Communicating effectively in spoken English in selected social contexts INTRODUCTION How does one talk so that another person

listens and understands? How does one listen? How does one know if he has been heard and understood? These are all points about communication that have never before been analyzed or explained. People have known that communication is an important part of life but until now no one has ever been able to tell anyone how to communicate. According to the various dictionaries the definition of communication skills is as follows A. B. C. Communication skills includes lip reading, finger-spelling, sign language; for Communication skills is the ability to use language (receptive) and express (expressive) Communication skills is the set of skills that enables a person to convey information so interpersonal skills use, interpersonal relations. information. that it is received and understood. Communication skills refer to the repertoire of behaviors that serve to convey information for the individual. Today, everyone recognizes the importance of learning the English language. The ability to speak and write English properly allows people to advance in the professional world. Being able to speak in English also widens ones horizon in communicating globally.. Why is learning English important to everyone in the modern day world ? Most people study English for work. Businesses worldwide use English as the universal language and medium of communication. This is also true if you want to enter a foreign school or university. But even outside the professional world, being able to communicate properly in English allows the ability to portray oneself better. This ability results to gaining better acceptance and understanding as well as respect from other people. English language is considered as one of the most important languages of the world. It is widely spoken across the globe, even on the internet. In Malaysia, most employers prefer their workers to be able to speak and write English fluently. There are many multi-national companies in Malaysia who need Malaysian work force, but they want and need the ones who are proficient in using the language, as they are going to deal on the international level. Most of reference books and articles are written in English. In colleges and universities, it is important for students

to look up for references. How are these students going to learn if they have no clues of what they read? Erving Goffman sees the performance of self as the most important frame to understand communication. Goffman wrote, What does seem to be required of the individual is that he learn enough pieces of expression to be able to fill in and manage, more or less, any part that he is likely to be given (Goffman 73) Goffman is highlighting the significance of expression. Communication is the activity of conveying meaningful information. Communication requires a sender, a message, and an intended recipient, although the receiver need not be present or aware of the sender's intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus communication can occur across vast distances in time and space. Communication requires that the communicating parties share an area of communicative commonality. The communication process is complete once the receiver has understood the sender. Effective communication is the pathway to build a strong relationship but unfortunately it's so often overlooked. The most frustrating thing about communication is when the person whom you are talking to is not listening to you. Communication should always be a two way process According to Camp & Satterwhite ( 2002 ), there are three types of communications. There are oral communication , written communication and non-verbal communication. When it comes to normal human communication we can find two main parts of communication channels. One is verbal communication and the other is non verbal communication. We can categorize verbal communication into two parts, oral communication and written communication. Oral communication is when two or more parties communicate verbally with words. The conversation can be short range or long range. Spoken conversation is of a short range and communicating through a telephone or voice chat over the internet. The other type is written communication. Written communication can happen through normal mail, e-mail, or any other form of documented writing. Non-verbal communication is mostly body language. It is possible to understand what a person is trying to say or how he/she is feeling. It is also possible to tell the mood of a person by bodily and facial expressions. Facial expressions are very important as well. Facial expressions

give out what the person is feeling. The face is the first thing we notice in a person and the facial muscles give out most of the human expressions. Pictures, sign boards and photographs are also a part of non-verbal communication. Communication today is mainly of three types:
1.

Written communication, in the form of emails, letters, reports, memos and various other documents. Oral communication. This is either face-to-face or over the phone/video conferencing, etc. A third type of communication, also commonly used but often underestimated is nonverbal communication, which is by using gestures or even simply body movements that are made. These too could send various signals to the other party and is an equally important method of communication ORAL COMMUNICATION Effective communication occurs only if the receiver understands the exact information or

2.

3.

idea that the sender intended to transmit. Many of the problems that occur in an organization are the either the direct result of people failing to communicate and/or processes, which leads to confusion and can cause good plans to fail (Mistry, Jaggers, Lodge, Alton, Mericle, Frush, Meliones, 2008). Speeches, presentations, discussions are all forms of oral communication. Oral communication is generally recommended when the communication matter is of temporary kind or where a direct interaction is required. Face to face communication (meetings, lectures, conferences, interviews, etc.) is significant so as to build a rapport and trust. Effective oral communication is not learned from reading: it takes practice, practice, and more practice. It requires understanding the fundamentals of good grammar. It involves developing a vocabulary that allows you to express your opinions, to state your position during a dialogue relative to reaching a decision, to phrase your questions clearly and concisely, and to make your wishes known on any number of matters.

