ORAL

COMMUNICATION
How well do you communicate?
HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED ANY OF THE FOLLOWING?

Feeling misunderstood
 HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED ANY OF THE FOLLOWING?

Being so caught up in what you want to

say that you are unaware of the
reactions of your listeners
HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED ANY OF THE FOLLOWING?

Speaking over others or finishing their

sentences
HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED ANY OF THE FOLLOWING?

Difficulty in expressing your feelings

or opinions
HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED ANY OF THE FOLLOWING?

Feeling foolish asking for

clarification when you don't
understand someone's explanation
HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED ANY OF THE FOLLOWING?

Finding yourself diverting or ending

conversations that don't interest you
HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED ANY OF THE FOLLOWING?

Grappling to understand things from

someone's else's point of view
HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED ANY OF THE FOLLOWING?

Struggling to resolve problems

without losing control of your
emotions
 What is the shortest word in the
English language that contains the
letters: abcdef?
Lesson EFFECTIVE

2.1 COMMUNICATION
SKILLS & SPEECH
CONTEXTS
 INTERACTION
Listening and talking, or giving and receiving,
are both important parts of good
communication. The goal is to make sure that
everyone understands what is being said.
HOW DOES COMMUNICATION HELP?
RELATIONSHIP
One important life skill is the ability to
communicate. Communication helps you get to
know other people and get along well with
them.
SUCCESS
For your career to go well, you need to be
able to talk to people. Having good
communication skills can help you move up
in your career.
SELF
Communication is a big part of how you
see yourself, and it also helps you solve
problems, learn new things, and build your
career.
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION SKILLS
are essential for healthy
relationships, whether at home, work,
or in business or social situations.
BENEFITS OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
leads to the right information being shared
minimizes conflict and confusion
saves resources such as time
helps establish a bond
leads to the intended results being achieved
helps build strong relationships

COSTS OF POOR COMMUNICATION

sends mixed messages instead of a shared understanding
increases the risk of a negative outcome
leads to conflict and strained relationships
intended results are not achieved, or only partially achieved
creates stress
emotional reactions confuse or distract from the information being conveyed
Every person has a unique communication
style. There are three main styles and
while people use a combination of these,
they usually have a dominant style. It is
important to know what your dominant
style is so that, if necessary, you can
modify it to increase the likelihood of
achieving the outcome you want.
 01 COMMUNICATION
STYLES

Lack of communication is the key to any successful

relationship going wrong.
– Pepa
 PASSIVE
COMMUNICATORS
put their feelings and needs
last.They feel uncomfortable
expressing their feelings or
needs, instead allowing others
to express themselves.
AGGRESSIVE
COMMUNICATORS
put their feelings and needs
first, at the expense of
others, and are defensive or
hostile when confronted.
ASSERTIVE
COMMUNICATORS
express their needs and
feelings in a respectful way
while balancing their rights
with the rights of others.
 PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE ASSERTIVE
COMMUNICATORS COMMUNICATORS COMMUNICATORS

This approach can lead to They tend to speak loudly in a demanding

misunderstandings, anger, or resentment. voice and dismiss, ignore or insult the needs They own their feelings and behaviors
They often: without blaming the other person by
and feelings of others. They often:
using ‘I’ statements. You can use
lack eye contact assertive communication to draw out the
make demands
have poor posture feelings and needs of passive
ask questions in a blaming, threatening,
find it difficult to say ‘no’ communicators and to help manage
or accusing way
to avoid conflict. aggressive communicators.
don't listen to others
They are easy to get along with as use 'you' statements'
they ‘go with the flow’.
 PASSIVE
COMMUNICATORS
Characteristics:
Passive communicators tend to avoid expressing their own needs, feelings, or
opinions.
They often downplay their own importance and may come across as timid or
submissive.
Passive individuals may have difficulty setting boundaries and saying no.
They often prioritize others' needs and wishes over their own.

