English

Learning
Guide
Compete
ncy 1
Unit 1:
Customer
Service
Workshop
1
Centro de Servicios Financieros- CSF

Name: Luisa Fernanda Rincón Castiblanco Cohort: 3 Date: 18-04-2022

Training program: Gestion Contable y de información financiera Instructor: Oscar Cortes

INTRODUCTIONS AND BASIC PERSONAL

INFORMATION (IN/FORMAL
COMMUNICATION)

This workshop attempts to help you improve your basic interaction with others at your
workplace, sharing personal information, identifying formal and informal
communication, and asking and giving information on phone calls your coworkers and
you will learn about customer service and how to interact with others at your
workplace.

Objective: From the development of these activities, you will be able to introduce
yourself and other people using formal and informal communication at work.
1. Work in groups and discuss the following questions:

- What do you understand for personal information?

is information or an opinion forming part of a database, whether true or not, and whether recorded in a
material form or not, about an individual whose identity is apparent, or can reasonably be ascertained,
from the information or opinion.

- What data corresponds to personal information?

Personally Identifiable Information, or personal data, is data that corresponds to a single person. Might
be a phone number, national ID number, email address, or any data that can be used, either on its own
or with any other information, to contact, identify, or locate a person.

- How can you ask a person about their personal information?

What's
your
name?
Where are
you from?
What's your
surname/family name?
What's your first name?
 Where do
you live?
What's
your
address?
What's your
telephone number?
What's your email
address?

- Share your answers with the rest of the class and practice asking and answering
personal information questions.
2. Create a business card using your personal information. Use the image as an example. Take into
account:
- Name of the company
- Full name
- Position in the company
- Contact information

3. Skills practice: Do the following activities to practice the learnt vocabulary and English structures.

3.1. Speaking practice

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Image taken from internet as an example. https://www.canva.com
 English Learning Guide
Competency 1
Unit 1: Customer Service
Workshop 1
Centro de Servicios Financieros- CSF
Now, practice your oral skills and perform a small personal presentation in groups. Suppose
you are a new employee at a company and you will introduce yourself to the team. Switch
roles and get to know each other. Ask and answer questions about everybody in the group.
Share your business cards.
3.2. Listening practice
Before watching the video, discuss:
- What is communication?
The imparting or exchanging of information by speaking, writing, or using some other medium.

- How do we use communication at work? Give some examples.

Email
Text
Phone call
One a one

Watch the video, make notes, and answer or complete the following statements:
- What is communication?
is how get information to each other

- Mention 3 ways of communication email , letter, face to face, telephone.

- What does influence how people imagine you?

The way you communicate influences the way people imagine you, especially if it's someone you don't know. Knowing
the right way to communicate can open many doors, but it takes practice. The different forms of communication can
make a big impact on your message how you communicate.

- Who can you communicate with in a casual or informal way?

Friends, family and other acquaintances

- Texting Abbreviation, Emoji, and being silly is fine to communicate with family
, friends . friends to give them a laugh.

3.3. Reading practice

Before Reading the text, discuss the following questions:
- Do you think it is necessary to have a communication code at work? Give examples.
Yes, because the people will be more open to communicative with you if you convey respect for them and
their ideas.
Using a person`s name
Respect
Making eyes contact
Listening
Tecnic words

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Workshop 1
Centro de Servicios Financieros- CSF
- What can you say about formal and informal communication? Describe.
Communication formal: Formal communication follows a hierarchical structure and chain of
command.
Communication informal: Informal communication is any type of communication that doesn't take place
using the formal methods or structures in a company.

VOCABULARY
Identify the key words from the text. Look for their definition, pronunciation in English.

