Lesson 2 Overview

Objectives

Upon completion of this lesson, you should be able to:

• Distinguish listening and critical listening.
• Understand the importance of effective listening.
• Apply effective listening principles to the evaluation of speeches.
• Use the rhetorical situation to evaluate speeches.
• Assess Ronald Reagan's "White House Address to the Nation" (popularly known as the "Challenger" address) according to the rhetorical situation.
• Develop strategies for choosing the topics and purposes for your own speeches and for assessing similar choices made by speakers for the speeches you will analyze.

Lesson Readings & Activities

Read the chapters and additional articles first and then return to the Lesson commentary for instruction on how to apply the concepts in the activities and in rhetorical criticism. By the end of this lesson, make sure you have completed the readings and activities found in the Lesson 2 Course Schedule.