Begin by thinking about any public speaking experiences you’ve had. These don’t have to be formal speeches. Book reports you gave in high school, presentations you made to a club to which you belonged, that time you spoke up in church, a toast, a eulogy, a parent-teacher conference, or even a one on one encounter€”all of these count when you’re assessing the kinds of communication situations that make you uncomfortable. Tell us how you feel they went, well or poorly, and specifically why. Then determine what your greatest weaknesses or fears are when it comes to public speaking. What are some ways you can deal with your speech anxiety and improve your public speaking abilities? List three goals that you’ll set for yourself during this class, why you chose them, and how you might overcome them.
Now think about your skills as a listener. As the text notes, we actually spend more of our communication time listening than speaking. Just as you evaluated your speaking abilities, assess your talents as a listener. What are your strengths and weaknesses? Set three goals for improving your ability to listen critically, tell us why you chose them, and how you plan to achieve them.