Public Speaking

48 CHAPTER^4 Effective Listening

Use Elaboration Strategies

Link the material to yourself in ways that enhance the meaning. Create mental images

or refer to what you already know or have experienced. For example, you might ask

questions like: “Who do I know who is like that?” “What comes next?” “Does this match

what I learned in another context?” “How does this relate to things I’m doing now?”

Use Strategies That Complement Your Learning Style

If you are an auditory learner and your instructor uses lecture capture technology to

upload class materials into digital formats, you can review them on demand. Or you

might ask permission to tape the lectures and discussions. Replaying complex subjects

can be especially helpful. You can skim over parts you understand easily and then replay

the parts that are more difficult.^25 If you are a linear learner, outline the main points

and the important supporting information. If you are more graphically oriented, make

a mind map and draw connections between ideas, or sketch useful illustrations in the

margins of your notes. I like to include the speaker’s examples in my notes because

I learn and remember abstract ideas better when I can tie them to real-life situations.

Don’t Get Hung Up on Delivery

Some speakers with important things to say have annoying delivery habits that can take

your focus off the main idea.

In summary, comprehensive listening corresponds with the general speech purpose

of informing. Listening to learn requires advanced skills of understanding words and

ideas, identifying major ideas and supporting materials, connecting new material with

old, and recalling information. We now turn to critical listening skills that you should

put into practice when you hear a persuasive speaker.

lecture capture use of tech-
nology to upload class mate-
rials in digital formats

Diversity

in praCtiCe

Cultural listening styles

Listeners from various cultural groups approach public speeches in ways that

reflect their groups’ different worldviews and listening behaviors. Knowing some

cultural variations will make you more mindful of listening diversity. Here are a

few examples:

•    Cultural schemas: These are culturally developed mental plans, blueprints,

or models that help the group’s members perceive information and then

interpret, store, and recall it.^26 For example, Native Americans from the

Tlingit tribe have different schemas for tlagu stories (stories of long ago)

and ch’kalnik tales (stories that really happened).^27

•    African American schemas: The entire audience participates in a “call and

response” pattern that reflects African traditions. The speaker’s statements

(calls) are punctuated by the listeners’ reactions to them (response), and

in a real sense, the audience talks back to the speaker. No sharp line

distinguishes speakers and listeners, and everyone cooperates to create the

message.^28

•    Asian cultural listening traditions: Cultures that emphasize unity often expect

speakers to develop oneness with listeners rather than present divisive ideas.

schemas mental model
that guides your perception,
interpretation, storage, and
recollection of a speech

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