WAYS TO IMPROVE LISTENING1.Prepare to listenThe first thing to do before attending a speech or lecture is to prepare yourself to listen. This means knowing something about the subject before hand so that you can listen actively rather than passively. The first step in preparing to listen is to determine the subject from the title of the speech or lecture.if your knowledge is limited, you can go to the library or read your textbook to obtain information that will help your better understand what the speaker has to say.

2.Avoid Distraction Distractions can interfere with concentration and

make it difficult to listen. To limit external distractions , arrive early enough to get a centrally located seat close to the speaker. Avoid sitting near windows or an entrance or exit.

3.Identify the Central IdeaIf the speech or lecture you are listening to has

been well prepared, the central idea should become immediatelly apparent. You might get a clue as to the central idea from the title or the purpose.

4. Identify the Main PointsThe listener’s job is to sort out these main points from

the supporting materials. This takes thinking and concentration. Identifying main points,listen for signals: ‘’some of the reasons that’’..or ‘’in addition.

5.Think along with the speaker As you are listening , try to reconstruct the

organizational pattern of the speech. Determine if the speaker is supporting each new idea with a variety of supporting materials. Relate what the speaker is saying to your own knowledge and interest. Responding to the speech in this way will not only improve your active listening but will provide insight.

6.Take effective notesTake effective notes is an excellent way to improve your

listening. It takes clear thinking and concentration to sort out main ideas from supporting details.

Note Taking Tips1.Write down only iportant ideasA good speech is planned around a central idea an

several main points. Listen for signals that indicate that main ideas are forthcoming . Words like : specifically , further , and first indicate that a speaker is moving from one point to another.

2.Write legiblySometime notes takers write so hurriedly that

when they finish, they can’t read their own notes.

3. Keep upIf you find that you are falling behind in your note

taking, skip a few lines and begin again.4. Use your own wordsWhen you translate the ideas of another into your

own vocabulary, they will be easier to understand and remember.

5.Be brief A common mistake among inexperienced note

takers is the tendencyto write down too much. A set of notes should be a summary of a speaker’s main ideas.

6. Don’t eraseDraw a line through the mistake and continue. If you

want your notes to be neat, you can rewrite or type them later.

7. Don’t worry about spellingIf you’re not sure about how a word is spelled, write it

phonetically. You can check the spelling later when you expand your notes.

8. Date your notesWhen you are taking notes, you should get into the

habit of dating them. This will enable you to pinpoint a missed lecture or the specific date of a speech.

9. Expand your notesThe notes will help you for remember

information or to aid in studying for an exam , it is wise to expand them as soon after a lecture as possible.

You aim as a speaker should be to fulfill a purpose by achieving a desired response. Your succes in informing , entertaining, or persuading must always be measured in terms of the response your receiver gives to yur message

The major purpose in speaking

1. To entertain – to elicit a pleasurable response, to provoke curiosity, to provide suspense , or to amuse.

2. To inform-to add to the knowledge or understanding of the listener.

3. To persuade-to convince , to reinforce, or to actuate .

Three type of persuasion will be treated separetely:

a. To convince-to change your listener’s opinions or to commit them to a point of view about which they are undecided.

b. To reinforce –to arouse and invigorate an audience already in agreement with the speaker’s point of view .

c. To actuate – to put into action.