Effect:
Passive communication can lead to unmet needs, frustration, and a lack of
personal agency.
Others may take advantage of passive individuals or not fully understand
their wants and needs
 AGGRESSIVE
COMMUNICATORS
Characteristics:
Aggressive communicators tend to express their needs and opinions in a
forceful, often disrespectful manner.
They may use shouting, criticism, blame, or personal attacks to get their point
across.
Aggressive individuals often prioritize their needs above others' and may be
domineering.

Effect:
Aggressive communication can lead to conflicts, strained relationships, and
resistance from others.
People may feel intimidated or defensive when dealing with aggressive
individuals.
 ASSERTIVE
COMMUNICATORS
Characteristics:
Assertive communicators express their needs, feelings, and opinions in a clear,
direct, and respectful manner.
They set and maintain boundaries while considering the needs and feelings of
others.
Assertive individuals are confident, self-assured, and aim for win-win
solutions in conflicts.

Effect:
Assertive communication fosters healthy, open, and honest relationships.
It allows individuals to express themselves effectively, get their needs met,
and resolve conflicts constructively.
HOW TO BECOME AN ASSERTIVE COMMUNICATOR
Understanding how you and others communicate helps get your message across.
Here are a few tips to help you become an assertive communicator:

use ‘I’ statements

maintain good eye contact, remembering that too much eye contact may be
intimidating and that in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, Asian, Middle
Eastern, Hispanic, and Native American cultures, eye contact can be seen as
disrespectful.
learn to say ‘no’
practice what you want to say
keep emotions in check – if you are feeling too emotional, wait a bit before
continuing
say your needs and wants confidently
start small by practicing your new skills in a low-risk situation, for example
with your partner or a friend.

TAKE NOTE THAT BEING ASSERTIVE TAKES TIME AND PRACTICE.

02 ACTIVE LISTENING
Active listening helps us build relationships, solve problems,
improve understanding, resolve conflicts and retain more
information. Active listening is more than just hearing.
 5 MAIN TECHNIQUES
02 TO BE AN ACTIVE
LISTENER
 01 PAY ATTENTION

Give the speaker your undivided attention:

face the speaker

don’t be distracted by your thoughts, feelings, or biases
don’t mentally prepare a reply
avoid being distracted by other things
pay attention to the speaker’s non-verbal cues to pick up
hidden meaning
 SHOW THAT YOU'RE
02 LISTENING
It is important that you are ‘seen’ to be listening. Use your
body language and gestures to show that you are paying
attention:

combine eye contact with smiles to encourage the speaker

keep your posture open and interested – so try not to
cross your arms or legs
try not to distract the speaker by playing with your
mobile phone, fidgeting, looking at a clock or watch, etc.
03 GIVE FEEDBACK

Our life experiences and beliefs can distort what we hear.

Your goal is to understand the speaker’s knowledge,
thoughts, ideas, and feelings. You can do this by:

reflecting on what is being said and the non-verbal cues

asking questions
summarizing the speaker’s comments
04 KEEP AN OPEN MIND

Try not to interrupt. It frustrates the speaker and limits the

understanding of the message:

try to think about the situation from the speaker’s

perspective
allow the speaker to finish each point before asking
questions
avoid jumping to conclusions
avoid interrupting with counterarguments
05 RESPOND APPROPRIATELY

Active listening encourages respect and understanding. You

are gaining information and perspective. Don’t attack the
speaker or put them down:

be open and honest in your response

give your opinions respectfully
don’t offer opinions or solutions unless asked to do so
treat the other person in a way that you think they
would want to be treated.
And remember, practice makes perfect. Active listening can
take a bit of practice to master. Over the next week, try
practicing your active listening skills. Make a conscious
effort to more actively listen and summarize the main
points at the end of each conversation. This will help you
get into the habit.
03 QUESTIONING
SKILLS
We have identified that it is important to listen, however, in practice, much of
the communication we do is about asking the right questions. Getting
someone to open up can often be more about the effective use of questions
than about the individual’s personality. It is through asking the right
questions and then listening to the responses that information is built up on
the matter being discussed. There are several types of questions, each serving
a different purpose.
01 OPEN QUESTIONS

