In particular, I learnt that 'audience matters'. Teaching children using wordy handouts printed in black ink was not going to get their attention, big books with large letters and colorful pictures were. In the past, I used to like using sophisticated words and explaining ideas in great detail, never really noticing my audiences getting bored of listening. It was actually a waste of time and effort, and I could come across as a boring person. It was only through ES2007S lessons that I learnt the value of being sensitive to one's audience. For example, I learnt that writing about issues relevant to my peers in the blog posts had a greater potential to light up their interest, through Brad's continual emphasis on the effectiveness of doing so. I also became more aware of people's attention spans, that they would get bored after awhile and whatever was being communicated to them would probably not get through. This was something I knew in the past but never really cared so much about. I applied what I had learnt during my peer teaching with EB, elevator test, interview, oral presentation, and even when I responded in class! To be consciously aware of the audience is to observe their body language as you are speaking. Are they smiling at you? Are they nodding quickly or steadily? Are they looking at their watches? All these bring across certain messages. During my interactions with my audiences, I would register their reactions and respond accordingly. The best thing is, this art can be applied not only in class, but everywhere else, and I have already found it useful in my daily life!
Therefore, the end of this semester is the beginning of better experiences in communication to come, in school, at work, and everywhere else.
