Instructor's Guide

Chapter 4

Chapter 4 - Addressing the Needs of Your Audience

Questions/Problems for Discussion and Review - Chapter 4

Class Discussion

1. Look again at the introductory example of expressed needs in regard to a sexuality education program. Which ones would be categorized as felt, ascribed, and future needs? Is one type more important to address than another in a program for adolescents? Explain your answer.
2. Persons have many different ways of processing information, and they are at many different stages. In light of this, how do you go about designing an effective program that takes this variability into account?
3. Think of a time when you worked together with someone of another culture or age group. What things did you or they do that helped you to work well together?

Research Problems/Activities

1. Choose an ethnic group from your community to research in the library and on the Internet, looking particularly at marriage and family experiences and customs. Then set up interviews with three or four persons from that ethnic group. Using the Life Span Family Life Education Framework (Appendix A, this volume), choose one of the categories (e.g., interpersonal relationships or families in society). Formulate a set of interview questions about the category across the life span that will help you examine how the developmental tasks articulated under that category are experienced by the chosen ethnic group.
2. If possible, audiotape your interviews from the previous activity so that you may critique your listening skills. How often did you make reflective statements or ask open-ended questions? What verbal cues and other attending behavior (smiles, nods, eye contact) did you use? What areas do you want to improve?

Case Study Design

1. If you are developing a program for a specific group, now is the time to conduct a needs assessment. Determine the type of assessment technique you want to use. Preferably, the class should divide into several groups, and each group should conduct a different type of assessment (focus group, questionnaire, interview, creative idea) to share with the class.
2. When the needs assessment is being conducted, assign two people as observers to evaluate the interviewers’ listening skills. Have them note strengths and areas for improvement to share later with the group.
3. Review your experience with the class. What generally did you learn about the participants (about their developmental needs and abilities, their learning styles and unique characteristics) through the process of “ask, study, observe”? How would you evaluate your rapport with the group? Observers should share, without identifying specific people, what strengths and weaknesses in listening skills they observed.
4. Discuss the felt needs that were identified through the assessment process. What other needs (ascribed, future, developmental) should also be addressed in the program?

Table 4.1 Schaie’s Stages of Adult Cognitive Development
I. “What Should I Know?” II. “How Should I Use What I Know?” Childhood and Adolescence Young Adulthood Middle Adulthood Later Adulthood Acquisition Achieving Responsible Reintegrative (Get Knowledge) (Use Knowledge) (Concern for Others) (Wisdom) Executive (Concern for Social Systems) Note. From “Toward a Stage Theory of Adult Development” by K. Warner Schaie, 1977/78, International Journal of Aging and Human Development 8: 2, pp. 129–138, 1977–78, Amityville, NY: Baywood Publishing Company. Reprinted by permission.

Box 4.1 - How Well Are You Listening? Download a pdf of Box 4.1

Listening is an art and a skill you can learn. Score yourself on the following statements by using:
1-Never      2-Hardly ever      3-Usually      4-Always

______1. I am interested in what other people have to say.
______2. I don’t interrupt while someone is speaking.
______3. I listen the same way to men and women, young people and old.
______4. I listen without prejudice, even though I may not like the person or her or his opinions.
______5. I can stay focused on the conversation so that my mind doesn’t wander.
______6. I ask for clarification of words when they are used.
______7. I ask questions to get the other person to fully explain what she or he is saying.
______8. I listen attentively, even though I think I know what is going to be said.
______9. I listen with neutrality and reflect the person’s statements without judgment or put-down.
_____10. I look at the person who is talking.
_____11. I can ignore distracting influences.
_____12. I listen attentively, even though the person’s manner of speaking and choice of words is not the best.
_____13. I encourage the speaker with smiles, head nods, and other verbal cues.
_____14. I consider and evaluate carefully what the person is saying, reserving judgment until the end.
_____15. I acknowledge every speaker and every comment when conducting a group discussion.
_____Total Score
If your score is between 50 and 60, you are an accomplished listener. Keep up the good work!
If your score is between 40 and 50, you are well on your way. Focus on areas to improve.
If your score is between 30 and 40, you are an average listener. Hone your skills!
If your score is below 30, get to work immediately to consciously improve.