As previously noted, all forms of communication depend on feedback. Feedback between people who are talking includes not only the content but also observation of physical responses. Since the majority of our communication is oral we need to be sensitive to those hidden messages. There is no one in any organization that does not engage in oral communication of some type on a daily basis. For those who report to you intelligent feedback sets the stage for reaching agreement on all issues related to the work effort. Regardless of the topic under discussion there are misinterpretations and misrepresentations that must be rationalized. There are three models of communication : Linear Model is a one way model to communicate with others. It consists of the sender encoding a message and channeling it to the receiver in the presence of noise. Draw backs the linear model assumes that there is a clear cut beginning and end to communication. It also displays no feedback from the receiver. For example, a letter, email, text message, lecture. Interactive Model is two linear models stacked on top of each other. The sender channels a message to the receiver and the receiver then becomes the sender and channels a message to the original sender. This model has added feedback, indicates that communication is not a one way but a two way process. It also has field of experience which includes our cultural background, ethnicity geographic location, extend of travel, and general personal experiences accumulated over the course of your lifetime. Draw backs there is feedback but it is not simultaneous. For example :- instant messaging. The sender sends an IM to the receiver, then the original sender has to wait for the IM from the original receiver to react. Or a question/answer session where you just ask a question then you get an answer. Transactional Model assumes that people are connected through communication; they engage in transaction. Firstly, it recognizes that each of us is a sender-receiver, not merely a sender or a receiver. Secondly, it recognizes that communication affects all parties involved. So communication is fluid / simultaneous. This is how most conversation are like. The transactional model also contains ellipses that symbolize the communication environment ( how you interpret the data that you are given ). Where the ellipses meet is the most effect communication area

because both communicators share the same meaning of the message. For example talking / listening to friends. While your friend is talking you are constantly giving them feedback on what you think through your facial expression verbal feedback without necessarily stopping your friend from talking. INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION Interpersonal communication includes message sending and message reception between two or more individuals. It can involve one on one conversations or individuals interacting with many people within a society. This can include all aspects of communication such as listening, persuading, asserting, nonverbal communication, and more. A primary concept of interpersonal communication looks at communicative acts when there are few individuals involved unlike areas of communication such as group interaction, where there may be a large number of individuals involved in a communicative act. Interpersonal communication is the process that we use to communicate our ideas, thoughts, and feelings to another person. Our interpersonal communication skills are learned behaviors that can be improved through knowledge, practice, feedback, and reflection. In general, people want to feel that they have been treated fairly and feel that they have been understood and respected, regardless of what is being communicated. The ability to listen respectfully can be effective in many emotionally charged situations, such as listening to concerns about sexual harassment, discrimination, authorship order, or in telling someone to leave a job. It helps us understand how and why people behave and communicate in different ways to construct and negotiate a social reality. While interpersonal communication can be defined as its own area of study, it also occurs within other contexts like groups and organizations. Individuals also communicate on different interpersonal levels depending on who they are engaging in communication with. For example, if an individual is communicating with a family member, that communication will more than likely differ from the type of communication used when engaged in a communicative act with a friend or significant other.

Overall, interpersonal communication can be conducted using both direct and indirect mediums of communication such as face-to-face interaction, as well as computer-mediatedcommunication. Successful interpersonal communication assumes that both the message senders and the message receivers will interpret and understand the messages being sent on a level of understood meanings and implications. Verbal communication is the cornerstone of human interaction. Poor listening skills can interfere with the message between speaker and listener. There are many reasons to be good at listening. People listen to gather information and for understanding. It is a skill that can be developed through patience and practice. There is a distinct difference between hearing and listening.

SMALL GROUP COMMUNICATION Communication in small groups is interpersonal communication within groups of between 3 and 20 individuals. This generally takes place in a context that mixes interpersonal interactions with social clustering. A small group uses elements of interpersonal communication and public speaking to create working relationships as well as a forum for formal messages. A small group is usually defined as three (3) or more people who can interact easily with each other while working to some common purpose. For example, 35 people might be considered a group, but it wouldnt be considered a small group for our purposes because allowing all 35 people equal time to talk and begin forging relationships or alliances would paralyze the possibility of completing any task. Eight people, however, can talk in dyads, groups of three or four, or even listen to one another in rotation while moving toward task completion in a timely manner.

Small group communication is, of course, the communication that is carried out within a small group. A small group is generally defined as a group that consists of at least three members and at the maximum around twelve to fifteen members. Every member of a group plays a certain role within that group. Some roles relate to the task

aspect of the group, while others promote social interaction. A third set of roles are self-centered and can be destructive for the group. Small group leadership and membership skills are the skills required to achieve the best results from team meetings. Skill in meetings can be divided into two areas, `leadership' and `membership'. These are the two major roles people play in groups. A group must have an appointed leader to coordinate it's activity, and this person's leadership ability is critical to how well the group will work together. But equally important are the membership abilities of the others who make up the group. Membership ability is the ability to be part of a group so that your contributions are always positive, and so that you also help others to contribute in the best possible way. Members of small groups need the same skills in message construction, audience analysis, and self-awareness that the public speaker needs. In addition, the interpersonal skills necessary for relationship buildingare equally important in participating as a member of a small group. The analyst or critic will observe a small group in action, looking for verbal and nonverbal messages as well as how the group works as a system. Just like the study of interpersonal communication, group members go through a process of self-disclosure where they look for similarities and differences among them and find ways to manage diversity and conflict. The critic would be most interested in analyzing groups in which conflict became unmanageable or the group members were unable to complete a task. How well do the members listen to one another? How did leadership occur and does the group acknowledge the leader? Is the group thinking creatively or simply going through some motions? Group leadership and membership skills are covered together here for a number of reasons:

