Communication Skills
"Communication Skills" is written for New Zealand learners. It focuses on the communication skills required in the commercial, industrial and professional workplaces. Topics covered include the functional aspects of writing and speaking, with emphasis on interpersonal skills such as listening, body language, stress management, assertiveness, problem solving, conflict management, negotiation, and customer service. Each section includes exercises for practicing skills learned. "Communication Skills" covers and is referenced to Levels 1 to 5 of NZQA's Communication Unit Standards. Table of contents: Part One: Introduction to communication * The communication process (defining the communication process, words, jargon and the communication process, levels of communication, communication networks and directions, exercises) * Communication barriers (inattention, poor expression, evaluation, emotions, distrust of inconsistency, physical barriers, insufficient warnings of change, individual differences, language differences, lack of feedback, insecurity of communicators, exercises) Part Two: Study skills * Study skills and time management (learning, remembering and forgetting, motivation, memory, methods and principles of learning, time management, managing yourself) Part Three: Research and writing * Library research and collecting information * Plain English (jargon, suiting the material to the audience, the writing process, common pitfalls, variety in sentence structure, paragraphing, * Clear thinking, reasoning and argument (clear-thinking principles, reasoning, fallacies, argument, exercises) * Taking notes (effective note taking, identifying the main idea, noting the details, outline notes, numbering systems, diagrammatic layouts, mind maps) * Making a summary (summarising written material - sentences and paragraphs) * Memos and E-Mail (types of memos, format and tone, writing a memo - examples) * Letter writing (ten principles of letter writing, format of letters, letter layout, guidelines for writing business letters, types of letters, examples of letters) * Written instructions (requirements for clear written instructions, guidelines for instructions to the public) * Graphics (types of graphics, using graphics in reports and oral presentations) * Report writing (form reports, progress reports, letter reports, memo reports, schematic formal reports, organising findings, the link between findings and recommendations, surveys and questionnaires) * Writing proposals (Tony Timperley - persuasive reports, proposal structure, persuasion in proposals, long proposals, producing a proposal, funding proposals, feasibility reports, the four Cs of successful proposals) Part Four: Speaking * Using the telephone (answering the telephone, making a call) * Giving talks (preparation, body language, use of the voice, analysing the audience, organising a talk, making your point, preparation for effective speaking, introducing a speaker, thanking a speaker) * Oral orders and instructions (giving orders, characteristics of a good order, difficulties with English as a second language, individual instruction - CEDAR) * Group discussion (preparation, guidelines, roles, leadership roles, discussion skills) * Meetings and decision making (principles of decision making, planning, brainstorming, group thinking, the marae: traditional Maori meeting place, formal meetings) Part Five: Interpersonal communication * Listening (value of effective listening, barriers to effective listening, how to become a more effective listener) * Non-verbal communication and body language (types of NVC, physical characteristics and appearance, voice, use of space, use of silence) * Assertiveness (aggressiveness, passivity, passive aggressiveness, assertiveness, other assertiveness techniques) * Problem solving (group problem solving, framework for problem solving, principles of lateral thinking) * Stress management (stress, causes of stress, managing stress) * Conflict management (three aspects of conflict, problem-solving alternatives, collaborative problem solving) * Negotiation (everybody negotiates, preparation, discussion) * Customer relations and service (importance of customer care, employee motivation and self-esteem, face-to-face situations, barriers to service excellence, dealing with awkward customers) Part Six: Job hunting * Applying for a job (application letters, covering letter, CV / data sheet, replying by telephone) * The job interview (faults to avoid, preparation in advance, handling questions, participation in the interview, follow-up letter) Appendices: Basic English * Appendix 1: Using a dictionary * Appendix 2: Using a thesaurus * Appendix 3: Punctuation (summary of types and use of punctuation) * Appendix 4: Simple grammar (phrase, clause, sentence, points to watch, parts of speech) * Appendix 5: Spelling commonly confused words * Appendix 5: Commonly confused words NZQA Unit Standards.