Interpersonal Communication- A Mindful Approach to Relationships, 2020a

questions. Rather than saying, “did you hear me?” or “were you listening, which are both yes/no
questions, it would be more beneficial to ask, “what did I just say?” or “what did you hear me say?”
Third, the P in TAP means to be prepared to listen. Listen carefully to what the other person says. It
is during this phase that you can see if they understood your message. Was the message correct? What
emotions are they displaying after you said the message and asked questions? If we don’t ask questions,
then we can’t be sure that the message was received effectively.
Key Takeaways
The first part of this section provided several different ways to help you improve
vocabulary (e.g., use repetition, group like words together, build your vocabulary,
and read).
Further and increase awareness (a person’s ability to be mindful and sensitive to
all functions and forms of language) and adaptation of language (the ability to alter
one’s linguistic choices in a communicatively competent manner).
It’s important to remember the three basic steps to ensure understanding: T (talk
first), A (ask questions), and P (prepare to listen).
Exercises
Go through the various key terms within this chapter. Did you know all of the
definitions before reading this chapter? Which terms did you find difficult to
understand? Why?
Read a speech from either Vital Speeches of the Day or American Rhetoric.
After reading/watching a speech, find a video where the speaker was interviewed.
Watch how the speaker sounds when both giving a speech and when answering
questions. Analyze the speaker’s use of both language awareness and adaptation.
Find someone who does not speak English as their first language. During your
interaction with that person, put into practice the TAP Method for understanding.
How easy was it for you to understand this other person? Why? How did it feel to
use the TAP method? Were you effective during your interpersonal interaction?
Why?
Chapter Wrap-Up
In this chapter, we discussed the importance of verbal communication. To be an effective verbal
communicator, it is necessary to understand that the words you use convey meanings that you might
intentionally or unintentionally communicate to others. However, the meaning of language can vary from
person to person.
This chapter also discusses the various rules of language. Verbal communication serves many
purposes and works to clarify the meaning of nonverbal communication. The type of language that you
use can impact how others will see you.
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