1. Discussion and Communication Skills
Caroline Thornton
English Language and Academic Skills Coordinator

2. Objectives
This workshop will prepare you with the necessary skills and confidence to:
Participate confidently in academic discussions in tutorials
Communicate effectively with lecturers, tutors and other students

3. Discussion Skills

4. The role of discussion in higher education
Deepen understanding of a subject or topic
Enable exchange of thoughts and ideas
Encourage critical thinking
Effective discussion skills are essential.

5. Activity 1: Brainstorm
What are the features of a good academic discussion? Reflect on your prior experiences.

6. Activity 1: Brainstorm Support opinions with evidence and examples
What are the features of a good academic discussion?
Support opinions with evidence and examples
Follow appropriate rules of etiquette
Use appropriate signal language to promote clarity of communication

7. Participating in tutorial discussions
Tutorials provide the opportunity to share ideas and debate issues. To make the most of tutorials, it is important to be aware of appropriate discussion etiquette.

8. Discussion etiquette
Conventions for good manners and appropriate conduct in academic group discussions. What is GOOD etiquette?
Tutorials play an important role in the information sharing process. It is a chance for you to discuss topics in a smaller group.

9. DO or DON’T? Do Don’t Express your opinion
Be prepared to support your opinion with examples
Say nothing unless asked a question
Show agreement with others when they make a good point
Disagree with another student
Disagree with the tutor/lecturer
Stick to the discussion topic and only include relevant information
Think before you speak

10. DO or DON’T? Do
Don’t
Talk in a loud voice so that everyone listens and doesn’t interrupt you
Interrupt others when they are speaking
Yawn or stare out the window
Play on your phone
Speak politely to other group members, even if you disagree with them
Use a lot of personal experience in your argument
Invite others to speak if they are being quiet
Only speak if you are sure you are correct
Use intimidating body language

11. Language for academic discussions
Know the right phrases to initiate and sustain a discussion:
Signal an intention to say something
Interrupt
Respond to someone else’s comment
Ask others’ opinions
Ask questions
[See handout]
Prepare for success in a group discussion by making sure you have the right vocabulary to initiate and sustain conversation.
Being familiar with a range of useful language expressions will improve your confidence and your performance.

12. Language for academic discussions
Be familiar with a range of useful language expressions for:
Voicing an opinion
Agreeing
Disagreeing
[See handout]
Prepare for success in a group discussion by making sure you have the right vocabulary to initiate and sustain conversation.
Being familiar with a range of useful language expressions will improve your confidence and your performance.

13. Body language Physical cues that indicate you wish to talk:
Make eye contact
Use your hand
Lean forward in your seat
Watch what other people do when they are speaking, and make yourself familiar with the verbal and physical cues which tell you that a speaker is preparing to finish speaking. These cues will help you to know when to get ready to talk or when to start an interruption.

14. Final tips Relevant: Stay focused and ‘on-topic’
Inclusive: Engage all members / ‘share the floor’
Polite: Appropriate verbal and language
Confidence: Don’t be afraid to speak up!

15. COMMUNICATION skills

16. Communication helps to:
Clarify concepts from lectures or readings
Enrich your education experience and develop your knowledge and understanding
Improve your study habits and assignment results based on feedback
Interacting with lecturers, tutors and other academic staff is an everyday part of institute life. You may communicate with the academics or academic staff to: (refer points on slide)

17. Why is etiquette important?
You could be the smartest person on earth, but if you don’t know how to communicate or behave appropriately, you will not get far!
What matters most is how good of a communicator you are!

18. REMEMBER
You are one of MANY students. Academics and members of staff are VERY busy!
Although lecturers, tutors and other academic staff are here to help you and want to help you, they are VERY busy!
You are one of MANY students that they have dealings with every day, so have respect for this!
Always keep this in mind.

19. Appropriate ways to communicate after class
(see handout)
Visit their office
Do NOT ask for mobile phone numbers!
Do NOT ask for mobile phone numbers – it is not appropriate and you will not be given it!

20. What is appropriate? Be on time Put in the effort Be polite
Take responsibility for yourself
Be on time (to class and submitting assignments). You expect lecturers to arrive on time and they expect you to arrive on time! If you are late, apologise as you enter the class and take your seat quickly and quietly. Do not attract attention and be distracting!
Be hardworking – put in the effort, just like the lecturers do. If you submit an assignment, you would not expect a lecturer to say ‘I slept in / I am too lazy to mark your assignment’. If you do not care about your studies, why should we?
Be polite – Academics and other members of staff work extremely hard to ensure you are provided with a good education experience. Respect this and respect them.
Take responsibility for yourself – do not blame others for your mistakes. You are an adult, learning is your responsibility.

21. What NOT to say:
Have you graded my assignment yet because I wanna know how much effort I need to put in for the rest of the semester?
I would like to know what I need to work on throughout the semester so I can achieve the results I would I like.
Highly disrespectful! Why should a lecturer put in any effort in grading your assignment or teaching the course if you can’t be bothered to put any effort into learning?
Don’t ask if you assignment has been graded, this is annoying. You will be informed when it has.

22. What NOT to say:
I might miss a lot of classes, so your notes are online, right?
Unfortunately, due to conflicting commitments, I may be miss some lectures this semester. However, I want to make sure I keep up with the course material. Will the lecture notes be available on Moodle?
Again highly disrespectful! Makes you sound lazy and like you don’t care. You are looking for the easy way out.
Be considerate and show respect.

23. What NOT to say:
I don’t attend your lectures because they are boring / I have more important things to do.
I am unable to attend your lectures because of conflicting commitments, however I make sure I keep up with the lectures and readings through Moodle.
Just no! This is very rude. Demonstrates a complete lack of respect for your lecturer and for your studies.

24. What NOT to say: Do I need to know this for the exam?
Do you have any good tips for how we should study for the exam?
Shows you only care about what is on the exam and not about the learning process and developing your understanding. You are being taught these concepts and topics for a reason – because you may need them again in the future!

25. What NOT to say: Can I get an extension, I am just soooooooo busy.
If you have a really good reason for needing an extension, make sure you can back up your claim and provide proof. Simply asking will not do!
Yes, so? Who isn’t? We all have multiple things we are trying to juggle. Unless you have a genuine reason, just as a medical condition or a family emergency (just to name a couple), the answer will be no. The lecturer is also soooooooo busy – making assignments and planning lectures is just a small portion of what they do.

26. Academic ‘Pet Peeves’

27. Academic ‘Pet Peeves’
Not listening / talking / playing on your phone in class
Asking questions that are loud and clear in the lecture notes / course outline / assignment guidelines
Asking what questions will be in the exam
Generally being lazy
Packing up before the end of class
Not participating when invited to / asked a question
Point 1  If you are talking because you are asking your neighbour a question or using your phone to look something up, instead raise your and ask the question, or save it until after class!
Point 2  Before asking a question, make sure you have checked for the answer yourself. It may be in your course outline, assignment description, etc. You need to take control of your own learning. Be independent and search for answers yourself. If 200 students asked the same question, it will drive the lecturer mental, not to mention waste their valuable time!
Point 3  You will not be told this, ever! Instead, ask for advice about how you can prepare for the exam.
Point 4  Don’t come to class if you are just going to sit there and sleep, not pay attention or not participate. It is a waste of your time and the lecturers time. Make an effort in your assignments. As it’s been said before, if you don’t make the effort, why should we?
Point 5  Just don’t. It is rude and distracting to the lecturer and your fellow classmates. If you come to class, make the commitment to stay to the end.

28. Thank you