Practice paraphrasing in steps 1-6 and then critically reflect on the process by answering 7 a-d. Describe the disagreement and give detailed answers with specific examples, including in paraphrasing at least four paraphrasing examples. 

 

1. Find a partner. Designate one person as A and the other as B. 

2. Find a subject on which you and your partner apparently disagree—a current events topic, a philosophical or moral issue, or perhaps simply a matter of personal taste. 

3. Person A begins by making a statement on the subject. Person B's job is then to paraphrase the statement. B's job is simply to understand here, and doing so in no way should signify agreement or disagreement with A's remarks. 4. A then responds by telling B whether her response was accurate. If there was some misunderstanding, A should make the correction, and B should feed back his or her new understanding of the statement. Continue this process until you're both sure that B understands A's statement. 

5. Now it's B's turn to respond to A's statement and for A to help the process of understanding by correcting B. 

6. Continue this process until each partner is satisfied that they have explained themselves fully and have been understood by the other person.

7. Now discuss the following questions: 

a. How did your understanding of the speaker's statement change after you used active listening? 

b. Did you find that the gap between your position and that of your partner narrowed as a result of active listening? 

c. How did you feel at the end of your conversation? How does this feeling compare to your usual feeling after discussing controversial issues? 

d. How might your life change if you used paraphrasing at home? At work? With friends?