Soft Skills (BAS105) - Unit 2: Listening & Speaking Skills PDF

SOFT SKILLS (BAS105) Unit 2: Listening and Speaking Skills  Active Listening: Meaning and Art of Listening  Traits of a Good Listener  Listening Modes  Listening and Note taking  Types of Listening  Listening Techniques using Ted Talk Audio listening with script readi...

SOFT SKILLS (BAS105) Unit 2: Listening and Speaking Skills  Active Listening: Meaning and Art of Listening  Traits of a Good Listener  Listening Modes  Listening and Note taking  Types of Listening  Listening Techniques using Ted Talk Audio listening with script reading  Pronunciation  Speaking Style  Content and sequencing By-Pooja Sachdeva Applied Science and Humanities United Institute of Technology 1  LISTENING SKILLS “We were given two ears but only one mouth, because listening is twice as hard as talking.” – Epictetus Listening is not something that just happens (that is hearing), listening is an active process in which a conscious decision is made to listen to and understand the messages of the speaker. Listeners should remain neutral and non-judgmental, this means trying not to take sides or form opinions, especially early in the conversation. Listeners should not be tempted to jump in with questions or comments every time there are a few seconds of silence. Active Listening 'Active listening' means, as its name suggests, actively listening. That is fully concentrating on what is being said rather than just passively ‘hearing’ the message of the speaker. Active listening is also about patience - pauses and short periods of silence should be accepted. Active listening encompasses the best of communication: actually hearing and understanding what’s being said, processing the information and responding in order to clarify and elicit more information. Active listening is the foundation of effective communication. It solves problems and resolves conflicts. It builds relationships and careers. Active listening involves giving the other person time to explore their thoughts and feelings, they should, therefore, be given adequate time for that. Active listening is a skill that can be acquired and developed with practice. However, active listening can be difficult to master and will, therefore, take time and patience to develop. Active listening involves listening with all senses. As well as giving full attention to the speaker, it is important that the ‘active listener’ is also ‘seen’ to be listening - otherwise the speaker may conclude that what they are talking about is uninteresting to the listener. Interest can be conveyed to the speaker by using both verbal and non-verbal messages such as maintaining eye contact, nodding your head and smiling, agreeing by saying ‘Yes’ or simply ‘Mmm hmm’ to encourage them to continue. By providing this 'feedback' the person speaking will usually feel more at ease and therefore communicate more easily, openly and honestly. 2 Active Listening v/s Passive Listening Passive listening is mechanical and effortless. If you are awake and your ears work properly, you can listen passively. It does not require any special effort. For example, You hear what your teacher says and you might be able to tell the difference between major and minor points of the lecture, but that is about it. Lack of enthusiasm and a "careless" attitude during class characterize a student who is a passive listener. Active listening on the other hand needs concentration on the content of the lecture and not on the lecturer or any random distractions in the room or the mind of the listener. Active listeners do more than just focusing on facts, figures, and ideas and actively associate the material presented with their own experiences. The content heard at every lecture is converted to something useful and meaningful for the student. You must pay special attention in class because, unlike when reading a textbook, you only get one chance to hear and understand the information presented to you. Comparison Chart Basis of Active Listening Passive Listening Distinction Active listening means that the listenerPassive listening means exhibiting like Definition fully concentrates, understand, respond listening to the speaker nonetheless not and then remember what is being said. trying to know the meanings. Listener connects with the world and Listener disconnects himself from the Connectivity actively participates with the target of outsiders and has minimal interaction with Level problem-solving others Self- Take obligation for his or her very Avoids obligation for learning and Responsibility personal learning and progress problem- solving Accepts and retain information as-is with no Mental Sharp ideas, alert to find, replicate on intention to question or downside the idea Approach information for enhancement Self-Motivation Strong Weak Level Engagement High Low Level Strong willed, eager on new ideas, open Narrow minded, low or no will power, Will-Power minded unreceptive to new ideas The Art of Listening Listening is an art. It requires us to be patient, receptive, open-minded, and non-judgmental. It requires us not to put words in other people’s mouths, fill in gaps, or presume to understand the other person fully. 