jane forward sociocultural competency...but entering conversation is difficult when… some...

Sociocultural CompetencyFoundational Skill of Active ListeningMicroskills to signal turn-taking

Jane ForwardCommunications InstructorVancouver Community College

Jane Forward, April 2018

Sociocultural Competency(in contrast to Sociocultural Competencies)

� Awareness of differences� Acceptance of differences� Ability to accommodate self to

differences (“wear the coat”)

� Requires ability to ‘perception check’� Requires confidence in oneself


Discrete SCCs(in contrast to Sociocultural Competency)

These take confidence to use (need to wear ‘the coat’):

ØActive ListeningØClarifying informationØRequesting informationØReceiving feedbackØRefusing requests


The foundational SCC:Responding with Active Listening

First: What is passive listening?

� Listener: nodding, eye contact, smilingat the Speaker.

Speaker: finishes with an expectantpause.

� Listener: “Okay, thanks.” Or a nod.Does not demonstrate comprehension.


Active Listening:Encouragers

� ‘Encouragers’ (mm hmm, wow, I see, and also echoes) actively keep the speaker talking.

� Encouragers contain the listener’s emotion, most importantly interest.Important for rapport.


Active Listening:Clarifiers

Pausing a conversation in order toinsert a concise paraphrase, empathy statement, or question.

� ….so.. you wanted him to do it.� ….so..you must have been worried.� … so..when was this?� … so..going back to what you were saying

about XY…+ paraphrase or Qu.


Golden Gift received when you’ve paused to clarify

The speaker responds with:

Ømore information Øcorrection

Both of which are ‘gold’.

Image retrieved from: https://www.purdys.com/gold-coins-4.5-kg

But entering conversation is difficult when…

Some listeners need more ‘processing time’, and/or they wait for a ‘pause’ that never comes: ØintrovertsØchildrenØelderlyØhard of hearingØoverwhelmed by new environmentØEnglish is not first language


Jump in with Hand and “so….”

Image retrieved from: http://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/article-images/146121/conversation_popup.jpg

Cues for entry; put out your hand and say ‘so…’

� Speaker glances away (even though still talking)

� Speaker uses ‘verbal punctuation’ (“and then”….)

� Speaker has just changed the topic

� Miracle of miracles…there’s a pause!

Hand and “so…” – useful Microskill


Activity � Groups of 3� Each student has 3 listener ‘SO’ cards� Each student has 2 speaker response

cards ‘added more info’ ‘corrected’.

Topic for SpeakerSomething you are passionate about that

you can describe and give examples about.


Activity continuesØSpeaker…speak at your natural pace for 4

minutes.

Ø2 Listeners…each need to ‘use up’ your listening cards.Don’t wait for a pause!

ØSpeaker: after responding to the Listener’s clarification or comment, show appropriate card…did you ‘add more info’ or ‘correct’.


Activity end and debriefWhen each speaker finishes, one of the

listeners uses the Active Listening skill of concise summarizing.

Debrief: Discuss differences among the 3speakers of:

Ø pacing and pausingØ how easy or difficult did it feel to use ‘hand

and so’


Can be used in any group activity to aid in participationas well as…

� Every week (?), each student approaches instructor to clarify something about class or assignment work.

� Once instructor has ‘got going’, student needs to ‘hand+so+paraphrase’ x 2, minimum; thank and summarize at end.


Which one is responding with active listening?

Image retrieved from: https://www.inc.com/marissa-levin/what-did-you-say-15-phrases-that-will-help-you-bet.html

jane forward sociocultural competency...but entering conversation is difficult when… some...

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