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Dr. Maria Azela L. Tamayo Intermediate English Module 1. Effective Speaking and Listening Oral Communication
Dr. Maria Azela L. Tamayo Intermediate English Module 1. Effective Speaking and Listening Oral Communication
ORAL COMMUNICATION
As a student, you may earn the respect and admiration of your classmates and
teachers if you articulate your thoughts clearly. Aside from getting high grades, you also
avoid being misinterpreted or ridiculed by other people at school.
When you graduate, you have the edge over other job applicants if you have
effective speech. The want ads in the papers usually specify that applicants should have
“excellent communication skills.” And as a professional, you can earn a promotion and,
correspondingly, a pay increase, through effective oral communication. If you are into
sales or marketing, you can easily clinch a deal if you have excellent oral communication
skills.
In summary, the ability to speak well can enhance your career, clinch a sale, sell a
point-of-view, and increase an executive’s productivity. These are just some of the perks
available to you once you have developed effective oral communication skills.
Oral communication involves several elements: (1) the speaker, (2) the speech, with
its ideas, their organization, and the language in which they are presented, (3) the
communicative act itself (voice, articulation of sound and bodily actions), (4) the audience
(listeners and observers), and (5) the speaking situation (location in time and place).
1. The Speaker
As a speaker, you demonstrate your abilities both in thinking out your ideas and in
adjusting to your listeners. You reveal your mental and emotional processes and
something of your personality. Your talk conveys your attitudes, motives, the results of
your education in school and out, and your experience and association as well as your
purposes in the immediate communication situation.
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2. The Speech
The speech itself is made up of ideas, which are organized and embodied in
language. A speech of serious intent deserves careful attention to the thought and the way
it is supported by illustrations, facts and details. These ideas must be organized; they must
have order, unity and coherence in order to be clear to the audience.
Delivery is the means by which you will effectively transmit your speech to others.
It is the exercise of your voice and the physical activity accompanying the use of your
voice. Language symbols are shaped orally by the muscular activity of your tongue, teeth,
lips, vocal chords, and breathing apparatus; facial and other bodily gestures, physical
movements and posture also help to convey your meaning. This projection from you to
your audience in a face-to-face situation is accomplished by sound (vocal pitch, loudness,
rate, etc.) and light waves (which transmit your physical behavior as you talk).
4. The Audience
The ultimate goal or purpose of most speeches is to get a response from the listener.
The test of the effectiveness of speech is the extent to which the listener responds, as the
speaker desires. This response may, however, be either immediate or delayed. The process
of communication is thus a two-way affair. The communicatee, in turn, becomes the
communicator and the original speaker, the listener, as is illustrated again and again each
day in conversational groups.
Speech making takes place at a given time and place. The manuscript you may have
prepared beforehand is not your speech; the speech occurs only during the moments when
you deliver it. Because it is oral communication, it is more than the manuscripts on which
you may have written the words or the disc on which you may have recorded it. It is the
total impact of the situation in which the speech occurs. These elements can never be
exactly recaptured or repeated.
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The character and attitudes of the audience, their immediate purpose in being
present and the social, physical, and other conditions in which the communicative
situation occurs mark the speaking situation. Thus, the speaker or speakers, their speeches,
and the audience, combine to create a set of influences that stamp the time and place. It is
important that you as a speaker take due account of the physical surroundings in which
you talk, of your own character and that of your audience as affected by the events,
customs, and other factors that may relate closely to what you have to say.
Get attention
Begin with something to get the attention of the audience. This might be a startling
statement, statistic, or your own story. Listeners pay close attention when a person begins
with, “Two weeks ago as I was driving to work, a car pulled out in front of me….” You
could begin with a current event: “You might have read in the paper this morning about
the flood that….” A question is another way to make people listen. “How many of you feel
our society spends too much on medical care?” might be a way to begin a presentation
about curbing costs.
Whatever technique you use, when you grab the attention of the audience you are
on your way to a successful speech.
Be energetic
Be energetic in your delivery. Speak with variety in your voice. Slow down for a
dramatic point and speed up to show excitement. Pause occasionally for effect. Don’t just
stand behind the lectern, but move a step away to make a point. When you are
encouraging your audience, take a step toward them. Gesture to show how big or wide or
tall or small an object is that you are describing. Demonstrate how something works or
looks or moves as you tell about it. Show facial expression as you speak. Smile when
talking about something pleasant and let your face show other emotions as you tell about
an event or activity. Whatever your movements, they should have purpose.
