Reflective Writing: Verbal Communication

REFLECTIVE WRITING By Course Name Professor’s Name University City, State Date of Submission Situation Description At preliminary stages of my education in this university, I did not fancy participating in active class discussions. One of my lecturers played a key role in changing my notion about active participation in class. I was in the category of students who rarely participated in class discussions. I did not know the importance of asking or answering questions from other students. Resultantly, I did not understand my strengths and weaknesses as far as my oral skills were concerned. I did not want to participate in class discussions because I doubted my ability to stand in front of people and express my ideas. I had to consult one of my lecturers about the importance of participating in class discussions, and this was the event that will always be a memorable one because it was a life changer that has helped me improve verbal communication massively. Analysis Limitations One of the contributing factors to my hate for active class discussions is that I believed it was more effective to work alone or with individuals who were my best friends. I assumed that by working alone or in a group that I felt comfortable could give me sufficient time to reflect before finding an answer to a particular problem or before giving a meaningful explanation about a particular phenomenon. Moreover, I feared to feel embarrassed in the event I failed to put up a worthy explanation of various aspects of the discussion. I had previously witnessed students get humiliated by either by students or instructors. For me, once one was embarrassed before the class, it would take a long time to gather the confidence to speak out in class again, which is the reason I preferred working individually and sometimes with my close friends. Finally, the fear of failure was another factor that highly contributed to my reluctance to take part in class discussions. I feared to make mistakes in front of my fellow student...