COMMUNICATION SKILLS

    COMMUNICATION  SKILLS

           L S R W

                           Communication

I.  Origin: From the time of Adam and Eve, Communication has been important and has refined over the years and is in a constant state of        Metamorphosis.

           

During the prehistoric times, man used sounds, signs and gestures to  convey information and bridge understanding. With the advent of civilization and culture, different languages were developed as the 

popular means to convey inner felt feelings, thoughts and emotions. with the progress of science & technology, sophisticated means of technology like letters, telephones, telegram etc emerged. The last decade of IT led to the sweeping waves globalization & liberalization and reduced the worlds to a Global Village. Computers, e-mails and internets are used and e-commerce and m-commerce are buzzwords (catchy /fashionable) through these, information is passed in a cheaper, better and faster way. Internal and International trade are so dependent on IT that “No electronic data interchange, No Trade”

II.  Meaning : Today, the World, and India in particular is witnessing a third industrial revolution called “Computer Revolution” in which the computers, internets, computer software, IT, satellites and telecommunication of a very advanced kind is making a unique impact on us and on our lives.

The word “Communication” is derived from the Latin word “commune”  “communicate’s from the French word “commune ” or “communiqué” meaning common i.e. when we communicate with others, we try to share information, an ideas or a concept in our interaction, communication is thus a problem of achieving Understanding between people.

III. Definitions:
1) Robert Andmon defines it as “an interchange of thoughts, opinions or information, by speech, writing or signs”.

2) Norman and Summer defines it as an exchange of facts, ideas, opinions and emotions by two or more persons.

3) Keith Davis defines as “the process of passing information and understanding from one person to another person” by using the bridge, a person can safely cross the river of misunderstanding

IV. Important features of communication are:

•     It is unavoidable : Not only facial expression, gestures, signs, symbols but silence also conveys a lot about a person’s attitude

•     It is a continuous process: Is not an act or event

•     Two-way process: Communication is not successful and complete, unless the receiver understands the message. Feed back is necessary to check this.

•     Role of perception: Sensory receptors are limited. Therefore communication is selective.

•     It is very Universal : i.e. all living creatures communicate through symbols, signs and language

•     Social process: Mani is a Social animal, needs society to live. Communication helps him to live and also satisfy his needs and desires

V. Communication Process Models:

Communication consists of few elements:

Sender         Message     Encode      Channel      Receiver Feedback:  Receiver responds to the sender, May be a nod, gesture, smiles,

One-way Communication Sender is not same of message is received correctly by the receiver.  

Two –way communication Message sent = Message received

VI. Role of Noise: Communication is good, effective, Congenial and perfect.  If due to physical and psychological factors communication gets affected or disturbed - noise.  Therefore nose is any unpleasant sound or underserved communication.

   Physical Noise – External sound

   Psychological – egotism, hostility, prejudice

The form of skills: Needed for communication are

 LSRW             Life Skills          Soft Skills         Employability

•     Listening      2. Speaking     3. Reading – Verbal       4. Writing  - Written    

(Aural)         (Oral)              

 Communication in English: Global language/Link Language -  Lingua franca – as a medium ofinstruction for higher studies – computer languages/scientific language, therefore world window. 

Forms of Communication:

•     One way & two ways.

•     Verbal & Non-Verbal. 

   Words                        Other than words (i.e. facial expressions)

•     Oral                               Eye contact, Clothing, Mannerism, Silence

 (Face to face, Telephone,             65%  communication

  conversation    Video conference)      -non-verbal 

•     Written  (Letters, memos, reports)

•     Formal                              Informal

•     Official                                   Casual talk

•     Official meetings,            During Social gatherings,

Conference, News,           lunch time, free time.

Interviews .

•     Intra personal (communication within one self) & Inter personal (Communication between two or more persons)

•     Listening      “The better you listen, the luckier you get”

•     Listen with concentration,register in mind to comprehend, have passion & interest,attention-response.

•     Pretending listening-Pretend to listen as the manage is unintanty.

•     Selective- selecting the desired part

•     Attentive-Paying attention on the words rather than its meaning.

•     Emphatic-Listening not only through ear but also through eyes and heart.

•     Listening for mutual creativity-Deep listening.

