other person has to say and why they feel there is an issue.
    • We pay attention to what we hold to be important. There are certain things we are passionate about: politics, religion, education, money. Family and children also matter. When someone is giving a speech about hot topics, we often have preset ideas and feelings about what’s going to be discussed.
    • Preset beliefs can help or hinder you. Even if you are well versed, you don’t know everything; you’re not the end-all.
    • We pay attention to information that aligns with our beliefs and expectations. We may ignore or downplay information that contradicts them. This becomes relevant in persuasive speaking and other speeches; we’ll discuss navigating hot-button topics in deeper detail later.
    • We’ll discuss how to navigate hot topics as you prepare for persuasive speaking, including strategies to present ideas respectfully.

  • Anticipate obstacles to listening

    • Anticipation means preparation for plan B, plan C, and so forth; it does not mean expecting bad things, but being prepared.
    • External distractions: things in the surrounding environment can pull your attention away.
    • Sidebar note (class logistics): there may be an opportunity in November to do speeches not in this room, potentially in the theater downstairs. This is a heads-up about future presentation settings and should not alarm you.
    • Internal distractions: your thoughts, feelings, stresses from life, job, other classes. Self-diagnose what contributes to not focusing on one thing at a time and address it.
    • Goal: minimize internal and external distractions.

  • External vs. internal distractions

    • External: room setup, noise, interruptions, etc.
    • Internal: thoughts, emotions, stress, or other preoccupations you bring to the classroom.
    • Self-diagnosis: identify factors contributing to distraction and work on strategies to reduce them.

  • Refrain from multitasking

    • Quick poll: who multitasks? (The speaker admits to multitasking themselves.)
    • Personal anecdote: multitasking during family or home life (phone ringing, doing dishes, cooking, watching football) leads to poor listening; often later you can’t recall what was said.
    • Resolve: try to refrain from multitasking to improve listening; minimize both internal and external distractions.

  • Guard yourself against defensive listening and “spirit writing.”

    • Defensive listening: if someone argues against your view, you might listen defensively instead of understanding the other side (e.g., if Isabella argues for the death penalty and Ella opposes it, Ella should guard against defensive listening and seek to understand Isabella’s rationale).
    • Sidebar note: don’t fear controversial topics; be willing to choose hot topics and research them carefully to express your ideas respectfully.
    • Scriptwriting: avoid judging or saying, “I would have done this” while the speaker is presenting. Let the speaker present; keep your opinions for yourself as you evaluate the content.

  • Laziness and overconfidence

    • Don’t assume you know everything; there can always be new information, especially in science, technology, and related fields.
    • Guard against laziness, overconfidence, and borderline arrogance.

  • Overcoming cultural barriers

    • Dialects, accents, verbal cues, word choice, and even physical appearance can affect understanding.
    • Be mindful of these factors as you listen to classmates and engage in diverse campus environments.
    • The goal is to be an active listener, not passive or overly confident, and to avoid laziness or arrogance when interacting with others from different backgrounds.

  • Chapter four and moving forward

    • Today’s class is the last before you give your speeches next week, so we’ll turn attention to those upcoming topics and tasks.

  • Administrative notes: Blackboard, dates, and grade book

    • A meeting with the Blackboard administrator uncovered issues with dates alignment; those should be fixed now.
    • Check the grade book for updates; ensure you’ve submitted weekly assignments.

  • Intro Speech Assignment (where to submit and how)

    • Location in the course shell: Assignments > Intro Speech Assignment (you won’t see the old one; you’ll see a “View Instructions” page).
    • You will upload a typed document here, either as:
    • a typed outline (with class-page examples), or
    • paragraphs outlining your opening, body, and conclusion.
    • Typical length or scope is described in the instructions as: 2 \text{ to } 4{,}000{,}000 \text{ points} (note: this transcript appears to contain a likely error; the key point is that you should submit either an outline or descriptive paragraphs).
    • Submit by midnight this Saturday: attach your document and submit; I will log in and provide feedback on timing, vocal fillers, etc.
    • After you finish your speech next week, log back in to submit a self-analysis of your speech. Self-analysis must be written in complete sentences; one-word or two-word answers will not be accepted.

  • Speech schedule and logistics

    • Schedule overview: speeches will be spread across rotation days, not all on one day.
    • Next Wednesday: Jackson, Layton, Allie, Rachel, Lena, Ethan, Grant.
    • Next Friday (Sept 5): Matthew, Isabella, Jace, Gabriel, Jacob, Bryce.
    • Monday (Sept 8): Madison, Braylen, Ella, Riley, Landon.
    • Note: if anyone is missed, the instructor has not misspoken; there is a rotation.
    • The instructor will email announcements with schedule reminders as well.

  • Friday class relocation and research prep

    • Friday’s class will be held in the Learning Commons, Student Center, Third Floor (above the bookstore).
    • Madeline Compton will give a lecture on research resources available to paying students; this lecture will precede the informative speaking unit, which will require three resources and oral citations. This is a future topic, not immediate; plan for it.

  • Group work and in-class activity

    • You will be placed in groups for a working class period from now until the end of class.
    • Within groups: discuss your speech angle, identify main points, decide how you will open your speech, and bounce ideas with group members.
    • The instructor will call each student one by one to discuss your progress and direction.

  • Practical takeaways for your preparation

    • Be mindful of listening biases and distractions.
    • Prepare for hot-topic topics with balanced research and respectful presentation.
    • Plan to minimize distractions, avoid multitasking, and practice active listening during peer feedback.
    • Use the upcoming weeks to finalize your outline or paragraph-style submission and rehearse your opening, body, and conclusion.

  • Quick reminders

    • Check for any updates to the assignment instructions and due dates in the course shell.
    • Prepare for next week’s speeches by drafting, revising, and practicing your introduction and main points.
    • Engage with group discussions to refine your speech angle and delivery.