Reading Journal 1-6

Answering Difficult Ques"ons Part of your growth in literacy relates to how we respond to questions that may be uncomfortable. Please view the learning goals and success criteria in the video below:

Please read the following two articles. Answer the questions at the end of the lesson.

Article 1: How to Answer Nosy Questions (https://brightmindsonlineschool.instructure.com/courses/130/files/9278/download?wrap=1) (https://brightmindsonlineschool.instructure.com/courses/130/files/9278/download?wrap=1)

Article 2: Thinking on Your Feet (below)

Thinking on Your Feet

(excerpt from MindToolsMindTools (https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/ThinkingonYourFeet.htm) (https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/ThinkingonYourFeet.htm) )

No one enjoys being putting on the spot or answering questions that they aren't fully expecting. The uncertainty can be stressful. But that stress doesn't need to get the better of you. You can overcome it by thinking on your feet. This will help you to stay cool and confident when you're under pressure, and to deliver assured and confident answers even when you're faced with unexpected questions.

Here are some tips and tactics to help you do this:

1. Listen

It comes as no surprise that listening is critical to thinking on your feet. Why do you need to listen? To make sure you fully understand the question or request before you reply. If you answer too soon, you risk going "off on a tangent." To help you with your listening remember to:

Look directly at the questioner. Observe body language as well as what is being spoken. Try to interpret what is being suggested by the question or request. Is this an indirect statement? Why is this person asking this and what is his or her intention?

2. Have the Ques!on Repeated

If you're feeling particularly under pressure, ask for the question to be repeated. This gives you a bit more time to think about your response. It makes you look concerned that you give an appropriate response. It also gives the questioner an opportunity to rephrase and ask a question that is more on point. Remember, the questioner may well have just "thought on her feet" when coming up with question, so when you give her a second chance, the question may well be better articulated and

question, so when you give her a second chance, the question may well be better articulated and clearer to all.

3. Use Stall Tac!cs

Sometimes you need more time to get your thoughts straight and calm yourself down enough to make a clear reply. The last thing you want to do is blurt out the first thing that comes to your mind. Often this is a defensive comment that will make you look insecure and anxious, rather than confident and composed. So win yourself some more time by using the following stall tactics:

Repeat the question yourself. This gives you time to think and to clarify exactly what is being asked. It also allows you to rephrase if necessary and put a positive spin on the request. Ask for clarification. Again, this will force the questioner to be more specific. Ask for a definition. Jargon and specific terminology may present a problem for you. Ask to have words and ideas clarified to ensure that you are talking about the same thing.

4. Use Silence to Your Advantage

We are conditioned to believe that silence is uncomfortable. However, if you use it sparingly, it communicates that you are in control of your thoughts and are confident in your ability to answer expertly. When you rush to answer you also typically rush your words. Pausing to collect your thoughts tells your brain to slow everything down.

5. S!ck to One Point

There's a high risk that, under pressure, you'll answer a question with either too much or too little information.

If you give too short an answer, you risk letting the conversation slip into interrogation mode. (You'll get another question, and the questioner will be firmly in control of how the dialogue unfolds). When your reply is too long, however, you risk losing people's interest, coming across as boring, or giving away things that are better left unsaid.

If you don't know the answer, say so. There is no point trying to make something up. There is (usually) nothing wrong with not knowing something. Simply make sure you that follow up as soon as possible afterwards with a researched answer.

6. Prac!ce Clear Delivery

How you say something is almost as important as what you say. If you mumble or use "umm" or "ah" between every second word, confidence in what you are saying plummets. Whenever you are speaking with people, make a point to practice these key oration skills:

Speak in a strong voice. (Don't confuse strong with loud!) Vary your tone and pay attention to how your message will be perceived given the intonation you use. Use eye contact appropriately. Use the level of formality that is appropriate to the situation.

Understanding the Ar!cles Please respond to the following questions:

Please respond to the following questions:

1. What are the articles about? 2. What elements are similar in the two articles? 3. Relate the stories to a personal experience. Begin with: "These articles remind me of ..." 4. Which way do you find most helpful in answering difficult questions? 5. Did you find transitional words/phrases and pronouns were used in these articles, to smoothly

connect the writing?

Please list the ones you found in your notebooks. For more clarity on theses language conventions, please consult the following:

link 1 (http://www.smart-words.org/linking-words/transition-words.html) link 2 (http://www.studygs.net/wrtstr6.htm) link 3 (https://www.grammarbook.com/grammar/pronoun.asp)

__MACOSX/reading journal 1-6 /reading journal 5/._Answering Difficult Questions: Ontario Literacy Course (2018).pdf