Critical Listening
Topic
Interpretation
Description
Analyzing and evaluating information
Aspects
Analyze - to examine information by thinking about the facts it is based on.
Have several strategies for analyzing information.
Look for patterns in information that help solve problems or make points.
Make charts, tables, or diagrams to better understand information.
Think about the strengths and weaknesses of different information.
Evaluate - to group information into useful pieces, connect ideas and evidence, make conclusions, and reflect on the quality of the conclusions.
Question if there might be other explanations when reviewing evidence supporting information you're learning.
Think about the evidence that supports or conflicts with your conclusions.
Connect what you learn in one class with what you learn in other classes.
Think about different explanations for why new information might be true.
Reflect on conclusions and identify ways to do similar work better next time.
Next steps
Carefully analyze evidence for credibility, possible bias, completeness, and how strong the conclusions are
Apply different strategies to analyze information: spotting patterns, assessing currency and logic, and so on
Question your own conclusions: Are they logical? Supported well? Unbiased?
Lesson
Listening
Types of listening / listening positions
Informational Listening (to learn)
Critical Listening (to evaluate and analyze)
Therapeutic or Empathetic Listening (to understand feeling and emotion)
Critical Listening (to evaluate and analyze)
See whether a message makes sense in light of factual evidence
Separate opinions from facts
Uncover assumptions (gaps in a logical sequence that listeners passively fill with their own ideas and opinions and may or may not be accurate)
Be open to new ideas.
Activities:
Separate into 8 groups, 1 to focus on each element
Paper with heading for each element
Listen to TED Talk: 5 ways to listen better (7:43), discuss elements
Additional Resources
Risks of not listening critically
Videos
The Trump Presidency: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver 11/12/17 - Delegitimizing the Media ("Fake News"), Whataboutism, Trolling
Finish Strong Videos - Listening and Taking Notes