S.A.

BAHETI COLLEGE JALGAON

SUB-201 PROF.COMMUNICATION

(BCA) SEM –II

NOTES BY –PROF.JAYSHRI KUMAVAT

Semester – II
Kavayitri Bahinabai Chaudhari
North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon
Faculty of Science and Technology
BACHELOR OF COMPUTER APPLICATIONS (BCA)
BCA 201 –Professional Communication
W.E.F. 2022-23
[Total Marks: External60 + Internal40 =100 Marks]
Semester I CIE Marks : 40
Course Code BCA 201 SEE Marks : 60
Contact Hours (L.T.P) 4:0:0 Exam Hours : 02
Course Outcomes – At the end of the course, student will be able to:
1. To develop his verbal and non verbal communication ability
2. To communicate with people effectively and confidently.
3. To draft effective business correspondence documents.
4. To make and present well designed and informative presentations
Unit 1 – Introduction to Communication 06L 15 M
1.1. Introduction
1.2. Meaning
1.3. Definition
1.4. Process, importance.
1.5. Principles of effective communication
1.6. Scope of Business communication - Internal & External
1.7. Barriers to Communication, Overcoming the barriers
Unit 2 - Listening Skills 08L 15M
2.1. Types of Listening ( theory /definition )
2.2. Tips for Effective Listening
2.3. Academic Listening- ( lecturing )
2.4. Listening to Talks and Presentations
2.5. Listening to Announcements- (railway/ bus stations/ airport / stadium announcement etc.)
2.6. Listening to Radio and Television
Unit 3 –Oral Communication & Presentation Skills 12L 15 M
3.1 Need for Dialogue and Conversation Skills
3.2 Skills need for Dialogue
3.3 Clear & pleasant Speech
3.4 Speakers Appearance and Personality
3.5 Preparing text and visual material for presentation
3.6.Use of ICT tools for communication and presentation
Unit 4 –Soft Skills 16L 15M
4.1. Empathy
(Understanding of someone else’s point of view) 4.2. Intrapersonal skills
4.3. Interpersonal skills
4.4. Problem solving
4.5. Reflective thinking, Critical thinking
4.6. Negotiation skills
Unit 5 –Basics of English 08L 15 M
5.1 Parts of Speech- Noun, Pronoun, Verb, Adjectives, Adverb, Conjunction, Preposition, Interjection
5.2 Tenses in a Nutshell -For proper sentence construction.
5.3 Punctuation: Commas, Semi-colons, colons, Hyphens & Dashes, Apostrophes
5.4 Vocabulary Building -; Antonyms and Synonyms; Prefixes and Suffixes
Unit 6 – Written Communication 10L 15M
6.1 Letter writing, Essentials of Good Business letters
6.2 Types of letters: Types of Application Letters- Application for Job, Application for Leave.
6.3. Preparing Resume for Job
6.4 Email drafting and Etiquettes
6.5. Preparing agenda and writing minutes of meetings
Exam Pattern -
Reference Books -
1. Business Communication by Urmila Rai &S.M. Rai, Ninth Revised Edition (2010) (ISBN-83-8318-438-
3) Himalaya Publishing House
2. Effective Business Communication by Asha Kaul, Second Edition (2015) (ISBN-789390464777)
3. THI Learning Pvt. Ltd., Business Communication by K.K. Sinha, Galgotia (2003)(ISBN-81-85989-36-
2)
4. Business Communication by M. Balasubramanyam, (2003) (ISBN-13-9788-176-639118), Kalyani
Publications
Unit 1 – Introduction to Communication 06L 15 M

1.1. Introduction

Communication is the key to solving the world’s problems. Diplomatic

breakthroughs, scientific discoveries, life-saving health advice – all these things
depend on the ability to communicate clearly and effectively.

Communication also increasingly relies on an understanding of cultural context,

across complex global networks.
If you have a bachelor’s degree in any field, this course will equip you with the
communication skills to unlock the potential of your degree; and to really have an
impact. You’ll master successful oral communication techniques, learn how to write
for specific audiences and become proficient at analysing digital texts. You’ll also
learn best-practice communication strategies to manage interactions between
organisations.
As part of the course and to contextualise your learning to your own interests and
expertise, you’ll design and execute a Masters project. This will be a guided
independent study that emphasises a process of inquiry, analysis, and synthesis of
communications theory and practice to your own discipline.

1.2. Meaning

Professional communication is defined as oral, written, digital, or visual forms of

information delivery in a workplace. Professional communication also involves
various forms of speaking, writing, and responding within and beyond the workplace
environment.

1.3. Definition

Definitions: 1. Keith Davis: Communication is a process of passing information and

understanding from one person to another. 2. John Adair: Communication is essentially the
ability of one person to make contact with another and make himself or herself understood.

OR

Communication is the sending and receiving of information and can be one-on-one or

between groups of people, and can be face-to-face or through communication devices.
Communication requires a sender, the person who initiates communication, to transfer their
thoughts or encode a message.

OR
Professional communication is the use of oral, written, digital, or visual forms of information
delivery in a workplace context. Active listening, confidence, non-verbal cues and
conciseness are some of the professional communication skills.

Or

definition: The Communication is a two-way process wherein the

message in the form of ideas, thoughts, feelings, opinions is transmitted
between two or more persons with the intent of creating a shared
understanding.