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Don’t have more than two or three main points, and preview in the beginning what
those points will be. With each point, have two or three pieces of support, such as
examples, definitions, testimony, or statistics. Visual aids are important when you want
your audience to understand a process or concept or understand a financial goal. Line
graphs are best for trends. Bar graphs are best for comparisons and pie graphs are best for
showing distribution of percentages.
Use transitions
Tie your points together with transitions. These could be signposts such as “First,”
“Second,” or “Finally.” Use an internal summary by simply including the point you just
made and telling what you plan to talk about next. “Now that we have talked about
structure, let’s move on to the use of stories,” would be an example. When you have an
introduction, two or three main points with support for each, appropriate transitions, and
a conclusion, you will have your speech organized in a way that the audience can follow
you easily.
Tell story
To add interest and understanding to your speech, include a visual aid. A visual aid
could be an object, a flip chart, a PowerPoint presentation, overhead projector slides, or a
dry erase board. Whatever visual you are using, make sure everyone can see it. The best
way to insure this is to put the visual where you will be speaking, and then find the seat
farthest from it and determine if you can read the visual from that seat.
Introduce the visual properly rather than simply throwing it at your audience;
explain what the visual will do before you unveil it. Don’t allow the visual to become a
silent demonstration. Keep talking as you show the visual. You are still the main event and
your visual is an aid. Look at your audience, not your visual. When the visual is not in use,
hide it from the audience.
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Delivery
1. Eye contact
Look at the audience as you speak. If it is a small audience, you can look at each
person in a short period of time. If it is a large audience, look at the audience in small
“clumps” and move from one clump to another. One way to insure good eye contact is to
look at your audience before you start to speak. Go to the lectern and pause, smile, look at
the audience, and then speak. This will help you maintain good eye contact throughout
your presentation as well as commanding immediate attention.
One of the ways to have consistently good eye contact is not to read your speech.
Use note cards that have key words on them. The word or phrase should trigger the
thought in your mind and then you can speak it. If you are including a quotation or
complex statistics, reading from your note card actually lends credibility. If you write out
your speech you will tend to read it and lose eye contact with the audience, as well as not
being as enthusiastic in delivery as when you speak from note cards.
2. “Wow” factor
Include a “wow” factor in your speech. Something in your speech should make
your audience think, “Wow!” It could be a story, a dramatic point, an unusual statistic, or
an effective visual that helps the audience understand immediately. With a “wow” factor,
you then have something to look forward to in the speech that you know will have an
impact on your audience. You’ll become a more enthusiastic speaker because the “wow”
factor will get you as well as your audience pumped for the speech.
3. Humor
Consider using a touch of humor in your speech. Don’t panic at this suggestion;
you are not becoming a comedian but rather lightening up a serious speech so that people
will be more accepting and interested in your ideas. Humor will help you to be perceived
as an amiable person, and it is hard for people to disagree or be bored if they are smiling at
you. Until you have lots of experience, keep your humor short. Perhaps inject a one-liner
or a quotation.
Tell a short embarrassing moment in your life that you might have thought not
funny at the time. Now that you can laugh at the experience, you understand the old
adage, “Humor is simply tragedy separated by time and space.” Don’t poke fun at your
audience; you should be the object of any shortcoming, showing that you can laugh at
yourself.
Avoid long stories or jokes. Even seasoned speakers know that funny stories soon
become unfunny if they go on too long. Probably the least risky use of humor is a cartoon.
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The cartoon is separate from you and if people don’t laugh, you don’t feel responsible. (Be
sure to secure permission to use it.)
