Module 8 Act. - Communication-1
Module 8 Act. - Communication-1
LESSON TITLE:
Communication
INTRODUCTION:
OBJECTIVES:
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COMMUNICATION
Communication occurs when a sender expresses an emotion or a feeling, creates an
idea, or senses the need to communicate. The communication process is triggered
when the sender makes a conscious or an unconscious decision to share the message
with another personthe receiver.
Every communicative act is based on something that conveys meaning, and that
conveyance is the message. The message may be either verbal (spoken or written) or
nonverbal (body language, physical appearance, or vocal tone). Messages may also
come from the contextor place and timeof the communication. For instance, if you
choose to make a critical comment to someone, the place and the time you choose to
make that comment will make a big impact on how it will be received.
Every message is sent and received through one of our five sensesit is seen, heard,
touched, tasted, or smelled. The sensory media through which messages are sent and
received are communication channels. In a work setting, messages may be seen
through body movement, letters, memos, newsletters, bulletin board notices, signs,
emails, and so on. Messages that are heard come through conversations, interviews,
presentations, telephones, radios, and other audio media. Sight and sound are the two
most frequent communication channels used in our society.
When the receiver gets the message (through seeing, hearing, feeling, touching, or
smelling), he or she will usually give feedback (return message) unconsciously or
consciously. Thus, the communications process is on-going.
The worst assumption a sender of a message can make is that the message will be
received as intended. So many things can go wrong during the communications
process that we should always assume that something will go wrong and take steps to
prevent that occurrence. Barriers to good communications are always present. For
instance, the language itself can be a barrierunclear wording, slang, jargon, the tone.
Another barrier is the failure of the sender to realize that his or her body language might
contradict the spoken message. The channel used to convey the message might be
wrong. For instance, you would not use the telephone to relay a lot of statistical
information; you would need to write that message on paper. Poor listening skills can
constitute a barrier also.
Nonverbal Communications
People telegraph their intentions and feelings, whether they are aware of it or not. They
become unintentional senders. In other words, whatever goes on inside shows outside.
The messages we convey to others go far beyond the words we speak. Probably over
half of the meaning that others attach to our spoken message come not from the words
of the messages themselves but from the tone of voice and from our body language.
This nonverbal impact comes particularly from the face, eyes, body, clothing, gestures,
and touch. We have to be careful not to assume that just because a person displays
3
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document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
one nonverbal signal that we are interpreting that signal correctly. We must look at the
whole cluster of signals to see if they support our reading of that person. For instance,
a person who crosses his arms might be expressing defiance, but he might also just be
feeling cold. We would need to check out his facial expressions and other nonverbal
signs to determine the correct reading.
Most of us depend on our reading of others facial expressions to judge how they feel
about us or a particular situation. We depend on the face as the most trustworthy
indicator of emotions such as happiness, surprise, fear, anger, joy, sadness, disgust,
contempt, interest, concern, and embarrassment. We also look at the face for insight
into a persons character (for example, an open, honest face, a strong chin, or
beady eyes). A man who has a moustache, beard, or long hair might suggest
conformity or nonconformity, depending on the time and the context. The grooming of
hair says much about a persons meticulousness. Narrowed lips or jutted-out chin might
mean a person is angry or defiant.
The eyes convey much meaning. Eye contactor a lack of itmight tell us something
about a persons confidence, friendliness, honesty, or desire to dominate. The pupils
themselves can signify interest or disinterest, among other things. Pupils dilate when a
person is interested or excited; they grow smaller when a person is bored or
uninterested. The brow area and the narrowing of the eyes tell a receiver much also.
Frowns, scowls, and raised eyebrows might indicate displeasure or intensity. Narrowed
eyes can suggest anger, irritation, or doubt.
