1. Effective communication
Supporting the Agency for Professional Development of Teachers in Serbia (ZAVOD)
Workshop
Effective communication
September 2016
Beograd
Prepared by
Univ. Prof Dr Viktor Jakupec

2. Effective Communication
Learning Outcomes
The learner uses knowledge of effective verbal, written and non-verbal communication to foster active inquiry, collaboration and supporting interaction during training
Teaching Activity
Describing and explaining different forms of communication incl. interpersonal and group communication skills and its application in teaching-learning environments (learner participation) (group discussion)
Presenting strategies for communication and information clarity (open forum)
Learning Activity
Identify characteristics of effective communication (exploration of different forms of communication in educational/training settings; group discussion)
Select and document strategies for tailoring communication to ensure it suits different learners groups (group activity) 1

3. Effective Communication
Introduction to Topic
Adult Learning and Communication: Basic Principles
Forms of Communication
Effective Communication
Barriers to Communication
Communication in practice
Activity: Apply What You Have Learnt 2

4. Effective Communication
Adult Learning and Communication: Basic Principles
Determine:
Who says what?
With what purpose?
To whom?
By what means?
With what effect? 3

5. Effective Communication
Adult Learning and Communication: Basic Principles
Personal characteristics
Content knowledge: As a communicator you must know what you are talking about.
Being an authority: The people you talk to must believe in you and trust you.
Projecting personal attitude: The people you talk to must accept you as a person so your attitude is important, e.g. patience and be willing to listen.
What is the content of the message?
What does the message communicates – knowledge, skills, attitudes, data or information. 4

6. Effective Communication
Adult Learning and Communication: Basic Principles
Purpose
Well defined outcomes that are expected after the message has been communicated to the audiences.
Note: In CPD for training of trainers most of the communication will have purposes like: teaching skills, presenting facts, organizing knowledge, stimulating imagination or changing attitudes 5

7. Effective Communication
Adult Learning and Communication: Basic Principles
Audience
A person’s background in terms of experience, literacy level, interests, attitudes and values will determine how the person accepts the message. 6

8. Effective Communication
Types of Communication
Verbal Communication
Written Communication
Visual Communication
Non-Verbal Communication
Requirements:
Text
Media
Technology 7

9. Effective Communication
Forms of Communication
Inter-personal Communication
Communication between two people or within small groups: enables a better understand the external world-events, other people and group-relevant environment. Examples: micro-teaching, individual feedback, mentoring
Group Communication
Communication with and between group(s): enables a common group understanding of the social environment. Examples: seminars, modified lectures, workshops, group leaning environments
Mass Communication
Usually a one-way communication using mass media for addressing groups Examples: open forum lectures, open distance education delivery 8

10. Effective Communication
Effective Communication - Factors Affecting Communication
Listening
Voice
Speed of Delivery
Quality of Content
Pronunciation
Body Language
Facial Expressions
Maintaining Eye Contact 9

11. Effective Communication
Effective Communication - Skills of a good Communicator
Listening: the ability to listen carefully, picking out the positive aspects and the problems, difficulties and tensions of the audience
Observation: the ability to pick up information and nuances about the communication needed in particular situations – the feeling rom non- verbal clues.
Empathy: the ability to identify with the issues/situation as seen through the eyes of the participant …2 10

12. Effective Communication
Effective Communication - Skills of a good Communicator (continuation)
Encouragement: build the confidence of the audience by appreciating their work, time and commitment. Encourage the audience to ask questions, raise queries
Summarising: summarise the information given in the sessions by identifying the main issues discussed, conclude and draw analysis
Flexibility: encourage creativity and a spirit of experimentation in the audience: willingness to change the style of communication if the audience is not able to understand or participate in a certain style …3 11

13. Effective Communication
Effective Communication - Skills of a good Communicator (continuation)
Timing: good appreciation of timing: when to encourage, ask a question, give suggestion, give support, provide feedback and keep track of the time
Planning: planning the communication well in advance from beginning to the end—how to introduce the topic, how do you ask questions, what are the expected outcomes and how to evaluate these outcomes 12

14. Effective Communication
Barriers to Communication
Knowledge-based Barriers
The audience may not have the pre-requisite knowledge, skills, competencies
Physical Barriers:
The audience may not be able to see or hear properly the training delivery
Motivational Barriers
A learner or the audience may not be willing and eager to receive the message. The interest may not lie in the topic/content. The audience may not have the cultural and/or social affinity with the topic 13

15. Effective Communication
Communication in Practice
Decide the desired outcome – what is the aim of the message?
Select the important facts and figures to support the message
Identify key points of the message
Arrange the key points in a suitable order which will flow naturally from (i) introduction to (ii) main content to (iii) conclusion
Choose an appropriate style in which to deliver the message
Monitor the feedback constantly
Be prepared to adjust the delivery or content in accordance with the learners reactions
Avoid “Information Overload” 14

16. Effective Communication
Activity: Apply What You Have Learned
Group activity:
List the major points and rationales of “effective communication” in training situations
Select a real or hypothetical audience and determine which may be the “barriers to communication” for an “effective communication”
Discuss strategies for overcoming the identified barriers
Present group findings 16