The American English has sixteen vowel sounds presented below in a triangle. The
Vowel Triangle represents the different places in the mouth where the different vowel
sounds of the American English are placed.
beat [ i ] [ u ] boot
[ɝ]
bit [ I ] [ U ] book
[ə ] [ɚ ]
bait [ e ] [ o ] boat
[ʌ]
bet [ ε ] [ ɔ ] bought
bat [ æ ] [ɒ ] pot
ask [ a ] [ α ] bargain
Front Vowels
/ i / as in beat
eat even each she agree tea
feet green sleep we seed feel
legal niece key amoeba Caesar visa
/ I / as in bit
ill inch film kiss nickel his
mix disc in big myth business
women courted climate captain courage biscuit
/ e / as in debris
age ate aim day stay play
made paper baby same tale rake
rain rate bait steak weight flame
/ ε / as in bet
end egg exit met best pen
men mess sell den net breath
any said leopard friend bury cleanliness
/ æ / as in bat
am add act can dance land
bag hat pat sand an cat
cram plan plaid plaque cabin wagon
/ a / as in ask
on odd onset hot calm rock
rod not pot want tot fond
cop far knot process mask grass
Mid Vowels
/ ʌ / as in cup
up us under come rough above
ton mud puddle uncle duck luck
must bus but blood bungalow cut
/ ɚ / (schwar-unstressed) as in actor
beggar computer collar hamburger letter micrometer
orator perspire sugar whisper altar pillar
liar blunder thunder chopper debtor murmur
/ ɝ / (schwar-stressed) as in world
earth attorney burden circle furnish hurt
learn perfect turbine urge bird turkey
work spurn purge pearl birth purse
Back Vowels
/ u / as in boot
ooze oolong oodles blue true sue
moon food group pool stewed wound
loose rude brew rue juice shoe
/ U / as in put
book could shook full cookie look
should bull good woman bullet sure
cook pull bosom butcher foot mistook
/ o / as in obey
go old owe omit know show
throw don’t vote told goat pole
sold stole boat flow code mauve
/ ɔ / as in ball
all off also raw law flaw
call gone wrong dog or bought
jaw bald audience orange alter corn
/ ɒ / as in not
bomb office stolid block optician aplomb
crop bondage document politics nominal heartthrob
dross frock shock stomp doctor colony
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/ α / as in bar
psalm almond argue bazaar collage envoy
entourage façade lingerie macabre rendezvous arch
star architect garbage memoir repertoire shark
The Diphthongs
/ aI / as in bite
I ice iron my tie why
life drive child hide dine buy
night fight sight bite aisle die
/ aU / as in scout
out hour ounce now how plow
found doubt about vowed couch eyebrow
joust clown frown drowsy foundation hound
/ ɔI / as in boy
oil oyster ointment toy enjoy point
choice boil foil soil goiter hoist
loiter moisture toilet voyage voice boisterous
The Consonants
There are twenty-five consonants in the American English, fifteen are voiced and
ten are voiceless.
Voiceless Voiced
[ p ] - pat [ s ] – saw [ b ] - boy [ z ] – zero [ n] - nine
[ t ] - tea [∫ ] – ship [ d ] - den [ ʒ ] – azure [ ŋ ] - bring
[ k ] - come [t∫] – chin [ g ] - go [d ] – joy [ r ] – rose
[ f ] - fill [ h ] – her [ v ] - vote [ l ] – lap [ j ] – yet
[ θ ] - thin [hw] – while [ð ] - then [m ] – man [w] - wise
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Troublesome Consonants
/ f / as in feel
fast food beef if knife afford
often profit half free fine lift
fall fan fill fought fur volkswagon
/ v / as vow
vote voice very above live believe
every vent seven private review van
rave veer view vane vouch void
/ θ / as in thigh
thank thin thunder both month tooth
healthy bathroom nothing thirst thread ether
think Thor Thursday path cathode Catholic
/ ð / as in then
the this their breathe smoothe bathe
bother mother together that teethe lather
father seethe scythe writhe therefore worthy
/ ∫ / as in shout
she shoe sugar fish rush wash
machine shell flashlight cushion wish shade
sheer shin shop motion nation chamois
/ ʒ / as in seizure
beige massage prestige pleasure Asia version
azure composure measure leisure garage entourage
rouge allusion negligee décolletage genre visual
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Alveo-palatal Affricates
/ t∫ / as in chew
chain children chest each lunch watch
kitchen picture future coach chair cheap
chill chant choke pitcher literature speech
/ dʒ / as in jeep
job giant juice age college edge
budget agent soldier gym Joe jet
jeer gin jam jute George judge
1. ends with
t d
d + ed = “ ed ”
Sound
If “d” or “ed” is added to a word and creates another syllable, the added syllable
has the sound of [Id].
2. ends with
p
k
s d
sh + ed =“t”
ch
f
Voiceless
3. ends with
e
ai d
n + ed =“d”
Voiced
4. ends with
s
z
s
+ es = “ iz ”
sh zh
ch j
If the addition of “s” or “es” to a word creates another syllable, the added syllable
has the sound of [Iz].