3 Those who can listen to others well can listen to themselves deeply. This is the foundation of self-awareness, self-love, and self-knowledge. In fact, the art of listening is central to practices such as meditation and mindfulness. So why not hone this skill with others each day, and make the best opportunity of every moment you get? How to Master the Art of Listening 1) Make Eye Contact This first rule is very obvious but frequently forgotten. If you don’t look at the person while they’re speaking, you give them the impression that you don’t care what they say. In essence, it appears as though you don’t even care about them. 2) Don’t Interrupt Let the person speak uninterrupted. To master the art of listening you need to halt any good thoughts that come to mind and let the person say everything they need to say. Often times people simply need someone to talk to, not someone who will butt in and give their own thoughts and opinions. The goal is to shine the spotlight on them, not you. 3) Practice “Active Listening” The art of listening isn’t simply about staying quiet 100% of the time; it’s also about asking questions. These questions are for clarification or for further explanation so that you can fully understand what the speaker is telling you. For instance, questions like these are brilliant: “Are you saying that ”, “What I heard you say was ”, “Did you mean that.” 4) Show You Understand Another great way to show that you understand what the person is telling you is to nod. You can also make sounds that show you’re in tune with what the person is saying such as “yes”, “yeah”, “mhmm”, “okay.” This seems trivial, but it’s important to not behave like a zombie and demonstrate some interest and comprehension. 5) Listen without Thinking In other words, listen without forming responses in your mind. Be wholehearted and listen to the entire message. It’s very tempting to fill the spaces, after all, our minds think around 800 words per minute, compared to 125-150 words we speak per minute. Don’t miss valuable information by letting your mind wander! 6) Listen without Judgement 4  To effectively master the art of listening it’s extremely important to withhold any negative evaluations or judgments. Make it your goal to be open-minded as much as possible. After all, who wants to open up to a narrow-minded person? It also helps to be mindful of your “shut off” triggers, which are the specific words, looks, or situations that cause you to stop listening. This way, you can prevent yourself from shutting off in the future. 7) Listen to Non-Verbal Communication About 60-75% of our communication is non-verbal. That’s a lot! In order to know whether to encourage the speaker, to open yourself more, or to be more supportive in your approach, it’s essential to know what the person’s body is saying. Do they display signs of discomfort? Are they wary of you? Does their body language align with their words? 8) Create a Suitable Environment It can be difficult to listen to another person when the TV is screaming, your phone is buzzing and there are thousands of cars passing by. When you remove all of these distractions and find a quiet place to sit down and listen, it’s much easier to listen empathetically with an open mind and whole heart. Also, when you indicate it would be good to “find a quiet place,” you put importance in the person and what they have to say. Once again, you show care and consideration. 9) Observe Other People If you’re really serious about mastering the art of listening, why not observe other people? One of the best ways to become a better listener is to observe the way people interact with each other, and all the irritating and rude things they do. Create an “annoying habit” checklist, and see if you do any. If you’re brave enough you can even ask someone you trust about what they like and dislike about the way you interact with others in conversation. Traits of a Good Listener 1. Listens without distractions 2. Keeps eyes on the speaker to communicate interest 3. Concentrates on what's being said 4. Doesn’t pre-judge the message(s) 5. Avoids interrupting 6. Interjects only to enhance understanding using “what” and “how” questions 7. Summarizes for clarity 8. Uses positive body language; head nodding, eye contact, body lean 5  9. Listens for what is unsaid 10. Creates an atmosphere for unhurried conversation Listening Modes Effective listening has three modes: attentive listening, responsive listening, and active listening. Understanding these modes will help you increase your listening accuracy and reduce the opportunity for misunderstanding. 1. Attentive Listening Attentive listeners focus on the speaker and work hard to eliminate distractions (such as ambient noise or poor delivery skills). They are also patient and let the speaker finish their thoughts without interruption. While not easy, attentive listening is essential for effective communication. 2. Responsive Listening Responsive listeners demonstrate to the speaker that they are listening and understanding what is being said, which encourages the speaker to continue. Encouraging responses may include both nonverbal and verbal cues: Nonverbal Responses  Smiling  Appropriate facial expression  An affirmative nod of the head  Good (appropriate) eye contact  Minimizing distractions (turning off cell phones, etc.)  