•     Intutive listening-Listening without inpiual dialogue

Therefore listen with whole mind,following the correct language,pronunciation stressing on syllables sounds.

Listen to lectures,speeches of eminent persons dialogues in films,dramas,music etc like people speaking. Give importance to listen/communicate on sounds, thought, idea, accent, body language, ebb and flew of language.

B. Listening maketh a lucky man

Speaking maketh a ready man       Difference between    hearing and listening

   Reading maketh a  Full man

   Writing maketh a exact man

Can also listen to a news channels for information and instruction-BBC/AXN/CNN/NG/STAR PLUS/DISCOVERY/ANIMAL PLANET/TRAVEL & LIVING ETC.

Listening

Activities :Note taking , Taking dictation

1.Champaigne

2.Auditorium

3.Pneumonia

4.Metamorphosis

5.Pharmacists

6.Audience

7.Amateur

8.Xylophone

9.Extempore

10.Honest

11.Reminiscences

12.Chauffeur

13.Reservior

14.Shakespear(e)

15.Restaurant

Effective Listening  needs positive thinking, determination, concentration, alterness, mental & physical body postioning, eg.  holding head on one side. Gestures- asking questions…+questions clarifying questions etc. challenging questions.

9) Speaking the diction of an old army sergeant major saying,

                     Tell them what you are going to tell them                                                         “then tell them.                                                                                Then tell what you have told them”.

10) Use of Humor-start with a joke to make the listener relax.

11) Bridging points-point no.1,2….

12) Finishing on time- time conscious

B) Speaking-through words-telephone-teleconference seminars-paper presentation-group discussions JAM-interviews-telephone conversation.                                                                           Speak Clearly, Correctly, loudly and confidently meaningfully and Grammatically

1) Clearly      Correct pronunciation                                     Correct ly  Phonetically                                                   

                              Nouns-I syllable-stressed                                               Verbs-II syllable-stressed

Loudly to be heard well with no disturbance according to the number.

Confidently with sufficient knowledge.

2) Short and sweet Concise and Complete in meaning.

3) Logical in order in sequence with continuity.

4) Voice pleasing, bold with clarity

5) Tone according to the situation-“Rise and fall”-“Ebb and Flow”

6) Modulation/Intonation

7) Accent-syllable, pronunciation, neutral accent

8) Avoid MTL Short speech-Repetition is emerged for emphasis.

C) Reading “makes a man perfect and complete”

Reading for pleasure-growth (language)-knowledge-expansion-currently, inherent.                                                                   

a) Silent reading Heart, eyes & mind involve and makes us creative, imaginative, vocablarly, flow of language and spontaneity of language…keep in mind that English is not our mother tongue.

blLoud reading-paper presentation-notices-circulars-seminars-announce ment-teaching & lectures etc..

a)Read news papers,novels,short stories, text books,journals,magazines,articles….etc…clear,confident,intonation etc..

b) Pick up new/difficult words-refer to dictionary-use them in daily routine life.

c) Note down the points, significant, Important.

D) Improve writing skills.

1) Grammatically correct-relevant, logical, neat, style of writing-paper presentations.                      Seminars, ppts-exam-assignments-ref.work projects-thesis-dissertations-etc..

2) Cohesion linkage in expression

   Coherence-unity in meaning.

(E.g.) Mr. Ramesh has bought a flat recently in hyd

(Connective word but no Cho ester & coherence)

Mr.Prakash is a very successful teacher and he is a great scholar also.

3) Apostrophe    premier (noun)-Sisters look                                                                 premier (pronoun)-hers (no apostrophe)                                                                   plural formation-boys, boy’s hostel                                                        did not-didn’t                   

currency notes-of    ‘s

Paragraph Writing, Letter-writing, Press, Note-making Report writing-Reading, Comprehending and writing, creative writing.

4) Concord.

5) Preposition & articles.

6) Capital letters

7) Never begin a sentence with “because”

8) Time-do not switch over from one time to another.

9) Punctuations

LSRW Activities

              Listening-dictation-Quotations-etc..Story telling.                                   

Speaking-Self-inroduction, rhymes, tongue twisters, singing.                                      

Reading-News paper, articles,                    

Writing-Paragraph about your school/Institution.

Communication lab: Aural and oral skills-CBT