5. ends with
p
t
f s
k + es =“s”
th
Voiceless
6. ends with
m
e s
d + es =“z”
Sound
ENGLISH RHYTHM
Stress
Strong stresses are one of the distinguishing features of the English language. Stress
is the accent given to a syllable to give it more importance than the other syllables and to
make it stand out among them. For instance, the first syllable is stressed in comfortable
while the second syllable is accented in determine.
The three kinds of stress in English are: 1) the primary stress / ' / which is very
strong and long; 2) the secondary stress / ^ / which is strong and long, and 3) the tertiary
stress / ` / which is weak and short.
Syllable Stress
In every word in English, there is one main emphasized syllable. The vowel sound
in this syllable sounds higher in pitch, longer, and louder, and this is called syllable stress.
This helps create the rhythm of the language, and knowing how to recognize the stressed
syllable will help you with comprehension. Placing the stress where it should be when
you’re speaking helps native speakers understand you better as well.
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English word stress is not always on the same syllable like in some languages.
Many times, though, it is one of the last three syllables in the word. Here are some
examples of stress in different syllables of the word:
Could you hear a difference in tone, length, and loudness between the stressed and
unstressed syllables?
Sometimes you can predict the stress placement because of the type of word or the
ending you put on it. Here are some general rules:
thirteen
ending with
on the last syllable sixteen
-teen
nineteen
increase
Noun on the first syllable survey
Word which may permit
either be used as
noun or verb increase
on the second
Verb survey
syllable
permit
myself
Intensive-reflexive pronouns on the last syllable themselves
ourselves
economic
geometric
technician
-tion, -cian, -sion, the syllable before
graduation
-ic, -ical, -ity the ending
cohesion
biological
Word with added nationality
ending
photography
-phy, -gy, -try, -
biology
cy, -fy, -al
the third from the geometry
last syllable parameter
-meter thermometer
barometer
Below are words which we, Filipinos, often mispronounce. Study them and note how
they are accented.
*Words which may be used either as nouns or verbs are accented differently to show the
distinction in usage. Nouns are accented on the first syllable while verbs are accented on
the second.
Sentence Stress
Sense or sentence stress is the stress that falls on certain words in a sentence. It is
the emphasis given to word or words within a phrase that most effectively bring out the
thought of the phrase. Each sentence that has more than one phrase in it has its most
stressed word in the last phrase. When we give that word the most stress, we are not only
showing that this word is important, but also that the sentence is ending. We use
sentence-final intonation patterns with sentence stress. If we emphasize another word in
the sentence, however, this may change the phrasal or sentence stress.
To achieve effective English rhythm, you should stress only some of the words in a
sentence. Other words receive only the secondary or the tertiary stress.
In general, content words are stressed, while function words are unstressed, unless
the speaker wishes to call special attention to them.
Content words are those that have meaning in themselves like mother, good, forget. It
includes:
1. nouns – Joaquin, school, radio, baby, university
2. verbs – (except linking and auxiliary verbs) visit, jump, write, construct,
study
3. adjectives – beautiful, dark, dirty, famous, interesting
4. adverbs – fast, slowly, very, lazily, often, carefully
5. demonstratives: this, that, these, those
6. interrogatives: who, when, why, etc.
Function words are those that have little or no meaning in themselves as words but
perform grammatical functions in relation to other words in a sentence. It includes:
1. articles: a, an, the
2. prepositions: to, of, in, etc.
3. personal pronouns: I, me, it, they, etc.
4. possessive adjectives: my, his, your, etc.
5. relative pronouns: who, what, etc.
6. common conjunctions: and, but, as, if, while, etc.
7. the word one as a noun-substitute (as in: “the red pencil and the blue one”)
8. auxiliary verbs and linking verbs except when:
a) they come at the end of the sentence
(“She is wiser than he is.”)
b) they are used in reiterative formulas
(“Aren’t they?” “Isn’t it?”)
9. determiners: some, a few
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Notice the shift of stress when content words are followed by other content words.
When you are speaking English the words you stress can change the underlying
meaning a sentence. Let’s take a look at the following sentence:
I don't think he should get the job.
This simple sentence can have many levels of meaning based on the word you
stress. Consider the meaning of the following sentences with the stressed word in bold.
