C. active involvement
Explanation:
Watch for nonverbal signals. Aside from communicating their messages through words, speakers often give clues through their actions about what they consider important.
Common nonverbal signals include
gestures or facial expressions;
eye contact with the audience; and
movement around the front of the room to connect with the audience.
Link new information you hear into a meaningful pattern by combining it with what you already know. For example, you might compare what you hear about this college’s degree programs with those of another college you already know about. Or you might think about the similarities or differences between two different career options.
Active Involvement
Active involvement is when you interpret the speaker’s message and identify the most important points.
Listen for verbal signals, which are the ways a message is communicated through a person’s voice. To emphasize important points, speakers may
change the tone or pitch of their voice;
change how loudly or quickly they speak; or
pronounce key words slowly or with added emphasis.
Preparation
Imagine that a college representative has come to talk to your class. This individual’s presentation will help you make important decisions about the steps you need to take to choose a college. Clearly, it is very important that you listen closely.
Think About It
How might you prepare to listen to this speaker?
There are a number of things you can do to prepare for this kind of speaker.
Find out about the subject that will be discussed. In this case, it is
college admissions requirements;
college application process;
courses offered; and
financial aid options.
Block out all distractions during the presentation. For example, you should
turn off your cell phone;
not sit next to a friend who may distract you; and
select a seat where you can see and hear the speaker clearly.
Write down questions you have or ideas you want to learn more about.
How do I decide on choosing a college?
What degree programs are offered?
Can I afford to go to college?
Evaluation
Evaluation is the last step in the listening process. Remember, when you listen to a speech you have to think about its purpose. As you may recall, speeches vary depending on their purpose.
Take a look at the table to review the four purposes of speeches.
Purpose
Description
Example
inform
explains an event or idea, or describes a person, place, object, or process
the invention of the light bulb
entertain
often about amusing topics that people might enjoy hearing about
the best thing about having a little sister
persuade
to get listeners to agree with your position on a topic or take a certain action
why people should try a vegetarian diet
suit the occasion
an informal, unplanned speech without a prepared outline
toasting the bride and groom at a wedding
To evaluate a speech properly, you first must actively listen to it.
Then, you want to take some time after you listen to the speech to think about what you have heard.
After you listen to a speech, ask yourself, What did I just hear?
You can evaluate how well you were listening if you are able to answer questions such as these:
What was the purpose of the speech?
What was the overall message?
What points were most useful?
What parts were most interesting?
Do I agree with what the speaker said?
Were the speaker’s words emotionally charged, or were they said without emotion?
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