Event

Perception, Interpretation, Confirmation: Tools for Learning, Communicating and Understanding

Sunday, April 13th, 2008, 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Speaker: Ken Fujioka, Keisen University

How do learners communicate in English class? When learners listen, how do they perceive and interpret information? Professor B. Aubrey Fisher's book, Interpersonal Communication: Pragmatics of Human Relationships, states that "knowledge gained from perception is only a reflection of reality and is therefore highly fallible and the knowledge gained from perception is vivid, personal and thus typically accepted as true, often uncritically". If knowledge gained from one's perception is "highly fallible", it is no wonder why we experience miscommunication and misunderstanding. So, how can language students communicate their ideas so that their peers interpret them more effectively?

The key for improving our communication is first, to be conscious how and what we say, and how this ultimately affects our peers' understanding. By becoming attentive to the words we use to explain our ideas, Fanselow says, "we can become more aware of the ways our personal view of reality limit and restrain us". An effective way to enhance our peers' understanding is by establishing context. Aubrey states that, "Interpreting meanings within their context is a major factor, perhaps the most important single factor, in understanding personal communication and social relationships." The final step to better overall communication is for listeners to confirm their understanding by asking relevant questions.

In this lecture and workshop, participants will be exposed to various forms of realities, which support and enhance such theories. The presenter will try to make this workshop as participatory as possible so that by the end, participants should have a better understanding of how to expand their perception and even their approach to teaching and learning.

Organization: Hokkaido Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching (Hokkaido JALT)

Cost: JALT Members: free
Non-members: 500 yen

Venue: Hokkai Gakuen University, Subway Building 6, 3rd floor

Location: Sapporo City, Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan

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