Read each sentence aloud and give a strong stress to the word in bold:
I don't think he should get the job.
Meaning: Somebody else thinks he should get the job.
I don't think he should get the job.
Meaning: It's not true that I think he should get the job.
I don't think he should get that job.
Meaning: That's not really what I mean. OR I'm not sure he get that job.
I don't think he should get that job.
Meaning: Somebody else should get that job.
I don't think he should get that job.
Meaning: In my opinion it's wrong that he's going to get that job.
I don't think he should get that job.
Meaning: He should have to earn (be worthy of, work hard for) that job.
I don't think he should get that job.
Meaning: He should get another job.
I don't think he should get that job.
Meaning: Maybe he should get something else instead.
As you can see, there are many different ways this sentence can be understood. The
important point to remember is that the true meaning of the sentence is also expressed
through the stressed word or words.
Phrasing
Phrase is the basic unit of speaking and of interpretation. It is the grouping together
of words that convey a thought. This is done to bring out the relative importance of each
thought in relation to other thoughts being said. Thus meaning is expressed more clearly.
Phrases are separated from each other by pauses which are longer than those
ordinarily found between words. We can think of pauses as oral punctuation. When one
pauses, the tone as well as articulation is stopped momentarily. It is during this time that
the person generally inhales. Within the phrase, the sounds are continuous.
d. Occasionally, to enable the speaker to catch his breath when saying a long
sentence. In this case, the pause must not come between words closely connected together
grammatically.
Breathe for the next phrase / while you pause after the last one.//
He forgot about the quiz / and there was no more time to study / so he
decided to be absent.//
Once he has learned to group his words correctly, the student may vary the length
of his pauses. Pauses may be long or short depending on (a) intention of the speaker (b) the
size and nature of the audience.
Blending
English has a rather smooth sentence rhythm. There is no perceptible break in the
flow of tone between words that make up a thought group. The sounds are connected
from one word to another within a phrase in the same way that they are connected from
one syllable to another in a long word. The words in the sentence “I’m tired of it” should
sound connected together in the same way that the syllables in the word “mathematical”
are connected.
1. Personal pronouns it, he, him, her, them are generally linked to preceding verbs in
rapid speech, and except for it, undergo sound reduction.
3. The definite article the is linked with the word that follows if it begins with a vowel.
rice and fish touch and go cream and sugar fast and loose
hot and cold bread and butter boys and girls men and women
come and go
Intonation
Intonation is the music of the language. It is the tune of what we say. It is the
melody pattern of a syllable, word, phrase or sentence.
In English, we use tone to signal emotion, questioning, and parts of the sentence
among many other things. It is important to recognize the meaning behind the tones used
in everyday speech, and to be able to use them so that there are no misunderstandings
between the speaker and the listener. It is generally true that mistakes in pronunciation of
sounds can be overlooked, but mistakes in intonation make a lasting impression.
Filipino students find intonation one of the most difficult characteristics of English
to imitate. They have to be conscientiously drilled to produce the end intonation in order
to approximate American intonation. Through constant practice, the students can develop
intonation habits which can be produced unconsciously and comfortably. The very first
trials may sound awkward or unnatural but constant repetition will result in natural and
comfortable speech.
Example:
stu
She is a
dent.
The high note coincides with the last sentence stress. The unstressed syllable dent
receives the low note. In some cases, however, the last sentence stress and its high note
INTERMEDIATE ENGLISH 22
may come on the very last syllable, leaving no unstressed syllable for the low note. Then,
the voice makes an inflection, which is a slide from high to low note within the syllable.
Example:
The vowel of the last syllable will be held for a comparatively longer time.
This pitch is generally used at the end of a sentence with a downward intonation.
It is indicated by a line far below the syllable.
This pitch generally indicates great emotion like suspense and fear. It is indicated
by a line that is some distance above the syllable that receives the sense stress.
What a catastrophe!
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The intonation you have when you speak your native tongue is different from the
intonation you ought to have when you speak English. Basically, the English intonation is
either rising-falling or rising.
1. The rising-falling pattern or the 2-3-1 tune is used at the end of:
Come here.
c) an information question
a) a yes-or-no question
3. The choice intonation pattern or 2-3, 2-3-1 tune is used to state choices or alternatives.
4. Series Intonation Pattern or the 2-3-3+, 2-3-3+, 2-3-1 tune is used to say words or phrases
in a series.
