51 Critical Listening: How to Listen to an Oppositional Speaker
Learning Objectives
Critical listening skills are vital to understanding a speaker’s position and critically evaluating their argument.
- Listen respectfully and open their minds to different ways of thinking, learning, and living.
- Incorporate key elements to listening to arguments that are new and/or different from their perspectives.
Binary thinking
Binary thinking is either/or instead of both/and. In Western societies, we are often taught that binary thinking is “right” or “correct”. For example, we are taught and encouraged to think of gender as “boy” or “girl” and nothing else. However, in persuasion, public speakers want to avoid black and white or binary thinking. It is important to understand there are multiple truths or possibilities within one singular topic. As a speaker, you are urged to consider the opposition and people in the audience that might not agree with your position. However, audience members also need to consider the speaker’s perspective and listen critically to their argument. Audience members might not agree 100% with the speaker’s argument; however, they can still learn from their experience and worldview. Understanding is not accepting. You can understand a speaker’s position without incorporating it into your own worldview. Keep reading to see a few possibilities to listen carefully and critically.
How to Listen Critically:
- Listen to the speaker’s argument: what is their claim?
- Understand that all arguments are complex, controversial, and ever-changing
- Attach meaning to their argument: what experience do you have with their argument and what similarities are present?
- Listen to the speaker’s ethos and pathos – what are their credentials and how are they crafting their argument for the audience?
- Consider the audience members that agree with the speaker: what similarities are present? Consider how you can benefit from understanding their perspective.
- Find a connection between your perspective and their argument: can you see the common ground?
- Engage in active listening – even when you vehemently disagree, you will engage in stronger, not weaker listening skills by engaging in an uncomfortable listening experience.
- Listen carefully to the call to action – what can you do to improve the situation? What place do you have within their argument?
Watch this TED talk and listen to the words of Zachary Wood. He encourages his audience to lean into discomfort and select attributes and commonalities within an oppositional speaker/speaking group. What can you learn from his argument?
You will be asked to critically evaluate the work of other speakers. Use these suggestions to help guide your evaluation.
Key Takeaways
Listening is a skill that we all possess; however, critically listening is an advanced skill that should be cultivated and practiced.
- In order to engage in critical listening, audience members must put their presuppositions aside.
- Audience members should actively listen and consider the positionality of the speaker and the argument in which they are making; you may not agree, but you can find value in understanding the opposition.
