Communication Skills for IV Semester Basic English Students (Part -1)
There are two chapters namely
Presentation skills and Personal Conduct and Appearance
are prescribed for IV Semester B.A. / B. Sc. / B. Com. / BBM Basic English
each chapter contains 4 topics
There is a possibility of asking each question on each topic. There will be eight questions given in the question paper out of which you are asked to write any six of those. Each question carries 6 marks. Total 36 marks are allotted for Communication Skills for Basic English students.
Before starting the first chapter Presentation Skills for IV Semester let us recall what we had learnt in the last III semester.
In III Semester we had learnt about some important aspects of different types of Communication Skills
Those are broadly Oral Communication and Written Communication
In connection with Oral Communication we had learnt
§ Face-to-face communication in informal situations
§ Communication over a telephone
§ Communication to a group
within this topic we have learnt
· Facing an interview
· Informal discussions
· Group discussions
· Debates making public speeches etc.
And in Written Communication we had learnt
· Communication through E-mails
· Writing about product and service specifications
· Resume writing
· Covering letters for Job applications
· Compering an event etc.
The present chapter Presentation Skills contains the following topics
They are….
· Synchronized Body Language
· Use of appropriate Media
· Style of Presentation
· Overall impression
The later chapter Personal Conduct and Appearance contains the following topics
· Etiquette and Manners
· Table Manners
· Dress Code
· Gender Bias in Communication
Let us learn now each of the sub-topic of both chapters in detail
The Presentation Skills focus on the essential skills involved in increasing effectiveness of your presentations. A well-done presentation is surely enhancing the effective communication in sharing your information, your ideas, feelings, emotions and thoughts with your audience. To develop your Presentation Skills, you must concentrate on developing the following skills.
· Synchronized Body Language
Synchronized Body Language is predominantly the expressions of your body while you speak that appropriately syncs with the meaning of the words that you use in your speech. “Body Language” includes the facial expressions, gestures, body postures, nodding of your head, shrugging of your shoulders, movements of your arms and legs must be very expressive to enhance the meaning of your speech. Anybody can use body language to augment your verbal communication and can become a successful communicator by training yourself to synchronize both verbal communication and body language. A major part of our communication is carried out through your body language.
Similarly, Body Language as a part of non-verbal communication we need not send symbols of sound attaching to the meaning as we do in the verbal communication. The non-verbal communication takes place through the movements of the body parts like hands, fingers, nodding of head, facial expression, posture, gestures, sauntering, walking briskly, walking with drooped shoulders, wearing gloomy look, red eyes, torn clothes, neat dressing, biting nails to communicate different types of moods and feelings of a person. So, in non-verbal communication we express our feelings or thoughts through what we do and act but not by words.
Here are some decodes of body language:
Action
|
Part of body
|
You feel…/ convey
|
bite
|
lips
|
Nervous
|
clench
|
fist
|
angry, aggressive
|
click
|
fingers
|
You are trying to remember sth.
|
click
|
tongue
|
annoyed / disturbed
|
Drum/tap
|
fingers
|
Impatient
|
hang
|
head
|
Ashamed
|
lick
|
lips
|
anticipating sth good, nervous
|
nod
|
head
|
Agreement
|
purse
|
lips
|
disapproval, dislike
|
raise
|
eyebrows
|
inquiring, surprise
|
scratch
|
head
|
Puzzled
|
shake
|
head
|
Disagreement
|
shrug
|
shoulders
|
doubt, indifferent
|
stamp
|
foot
|
Angry
|
wrinkle
|
nose
|
dislike, distaste
|
wrinkle
|
forehead
|
Puzzled
|
Example: She bit her lips nervously. He scratched his head and looked thoughtful. I wrinkled my nose in disgust. She raised questioning eyebrows. (Source OALD)
It is obvious that we deliberately do not use body language. It just happens without our knowledge while speaking or interacting. These visible codes are different aspects of our body, which includes our looks, our posture, our facial expressions, eye contact, gestures and social space distancing etc., It is natural tendency to wear a body language proportion to the status of our mind. The mind has a direct bearing on our body language. Hence the oral communication and non-verbal communication go hand in hand, they cannot be treated isolation. It has been observed that a perfect blend of both communications could prove to be a total communication, because neither of them exists without the other. A fine synchronization of both verbal communication and body language is what we need in this modern life.
· Use of Appropriate Media
There are three important methods (media) in the process of communication
They are…
1. Visual medium[mp1] : Presently visual medium is very popular in effective communication process. All possible methods of print, audio and video visuals can be used in this teaching and learning process. Let us discuss it later in detail.
2. Kinaesthetic medium: Kinaesthetic[mp2] method of communication is adopted through physical activity. This method of communication can be adopted to the learners whose memories associated with emotions. For them learning process through physical activity is facilitated through dance, debate, drama, role-play and charades. This kind of learning leads to a long-term memory since it is associated with emotions such as excitement, curiosity, anger, disappointment and success. But, a very few learners prefer this method of learning.
3. Tactile medium: This method of communication related to the sense of touch. This method of tactile[mp3] device is adopted to the people who are physically impaired in terms dumb, deaf and blind. A tactile device can translate a text-to-braille which can help the blind to touch and understand / learn.