* most people are, at various times, both leaders and members of small groups, so they need both leadership and membership skills * the same issues of personal interaction arise for both leaders and members * a group will not work well unless both leadership and membership are handled competently A group's members must be able to communicate freely and openly with all of the other members of the group. Groups will develop norms about discussion and group members will develop roles which will affect the group's interaction. Goals A group must have a common purpose or goal and they must work together to achieve that goal. The goal brings the group together and holds it together through conflict and tension.

PUBLIC COMMUNICATION Public communication is characterized by a speaker's sending a message to an audience. It may be direct, such as a face-to-face message delivered by a speaker to an audience, or indirect, such as a message relayed over radio or television." (R. Berko, et al., Communicating: A Social and Career Focus. Houghton, 2007) Public speaking is the process of speaking to a group of people in a structured, deliberate manner intended to inform, influence, or entertain the listeners. It is closely allied to "presenting", although the latter has more of a commercial connotation Making any type of oral presentation takes practice, confidence and knowledge about the topic you are speaking about Effective public speaking skills can be learned by following a few simple points. A good speaker will be organized and have the confidence to present the substance of the speech to an audience. Being able to speak effectively is a valuable skill that can be learned as a student and applied later in life. THE SPEECH RECIPE

The organized speaker will avoid the errors of people who talk in public but don't necessarily make good speeches. The organized speech will follow the following three point recipe:

HEADLINE

Capture your audience's attention by giving them a reason for listening. This establishes a theme for your speech and can be a provocative quote, statistic, or story. The thesis or main idea of your speech is then presented here and it relates to your theme. This is where you tell your audience what you are going to talk about.

MAIN BODY

Break your idea into separate points (three is suggested) that explain or support your thesis and expand upon your theme. This is where your audience is told about your topic.

ECHO

Revisit your headline and summarize your main idea by referring back to the points made in your main body. This provides your audience with a complete package and tells them what you have told them.

CONCLUSION When children are learning to talk, they actually learn by subconsciously copying the adults. So, when they do start trying the words out, their language and accent would be similar to that of the adults around them. Similarly, if you want to become fluent in English, it would be a good idea to listen to it as much as possible. Watch English movies and soaps, listen to English music or even buy a CD of novels read out in English that you could listen to. The more you listen to the language, more comfortable you become with it. Subconsciously, your brain begins to assimilate this language so that when you use it, you would be more likely to use it correctly with only a little accent. But, listening alone would not take you

all the way. You have to practice too. Start reading out English stories and news aloud. Find a friend who would also like to improve his / her English and then make it a point to mostly converse in English when you meet. When you watch a movie, how about re-enacting a scene from it for your friends or family? If you are the shy sort, may be you could do this in front of the mirror. If you are not sure how to pronounce a word, you can look up its pronounciation in a dictionary. Usually, dictionaries tell how to read their pronounciation in the beginning. If that seems like a problem, there are many websites where you can hear the word. "Identification is one of the key ingredients of effective communication. In fact, unless your listeners can identify with what you are saying and with the way you are saying it, they are not likely to receive and understand your message." The quote above is the underlying factor that explains the importance of communication skills. In fact, there are other such quotes, which are as follows that explains the importance of effective communications skills: Good communication is as stimulating as black coffee, and just as hard to sleep after. the newest computer can merely compound, at speed, the oldest problem in the relations between human beings, and in the end the communicator will be confronted with the old problem, of what to say and how to say it. The colossal misunderstanding of our times is the assumption that insight will work with people who are unmotivated to change. Communication does not depend on syntax, or eloquence, or rhetoric, or articulation; but on the emotional context in which the message is being heard. People can only hear you when they are moving toward you, and they are not likely to when your words are pursuing them. Even the choicest words lose their power when they are used to overpower. Attitudes are the real figures of speech. When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen. The problem with communication... is the illusion that is has been accomplished.

The right to be heard does not automatically include the right to be taken seriously. Argument is the worst sort of communication. It is best that both parties, the source (sender) and the receiver, are clear about what they would like to discuss. This is also known as the context of the message. This would make it much easier to decode what the other party is saying without too much trouble. The process of communication, if kept simple and to the point, should not usually have too many issues, and the message will be easily understood by both parties.

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http://www.fountainheadpress.com/contentresources/small_group_comm.pdf en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communication http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/leadcom.html http://www.managementstudyguide.com/oral-communication.htm