Taking notes (under-utilized way to broaden the depth of learning)  Leaning slightly towards the speaker Verbal Responses  “Uh-huh”  “I see”  “Yes”  “Really?” Occasionally repeating or paraphrasing short phrases to show what you’ve heard 3. Active Listening 6 Active listening is probably the most important listening skill. It is “active” because it combines the skills of listening and responding without invalidating the speaker’s comments, giving the speaker personal opinions, advice, or trying to draw ownership of the conversation away from the speaker. An active listener monitors the communication of a message at both the content and feeling level. They pay attention to what people say, how they say it, and why they’re saying it. Then, once the listener feels they understand the sender’s message, they paraphrase it back to the speaker to ensure understanding prior to responding with their own answer or message. The listener’s goal is to first understand the messenger’s thoughts, feelings, and needs and then send them back for verification of accuracy before proceeding. When paraphrasing, it is important to use your own words; don’t just simply parrot back what the messenger said. Utilizing these three modes of listening will make you a more effective listener and, in turn, a more effective communicator. Listening and Note taking When you are listening, taking notes helps you concentrate. In order to take notes - to write something sensible - you must understand the speaker’s content. Taking notes help you make sense of the text. It does not mean writing down every word you hear; you need to actively, decide what is important and how is related to what you have already written. Notes help you to maintain a permanent record of what you have listened to. This is useful when revising in the future for examinations or other reasons. Following are the techniques for effective listening and note taking: 1. Write phrases, not full sentences. Only record the key words that you need to get the idea of the point. Skip words like “the” and “a” that don’t add additional meaning to the lecture content. Retain key technical or discipline-specific terms. 2. Take notes in your own words. Paraphrase what you hear so it makes sense to you—it helps you to understand and remember what you hear. Try to paraphrase everything except where information needs to be noted exactly. 3. Structure your notes with headings, subheadings and numbered lists. Use headings to indicate topic areas or to include bibliographic details of the sources of information. Use outline form and/or a numbering system and indenting to help you distinguish major from minor points and as a clear way of indicating the structure of lecture information. 4. Code your notes—use colour and symbols to mark structure and emphasis. 5. Use colour to highlight major sections, main points and diagrams. You can also use different colours to classify and link concepts or information by topic. However, don’t focus too much on colour coding when you’re in the lecture. It requires time and 7  concentration, so it’s more useful to do most of the highlighting and underlining when you’re revising your notes later. 6. Underline, circle, star, etc. to identify key information, examples, definitions, or other important materials. Devise your own marking code to indicate each type. 7. If you miss something, write key words, skip a few spaces, and get the information later. Leave a space on the page for your own notes and comments. 8. Use Symbols and Abbreviations, for frequently used words, phrases or names are useful for note taking in lectures when speed is essential. It’s important to be consistent so you remember what they represent and can use them easily. Keep a ‘key list’ of frequently used symbols/abbreviations and their meanings so that you can refer to them in the future. 9. Use concept maps and diagrams, information can also be recorded using a concept map or diagram. Try drawing diagrams or pictures for concepts that are hard to note quickly. Types of Listening 1. Informational listening When you want to learn something, you’ll use informational listening to understand and retain information. It usually takes a high level of concentration to perform this type of listening. That’s because you need to be highly engaged to understand a new concept. You also need to apply critical thinking to what you are learning. This is so you can understand what you’re learning within the context of relevant information. Some examples of informational listening include:  Work training  Self-paced learning at home or at work  Listening to an educational ebook When you know how to use informational listening, you empower yourself to become a better learner. You can also feel more fulfilled when you pursue your passions and learn something new. 2. Discriminative listening Discriminative listening is the first listening type that you’re born with. Everyone innately has discriminative listening skills. You use this type of listening before you even know how to understand words. Instead of relying on words, discriminative listening uses tone of voice, verbal cues, and other changes in sound. Discriminative listening is how babies understand the intention of a phrase before they can understand words. If someone speaks to them in a happy and amused tone of voice, they’ll smile and laugh back. They can also tell who is talking because they recognize different voices. But discriminative listening isn’t just for babies. If you’re listening to a conversation happening in a foreign language, you’ll likely automatically use your discriminative listening skills. These will allow you to analyze tone and inflection to get an idea of what is going on. 8 You can also use nonverbal cues to listen and analyze. For instance, someone’s facial expressions, body language, and other mannerisms can tell you a lot about the meaning of someone’s message. This listening style is key to understanding the subtle cues in a conversation. Using this listening skill can help you read between the lines and hear what remains unspoken. Here’s an example: Let’s say you ask one of your colleagues if they agree with a course of action. They say yes, but you can tell from their body language, such as shifting uncomfortably, that something is wrong. Using your discriminative listening skills, you can pick up on this and ask them if they’re certain. You can also ask if something is going on that they’d like to discuss. 