Now let us learn the above said visual medium in detail.
a. Print: Copies of printed material (handouts) are to be given to your audience if your presentation contains a lot of verbal descriptions. Listeners can make notes on the margins of those copies related to your topic while listening to your speech. This will help them to read leisurely and understand better than listening to your verbal bombast. You must prepare handouts that follow the structure and sequence of your presentation.
b. Tables and Graphs: Providing Tables and Graphs (data) related to the topic will enhance the effectiveness of your presentation. Giving them out to the audience as handouts also has its advantages as they can analyze the data and seek clarifications there and then. Projected shorter tables and graphical presentations have visual impact and they augment your verbal presentation.
c. Drawings and Cartoons: Drawings and cartoons, with or without captions, can quickly convey information or an idea to the audience in a subtle and focused manner. In fact, a cartoon can convey more than what a picture conveys as it is more focused, and its effect is heightened because of the cartoonist’s sense of humour.
d. Paintings and Photographs: The Paintings and photographs will add colour and value to your presentation. An apt painting or a photograph can replace a thousand words and convince audience in a better manner.
e. Presentations of a Series of Photographs in a Sequence: When your presentation contains a number of examples, just one photograph or an image may not be sufficient. A series of photographs are to be presented in a sequence using slides on overhead projector or computer enabled multimedia projector which can enhance the effectiveness of your presentation
f. Video and Audio Clips: These two media go together hand-in-hand in their formats in presentation. These audio-visual clippings can help you to explain your topic very effectively. Of course, with the advent of [mp4] Multimedia Messing Services (MMS) technology, students are now well-equipped to handle these media systems.
g. Animations: Animations are created by graphic designer artists to enhance the level of understanding by giving learners an opportunity to visualize which cannot be seen or experienced. Explanations based on diagrams on the blackboard or the drawings available in books are two-dimensional pictures of a three-dimensional objects. Two-dimensional pictures help a person to explain the concept of a machine but not help the audience to understand it completely. Thus, animated motion pictures will certainly helpful to the presenter to make his presentation successfully and meaningfully.
h. Multimedia Packages: Multimedia package is a learning package which contains text, photographs, graphs, animations and even video clippings, where the relevant media appear as and where require according to the desire of the user. An approach where different media are used in a balanced way and the material presented in a package will enhance understanding of concepts and their applications.
The presenter must keep in mind the appropriate media can only support your presentation. The content of the presentation and its sequence are to be decided by the presenter only. Even the multimedia tools cannot completely replace the presenter, but they can only support you. Therefore, the presenter should have thorough practice in presentation skills.
· Style of Presentation:
The style of presentation depends upon the choice of an individual who is presenting the presentation to the audience. There are varieties of styles in presentation as you can think off.
Generally, the presenter has to organize the points in a logical sequence, similar to the sequence of a textbook and present all points in a sequential order. This style of presentation is only suitable for short presentations lasting for fifteen to twenty minutes and also it is suitable style to make a presentation before an interested adult audience.
The above style presentation may not be suitable for a group audience who are not so motivated and whom the topic is new and unfamiliar. For such audience, the textbook method or serial style may create boredom and monotony during the presentation.
Instead of customized or traditional style a presenter should adopt a different style which can create ‘Cognitive dissonance’ (a kind of disbelief) among the audience to arouse their curiosity and interest. This could attract the “not-so-motivated” listeners toward the topic.
This unique style of presentation sustains the audience’s interest and motivation and ensure their active participation. Such presentations are likely to yield better results and better feedback from the audience. This style of presentation is very useful when the topic of your choice is highly theoretical and complex. These attempts in the strategies of presentation can surely make a great impact on the audience.
· Overall Impression
Apart from how you begin your presentation, the media that you chose, and the style of presentation you selected, there are other features that can make an impression on your audience. A few of such features are listed below to draw a good impression from your audience upon your presentation.
1. Eye Contact: Staring at a single person or looking away from your audience may create disinterest among the audience. Moving your eyes from one end to the other end will ensure that everyone feels included. The eye-contact also serves the purpose of obtaining feedback from your audience.
2. Synchronized Expressions: a pleasant face and synchronized expressions will sustain the interest the interest of the audience.
3. Voice Pitch: A base pitch is to be preferred during the presentation. It makes pleasant for the listeners. The voice pitch can be altered depending on emotional overtones which emphasizes a particular point.
4. Voice Amplitude: Voice amplitude or loudness of your voice has to be adjusted depending the size of the hall and the noises from outside which distract the attention of the audience. If you are making your presentation in a normal-sized hall with an audience of about forty people. Just raise your voice above the normal level and ask a member of the audience who is sitting at the far end of the hall if it is auditable to him or to her. If it is audible, then you can your presentation with the same amplitude of voice.
5. Pauses: Using pauses at appropriate points in the presentation may evoke curiosity in the audience. Further, these pauses help you to gather visual feedback from the audience looking at their facial expressions. Pausing at raising an issue, or asking a question, or create ‘Cognitive dissonance’ gives interest to listeners time to time.
6. Encouraging Audience Participation: The presenter must take the lead to encourage audience in the process of developing his presentation. This attitude can add the value to the presentation. Now and then the presenter may ask to form a hypothesis based on the information and data provided in the presentation.
7. Quotations and Anecdotes: The use of appropriate quotations anecdotes[mp5] can enhance the overall impact on the audience. Choose relevant quotes from well-known sources and connect them to your topic. Look at the reaction of the audience and then proceed to explain the connection of quotation to your topic and leave it to the imagination of the audience. This technic of presentation will definitely add an indelible impression on your presentation.
Thus, a well-trained presenter may make his presentation very successful by executing all these technics to achieve overall impression from the audience to his presentation.
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Note: The next chapter Communication skills Personal Conduct and Appearance is followed in next post.
Personal conduct and appearance
ReplyDeletePersonal conduct and appearance is in 2nd part of communication skills, please verify
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