The body is another rich source of nonverbal confirmation or denial of our verbal
message. We draw conclusions about people before we ever exchange words based
on their sex, posture, height, weight, and skin color. For instance, people often
stereotype others by thinking that tall people make good leaders, overweight people are
jolly, and women are too emotional. We notice how the senders of messages hold their
bodies. We consider crossed arms to be a sign of defensiveness, defiance, or
withdrawal. Hands on hips say that a person is goal oriented or ready and able to take
something on. Leaning back in a chair with hands clasped behind the head can be
interpreted as a sign of superiority, smugness, or authority. A slouched posture can be
read to mean humiliation, defeat, or submission. Using our arms, bodies, and legs to
block in others or things can be a sign of territorial feelings. Turning your shoulder or
body slightly away from someone can be a sign of rejection of that person.
Our appearance can disclose several pieces of information about us. Someone who
dresses immaculately is likely to be a careful person who attends to detail. Someone
who prefers old-fashioned dress might be very conservative in his or her opinions and
values. A person wearing excessive jewelry is possibly displaying signs of a
materialistic nature. Our clothing during working hours can tell others what we do for a
living. For instance, a blue-collar workers clothes are designed to help or protect him or
her in doing the job. The white-collar worker usually wears more formal clothes
considered appropriate for business but having little to do with protection.
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document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Our most common form of social physical contactthe handshakeis often relied upon
as a source of data about another person. The handshake is an indication of welcome,
liking, acceptance, and greeting. Therefore, it is considered extremely rude not to
accept an offered hand. The way you shake hands is another source of data about
you. A bone-crushing grip can be seen as a desire to dominate and a limp grasp as a
sign of insecurity or a negative outlook on life. A mechanical pumping up and down of
anothers hand in a series of convulsive jerks suggests mental rigidity, strong will, and
inflexibility. Other than the handshake, we have to be very careful with touching others
in the workplace because of harassment issues.
People who are better readers of nonverbal messages tend to do the following things:
They look at the totality of cues rather than isolated ones (remember the crossed
arms?).
They take context (time and place) of the message into account.
They attempt to compensate for their own biases and prejudices.
Oral Communications
People who are successful communicators take full responsibility for success in the
communication process. These people take responsibility for being certain that you
understand what they are saying. They recognize that barriers to good communications
exist so they speak in simple, grammatical, and understandable terms. They also give
examples, ask for feedback, put what they said previously in different words, and make
it easy for you to gain the true intent of their communications. However, this in no way
frees the listener from responsibility from the process. Without proper listening,
communication does not occur.
Listening Skills
Effective listening is active participation in a conversation. It is an activity which helps
the speaker become understood. The listener must actually hear and not assume what
is said. A passive listener is attentive but does nothing to assist the speaker. Active
listeners sit or stand alertly, maintain eye contact with the speaker, concentrate on the
speakers words, make verbal responses, and summarize parts of what has been said
when clarity is needed.
Because there is a difference in how fast one can speak and how fast others can listen,
a time lag exists in conversations. Good listeners do not daydream during this lag; they
use the time to organize what is being said and to relate to the message. The listener
must guard against distractions to the message. The speakers mannerisms, accent,
dress or grooming, language style, or delivery can be distracting if the listener does not
learn to tune them out. Also, listeners need to learn to avoid letting first impressions of
a speaker color their ability to hear the message.
We cannot learn anything from others if we try to do all the talking. Therefore, let
speakers finish out their own sentences. Dont interrupt them to interject your own
5
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document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
thoughts. We need to pay attention to the tone of the words and the nonverbal cues of
the speaker. Sometimes, these things undermine the actual meanings of the words
themselves. For instance, someone might be telling you that he or she is not upset, but
the tone or the body language might tell you otherwise.
Overall, effective listening can be expressed as follows. You should concentrate so that
competing external and internal distractions are eliminated. You should probe and
reflect by asking questions to seek clarification and greater understanding. You might
ask Is this what you mean? or Could you repeat that? or Are you saying that?
Finally, you should summarize (paraphrase) and feed back to the speaker what you
think you have heard. When the speaker agrees that your understanding is indeed
accurate, then effective listening and effective communication have taken place.
Telephone Skills
What does telephone usage have to do with our work ethic skills? A lot, if you consider
that too often we tend to forget that the person on the other end of the line is a human
being. When we cannot see the person, it is easier to be rude to him or her. Anger,
irritation, and frustration can be suggested by our tone of voice. Ignoring our calls and
our messages suggests that we are unconcerned about our clients and customers.
