Communication

Learner profiles : 
Thinker
Communicator
Open minded

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” ― George Bernard Shaw, Leadership Skills for Managers

Concepts of communication

Noise - internal, external, cultural, semantics
Environment - physical, online, situation, context, timing, location
Barriers - language, psychological, physiological, physical,    systemic, attitudinal
Coding and decoding - dependent on environment, barriers,
Symbols - punctuation, visual, body, language, 
Form - verbal, written, formal, informal, 
Transmission - the action of passing a message from one person to another, usually in the form of media. reception, clarity, 
Feedback - a reaction or response to a particular process or activity, critical, analytical, subjective, objective
Transaction -  an action or activity involving two parties or things that reciprocally affect or influence each other - positive, negative, fruitful, 
Message - an underlying theme or idea, a communication in writing, in speech, or by signals. clear, mixed, ambiguous
Irreversible - any communication which cannot be retrieved- consequences, indirect, 
Complexity - complicated or hard to understand

Characteristics of good communicators:

• Their message is concise and may be easily understood. 
• They simplify their thoughts and consider what the primary purpose of their message is communicating their message in the clearest terms possible, making a misunderstanding less likely.
• Consideration of the recipients and tailor communication appropriately. 
• They understand that different styles of communication are more effective for certain contexts or situations. 
• Good communicators attempt to empathize with the recipients of their messages. 
• Look at the situation from another perspective helps acknowledge all sides of an issue.
• Practice effective listening. They pay careful attention to the messages they receive and are sure to acknowledge that they understand these messages.

Communication skills :

Written
The basic tool for the manipulation of reality is the manipulation of words. If you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use the words.
Philip K. Dick

Correct grammar, spelling and punctuation
Clear purpose
Clear Audience
Application of text types
Concise

• Writes with a clearly defined purpose.
• Makes a definite point.
• Supporting points with specific information / evidence
• The information is clearly connected and arranged.
• The words are appropriate, and the sentences are concise, emphatic, and correct.

Verbal
“We speak not only to tell other people what we think, but to tell ourselves what we think. Speech is a part of thought.” 
― Oliver Sacks, Seeing Voices

• Clarity of speech
• Confidence
• Knowledge of audience
• Fluency of speech
• Appropriate volume for the situation
• Variety - pace, pitch, emphasis, pause
• Appropriate language
• Open speech to allow for conversation

Listening
Affective listening skills

•  Positive facial expressions
•  Eye contact without staring
•  Remove distractions
•  Focus on the the speaker
•  Make connections
•  Reflection and clarification cues
• ​selects appropriate listening strategies for planned and unplanned situations (records and organises information from a text in a table or with detailed notes)

Conversation skills 
Appropriate reinforcement
Speaking in turn
Conversation maintenance
Non confrontational tone
The use of questioning  to

•    Obtain information.
•    Start a conversation.
•    Test understanding.
•    Draw someone into a conversation.
•    Show interest in a person.
•    Seek support or agreement.

Presentation Skills

• presenting without notes
• engaging presentation - animated, enthusiastic
• voice projection
• facing the audience
• interesting and effective visuals
• confidence
• knowledge of subject
• uses spoken language for different effects through the use of intonation, pausing, rhythm and phrasing to give emphasis and weight to ideas.
• considers how vocabulary is used to impact on the target audience
  

Being an Audience

•  Be attentive
•  Respect the presenter and the presentation
•  Be on time or early
•  Remove distractions
•  Appropriate responses
•  Stay to the end, or wait for a break
•  Stay quiet unless prompted otherwise ​

Interpersonal Skills

•  Personal hygiene & presentation
•  Manners and politeness
•  Tact and diplomacy
•  Recognising the situation
•  Negotiation
•  Recognising your own bias and judgements
•  Emotions
•  Self confidence
•  Ethos
• Assertiveness

“Write to be understood, speak to be heard, read to grow.” 
― Lawrence Clark Powell

Teaching Communication
Communication Professor
Communication fundamentals
Teaching basic communication skills
Teaching conversation skills to teens
Activities for teens on developing communication skills
Teaching ideas for conversation skills
The Harkness Table Method 
The Lesson of Every Conversation: Encouraging Teens to Have Meaningful Interactions
How to develop deep student discussions
Fun alternatives to Think, pair share
Vocational Information Center - Communication skills

Further reading
Importance of communication skills for teenagers
Beyond texting ; Face to face communication for teens
The 7 Characteristics of effective communication

“it’s important to make sure that we’re talking with each other in a way that heals, not in a way that wounds.” 
― Barack Obama


​identifies and paraphrases key points of a speaker’s arguments  discusses their own and others’ listening behaviours  evaluates strategies used by the speaker to elicit emotional responses  identifies any shifts in direction, line of argument or purpose made by the speaker  adopts and re-uses complex abstractions heard in texts  identifies how speakers’ language can be inclusive or alienating (a speaker using language which is only readily understood by certain user groups such as teenagers or people involved in particular pastimes)