English has many types of non-final intonation patterns, which the beginner may
study later on. This is the intonation of that part of the sentence which precedes the last
important word. It varies widely from speaker to speaker; it depends on the attitude of the
speaker and also on the purpose of the utterance. It is used:
In tag questions or reiterative formulas, you may use either the rising-falling, or the
rising intonation pattern.
When your tag question is actually statement of fact, i.e., you are certain about the reply
you will get, you use the rising-falling pattern or the 2-3-1, 3-1 tune.
However, when your tag question is a genuine question, i.e., you are not sure about
the answer you will get, you use the rising pattern or the 2-3-1, 2-3-3+ tune.
EFFECTIVE LISTENING
Have you ever asked anyone to repeat what he/she has just said? Have you lost
your way to a place because you have been confused about the directions given to you?
Have you failed in a test because you have not done things as directed? Have you done
any homework incorrectly while all the rest have done it rightly? Have you been
embarrassed because you have asked a question that has already been answered? Have
you missed a date because you have gone to the wrong place or you have gone to your
rendezvous at the wrong time? Have you heard somebody talk but have not remembered
a single word said?
INTERMEDIATE ENGLISH 26
If you reply “yes” to any or to all of the questions above, perhaps, you should
evaluate your listening skills. Maybe, you have not really listened the way you ought to.
Perhaps, you have not fully realized the value of effective listening to your life as a
student, and as a future professional.
You may not be aware of it, but of your day-to-day activities, listening is probably
what you do most. In fact, much of the information you pick up is gathered through
listening. At school, for instance, the bulk of your knowledge is gained by listening to
lectures, discussions, and other forms of oral presentation. If you are already working, you
probably spend more time listening than talking.
Studies show that people devote more than 50% of their waking time to listening,
and that they can listen to more words than they can utter in a minute.
There are many variables that make listening more demanding than speaking. For
one thing, there are times when you can rehearse what you are to say, while you cannot
predict what you are to listen to. For another thing, listening is a total activity, i.e., it
involves not just your ears but your other senses as well. Furthermore, there may be
variables that prevent you from listening effectively.
Whatever problem you may have with listening, just remember that listening is a
skill, and as such, it can be learned and developed. You should, however, understand
some factors that prevent you from listening efficiently.
Types of Listening
There are a thousand and one reasons why we listen. However, the purpose of a
psychiatrist listening to his patient is different from the purpose of a client listening to a
sales agent.
As a student, you may engage in the following major types of listening (Montesa,
1999):
1. Informative Listening
In this type of listening, you listen for facts and ideas; you listen for information.
Here, it is important that you identify the speaker’s ideas and supporting points, and form
a mental outline of the message. You will find the talk more meaningful and more
interesting if you are able to relate the speaker’s points to what you already know.
INTERMEDIATE ENGLISH 27
There are times when we address our attention directly to what the speaker is
saying. For instance, wherever you listen to a political candidate’s campaign speech or to a
television ad, you are not merely listening for information. You evaluate whether the
candidate really means what he says or whether the advertised product will, indeed,
deliver what it promises.
When you do not accept everything said as gospel truth, when you think twice
buying a product or accepting a friend’s invitation, you engage in critical listening.
In evaluating the veracity or validity of the speaker’s ideas, you have to determine
his/her motives and “chew over” what he/she says before you swallow it. You should
also distinguish facts from opinions and question the speaker’s ideas without being
prejudiced or prejudgmental.
Listening for feelings may be done effectively through reflective listening, i.e.,
trying to understand what the other person sees or feels from his/her viewpoint, and
reflecting these back. You have to set aside your own feelings and put yourself in your
friend’s shoes. Aside from listening sympathetically to his/her story, you help your friend
identify the emotion(s) involved, and the problem, and you let him/her work out the
problem for the other person might only need a shoulder to cry on.
When you were small, you probably enjoyed listening to bedtime stories. Now, you
probably enjoy listening to your favorite FM station, or watching your favorite soap opera
or sitcom.
In listening for enjoyment, the material you listen to is usually light. Your main
purpose is to be entertained. But there are times, however, when listening for enjoyment
demands more than just sitting back and relaxing. For example, your literature professor
might ask you to listen to an oral rendition of a poem which you find complicated. This
means you need to do some critical and reflective listening as well.