When we transfer callers without trying to address their concerns, we are showing a
disinterested, apathetic attitude. These are just a few of the negative ways that our lack
of telephone etiquette can impact our work ethics.
When we speak on the phone at work, we should always have a smile in our voice. It
might sound silly, but this is easy to achieve if we actually do smile when we answer the
phone. Our voices should be clear and distinct. We should show that we have a
service attitude by offering to give assistance however and whenever we can. We
should not transfer calls blindly without making sure that the receiving party can take
care of the callers problem.
We must also be discreet when using the phone. Think through any requests for
information and give out only information that is really needed by the caller. For
instance, If someone calls asking for your supervisor, you would not say, Mr. Jones is
playing golf this afternoon. That would be giving unnecessary information. You would
say, Mr. Jones will be in the office tomorrow morning. May I help you or have him
return your call?
We should avoid slang in telephone conversations. Instead of saying yeah, say
certainly. Instead of saying bye-bye, say goodbye. Doesnt it sound better to say I
beg your pardon. Would you please repeat that? than to say Huh?
When taking telephone messages for others, dont be in such a hurry that you do not
get all necessary information. Incomplete messages are frustrating. In fact, it is a good
idea to repeat the message to the caller so that you can be certain that it is accurate.
This document is under developmental copyright by the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education. Do not reproduce any part of this
document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
If you have to put callers on hold to gather information to handle their call, always ask
their permission to do so. Or you might offer to call them back if you think they will have
to wait some time before you can get back with them. As a rule, nothing irritates a caller
more than to be left on hold. When you return to the phone, apologize for having the
caller wait for you.
Sometimes the caller is unhappy or angry about a situation. When this is the case, be
very careful. A good tactic is to let the caller vent. When he or she is finished, you will
hear a noticeable sigh at which point you can express your understanding of and
concern for the situation. If you let the caller vent, he or she will then be ready to listen
to you and to be reasonable as you try to get to the root of the problem. However, when
the venting is nasty and involves foul language, it is permissible to warn the caller that if
he/she does not refrain from using such language, you will hang up. If the ugliness
does not cease, you do not have to listen.
In summary, when taking calls at work, you should remember to treat the callers as you
would want to be treated yourself. Also, treat them as if they were standing in front of
you. Remember this: To any caller on the other end of that telephone line, you are your
company. The responsibility of being your companys sole ambassador during that
phone conversation should help you remember to use correct telephone techniques.
References:
--COMEX: THE COMMUNICATIONS EXPERIENCE IN HUMAN RELATIONS, 1984,
South-Western Publishing Company
--OFFICE TECHNOLOGY AND PROCEDURES, 11th Ed., Fulton-Calkins, 1998, SouthWestern Publishing Company
This document is under developmental copyright by the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education. Do not reproduce any part of this
document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
MODULE 8
Communicatio
n
Activities
This document is under developmental copyright by the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education. Do not reproduce any part of this
document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Title
Time
Page
No.
15
10
10
13
Body LanguageExercises
5-10
16
30
19
Nonverbal CuesGestures
5-10
22
15
27
30
29
Telephone Etiquette
33
10
39
10
10
41
11
43
12
15
44
13
The Coat
5-10
45
14
Hunters Game
5-10
47
15
Gizmos
20
50
This document is under developmental copyright by the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education. Do not reproduce any part of this
document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity:
Activity 1
COMMUNICATION
Follow-Up:
Time Required:
15 Minutes
Source: ComexThe Communication Experience in Human Relations, Sussman and Deep, South-Western
Publishing Company, 1984.
10
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document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity 1
COMMUNICATION
Self-Appraisal SurveyCommunications
The purpose of this survey is to determine your susceptibility to being a source of
communication breakdown. Since no one but you will see the results of this
questionnaire, answer the questions as honestly as possible. Respond not as you would
like to be seen as a communicator but as you really are.
Indicate how frequently you engage in the following behaviors when communicating
with another person or persons.
Use this scale to describe your behavior.