I keep six honest serving men, (They taught me all I knew);

their names are What and Why and When, and How and
Where and Who.’ Rudyard Kipling, from Just So Stories, 1902

Invite the person to say what is in their mind freely. They

usually begin with the following words what, how, when,
why, tell me e.g., how are you feeling now? These might be
useful in fact-finding, getting people to open up, etc.
02 CLOSED QUESTIONS

These may be useful when trying to confirm information or

if you have a particularly talkative person. They can
generally be answered with one word.
03 LEADING QUESTIONS

These direct the responder to the answer that is expected.

EXAMPLES:
If you had to do that again would you….?
Don't you think the new policy is a positive step
forward? (Guiding toward a positive response.)
Isn't it true that you enjoyed the event last night?
(Leading to the assumption of enjoyment.)
"Do you believe it's time for a change in leadership?"
(Suggesting that it might be time for a change.)
04 RHETORICAL QUESTIONS

This is a question that requires no answer

EXAMPLES:
Is this a joke?
Are you serious?
Why is this happening to me?
Are you kidding?
Is the sky blue?
Why not?
Who cares?
04 LEARNING TO SAY
'NO'

You can be a good person with a kind heart and still

say no – Lori Deschene
Many people struggle to say ‘no’. You might feel that saying no is uncaring or
selfish, or you might fear being disliked or criticized, or that you risk a
friendship if you say no. One way to reduce the overload and find some time
for yourself is to learn when and how to say no. Sometimes saying no may be
the only way to achieve the best outcome. Learning to say ‘no’ is a powerful
skill and it takes practice to become comfortable in saying it.
04 TIPS FOR 'SAYING
'NO'
01 KEEP YOUR REFUSAL SIMPLE

Be firm, polite, and brief. You’re not asking permission to

say no. You don’t need to give a reason unless you want to.
Use phrases such as “I can’t … my plate is overloaded as it
is” or simply “No, thank you”.
02 PRACTICE SAYING NO IN
FRONT OF A MIRROR OR IN
FRONT OF A FRIEND

Practicing saying no will help you become more comfortable

and confident in saying the word.
03 START BY SAYING NO TO
LITTLE THINGS

This could be telemarketers or something minor. The more

you practice saying no, the better equipped you’ll be to
decline the bigger propositions in life.
04 GIVE YOURSELF SOME TIME
BY SAYING “I’LL GET BACK TO
YOU”
When you’ve had time to think about it, you’ll be able to say
no more confidently.
05 THINK ABOUT A
COMPROMISE

but only if you want to. Suggest an alternative to suit both

of you.
06 SEPARATE REFUSAL FROM
REJECTION

You’re saying no to a request, not rejecting the person!

People usually understand that it’s your right to say no,
just as it is your right to ask a favor.
07 DON’T FEEL GUILTY

It’s important for the people around you to hear you say no
because it reminds them that you are in charge of setting
your boundaries. True friends will respect your boundaries.
05 BILL OF RIGHTS

To effectively communicate, we must realise that we are

all different in the way we perceive the world and use
this understanding as a guide to our communication with
others – Anthony Robbins
As you know, communication involves two or more people. To guide our
communications, it is helpful to remember our communication rights and
responsibilities.

