【Modern Japanese】The First Step to Becoming a Great Speaker and Listener! A Guide to "Speaking and Listening"
Hello everyone! Today, we are going to dive into one of the most essential parts of our daily lives within the "Modern Japanese" curriculum: "Speaking and Listening."
Many of you might feel, "I'm not good at speaking," or "I get exhausted just listening to people for a long time." But don't worry! In reality, communication has a "format" (rules). Once you grasp these tips, anyone can deliver persuasive arguments and draw out a person's true thoughts effectively.
Let’s master this chapter and acquire the "power to convey" and "power to understand" that will be useful for your school life, future interviews, and career!
1. Tips for "Speaking" Tailored to Your Goal and Audience
Simply talking without a plan won't get your ideas across. First, it is important to organize "what you are saying, to whom, and for what purpose."
(1) Consider the Structure (The PREP Method)
A powerful weapon for speaking logically is the "PREP Method." It allows you to be convincing in a short amount of time.
・P (Point): Start with the conclusion. "I think that..."
・R (Reason): Explain why you think that way. "The reason is..."
・E (Example): Provide a concrete example to increase persuasiveness. "For example, there was a case where..."
・P (Point): Repeat the conclusion at the end. "Therefore, that is why..."
【Pro-tip!】
Japanese people tend to put the conclusion at the end, but in modern Japanese (especially in logical settings), the golden rule is "Conclusion first!"
(2) Non-verbal Communication (Information beyond words)
Actually, "appearance" and "voice" leave just as much of an impression on the listener—if not more—than the content of your words.
・Eye Contact: Look at the other person or the audience as a whole in a balanced way.
・Tone and Volume: Speak slowly and slightly louder for important parts to emphasize them.
・Facial Expressions and Gestures: Adding bright expressions or hand gestures that match your content will make it twice as easy to understand.
【Did you know? The Mehrabian Principle】
In situations involving emotion, it is said that "visual" (appearance) and "auditory" (voice) information have a greater impact on the listener than the actual content of the words. Even just standing up straight can change the weight of your words!
2. Tips for "Listening" to Understand Deeply
"Listening" is not just letting sound enter your ears. It is an "active" process of seeking out what the speaker really wants to convey.
(1) Distinguishing between "Facts" and "Opinions"
This is the most important point for exams and real life!
・Fact: Objective data or events that actually occurred. Things that look the same to anyone. (Example: "It is 30 degrees Celsius today.")
・Opinion: The speaker's subjectivity or impression. (Example: "It's so hot today, I can't stand it.")
As you listen, make it a habit to sort information in your head: "Is this based on evidence, or is this just this person's impression?"
(2) Proper "Back-channeling" (Aizuchi) and "Questioning"
To make the other person feel comfortable talking, keep these in mind:
・Empathetic Back-channeling: Respond with "I see" or "That’s true."
・Confirming Questions: Check if your understanding is correct by saying, "In other words, are you saying that...?"
・Digging Deeper: Extract more detailed information by asking, "Could you tell me more about that concretely?"
【Common Mistake】
Watch out for "conversation thieves" who interrupt the other person to start talking about themselves! Wait until the speaker has finished their point before responding.
★ Summary so far:
When speaking, start with the conclusion using the PREP method; when listening, the basic rule is to distinguish between facts and opinions!
3. How to Deepen Discussions
"Group discussions" where multiple people exchange opinions have specific roles and rules.
(1) Know the Role Distribution
・Moderator (Facilitator): Manages the time and encourages everyone to speak. They are the commander who summarizes opinions and leads to a conclusion.
・Recorder (Secretary): Makes the discussed opinions visible (writing on a whiteboard, etc.). Their role is to ensure everything can be reviewed later.
・Participant: Does not deny others' opinions and communicates their own ideas supported by evidence.
(2) Making Discussions Constructive
When opinions clash, focus on the evidence (the "why") rather than attacking the person. Finding a compromise or a new "third option" (Aufheben) is the goal of a discussion.
【Pro-tip!】
"The loudest voice" is not always right. Important hints can be hidden even in minority opinions. It is important for everyone—not just the moderator—to adopt a mindset of looking for an answer that everyone can agree on.
4. Let's Practice! Examples of Common Situations
Example: Discussing what to do for the school festival
Person A: "I think we should do (P) a haunted house. (R) This is because it was the most popular choice in last year's survey. (E) Even at the school next door, they had a huge line for it. (P) Therefore, I propose a haunted house."
Analysis: Person A is using the PREP method effectively. Also, since it is based on the fact of the "survey results," it is very persuasive.
Bad Example:
Person B: "A haunted house is totally boring! Let's do a café!"
Advice: Person B is just denying the other person without providing the evidence (facts) for their own opinion. This stops the discussion in its tracks. "Boring" is an individual's opinion, so they need to explain *why* they think that (e.g., "preparation is too difficult").
Lastly: To You, Who is Trying Their Best
You don't have to be perfect at "speaking and listening" all at once. At first, just start with small things like "starting with the conclusion" or "looking the other person in the eye."
Even if you fail, reflecting on it by saying "next time, I'll try listening this way" will help your skills improve little by little.
Treating words with care leads to treating others with care—and treating yourself with care, too.
Don't rush; take it one step at a time! I'm cheering for you!