4 I always do this.
3 I often do this.
2 I sometimes do this.
1 I seldom do this.
0 I never do this.
____
____
2. I communicate with an awareness that the words I choose may not mean
the same thing to other people that they do to me.
____
3. I recognize that the message I receive may not be the same one the other
person intended to send.
____
____
____
____
7. I consciously avoid the use of jargon with those who may not understand
it.
____
8. I consciously avoid the use of slang words and colloquialisms with those
who may be put off by them.
____
9. I try not to use red-flag words (words that might trigger an emotional
response) that may upset or distract the receiver of my message.
11
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document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity 1
COMMUNICATION
____
10. I recognize that how I say something is just as important as what I say.
____
____
____
13. I form opinions about what others say to me based on what I hear them
saying rather than what I think of them as a person.
____
14. I make a genuine effort to listen to ideas with which I don't agree.
____
TOTAL SCORE
Interpretations
Are you sure you were honest? If so, you are an extremely effective
communicator who almost never contributes to misunderstanding.
You are an effective communicator who only infrequently causes
communication breakdown. The goal of these exercises is to move everyone
up to this level.
30 39
You are an above average communicator with occasional lapses. You cause
some misunderstandings but less than your share.
20 29
Many people (at least those who are honest) fall into this category. While
things could be worse, there is much room for improvement in your
communication style. The goal of these exercises is to move you to a higher
category.
10 19
Less
Than
9
Your honesty is commendable, but it will take more than honesty to improve
your communication effectiveness. Consider taking a communication course.
12
This document is under developmental copyright by the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education. Do not reproduce any part of this
document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Source: ComexThe Communication Experience in Human Relations, Sussman and Deep, South-Western
Publishing Company, 1984.
Module 8
Activity:
Activity 2
COMMUNICATION
Time Required:
10 Minutes
13
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document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity 2
COMMUNICATION
Nonverbal Cues:
Facial expressions
NO!
Body language
Eye contact
Dress and physical appearance
Gestures
Sadness
Anger
Happiness
Surprise
Disgust
Fear
14
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document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
1997
15
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document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity 2
COMMUNICATION
Words
7%
Tone
38%
Gestures
55%
Posture
Very Interested
Interested
Bored
Disagreement
Agreement
Neutral
Personal Space
Public Zone --Over 12 ft.
Social Zone --4 ft. 12 ft.
Personal zone--18 in. 4 ft.
Intimate zone--16 in. 1 in.
16
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document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity:
Activity 3
COMMUNICATION
Body LanguageExercises
Time Required:
5-10 Minutes
17
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document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity 3
COMMUNICATION
Body Language
These exercises are designed to help students tune in to the subtleties of body
language and what they might mean about interpersonal behavior.
EXERCISE 1: Hand Gestures:
Ask students to demonstrate and describe the meaning of various hand gestures. You'll
be amazed at how many there are. Discuss how facial expressions and other body
movements influence the meaning of a hand gesture. What do hand gestures mean in
different cultures?
EXERCISE 2: Bar Body Behavior:
Discuss body language in a bar or club. What personality types can you detect just by
how people use their bodies? What are the obvious and subtle behaviors of the
braggart, the flirt, the wallflower, the drunk, etc.? Consider such factors as personal
space, posture, eye contact speed and angle of movement.
EXERCISE 3: The Tell
Gamblers and con artists long have known that people reveal their inner thoughts
through body language without even knowing it. For example, if you place a coin in one
hand behind your back and then present your fists to a body-savvy person, that person
may be able to detect where the coin is. Your "tell" will indicate which hand holds it. You
may lean your body to one side, hold one hand higher than the other, point your nose,
or unintentionally leak some other behavior that gives away your "secret."
Have students form pairs to try this coin experiment. Some people are much more
adept at it than others. If you're good at it yourself, demonstrate with a volunteer in front
of the class. This exercise works best if the person with the coin is not told (initially)
about the concept of the "tell."
EXERCISE 4: Mirroring (also works well as a warm-down to the role plays below)
Have students pair off. Either sitting or standing, one person in each pair takes the lead
and begins to move in any way he/she wishes (tell them to avoid talking, since it's
distracting). The task for the other student is to follow or mimic everything that the
leader does. Encourage people to use both obvious and subtle behaviors. Do this for a
minute or two, then switch roles of who is leading and who is following. Finally, tell the
dyads to do the exercise one last time except that NO ONE is the leader or the follower.
