Communication

Knowing how to communicate with people is a very important thing! When we say the word
‘communicate’ many people think talking, but there are other parts of communication. In class, we said
these:
- talking - doing things with your hands
- listening - doing things with your face
- messaging - sending information to other people
- writing - moving
Being a good communicator is more than just talking to people! Speaking and listening go
together. Body language can also change the way a message is being understood. Today we are going to
learn about verbal and non-verbal communication skills.

STOP! Answer this question before you move on!

List 5 things that are important when you are communicating with someone.
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Verbal communication: Speaking

Verbal communication is the words that we actually say. Because all of you are learning a second
(or third or fourth!) language, you may not consider your English verbal communication to be as strong as
you would like. But we are learning every day, and your ability to speak will continue to get better. It is
very important in verbal communication to say what you mean. By using correct grammar and sentences,
you can help to keep your message clear.

The speed and volume of your speaking voice also can affect how your message is understood.
Someone who mumbles or talks too fast will probably not be understood well. The listener (the person
who is listening) may understand the message in a totally different way than what the speaker wanted. By
speaking clearly and loudly, it will help to make for better communication.

It is important that we remember that our verbal language should always be appropriate. Different
situations need different words. For example, if I am coaching my volleyball team, I am going to
communicate differently than if I am speaking to a waitress at a restaurant, or the principal, Mr.
Novelletto, or even my friends. The words that I use are going to be different, and I will probably speak
louder with my volleyball team than if I am talking to friends or even students. We change the way we
speak depending on who we are talking to, when we are talking to them, where we are, and why we are
talking to them.
1. Your friend comes to you upset. They just broke up with their boyfriend or girlfriend. What would
you say to them, and how would you speak to them (what would your voice sound like)?

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2. You are playing in the championship game with your soccer team. You are losing, and your coach
asks you to talk to your teammates at half-time to help motivate them. What would you say to them,
and how would you speak to them (what would your voice sound like)?

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3. You are hanging out with your friends on a Friday night. How are you talking to them?

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4. You are going into a job interview for the job of your dreams. When you walk in, you shake hands
with the boss. How is your voice/words you use different than how you speak to your friends?

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5. Tell me about a time that you had to stand up for yourself. How was your speaking different?

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Non-verbal communication: Body Language

If verbal means speaking, then non-verbal means communicating without using words. Most
people think that the words we say are everything, but really they are only part of communication.

People are always using body language also. When you are with other people, it is impossible not
to use body language, even if you don’t realize you are doing it. Some research says of all of
communication, 55% of the communication comes from body language, 38% comes from how their voice
actually sounds (tone of voice), and only 7% comes from the words that are used.

STOP! Answer this question before you move on!

Do you think this is true or not? Explain why.

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Here are some things that you should think about with body language:

Body position and posture – how are you standing/sitting? Are you facing your partner or are you turning
away from them? Are you relaxed or very tense?

Facial expressions – what does your face look like? Are you smiling or frowning? Are you relaxed or very
tense? Are you looking at your partner? Do you look like you are interested in the conversation or do you
look bored?

Gestures – are your arms folded or relaxed? Are your shoulders up or down? What are you doing with
your hands?
What other parts of non-verbal communication can you think of?

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1. How can non-verbal communication skills change the verbal (spoken) message?

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2. You are all teenagers, and love your phones. Tell me about a time where you read a text message from
someone and THOUGHT they were upset with you, but actually you just read it wrong?

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3. What do you think is best – face-to-face communication, a phone call (not video call), or a text
message? Why do you think so?

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4. How does body language help communication?

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5. Now that we are doing online learning, how has that made communicating in class harder?

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Up next, we will be learning about listening skills. So, answer these questions before we do!
1. What is the difference between hearing someone and listening to them?
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2. How do you know when someone is listening to you?

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