3. Biased listening Biased listening is also known as selective listening. Someone who uses biased listening will only listen for information that they specifically want to hear. This listening process can lead to a distortion of facts. That’s because the person listening isn’t fully in tune with what the speaker wishes to communicate. Here’s an example: Let’s say your superior is briefing you on a new project. You’re waiting to hear about the details of this assignment because you’ve been excited for a long time about it. Because you’re so focused on the details of the assignment, you don’t fully hear everything your superior says. As a result, you hear your superior explain how you’ll be judged on this project, but you don’t fully process it. Because you don’t have this information, you may not perform as well as you could if you had understood all the details. 4. Sympathetic listening Sympathetic listening is driven by emotion. Instead of focusing on the message spoken through words, the listener focuses on the feelings and emotions of the speaker. This is done to process these feelings and emotions. By using sympathetic listening, you can provide the support the speaker needs. You can understand how they’re really feeling, not what they say they are feeling. The speaker will feel heard and validated when you take the time to pay attention in this way. Sympathetic listening is crucial if you want to build a deeper relationship with someone in your life. For example, let’s say you run into a work colleague at the grocery store. They seem upset, so you decide to listen to what they have to say. You also use sympathetic listening to feel how they are feeling. In doing this, you notice how frustrated they are about the lack of recognition they are getting at work. As a result, you can offer your support and sympathize with their situation. 5. Comprehensive listening Unlike discriminative listening, comprehensive listening requires language skills. This type of listening is usually developed in early childhood. People use comprehensive listening to understand what someone is saying using words. Several other types of listening build on comprehensive listening. For example, you need to use comprehensive 9 listening to use informational listening and learn something new. At work and in your life, you’ll likely use a combination of comprehensive and discriminative listening to understand the messages people are giving you. For example, let’s say your colleague briefs you on a project. You’ll need to use comprehensive listening to analyze the words and understand the message. You’ll also use comprehensive listening when you receive feedback. 6. Empathetic or therapeutic listening Empathetic listening is useful to help you see from other people’s perspectives. Using this type of listening, you can try to understand someone else’s point of view as they’re speaking. You can also try to imagine yourself in the other person’s shoes. Instead of just focusing on their message, you can use empathetic listening to relate to someone else’s experiences as if they were your own. This is different from sympathetic listening. With sympathetic listening, you try to understand someone’s feelings to provide support. But you don’t necessarily try to imagine what it’d feel like to be in their position. Here’s an example: Let’s say your superior just announced that this week’s company outing is canceled due to budget cuts. By using empathetic listening, you can tell how much pressure your superior is feeling. You can imagine yourself having to break the bad news. You know there’s pressure from higher-ups to respect the budget. You also know that there’s pressure from employees. Instead of getting upset, you understand why your superior made this decision. That’s because you can imagine what it’s like to be in their shoes at this moment. 