Both people in the pair should try to move in unison, as if they are mirroring each other
simultaneously in a body language "dance." This is somewhat hard to do and takes a bit
of practice before a pair gets the hang of it, if they can do it at all. If the pair IS
successful, what usually happens is that there are rapid, minute shifts between leading
and following.
18
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document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity 3
COMMUNICATION
Also have everyone switch partners several times and repeat the above steps.
This mirroring can be done with body language alone, facial expressions alone, or body
language WITH facial expressions. This last one is considerably more difficult to do than
the first two.
This simple exercise sensitizes the students to the details of body movement and
expression. It also may say something about interpersonal styles. Some students prefer
to "lead" while others prefer to "follow." In particular, some people are very
empathetically in tune with the others' movements, while some people cannot focus on
this. Also, moving in unison is easy with some people, but not others, which says
something about how "in sync" a dyad is.
EXERCISE 5: Improvised Role Plays
Divide the class into small groups. Ask the groups to create a role play that involves
ONLY body language and NO talking. The group can pick any scene and characters it
wants. Encourage the group NOT to over-plan the role play. Instead, suggest that they
pick a scene, define the characters in the scene, and think of a few possibilities for
events that might occur in the scene. Then *IMPROVISE* within that general structure.
This makes for a much more spontaneous and interesting role play than the more rigid
alternative of carefully scripting all the action.
Each group takes its turn at improvising its scene in front of the whole class. A group
may "set up" the role play by telling the class where the scene is taking place and who
is in the scene. Another interesting and fun alternative is for the group to provide NO
introduction to the role play. The class can then guess what is happening in the scene.
Rather than having students come up with the ideas for the improvisations, the
instructor can provide them. Give each group a card with a scene on it that they will role
playa scene that involves NO talking. For example:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Each group takes its turn performing its role play in front of the whole class. Before each
group starts, you can read to the class the scene descriptions from the cards, or NOT
read the descriptions and let the class guess what the scene is about. After each role
play, the class discusses what they believe was happening in the scene based on what
they saw in the body language. What are the personalities of the people, their
relationships with each other, the issues affecting the group, etc.?
Teaching Clinical PsychologyBody Language
19
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document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity:
Activity 4
COMMUNICATION
Directions to
Instructor:
Follow-up:
20
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document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity 4
COMMUNICATION
Time Required:
30 Minutes
21
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document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity 4
COMMUNICATION
A
A
B
B
C
C
D
D
E
E
A
A
B
B
C
C
D
D
E
E
A
A
B
B
C
C
D
D
E
E
A
A
B
B
C
C
D
D
E
E
A
A
B
B
C
C
D
D
E
E
A
A
B
B
C
C
D
D
E
E
A
A
B
B
C
C
D
D
E
E
A
A
B
B
C
C
D
D
E
E
A
A
B
B
C
C
D
D
E
E
1. For each person you rated, which nonverbal cues were the most apparent?
2. For each personal characteristic rated, which nonverbal cues were the most helpful?
3. To what degree were the ratings by the class consistent? To what do you attribute this
degree of consistency?
4. Was it relatively easy or relatively difficult to assign these ratings based solely on
nonverbal cues?
5. What are your most telling nonverbal cues?
6. When you emit a nonverbal cue of which you are unaware, is it more accurately termed
unintentional or subconscious? What are the implications of your choice?
7. Why do you think we should suspend making judgments of others based solely on one
or two nonverbal cues?
8. Why is it important to be aware of nonverbal communication?
Source: ComexThe Communication
Publishing Company, 1984.
22
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document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity:
Activity 5
COMMUNICATION
Nonverbal CuesGestures
Have students match the gestures listed with their meanings given
in the opposite column. This assignment could be given on one day
and the answers discussed the next. Students should be prepared
to give reasons for their answers. An answer sheet follows the
activity.
