Useful/ Interesting Topic

After reading chapters 3 and 4 I found the Table in chapter 3 to be very useful to me. I like how table 3.1 talks about ways to improve listening performance. As I was reading the list I couldn't help but notice that some of the stuff that is listed I tend to do myself. I don't have a positive attitude about speakers when I know the topic of the speech is not very interesting. This is very unfair to the speaker because I am already assuming that I will be bored without even giving them a chance. I also need to be more aware of my purpose for listening because I tend to think too much about certain things which in hand makes me miss the more important things. I also agree with the book when it states that we as the audience need to prepare ahead of time by knowing about the topic. I think I need to do this more often so that I am not so oblivious as to what the speaker is talking about. By doing this in return will help me to follow the speech allot better. I also think that in order to better respond to the speaker I need to see things from their perspective, I am not very good at doing this. I really need to work on that as well as responding to what is not said as well as what is said. One area that I have the most difficulty in is storage and retrieval. I need to determine what is worth remembering and toss the rest. I tend to try and remember everything and that's when I get into trouble, because the information that I need to remember I cant seem to remember because I have too much stored in my brain. I also need to figure out a way to use mnemonic devices and memory aids to help me with this issue.

Table 3.1 is very beneficial to anyone who wasn't to improve themselves in certain areas. I will definitely use this table and incorporate it into every day life and every time I listen to a speech. This information is very useful for me.