Download Communication Unit

Communication Unit
Communication is the process of conveying messages so information is
received and understood. It involves listening, speaking, body language and
writing.
Communication model:
 Channel the way the message is sent
 Sender the person sending the message
 Receiver the person receiving the message
 Message the idea being communicated
Meta communication is communication about communication.
People communicate for 5 reasons:
 physical needs: a baby cries for milk, you describe a pain
 social: chatting with friends and family
 identity: lets others know your abilities and interests.
 practical reasons: ordering food and services, creating a building,
running a business, a job interview
 constructive communication: communication that builds up or
improves someone or something
GAME # 1 TIME:
Students break into groups of 3 – 4. Each group brainstorms to create a written
list of as many forms of communication as they can think of. The group with the
longest list will win a prize.
Verbal communication is communication with words and tone of voice.
Conversation is a two-way street, so don’t hog it! To communicate effectively:
 Speak for yourself only, use “I” statements. An “I-message” helps you to
explain how you feel about someone or something without attacking or
directly placing blame. This lessens the defensiveness of the other
person. It will make them more open to what you have to say to them.
o “I guess I haven’t done a good job of explaining how I feel.”
o “I am so upset that you are late picking me up from school for the
4th day in a row. It makes me feel like I am not important to you. I
wish you could be more on time.”
 Avoid speaking for others. Do not assume you know what others want,
think or feel, ask them! Avoid phrases like: ”You don’t understand me!”
“You are always doing . . . “
 Be clear and direct. Avoid slang and cursing. Enunciate clearly!
 Don’t put others down or gossip.
 Ask questions that promote communication. Ask open ended questions
like “why do you enjoy . .?” “How do you feel about . . .?”
 Avoid quick judgments, criticism and arguments.
 Conduct a Perception Check!
o 1st Describe the behavior you are observing
“I notice you are distracted today.”
o 2nd Give several possible explanations.
“Do you feel sick? Are you worried?”
rd
 3 Ask for a perception check.
“Am I right?”
GAME # 2 TIME: Connections
Nonverbal communication is messages sent without spoken words via
gestures, signs, body language.
 Body language is the gestures, facial expression, posture; grooming and
personal space a person uses to communicate.
 Personal space is the area around you
 Touching is communication; a hug, a punch or a massage
 Physical appearance conveys identity, self image, personal values
 First impressions are immediate and lasting. They are based on clues
of actions and body language. To make a good 1st impression use good
manners, be sincere and thoughtful, be confident, pleasant and well
groomed.
 Good manners are actions that you do to make others around you feel
more comfortable and at ease.
Formal Introductions are made between 3 or more people in a variety of
situations. When it falls on you to make the introduction try to do the following:
1. Stand up
2. Make eye-contact with both people
3. Extend your hand for shaking to the person you are meeting
4. Express a greeting “It is nice to meet you”; “How do you do?”; “It is
a pleasure to meet you”; “I have heard wonderful things about you!”
5. Present the person of lesser status to the person of greater status, ex.
Your friend Sticky Fingers is presented to you Grandmother Jones.
 Children to adults
 Students to teachers
 New friends to longtime friends
 Males to females
 Non-relatives to relatives
 Employees to bosses
 The town dogcatcher to the Queen of England
6. When you have a mental lapse, be upfront and say “I am sorry, but I
have forgotten your name.” Your embarrassment will pass but you may
never have another chance to make this introduction!
7. Stick around for some conversation; make sure that the 2 people find
a common thread to talk about. Do not run away!!
Game Time: Formal Introductions
Feedback is the message you receive back from the receiver. Feedback
indicates that the receiver understands or has misunderstood your message.
 Empathy is feeling for someone because you have been through the
same experience.
 Sympathy is feeling for someone because of their circumstance, but you
have never been through that before; you can only imagine their feelings.
WHAT is SHOE –FITTI???
Game # 4 Time: Machine Charades: Students will be divided into groups of
4 – 5. Each group will be given a machine that they must present to the class in
a charade.
Activity Time: Peanut Butter Alien
Two Way Communication is when the speaker and the listener both provide
feedback.
 Hearing is hearing words without listening to their meaning. Poor
listeners are often poor communicators! Many people hear with no
problem, few people listen!! You hear a noise, you listen to a message!
 Listening is the receiving, understanding and response to a message.
Listen and Silent both have the same letters!
 Listening skills are developed. We have 2 ears and one mouth, so which
is the more important skill?
o Active listening requires the listener to check understanding what
the speaker actually means. The listener repeats the message and
gives feedback.
 Intently focus on the speaker, be patient
 Watch the body language
 Listen to the tone of voice
 Repeat the message back, but you do not have to agree
with the message.