Time Required:
5-10 Minutes
23
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document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity 5
COMMUNICATION
Letter of
Correct
Answer
a. Doubt
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
i. Apprehension
j. Everything under control
k. Expectation
l. Holding back
m. Feeling superior
n. Dominance
o. Unconcerned
24
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document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity 5
COMMUNICATION
Letter of
Correct
Answer
p. Opening up
q. Unwilling
r. Ready for action
s. Agreement
t. Determined, angry
u. Reprimand
v. Anxious
w. Need reassurance
x. Doubtful
y. Rejecting what is being said
z. Ready to leave
aa. Sexual preening
ab. Concealing something
25
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document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity 5
COMMUNICATION
Letter of
Correct
Answer
o
n
m
l
k
j
k
f
a. Doubt
b. Need of more information,
anxiety
c. Bored
d. Comfort, unconcern
e. Sure of oneself
f. Confidence, pride
g. Unsure or lying
h. Admonishment
i. Apprehension
d
g
c
b
a
i
n. Dominance
o. Unconcerned
26
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document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity 5
COMMUNICATION
Letter of
Correct
Answer
ab
z
y
x
w
v
t
u
r
s
q
p
aa
27
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document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity:
Activity 6
COMMUNICATION
Note to Instructor:
Directions to
Students:
Note to Instructor:
First try: The instructor will select two students to go to the front of
the room and stand facing the class. Each will be given a different
section of printed material to read to the class from a newspaper,
textbook, or similar source. At a signal from the instructor, they will
begin reading at the same volume until the instructor directs them
to stop. They will read for about two minutes. Before the reading
begins, choose the person to whom you will listen. When the
readings have ended, summarize the message communicated by
the person to whom you chose to listen.
Try to select readers with similar sounding voices and prompt them
to read at competing volumes. The concurrent readings should last
2 to 3 minutes. Front-page stories from a local newspaper will
provide appropriate text. This activity can also be done with three
readers if the classroom is relatively small. A way to conserve time
is to dispense with the written summaries and to do away with the
discussion of them. Instead, after each reading you can ask for a
show of hands of how many people believe they can summarize
what was said. In order to validate the show of hands, you might
even ask one or two to recite what they thought they heard.
Second try: The two readers will be given new sections to read.
Once again, you are to choose in advance to listen to one of them
and not the other. This time you should make a more concerted
effort to block out the other person (who may have distracted you
the first time around) and to focus solely on your speaker. Try these
aids to listening. Sit more forward in your chair. Maintain constant
eye contact with your speaker, even though he or she is not looking
at you. Imagine that you and the speaker are completely cut off
from any movement or sound in the outside world. Do whatever
else you believe will improve your ability to listen. When the second
readings have ended, summarize what your speaker has said.
You want students to do better this time in order to demonstrate the
value of concentration. Therefore, be sure to emphasize to them
the techniques for concentration.
28
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document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Follow-up:
Activity 6
COMMUNICATION
Chances are the second summary was more accurate and was
easier for people to write than the first? Why? What concentration
technique worked best for you? If your second summary was not
easier to write, why not? The dramatic point of how simple it is to
improve your listening through concentration should be highlighted
in this discussion.
Source: Comex The Communication Experience in Human Relation, Sussman and Deep, South-Western
Publishing Company, 1984.
Time Required:
15 Minutes
29
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document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity:
Activity 7
COMMUNICATION
The class will divide itself into triads (groups of three). One
member of the group is designated Speaker, the second is
Listener, and the third is Observer.
2.
3.
This document is under developmental copyright by the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education. Do not reproduce any part of this
document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity 7
COMMUNICATION
Follow-Up
Discussion:
1.
2.
3.
Did you use any nonverbal probes? For example, can you
probe without the use of specific questions but rather
through gestures, eye contact, and posture?
Yes. When we look puzzled, the speaker will probably stop
and clarify.
4.
5.
31
This document is under developmental copyright by the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education. Do not reproduce any part of this
document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity 7
COMMUNICATION
6.
7.
8.
9.
What is a paraphrase?
A statement by the listener of the speaker's message to
check for understanding.
10.