WORD/EXPRESSION DEFINITION
Interchange Intercambio is the action of
interchanging people or things.
Role Rol is the function assumed or part played
by a person or thing in a particular
situation.
Organization Organización is an organized group of
people with a particular purpose, such as a
business or government department.
Channels of communication Canales de comunicacion are mediums
through which you can send a message to
its intended audience.
Verbal communication Comunicación verbal is the use of words
to convey a message. Some forms of
verbal communication are written and oral
communication.
Spoken communication Comunicaion hablada communication
by word of mouth.
Written communication Comunicacion escrita is any written
message that two or more people
exchange
Non-verbal communication Comunicacion no verbal refers to the
ways in which beings convey
information about their emotions,
needs, intentions, attitudes, and
thoughts without the use of verbal
language.
Eye contact Contacto visual This is a form of nonverbal
communication that humans use to
communicate many forms of emotions.
Employees Empleados a person employed for wages
or salary, especially at non-executive level.
Duties Deberes a moral or legal obligation; a
responsibility.
Hierarchical Jerarquia arranged in order of rank.
Command Dominio give an authoritative or
peremptory order.

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Unit 1: Customer Service
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Centro de Servicios Financieros- CSF
Network Red a group or system of
interconnected people or things.
Requests Peticiones an act of asking politely or
formally for something.
Reports Informes give a spoken or written
account of something that one has
observed, heard, done, or investigated.
Bottom-up De abajo hacia arriba bottom-up work
chain
Top-down De arriba hacia abajo top-down work
chain
Strand chain Cadena de hebras The communication
in which one person tells something to
another, who again says something to
some other person and the process goes
on.
Cluster chain Cadena de cluster The communication in
which one person tells something to some
of its most trusted people, and then they
tells them to their trustworthy friends and
the communication continues.
Gossip chain Cadena de chismes The communication
starts when a person tells something to a
group of people, and then they pass on
the information to some more people and
in this way the information is passed on to
everyone.
Secrecy Secreto the action of keeping something
secret or the state of being kept secret.
Time-consuming Perdida de tiempo taking a lot of or too
much time.
Reliable Seguro consistently good in quality or
performance; able to be trusted.
Supporting Apoyo Secundario serving to corroborate
something.
Available Disponible able to be used or obtained;
at someone's disposal.
Workplace Lugar de trabajo a place where people
work, such as an office or factory.

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Workshop 1
Centro de Servicios Financieros- CSF

Difference Between Formal and Informal Communication

March 27, 2015 By Surbhi S[21]

Someone said correctly “The very attempt of,

not to speak, speaks a lot.” Communication
plays a crucial role in our life, as
people interchange their ideas, information,
feelings, and opinions by
communicating. Formal
communication passes through
predefined channels of communication all
over the organization. On the
contrary, Informal flows in every direction,
i.e. it moves freely in the organization.

Communication can be verbal – spoken or written, or non-verbal i.e. using sign language,
body movements, facial expressions, gestures, eye contact or even with the tone of voice.
In an organization, there are two channels of communication – formal communication and
informal communication. People often confuse between these two channels, so here we present
this article that explains the difference between formal and informal communication network.

2
Text adapted from: https://keydifferences.com/difference-between-formal-and-informal-
communication.html used by SENA for pedagogical purpose, exclusively.

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Competency 1
Unit 1: Customer Service
Workshop 1
Centro de Servicios Financieros- CSF
Definition of Formal Communication: communication in which the flow of information is already
defined. The communication follows a hierarchical chain of command established by the
organization. This type of communication is used exclusively in the workplace, and the
employees follow it while performing their duties. Some examples are: Requests, commands,
orders, reports etc.
There are four types of formal communication:
 Upward or Bottom-up: The information goes from subordinate to superior authority.
 Downward or Top-down: The goes from superior to subordinate.
 Horizontal or Lateral: The communication between two employees of different
departments working at the same level.
 Crosswise or Diagonal: The communication between the employees of two
different departments working at different levels.

