Conversation / Communication Skills: My Top Ten
If you were a fly on my classroom wall you would note that we spend a significant amount of time focussing on communication skills. I do my very best to ensure that my students work toward becoming effective speakers and listeners.
When discussing and “playing around with” the concept of developing speaking skills (and by this I mean in a very general sense) I encourage my students to consider, explore and develop the following:
Speaking Skills: My Top Ten
1. Purpose: Know what it is that you want to express/say. Clarify your aim & your purpose.
2. Processing: Give yourself permission to think about what it is that you want to say and achieve. Allow for processing time. Give yourself time to think and speak.
3. Rehearsal: Mentally rehearse your ideas, understanding of concepts, and opinions before sharing them with the group.
4. Organization: Organize your thoughts and ideas. Keep them as straightforward as possible. Ensure for a sense of direction.
5. Clarity: Ensure that you are audible. Enunciate your words properly. Use a pleasant tone and consider volume and pacing.
6. Connecting: Consider your “audience”. You are there to connect with them – you are not performing a monologue.
7. The Listener: Face the listener(s). Ensure that the listener(s) is ready and is available (physically & emotionally).
8. Tolerance: Be accepting and considerate of the thoughts, ideas and values of others.
9. Manners: Be polite. Watch your manners.
10. Non-verbal Messages:Consider the non-verbal messages that you are both sending and receiving.