Time Required:
30 Minutes
32
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document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity 7
COMMUNICATION
Observer Sheet
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Uncertain
Probing
1. There was sufficient probing.
Agree
I am observing ___________________________
Strongly
Agree
My name is______________________________
33
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document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
34
This document is under developmental copyright by the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education. Do not reproduce any part of this
document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity:
Activity 8
COMMUNICATION
Telephone Etiquette
Several activities are given in this section. Choose the ones you
wish to use to review telephone etiquette with your class and either
give students a copy or make transparencies to use on an
overhead projector. Have students give examples of situations in
which telephone etiquette was poor and resulted in poor
communications. No answers are required.
Time Required:
5 Minutes
35
This document is under developmental copyright by the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education. Do not reproduce any part of this
document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity 8
COMMUNICATION
36
This document is under developmental copyright by the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education. Do not reproduce any part of this
document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity 8
COMMUNICATION
Do not say negative things about the company or any of its employees.
Be helpful. Is there something you can do to help the callerfor example, send her
a catalog, put her name on a mailing list, or find out a price? The "true
professional" always tries to be as cooperative as possible.
Do not argue or become defensive with a "problem caller."
Know your telephone system and what all the features are.
2.
3.
4.
Use your friendliest (not sicky sweetest) voice and enunciate your words.
5.
6.
Never lose your temper no matter how angry the caller may make you.
7.
8.
9.
Avoid asking caller his/her name if the person being called is not in. Instead, ask
if you can help or if you may take a message.
10.
Never keep caller waiting for one minute without going back and checking with
the caller.
37
This document is under developmental copyright by the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education. Do not reproduce any part of this
document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity 8
COMMUNICATION
This document is under developmental copyright by the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education. Do not reproduce any part of this
document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity 8
COMMUNICATION
On the phone
39
This document is under developmental copyright by the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education. Do not reproduce any part of this
document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity 8
COMMUNICATION
40
This document is under developmental copyright by the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education. Do not reproduce any part of this
document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity:
Activity 9
COMMUNICATION
Suggested
Answers:
INITIAL RESPONSE
BETTER REPONSE
Her line is busy. Would you like to hold or shall I ask her
to call you?
I'm sorry; I did not hear what you said. Would you please
repeat it?
7. Who's this?
Mr. Jones isn't in right now. May I ask him to call when he
returns?
10. I am not responsible for the Listen first; do not interrupt. After the caller has finished
mistake; don't raise your speaking, you might say, "I'm sorry for your
voice at me.
inconvenience. I believe Mr. Jones will be able to help
you. May I transfer you now?"
Time Required:
10 Minutes
41
This document is under developmental copyright by the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education. Do not reproduce any part of this
document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity 9
COMMUNICATION
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Who's this?
8.
9.
10.
I am not responsible for the mistake, don't raise your voice at me.
42
This document is under developmental copyright by the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education. Do not reproduce any part of this
document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity:
Activity 10
COMMUNICATION
Time Required:
10 Minutes
43
This document is under developmental copyright by the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education. Do not reproduce any part of this
document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity 10
COMMUNICATION
44
This document is under developmental copyright by the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education. Do not reproduce any part of this
document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity:
Activity 11
COMMUNICATION
2.
Give the following directions while you demonstrate with your sheet of paper:
The first thing I want you to do is fold your sheet of paper in half. (Give
them time to do this.)
Fold it in half again and tear off the upper left-hand corner of the sheet.
Fold it in half again. Now tear off the lower right-hand corner of the sheet.
Now you can open your eyes and see what you have. If I did a good job of
communicating, and you did a good job of listening, all of our sheets
should look the same! (Hold your sheet up for them to see. It is highly
unlikely that any of them will match yours.)
Time Required:
5 Minutes
45
This document is under developmental copyright by the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education. Do not reproduce any part of this
document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Derived from Twenty Active Training Programs, Mel Silberman; Pfeiffer & Company, 1992, pp. 22-23.
46
This document is under developmental copyright by the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education. Do not reproduce any part of this
document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity:
Activity 12
COMMUNICATION
2.