 Ask questions.
o Passive listening is when the listener does not respond to the
speaker in any way, you are attentive but do remain passive.
o Combative or competitive listening is when a person waits for
an opening in the conversation to inject your opinions; you are
listening for flaws and planning your rebuttal. The goal is to destroy
the argument and come out of the conversation THE VICTOR!!
GAME # 5 TIME: Secret Picture game – teams of 5
Video Time: Communication: The #1 Job Skill, United Streaming
Divide a sheet of blank paper into 4 squares by folding the paper into a hotdog
and then into a hamburger. Title each of the squares with the following titles:
Phone Skills
Questions & Listening
Criticism
Attitude
During the movie take a minimum of 5 notes of information for each category.
Cartoons can communicate too!
Activity: Communication Enhancers- as you entered the room you drew a
slip of paper. You have read the sentence and thought about what it means.
You are now to explain your strip to the class. Think about how the idea on your
strip enhances communication.
Electronic Communication takes place in many different ways in today’s
world. Some examples are: Fax, cellular phone, satellite phone, Instant
Messaging, Texting, Voice Mail, E-Mail, Pagers, Facebook, MySpace and Skype,
Blogs, Wikis
Instant messaging is a synchronous way to communicate and hold virtual
meetings with other people.
Sexting! 20% of American teens are using their phones to send graphic images.
A “sexter” can receive charges of obscenity and or pornography. Some may
even become “registered sex offenders!”
Email Basics -Email is an essential tool in the workplace it allows you to
communicate, collaborate and connect to others. Email is a hybrid technology
that combines the functions of the phone, memos, and letters. Email is nonsynchronous, because messages are saved in an in-box until the reader is
ready to view them.
In the workplace, email should be used for professional purposes only, because
it is a public form of communication and should always convey professionalism.
Legal issues with email include:
 Your emails can be save and used against you.
 Your workplace emails are now owned by your employer.
 Copyright laws protect email.
 Harassment and discrimination cases often hinge on evidence found in
emails.
Managing email requires some discipline and diligence. To avoid email glut, you
need to:
 prioritize
 read and reply


sort and archive
purge your messages
Netiquette involves guidelines for ethical behavior and politeness with email.
 Be concise.
 Provide only need-to-know info.
 Treat the security of the message about the same as a message on a
postcard.
 Do not say anything in an email that you would not say to legal
authorities.
 Never immediately respond to an email that made you angry or upset.
 Be careful about forwarding the email of others
 Don’t spam or chain-letter people at work.
 Be forgiving of grammatical errors of others, but do not make errors
yourself.
 Avoid use of emoticons unless you are specifically trying to convey an
emotion.
An email has the following features: header (To, cc, bcc, subject) message area
(introduction, body, and conclusion), signature and attachments.
Rolanda’s Netiquette video
Activity Time: Students are to write an email to the instructor as per the given
directions. Each student will write an email and proof read one other person’s
email. The proof reader’s name must be included in the email. Be sure to use
SpellCheck before sending the email.
Conflict is often the result of poor communication. Conflict resolution can result
in stronger bonds between 2 people or the team of people. Conflict can be
avoided by:
 Choosing a quiet time and place to talk
 Choosing to use adult words, body language and tone of voice
 Talking about one issue at a time
 Be willing to compromise
 State the consequences and resolution at the end of the discussion.
Mediation is the use of a neutral person who is not involved in the conflict in an
attempt to reach a compromise or peaceful resolution.
Game Time: The Great Communicator: The instructor will give directions on
how to draw an object to the students. The students will work individually to
draw the object.
Game Time: Back to Back drawings
Video Time: Bridging the Gap (13 mins.) United Streaming
or
Mediation Skills (30 mins.) United Streaming
Upstream Management is changing your parents to do more of what you
want them to do and less of what you don’t want them to do!! HOW?
You must change some of your key actions and reactions!!
1. Initiate conversation with your parents frequently.
2. Remember: they are your parents so they will discipline you sometimes.
3. Don’t take the bait, stay calm when “discussing.”
4. Become interested in your parent’s lives and they will be interested in
your life.
5. Be realistic about what you expect your parent’s reactions to be.
6. Stop demanding and start earning your freedom.
7. Inspire confidence and trust through predictability.
8. Allow yourself to be influenced by your parent’s advice.
9. Be easy to get along with.
10. Do not talk to your parents only when you have a problem, because if all
you talk about are problems, that is a problem!
11. Pick a quiet time to discuss important things.
12. Discuss one issue at a time.
13. Be willing to compromise.
14. Restate any agreement made.
Jay McGraw - Life Strategies for Teens ppt.