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Characteristics of Listening
Listening Effectively
No matter what your purpose for listening is, it always pays to listen effectively.
Although it is impossible for your speech instructor or anybody else to access and monitor
your listening process, he/she can help you analyze your weaknesses as well as your
listening ability to help you enhance your skills.
The following are some strategies for effective listening, which you can use to
develop your listening ability (Montesa, 1999).
1. Get ready to listen. Listening demands a high degree of concentration. When you
notice that the other person is about to speak, set your mind on what he/she has to tell
you. If you are to listen to a public speaker, choose a place where you can adequately see
and hear the speaker. Do not slouch listlessly while listening. Sit erect and focus your eyes,
most of the time, on the speaker.
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3. Listen willingly and actively. Take the listening task as an opportunity for you to
increase your knowledge. Once the speaker opens his mouth, start concentrating on the
message.
4. Be inquisitive. Ask questions tacitly or aloud. If the situation allows, ask the
speaker clarifying questions. However, effective listening should also check the accuracy
of the speaker’s statements.
5. Temper your emotions and attitudes. It entails courtesy on the part of both
speaker and listener. Respect for other people’s ideas and feelings are imperative. Do not
react emotionally and prematurely to the message. Exercise self-control when you feel the
urge to leave the hall because your views get between you and the speaker. Judge the
speech, not the delivery or the speaker.
6. Do mental calisthenics. Listening requires clear logic of events and ideas and
their sequences; it also calls upon the listener to remember the most important ideas and
the supporting ones. Try do decode the message by constructing a mental outline of the
major points and the supporting details mentioned by the speaker. Be on the lookout for
transitions which indicate changes in ideas and topics.
7. React accordingly. Watch out for non-verbal cues that can help you decipher
what the speaker means. Remember, listening summons the listener to give the speaker
full visual for better appreciation. It is the grasping of feelings and attitudes through the
speaker’s tone and melody of the voice, rhythm, rate and volume of utterance.
8. Formulate and convey a relevant response. Do not laugh when what the speaker
says is not funny at all. Do not keep nodding your head when you do not always agree
with the speaker.
9. Marshall information and stimuli. Distinguish fact from opinion and weed out
insignificant or irrelevant information. Your attention may be deflected from the speaker’s
message by somebody’s entering or leaving the room, or by your neighbors’ whispers and
giggles. If this happens, get back on track immediately.
10. Record the message. If you wish to record a lecture, you may use a tape recorder
or a video camera. Before doing this, however, you must get the informed consent of the
speaker. In the absence of a cassette or video recorder, take down notes. Recording allows
you to review and evaluate the message later.
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In spite of our efforts to listen effectively, certain variables influence our ability to
listen fairly. Hence, we need to understand how these factors affect our listening. Montesa
(1999) identified the following roadblocks to effective listening.
1. Internal Interference
Sometimes, you feel upset or worried about a problem that you have a hard time
concentrating on what is being said. In some instances, you are too preoccupied to listen to
your professor or classmate because you daydream a lot about your crush. At other times,
you feel too tired or too sleepy to listen.
All these forms of internal interference are psychological and take place within you.
If you do not do something about them, chances are, you will miss the speaker’s message.
2. External Interference
There are times when, no matter what you do, you cannot understand your
teacher’s lecture because of the noise emanating from the corridors, or from the adjacent
rooms. There are also instances when you want to listen attentively but cannot do so
because your seatmates are making a lot of fuss. In these instances, you are contending
with external interference.
When an Englishman asks you if there is any lift in the building, you may not get
what he means. Consequently, you do not know what answer to give him. On the other
hand, if you tell a foreigner that the place where you are standing used to be a “salvage
area,” he will certainly not understand you. In these situations, communication
breakdown happens because of cultural and linguistic differences between the listener and
speaker.
4. Speaker-Generated Variables
If the speaker frequently stutters or stammers, “eats his/her words,” fails to project
his voice, uses unfamiliar terms, or exhibits distracting behaviors, he/she may turn you off
and induce you to tune him/her out. If the speaker fails to present his/her ideas in an
organized manner, he/she may confuse you and prevent you from sorting out and
processing the intended message. It is, thus, quite important, that the speaker is conscious
of the variables involving himself/herself. Otherwise, speaking may just be an exercise in
futility.
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