Divide the group into trios and ask each group to designate
its members as A, B, and C.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Time Required:
15 Minutes
Source: 101 Great Games and Activities, Arthur VanGundy, Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer, 1998.
47
This document is under developmental copyright by the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education. Do not reproduce any part of this
document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity:
Activity 13
COMMUNICATION
The Coat
2.
3.
4.
Note: The same process can be used with other articles of clothing
(e.g., shoes) or even with a box of wooden matches (with the goal
of lighting one).
Follow-Up Discussion:
1.
2.
Why did the trainer initially have a difficult time with the task
of training? Because of assumptions about prior knowledge
and common vocabulary, because of limited patience with a
slow learner doing a simple task, or because of one-way
communication.
What are the benefits of demonstration? Add the sense of
sight, and the words take on additional meaning.
48
This document is under developmental copyright by the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education. Do not reproduce any part of this
document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity 13
COMMUNICATION
3.
4.
Time Required:
5-10 Minutes
Source: 101 Great Games and Activities, Arthur VanGundy, Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer, 1998.
49
This document is under developmental copyright by the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education. Do not reproduce any part of this
document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity:
Activity 14
COMMUNICATION
Hunters Game
2.
3.
4.
This document is under developmental copyright by the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education. Do not reproduce any part of this
document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity 14
COMMUNICATION
Monitor the activity. When all the teams have formed, lead a
discussion with the reassembled group using the questions
below.
Follow-Up Discussion:
(Answers may vary)
How difficult was it to find your animal through actions only?
Why?
What role does perception play in an activity such as this?
How does nonverbal communication affect the image others
have of you?
Why is communication, both verbal and nonverbal, so important
in the workplace?
How can we relate this game to teamwork in general? (players
all connected, need for clear communication, common goals,
etc.)
Time Required:
5-10 Minutes
51
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document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity 14
COMMUNICATION
ELEPHANT
LION
WOLF
DOG
CAT
MOUSE
DECOY
DECOY
52
This document is under developmental copyright by the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education. Do not reproduce any part of this
document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity:
Activity 15
COMMUNICATION
Gizmos
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Follow-Up Discussion:
(Answers may vary)
Did group members do better with their individual answers or as
a team? Why?
53
This document is under developmental copyright by the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education. Do not reproduce any part of this
document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity 15
COMMUNICATION
Time Required:
20 Minutes
54
This document is under developmental copyright by the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education. Do not reproduce any part of this
document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity 15
COMMUNICATION
Gizmos Worksheet
Circle the answer that best matches the definition provided.
1. The small embroidered loop
forming a decorative edging on
ribbon.
a) capuche
b) frizette
c) picot
a) capstan
b) newel
c) operon
a) crampon
b) petard
c) languet
a) cullis
b) filature
c) mullion
a) aglet
b) gusset
c) groat
a) ostiole
b) dibble
c) pawl
a) lapin
b) binnacle
c) loupe
55
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document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Module 8
Activity 15
COMMUNICATION
6.
7.
a) Cullis a gutter
8.
10.
56
a) Lapin - rabbit
b) Binnacle a case, box, or stand
for ships compass and a lamp
c) Loupe the small magnifying
glass used by jewelers and
watchmakers; also used in the
This document is under developmental copyright by the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education. Do not reproduce any part of this
document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
graphics industry
Module 8
Activity:
Activity 16
COMMUNICATION
Time Required:
Location of
Videos:
Time Required:
Varies
Vol. 11 hour 5 min.
Vol. 21 hour 8 min.
Vol. 31 hour 14 min.
Vol. 456 min.
57
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document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
Title
Time
Page
No.
15
10
10
13
Body LanguageExercises
5-10
16
30
19
Nonverbal CuesGestures
5-10
22
15
27
30
29
Telephone Etiquette
33
10
39
10
10
41
11
43
12
15
44
13
The Coat
5-10
45
14
Hunters Game
5-10
47
15
Gizmos
20
50
16
Varies
54
58
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document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.
59
This document is under developmental copyright by the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education. Do not reproduce any part of this
document without written permission from the Commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education or his assigned representative.