7. Critical listening If you need to analyze complex information, you’ll need to use critical listening. Using critical thinking while listening goes deeper than comprehensive listening. Instead of taking the information at face value, you can use critical listening to evaluate what’s being said. Critical listening is crucial when problem-solving at work. For example, you’d use this type of listening when trying to choose how to handle an unusual and complex client request. You need to use this skill to analyze solutions offered by other people and decide if you agree or not. To do this, you don’t just need to hear their words. You also need to look at the bigger picture and compare everything you know. 10 Listening Techniques using Ted Talk Audio listening with script reading What is a TED talk? A TED talk is a recorded public-speaking presentation that was originally given at the main TED (technology, entertainment and design) annual event or one of its many satellite events around the world. TED is a nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short, powerful talks, often called "TED talks." TED talks are limited to a maximum length of 18 minutes but may be on any topic. What are some examples of TED talk subjects? Popular TED talks include:  "The interspecies internet? An idea in progress"  "Anatomy of a New Yorker cartoon"  "Why we should build wooden skyscrapers"  "The curly fry conundrum: Why social media 'likes' say more than you might think"  "Meet global corruption's hidden players"  "How we'll resurrect the gastric-brooding frog, the Tasmanian tiger"  "Ingenuity and elegance in ancient African alphabets"  "The dangers of willful blindness"  "What ants teach us about the brain, cancer, and the Internet"  "Why we sleep" The history of TED talks The TED organization was founded by Richard Saul Wurman, and the TED conference was co-founded by Harry Marks in February 1984. The first TED conference was in 1984 and the conference has been held annually since 1990. Initially, the focus of TED conferences was technology, design and entertainment. 11  However, TED has broadened its focus in recent years to include big ideas on a wider range of topics such as global issues, business, education, and health. TED talks have been given by a variety of professionals from various fields of study, including actors, scientists, medical professionals, and influencers. In addition to TED talks, TED.com also has a number of other related projects and TED events. A few of them include:  TEDx Talks are TED-like events that are organized by volunteers around the world.  TED-Ed is a platform where educators can submit educational videos.  TEDGlobal is an annual international conference that focuses on "ideas worth spreading."  TEDTalks Director's Cut videos are select TED talks that have been remastered with new footage or animations.  TEDWomen is an annual TED conference that focuses on "ideas worth spreading by women."  TEDx in Schools is a program that brings TEDx events to schools.  TED-Ed Clubs are after-school clubs for students who want to learn more about TED and TEDx Talks.  The TED Prize is a $1 million prize awarded annually to "an exceptional individual with a creative, bold vision to spark global change." As of 2018, the TED Prize is now known as The Audacious Project.  TED Fellows are "outstanding young innovators" who are selected each year. The TED Fellows Program provides "support, resources and access to the TED community." Listening with script reading “There is no friend as loyal as a book” – said American author Ernest Hemingway. Books fire up your imagination, provide solace in times of grief, and open up your world. The importance of a reading habit is intrinsically linked to professional success, as it opens up the mind to new experiences and provides new avenues of knowledge. 12 Reading can make you a better writer and speaker. Reading skills can take you a step ahead and help you achieve your objectives by customizing the way you read. If you choose the appropriate reading skill, it will enhance the reading process and help you achieve your goal. If you wish to read for pleasure, you can use the extensive reading skill. There is no expectation from the reader here and you can understand the meaning of words through context. For example, after reading the sentence, “Tread softly because you tread on my dreams”, you would be able to make out that the meaning of tread has something to do with walking. Among the various reading skills, intensive reading is used most often. Here, you pay complete attention to every word and understand it fully. This method would take you much longer to read, but the comprehension of the text would be much higher. Another reading skill, critical reading, helps analyze and question the assumptions in the text. It enables you to arrive at your own conclusions. When you want to go over information quickly, you use skimming. For example, going through a book before purchasing it. Sometimes when you read, you only look for a specific portion. This skill is called scanning. Choosing the appropriate way to read can help you get maximum benefit. For example, you should not skim through something that you need to prepare a report on. Similarly, you may not want to apply extensive reading skill for a topic that you don’t find interesting. The Importance Of Reading Reading enhances our life in several ways:  Exercising Your Mind One of the advantages of reading is that it engages various parts of your brain. When you read, you exercise your comprehension abilities and your analytical abilities. It fires up your imagination and stimulates the memory centers of your mind. It helps recall information as well as stabilize your emotions.  The Role Of Reading Skills In Communication The vital role of reading skills in communication is perfecting your oratory skills. Reading teaches you new words and perspectives. It helps strengthen language and sharpens sentence structure. It gives you a better command over the language. All of these are critical to being a good speaker.  