Reflect on your own listening skills. How well do you process information as you listen? How well do you retain a speaker’s message? What are some techniques you can employ to improve each of these?

Give three reasons why our culture might negatively affect our ability to listen. How can we counteract each of these?

Consider the attentiveness curve presented on page 98. Do you recognize this pattern in your own behavior during lectures? How can you combat the pattern as both an audience member and a student? As a speaker, how might your knowledge of this pattern influence the way you choose to organize and deliver your speech?

How would you distinguish the ways you can anticipate ineffective listening before you speak from the techniques you might use to deal with ineffective listening once you are speaking?

How can good listening skills help you give a constructive critique to a classmate?