Conversation I- Discuss the following: 1) Do you usually start conversations in these places? - elevator/lift - bus stop - waiting room - queues What do you commonly say? If not, why do you prefer to keep in silence? 2) Think about daily life conversation (family, friends, and colleagues). Do you pay attention to gestures, pauses, turn taking? 3) How can a piece of conversation turn into an argument? Which topics could be “responsible” for this? 4) Do young teenagers enjoy talking to adults? Why? Why not? What’s the role of technology? II- “10 ways to have a better conversation” by Celeste Headlee. 1) Watch the video up to 4:27. Highlight important points. What do you think the rules will be like? 2) Watch the first five rules. Was there any phrase that caught your attention? Which rules are the missing ones? 3) Now, watch the final part of the video. Then, answer these questions: What does Stephen Hawking say about IQ? What’s the meaning of the comic that appears? Which is the most important rule for the orator? Do you agree? Complete the phrases: - “If your mouth is open, you are not ______________”. Buddha - “Most of us don’t listen with the intent to understand, we listen with the intent to _____________”. Covey III Post-watching tasks: 1) Look at the ten rules. Match them with similar ideas 1) Don’t multitask 2) Don’t pontificate 3) Use open-ending questions 4) Go with the flow 5) If you don’t know, say that you don’t know. 6) Don’t equate your experience with theirs. 7) Try not to repeat yourself. 8) Stay out of the weeds 9) Listen 10) Be brief a- Err on the side of caution b- It’s condescending and boring c- Be present in the conversation d- If your mouth is open, you are not learning e- Assume that you have something to learn f- Forget about the details g- Try to get interesting responses h- Make of your conversation a “miniskirt” i- Let thoughts go in-out of your mind j- Conversations are not a promotional opportunity 2) Headlee mentions the ten rules but she doesn’t give an order to them. Which order would you give to them? Compare your answers and discuss. 3) If you had to summarize into only five rules, how would you shorten the list? Write it below. You can modify their names. 1º ___________________________________________ 2º ___________________________________________ 3º ___________________________________________ 4º ___________________________________________ 5º ___________________________________________ 4) Read the following situations. Which rules are missing in each one? 1) Priscille is having dinner with her friends at a bar. She is the only person who talks. She is telling long stories about her holidays. She puts emphasis on every single detail. Her friends are not following her and they look boring. 2) Sunday family lunch. They are all talking at the same time about topics such as education, economy - even the last football match. The oldest man in the table (grandfather) interrupts all the time, presuming he knows about every single topic and comparing other people’s experiences with his own ones. 3) people’s There’s an interview in a TV show. Thehis presenter a young man who has recently graduated. He is experiences with own isones. interviewing a retired, important firefighter. The young man asks questions such as “Are you proud of your job?” “Are you happy with your life?” The retired firefighter is a bit nervous and only answers “Well, yes”, “Hmm, no”. The interview lasts less time than the expected. 5) Time to reflect a. Which was the best interview on TV/radio that you remember? b. Have you ever had an unforgettable conversation? Who was it with? What was it like? c. Which famous celebrity would you like to share a conversation with? How do you imagine it?