Finding Yourself 13  One of the several advantages of reading is that it helps shape your identity. When you read, you decide who you want to become. You borrow bits from fictional characters you hold dear. For example, reading Sherlock Holmes can inspire you to become a detective or simply become more observant and analytical.  Becoming A Well-Read Individual Before the internet, books were the only sources of information and knowledge. Books contain the collective wisdom of our times. The more you read, the more you will learn about the world and the people in it. One of the great benefits of reading is that it helps you evolve your understanding of the world.  Keeping Calm And Entertained One of the benefits of reading is that it relaxes your mind and body. You recharge your energy levels much faster when you read. Reading is the best way to end the day on a calm note. It may even help you fall asleep much faster. PRONUNCIATION Pronunciation is the way in which a word or a language is spoken. This may refer to generally agreed-upon sequences of sounds used in speaking a given word or language in a specific dialect ("correct pronunciation") or simply the way a particular individual speaks a word or language. "Pronunciation" refers to the way in which we make the sound of words. To pronounce words, we push air from our lungs up through our throat and vocal chords, through our mouth, past our tongue and out between our teeth and lips. (Sometimes air also travels through our nose.) To change the sound that we are making, we mainly use the muscles of our mouth, tongue and lips to control the shape of our mouth and the flow of air. If we can control the shape of our mouth and the flow of air correctly, then our pronunciation is clearer and other people understand us more easily. Speakers of different languages tend to develop different muscles of the mouth for pronunciation. When we speak a foreign language, our muscles may not be well developed for that language, and we will find pronunciation more difficult. By practicing the foreign language pronunciation, our muscles develop and pronunciation improves. As well as creating correct vowel and consonant sounds using the muscles of our mouth, tongue and lips, there are other important aspects of pronunciation, including: Word stress - emphasis on certain syllables in a word Sentence stress - emphasis on certain words 14  in a sentence Linking - joining certain words together Intonation - the rise and fall of our voice as we speak A word can be spoken in different ways by various individuals or groups, depending on many factors, such as: the duration of the cultural exposure of their childhood, the location of their current residence, speech or voice disorders, their ethnic group, their social class, or their education Word Stress Word stress in English is so important that it is sometimes more important than the actual letter sounds. I can swim. [kən] I can’t swim. [kænt] All words of two syllables or more have stress on at least one syllable. Features of Pronunciation Some ideas for focusing on specific pronunciation features are:- 1) Voicing Voiced sounds will make the throat vibrate. For example, /g/ is a voiced sound while /k/ is not, even though the mouth is in the same position for both sounds. 2) Aspiration Aspiration refers to a puff of air when a sound is produced. Many languages have far fewer aspirated sounds than English, and students may have trouble hearing the aspiration. The English /p/, /t/, /k/, and /ch/ are some of the more commonly aspirated sounds. 3) Mouth Position All students should clearly see my mouth while I model sounds. You can use a mirror to see your mouth, lips, and tongue while you imitate me. 4) Intonation Word or sentence intonation can be mimicked with a kazoo (mouth organ), or alternatively by humming. This will take the persons’ attention off of the meaning of a word or sentence and help them focus on the intonation. 15 5) Linking We pronounce phrases and even whole sentences as one smooth sound instead of a series of separate words. 'Will Amy go away,' is rendered 'Willaymeegowaway.' To link words, try starting at the end of a sentence and repeat a phrase, adding more of the sentence can help master it. For example,  'gowaway,' then 'aymeegowaway,' and finally 'Willaymeegowaway' without any pauses between words. 6) Vowel Length Varying vowel lengths can be demonstrated within a word by stretching rubber bands on the longer vowels and letting them contract on shorter ones. Then try it. For example, the word 'fifteen' would have the rubber band stretched for the 'ee' vowel, but the word 'fifty' would not have the band stretched because both of its vowels are spoken quickly. 7) Syllables Count syllables in a word. Syllable stress can be illustrated by clapping softly and loudly. For example, the word 'beautiful' would be loud-soft-soft. Practice with short lists of words with the same syllabic stress pattern ('beautiful,' 'telephone,' 'Florida') and then see if you can list other words with that pattern. 8) Specific Sounds Minimal pairs, or words such as 'bit/bat' that differ by only one sound, are useful for distinguishing similar sounds. Tongue twisters are useful for practicing specific target sounds. 1. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers Where’s the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked? 16  2. I have got a date at a quarter to eight; I’ll see you at the gate, so don’t be late. Pronunciation Note for Pronunciation It may seem odd for the pronunciation of this very word to be an issue; the pronunciation of PRONUNCIATION should be evident from its spelling. The vowel in the second syllable is u, said as in the word up. It is not the diphthong ou, as in ouch. However, for some people, the impulse to retain the sound pattern of the familiar verb pronounce is too strong to resist, and we hear this word said as if it were spelled p-r-o-n-o-u- n-c-i-a-t-i-o-n all too frequently. All this is a reminder that the entire subject of “correct” pronunciation is fraught with controversy. 5 Things You Must Know to Understand All English Pronunciation Guides When you look in an English dictionary, you probably only look at the word and its definition. But did you know that dictionaries also give you a guide on how to pronounce the words? Next to a word in the dictionary are some strange-looking symbols. These letter-like symbols are actually a pronunciation guide! For example, here is how to pronounce the word dictionary: \ˈdik-shə-ˌner-ē\ The International Phonetic Association People who study language, called linguists, have come up with a pronunciation guide called the International Phonetic Association, or the IPA for short. Most dictionaries use a version of the IPA for their pronunciation guide. The IPA on its own is not very easy to understand—it is mostly for scholars and linguists, people whose job it is to figure out sounds and how to write them down. Dictionary pronunciation guides are a little different though. They are meant for anyone to use, so you can learn to read them too! They use some simple symbols, and they are not as complicated as they seem. You just need to learn what sounds the symbols stand for. Before you start learning the pronunciation guide, here is a quick outline to help you understand how the IPA works:  Consonants: Consonants are all of the letters that are not vowels. The English language might have 21 consonants, but there are less consonant sounds. Letters like c and k, and c and s can have the same sound depending on where they are in the word. Other sounds are a combination of consonants, like ch and sh. These make different 17  sounds too. There are not that many consonant symbols to learn, and they are mostly easy to understand—so that is a relief!  Vowels: The vowels in the English language are a, e, i, o, u and sometimes y. Vowels can be combined with other letters, and each other, to create new sounds. There are a few different ways of pronouncing each vowel, and a symbol for each of those pronunciations.  Diphthongs: Even if you have heard of vowels and consonants, you probably have never heard this word! Diphthongs are the sounds made by two vowels put together. Sometimes this is just one sound, like the oo sound. Other times the sound starts in one vowel and moves into the next, like the oa in soak.  Syllables: Along with pronunciation guides for the letters, dictionaries break up words into syllables. These make it easier to spell and speak the word, since they turn one word in a few easy to say parts.  Stresses: Words in the English language uses stresses. Where you put the stress is important to pronouncing the word right, and can even change the meaning of the word. For example, “when you address the Internet, do not give out your Address!” These two differently stressed versions of address mean two different things, just because of the stress! Dictionary guides show you where the stress goes, and they let you know when a different stress will change the meaning of the word.  Advanced Sounds: Linguists define vowels as sounds made without placing anything in the way (like your tongue or teeth). Syllables are also created around them—you can’t have too many voiced (non- silent) consonants without a vowel in between, or it is impossible to read. Consonants, on the other hand, are sounds made by partially blocking your breath when you speak. Some sounds, like p, b and g, are actually made by completely stopping your breath! (In case you are wondering, these are called plosives). Speaking Style Speaking style is a collection of characteristics that can relate speech to a particular communication setting. Every word we speak is a form of communication, whether directly or otherwise. When people speak, their speech goes with a style. Hence, the way one person speaks differs from that of another person. However, always speaking in a particular style is not required. In fact, that relies on the context, the subject, and the listener. There is an unlimited speaking style for every occasion. For example, the way you speak at a wedding is different from the way you will speak in the church. Although you can use different styles on one occasion, it is still 18 advisable to use various speaking styles. Speaking styles for different speakers 1. The Motivating Speaker A motivational speaker possesses many qualities. It comes down to three key elements: energy, tone, and speed. A speaker that has mastered these elements tends to be successful as a motivational speaker. A good motivational speaker can get the crowds’ energy pumping. The purpose is to engage and inspire the audience. Let’s break down this type of speaker into its three main elements: Pace Your pace determines how excited you can get your audience. If you speak faster, it will usually ramp up the excitement of the crowd as well. However, you have to be careful in overusing this trick. It might get tiring if you are constantly speaking too fast, and the audience cannot keep up. Energy Energy is one of the central elements of a motivational speech. You want to be positive and have shining optimism in your delivery. Listeners will remember when you deliver a high- energy performance and are more likely to be receptive to your message. Tone You simply cannot deliver a motivational speech in a plain tone. You need to mix in a touch of drama and intrigue, which is done by vocal variety. There’s nothing worse than a monotonous motivational speaker. Remember to add your personal touch to everything you speak of and represent. 