Picture This

(10/6/09 blog post)

Some of the factors that have a significant impact on my understanding and my ability to remember as a listener are:

- The presentation of the material
- My interest level in the specific topic
- The speaker and the language that he/she is using
- The listening environment
- My alertness

These factors can both facilitate or interfere with my listening abilities, depending on the situation.

I am a very visual person so visual illustration really keeps my attention and engages me in the material. When I study for exams, for example-- I often rewrite the material. This method triggers my memory and helps me recall the location in which I wrote the specific information down, and then remember exactly what I wrote. My stress level and attention span are also major factors that determine my understanding and remembering abilities. If I have a lot of things on my mind and need to focus and remember everything that I have to do, I try to prioritize and make lists-- which really helps me when I am feeling overwhelmed.

Also, if I feel like I did not gain full understanding in a listening situation, I seek reinforcement- I ask for the speaker to repeat what he/she said, use any available material that may guide me (For example, in a classroom environment- notes on the board), or mentally visualize what I heard in order to understand and remember it more clearly.