English Learning Guide

Competency 1
Unit 1: Customer Service
Workshop 1
Centro de Servicios Financieros- CSF

Name: Yennifer Mariana Tellez Avella Cohort:2558985 Date:

Training program: Instructor:

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?

-It is relevant information about a person to identify him.

- What data corresponds to personal information?

-Names and surnames,
-Address
-Email
-Document number
-Mobile phone

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

1.Your name is?
2.How old are you?
3.What language do you speak?
4.What language would you like to learn to speak?
5.What are you most passionate about?
6.What is your hobby?
7.What is your phone number?
8.what is your occupation?
9.What is your marital status?
10.What work experience do you have?

- 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
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3.2.Listening practice
Before watching the video, discuss:
- What is communication?
- How do we use communication at work? Give some examples.
Watch the video, make notes, and answer or complete the following statements:

What is communication?
The communication is how we get information to each other we have many of the communicating
with all the different people in our lives depending on who you are communicating with there are
aproppiate and inaproppiate ways to communicate.
- Mention 3 ways of communication
1. Casual or informal communication.
2. Face to face meeting
3. Use a weel- written letter or email.

Texting Abbreviation, Emoji, and being silly is fine to communicate with Friends at laughs.
- What does influence how people imagine you?
The way people imagine you, especially if it's someone who doesn't know you, knowing the right
way to communicate can open a lot of doors but it takes practice.
- Who can you communicate with in a casual or informal way?
Styles are fine when dealing with family friends and other familiar people texting abbreviations
emojis and being silly are great for giving your friends laughs but when delivering serious
information it's best to use complete sentences, good manners and clarity use a well-written letter
or email.

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. -
What can you say about formal and informal communication? Describe.

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

Interchange Intercambio
Ex.: We Interchange gifs in the women’s day.

Role Rol
Ex.: In the class the teacher asked carry out a play of the roles.

Organization Organización
Ex. In the line there is organization

channels of communication Canales de comunicación

Ex.: In the bank there are different channels of communication with the
customer.

Verbal communication Comunicación verbal

Ex: When you talk with someone face to face exists verbal communication.

Spoken communication Comunicación hablada

Ex.: In the meeting was a lot of Spoken communication.

Written communication Comunicación escrita

Ex.: I am having Spoken communication throught a email with my boss.

non-verbal communication Comunicación no verbal

Ex.: My friend send text messages so that there is a non- verbal
communication.

eye contact Contacto visual

Ex.: When they did the interview there was eye contact

Workplace Lugar de trabajo

Ex.: My work place always is clean.

Employees Empelados
Ex.: Employees do their Jobs.

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Duties Duties Deberes

Ex.: I have to full fil my duties at work.

Hierarchical Hierarchical Jerárquico

Ex.: The order of Hierarchical start with King.
Command Ordenar
Ex:My mom is going to command me to the store

Network Red
Ex: The neighborhood telephone network does not work.

Requests Solicitar
Ex: I need to requests for the visa

Reports Informes
Ex: my boss needs the reports for the month.

Bottom-up Información al público

Ex:My mom works to give Bottom up

Top-down Información caducada

Ex: my boss has top-down

Strand Chain cadena de información individual

Ex: In whatsapp they shared a strand chain information

Cluster Chain cadena de información masiva

Ex: In whatsapp they shared a cluster chain information

Gossip Chain cadena de chismes

Ex:With my friends we have a chain of gossip by chat

secrecy Secreto
Ex: My friend told me a very important secrecy

time-consuming Consume mucho tiempo

Ex: The supermarket line is time-consuming

reliable Confiable
Ex: My dog is very reliable

Supporting Apoyo
Ex: I have the supporting of my mom

Available Disponible
Ex: The place is available for the event

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.

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

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English Learning Guide

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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English Learning Guide

Competency 1
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, 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

1. Passes through predefined channels 1. Flows in every direction, i.e. it moves

of communication all over the
organization.
2. The communication follows a
hierarchical chain of command
established by the organization.
3. Used exclusively in the workplace.
4. Formal communication is also
known by the name of official
communication.
5. The information must follow a chain
of command.
6. Full secrecy is maintained.
7. Formal communication is written.
8. Is time consuming.
9. More reliable.
10. Designed by the organization
freely in the organization.
2. Is very natural as people interact with
each other about their life.
3. Communication maintenance of secrecy
is a very tough task.
4. Communication is oral.
5. Communication is very fast.
6. communication starts itself due to the
urge of ‘human to talk’.
7. Communication is also known by the
name of grapevine.
8. Informal Communication is also known
by the name of grapevine.
9. Informal communication is not as
reliable
10. Communication supporting documents
are not available.

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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!
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