2. The Shake-it-Up Speaker or facilitator The shake-it-up speaker is quite similar to the motivational speaker. The main difference? Getting the audience moving. 19 This type of speaker gets the audience fully involved. It can be a bit challenging, though, as you have to really know your content. When you open up the floor, you don’t know what they might ask. This shake-it-up speaker thus understands that communication is a two way process and creates the opportunity for the audience to participate. It includes practicing softer tones and gestures in order to be more inviting to the listeners. This speaker will speak slowly and clearly with expressive facial movements. It’s a great way to get a quiet audience to not just warm up but also be engaged. This will also get the crowd to be more receptive to tough discussions to ensure people feel heard. 3. The Commanding Speaker A commanding speaker is capable of delivering a message with a certain gravitas. You must be able to convince your audience about the weight of your words. When you command a room well, you garner the respect of your listeners. The commanding style is more suited to speaking about serious topics. This can also extend to addressing sensitive topics or speaking in front of important or high-level members. It is properly executed by exerting control over your voice. Speaking slower and lowering your pitch are both effective strategies in delivering a commanding speech. Furthermore, making purposeful and smooth gestures also adds to the entire experience. 4. The Entertaining Speaker The entertaining speaker is a crowd-pleaser. The perfect choice to change the pace from the typically serious and monotonous delivery. This style is suited to individuals with a more animated nature. You need to let loose and own the space around you. Similarly, this type of speaker uses smooth, flowing gestures and typically a more open and inviting tone. 20 They give out a feeling of ease, which in turn allows the audience to feel comfortable. The entire presentation oozes a playful vibe allowing everybody to lighten up. The entertaining speaker is also dramatic. Even if the story isn’t particularly upbeat, the entertaining speaker finds a way to make sure the audience doesn’t feel disheartened. This type of speech is so effective that often in public speaking, stories get monotonous. This is where most speakers lose their audiences. Content and sequencing If you’ve ever sat through a great presentation, you'll have left feeling either inspired or informed on a given topic. This isn’t because the speaker was the most knowledgeable or motivating person in the world. Instead, it’s because they know how to structure presentations - they have crafted their message in a logical and simple way that has allowed the audience can keep up with them and take away key messages. For this the speaker must arrange the contents into three parts:  Introduction  Main Body  Conclusion In the introduction you need to explain the subject and purpose of your presentation whilst gaining the audience's interest and confidence. It must be brief & should state the subject. It should also capture attention, inspires confidence & preview the contents that follow. An introduction may be developed in the following ways:  Ask a question  Tell a story or anecdote  Refer to the occasion  Use quotation  Use an unusual idea or comparison  Express its usefulness Main Body of the Speech : The main body of your talk needs to meet the promises you made in the introduction. Depending on the nature of your presentation, clearly segment the different topics you will be discussing, and then work your way through them one at a time - it's important for 21 everything to be organised logically for the audience to fully understand. There are many different ways to organise your main points, such as, by priority, theme, chronologically etc.  Main points should be addressed one by one with supporting evidence and examples.  Before moving on to the next point you should provide a mini-summary.  Links should be clearly stated between ideas and you must make it clear when you're moving onto the next point.  Allow time for people to take relevant notes and stick to the topics you have prepared beforehand rather than straying too far off topic. The conclusion of speech is almost as important as the beginning because people tend to remember what they hear first and last. The ending of the speech should be brief, forceful. Indicate that you’ve reached the end with verbal clue such as In conclusion...,To sum up, Let me conclude or before I conclude. Use summary of your speech by making an appeal or end on a positive note. Conclude your talk by thanking the audience for their time and invite them to ask any questions they may have. 22