Communicating effectively means recognizing your rights but also recognizing that
other people have rights too. The following rights highlight the freedom you have to
stand up for yourself and be clear about your position while respecting others. At
times we all need to be reminded of these rights and responsibilities.
06 RAPPORT

The way we communicate with others and with

ourselves ultimately determines the quality of our
lives – Tony Robbins
Rapport can be defined as ‘a relationship of harmony, conformity, accord
or affinity’. It is unconscious communication that reaches far beyond the
words spoken. Rapport is the non-verbal signal that someone gives us that
say ‘I think the same as you’.
People who are strangers avoid holding mutual positions. The importance of
mirroring (or matching) is an important lesson to learn. It is the means by
which we can discover if someone agrees with us or likes us. It is also a way
for us to tell others that we like them, by simply copying their gestures.
 GOOD

06 MIRRORING
TECHNIQUES
01 VOICE

Listen to the voice that is being used and try to adopt a

similar tone, volume and speed.
02 BREATHING

Try to breathe at the same pace and depth as the other

person.
03 SITTING POSITION

Adopt the same sitting position as them; if they are sitting in

a very upright position then don’t slouch in your seat or vice
versa, lean forwards or backward as appropriate.
04 LEGS POSITION

Your legs in the same way as they have theirs (crossed,

uncrossed, crossed ankles). This one can be difficult to
mirror without being obvious if you are struggling to get
rapport.
05 HANDS/ARMS

Match the other person’s hand and arm gestures. When

rapport is not present it becomes the top priority in
communication. Get into the habit of stopping for a while
during a meeting and looking to see if you are in rapport
with someone. It will take a split second to discover if you
are not, but can save a lot of wasted time on areas where
you are not in agreement.
SPEECH CONTEXT
When referring to speech communication,
context is the surroundings, circumstances,
environment, background, or setting that
determine, specify, or clarify the meaning
of an event.
SPEECH CONTEXT
According to DeVito (2005), “Context refers
to the setting where the communication
occurs. Context helps to establish meaning
and can influence what is said and how it is
said.”
SPEECH CONTEXT
Speech Context is important because it
helps you communicate appropriately,
understand the meaning of any message
conveyed, and respond accordingly.
TYPES OF SPEECH CONTEXT
Intrapersonal
Interpersonal
Public Communication
Mass Communication
INTRAPERSONAL
This refers to a type of communication
that is focused on one person, where the
speaker acts both as the sender and as the
receiver of the message. The message is
made up of thoughts and feelings while
the medium is the brain that processes
what you think and feel (Hybels &
Weaver, 2012, p 16).
INTERPERSONAL
This refers to the type of communication
that takes place between and among
people and creates a personal relationship
between and among them. Normally, it
includes two individuals, and it can vary
from casual and very personal to formal
and impersonal.
INTERPERSONAL
DYAD
Communication that happens between two people.

SMALL GROUP
This applies to interactions involving at least three
but not more than twelve people engaged in face-to-
face interactions to achieve the desired goal. In this
type of conversation, all participants can freely
express their ideas throughout the discussion.
PUBLIC COMMUNICATION
This type refers to communication that enables
you to send or deliver a message before a crowd.
The message can be transmitted for informative
or persuasive purposes. "In public communication,
unlike interpersonal and small groups, the
channels are more exaggerated. The voice is
louder and the gestures are more expansive
because the audience is larger”.
MASS COMMUNICATION
This refers to communication through
television, radio, newspapers, magazines,
books, billboards, the internet, and other
types of media.
1. Which do you think of the effective communication skills you often
use in everyday conversation?

2. Which of the types of speech contexts do you find easy to practice

your communication skills? Which one do you find difficult?
 SEATWORK 2.1.1

IN ANOTHER LIFE DIARY

Write and give a piece of advice to your “in-another-
life self” on how to thrive and grow as a person.
Ultimately, to pursue what your heart longs for and to
dwell where the heart belongs.
 SEATWORK 2.1.2

DRAMATIC
MONOLOGUE
Write and perform a dramatic monologue about your
dreams and aspirations.
 SEATWORK 2.1.2

VLOG: AN INTERVIEW
Create a vlog interview.
 PERFORMANCE TASK

RADIO BROADCASTING
Rubrics:
https://www.wcpsky.org/userfiles/2622/my%20files/r
adio%20broadcast%20rubric.pdf?id=611921
THANK YOU