Definition of Informal Communication: Communication does not follow any pre-defined channel
for the transmission of information. This type of communication moves freely in all directions, and
it is very quick and rapid. This type of communication is very natural as people interact with each
other about their professional life, personal life, and other matter. Some examples are: Sharing of
feelings, casual discussion, gossips, etc.
There are four types of informal communication:
 Single Strand Chain: The communication in which one person tells something to another,
who again says something to some other person and the process goes on.
 Cluster Chain: The communication in which one person tells something to some of its most
trusted people, and then they tells them to their trustworthy friends and the
communication continues.
 Probability Chain: The communication happens when a person randomly chooses some
persons to pass on the information which is of little interest but not important.
 Gossip Chain: The communication starts when a person tells something to a group of
people, and then they pass on the information to some more people and in this way the
information is passed on to everyone.

Key Differences

1. Formal communication is also known by the name of official communication. Informal

Communication is also known by the name of grapevine.
2. In formal communication, the information must follow a chain of command.
Conversely, the informal communication moves freely in any direction.
3. In formal communication, full secrecy is maintained, but in the case of informal
communication maintenance of secrecy is a very tough task.
4. Formal communication is written, whereas Informal communication is oral.
5. Formal communication is time-consuming as opposed to Informal communication, which
is rapid and quick.

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Unit 1: Customer Service
Workshop 1
Centro de Servicios Financieros- CSF
6. Formal communication is more reliable than Informal communication.
7. Formal communication is designed by the organization. Informal communication starts
itself due to the urge of ‘human to talk’.
8. In formal communication, the documentary evidence is always available. Informal
communication supporting documents are not available.

According to the text:

- Answer your instructor´s comprehension questions and share your answers.
- Establish a comparison chart between formal and informal communication. Work in pairs

FORMAL COMMUNICATION INFORMAL COMMUNICATION

Formal communication is also known by the name InformalCommunication is also known by the
of official communication.
In formal communication, the information
must follow a chain of command.
In formal communication, full secrecy is
maintained.
Formal communication is written.
Formal communication is time-consuming.
Formal communication is more reliable.
Formal communication is designed by the
organization.
In formal communication, the documentary
evidence is always available.
name of grapevine.
the informal communication moves freely in any
direction.
Informal communication maintenance of secrecy
is a very tough task.
Informal communication is oral.
Informal communication, whichis rapid and quick.
Informal communication is not so safe.
Informal communication startsitself due to the
urge of ‘human to talk’.
Informalcommunication supporting documents
are not available.

- Make a graphic illustration of the 4 types of in/formal communication. Use mind maps models and
share it with the rest of the class. Work in pairs

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Workshop 1
Centro de Servicios Financieros- CSF
FORMAL COMMUNICATION INFORMAL COMMUNICATION

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Centro de Servicios Financieros- CSF

3.4. Writing Practice

Let’s suppose that you are part of a design team. Write a short paragraph, saying who the
members of your team are. Use the following text as a model.
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Hello, My name is Kevin Galindo. I am a graphic
designer at Draw your Dreams Corporation.
These are the members of my team. On my
right, Blanca and Jeisson, they are the
copywriters for the new products on the
production department. On my left, you can see
Rosa, Julian, and Miriam. They are the sales
representatives of the company.
And I am the one in the middle of the picture.
We are a great team with lots of ideas for our
customers!

Now, try your own text. Use a picture to have

more ideas!

Hello, good morning, my name is Emily Martinez, I am an accountant at Club de Peluditos LTDA.
These are the members of my team. On my right, Luisa, Mateo and Andres they are in charge of
The financial part of the company. On my left, you can see to Mariano. He is my accounting assistant.
And I am the one third from right to left in the picture. We are a great team that seeks the correct
Financial management of the company.

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Unit 1: Customer Service
Workshop 1
Centro de Servicios Financieros- CSF
Extension activities: the extension activities will help you improve your performance in the topics.
You need to reach at least five hours of practice on your own.
- For further information, listening practice, pronunciation, and more about this, check the link
below to a YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egtyq2ccCIA
- Based on your instructor’s orientation, explore the following website and practice the English
structures. Do at least 2 activities from each topic studied in class and deliver them to your
instructor: http://www.esl-lounge.com/student/grammar-guides/grammar-beginner.php

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Image taken from internet as an example. https://mx.depositphotos.com/127312238/stock-
illustration- set-of-business-people-office.html

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