1.4. Process, importance

Communication Process

The communication is a dynamic process that begins with the

conceptualizing of ideas by the sender who then transmits the message
through a channel to the receiver, who in turn gives the feedback in the
form of some message or signal within the given time frame. Thus, there
are Seven major elements of communication process:
1. Sender: The sender or the communicator is the person who initiates the
conversation and has conceptualized the idea that he intends to convey it
to others.
2. Encoding: The sender begins with the encoding process wherein he uses
certain words or non-verbal methods such as symbols, signs, body
gestures, etc. to translate the information into a message. The sender’s
knowledge, skills, perception, background, competencies, etc. has a great
impact on the success of the message.
3. Message: Once the encoding is finished, the sender gets the message that
he intends to convey. The message can be written, oral, symbolic or non-
verbal such as body gestures, silence, sighs, sounds, etc. or any other
signal that triggers the response of a receiver.
4. Communication Channel: The Sender chooses the medium through
which he wants to convey his message to the recipient. It must be selected
carefully in order to make the message effective and correctly interpreted
by the recipient. The choice of medium depends on the interpersonal
relationships between the sender and the receiver and also on the urgency
of the message being sent. Oral, virtual, written, sound, gesture, etc. are
some of the commonly used communication mediums.
5. Receiver: The receiver is the person for whom the message is intended or
targeted. He tries to comprehend it in the best possible manner such that
the communication objective is attained. The degree to which the receiver
decodes the message depends on his knowledge of the subject matter,
experience, trust and relationship with the sender.
6. Decoding: Here, the receiver interprets the sender’s message and tries to
understand it in the best possible manner. An effective communication
occurs only if the receiver understands the message in exactly the same
way as it was intended by the sender.
7. Feedback: The Feedback is the final step of the process that ensures the
receiver has received the message and interpreted it correctly as it was
intended by the sender. It increases the effectiveness of the communication
as it permits the sender to know the efficacy of his message. The response
of the receiver can be verbal or non-verbal.
Note: The Noise shows the barriers in communications. There are chances
when the message sent by the sender is not received by the recipient.
1.5. Principles of effective communication
Principles and 7 C’s of Effective Communication

Communication is a very important factor in our life. Let's know the principles & 7 important
factors of effective communication.

Whether speaking formally or informally to a student or a team member we should

be careful about the principles of communication.
We are aware that the main motto of communication is to share thoughts and ideas.
To have effective communication we must understand the capacity of the audience.
While communicating all should focus on its principles.
In my earlier two blogs, I have focused on the Language Skills, the Process of
Communication & its importance. In this blog, I focused on the principles and 7Cs of
effective communication.

Notice Your Audience

Communication is a two-way process. The prime objective of communication is to
make the audience understand. The communication should always be packaged to
suit the receiver's / listener's level of understanding.

Understand Your Purpose

While communicating you should know your purpose. You should make it clear that
you are sharing specific information or being social.

Know Your Topic

Senders should be aware of all the facts and details of the concerned topic. Take
feedback from time to time that will help in making the topic clear.
Communicate a little at a time and check whether the receiver understands or not.
Ask the questions to the audience and let them ask the questions.

Set a Goal
While communicating you should set a particular goal, because impacting your
audience is one of the important things in effective communication. Everybody
should figure out their real outcome at the start.

Be Clear and Organized

Writing short sentences is essential to keep things clear. Moreover, writing lengthy
sentences is one of the quickest ways to lose the attention of your audience. To
avoid such problems, we should replace long sentences with short ones.
Staying organized is not easy for most people. It creates a high-level outline before
you attempt to communicate with your audience.
Present information in several ways. The things which work for one listener may not
work for another. Look at the audience and communicate by making eye contact that
will help to build strong relationships.

7 C’s of Communication

1. Conciseness
In formal communication, we should be very careful about the briefness/conciseness
of the message. As brevity is one of the principles of formal communication. Also, it
is one of the important elements and prerequisites of effective communication.
It is always helpful for both the sender and the receiver because it saves their time.
Concise messages are helpful in getting the meaning.

2. Correctness
Correctness means the accuracy of thoughts, figures, and words. If the given
information is not correctly conveyed, the sender will lose reliability.
While communicating we should be careful about the correct use of grammar,
message composition and appropriate words. Successful communication depends
on the correct use of language & grammar.

3. Concreteness
While communicating one should be very specific. Concreteness is an important
aspect of effective communication. It is about being specific and definite rather than
general.
In oral communication, one cannot draw tables and graphs to make our statement
specific, but we can use apt and precise words to convey a message. If the message
is specific, that saves time and increases the likelihood.

4. Clarity
Clarity is one of the principles of formal communication. Whatever we
speak/communicate should have clarity. The idea of the message should be very
clear in the mind of the sender.
The sender must be careful about the clarity of thought and objective of
communication.

5. Completeness
Effective communication depends on the completeness of the message. Incomplete
messages create ambiguity in the audience.
A complete message brings the desired results without any expense or additional
information. Therefore, each and every message which is sent by the sender should
be complete.

6. Consideration
It is an act of consideration. While sending a message the sender should look from
the angle of the audience. The sender should understand the feelings and emotions
of the receivers. It shows that in communication we should consider the audience.

7. Courtesy
Courtesy means polite behaviour. While communicating everybody should show
politeness towards others. It facilitates communication. The polite messages help to
strengthen relationships and to create goodwill, which helps in expanding the
business.
To conclude, I would like to say that everybody should use the 7 Cs of
communication to communicate effectively.

1.6. Scope of Business communication - Internal & External

Suppose you are working in an organization. Your boss asks you to suggest some ideas regarding a
project. How will you do so? You can communicate your ideas, thoughts, beliefs to your boss. How do
you want it to be? Also, suppose you went to another firm to pitch for your company.

How will you communicate there? Is the way of expressing your ideas the same in both situations? Is
your way of talking to your friend and your boss the same? No!. In this section, we are going to make
ourselves familiar with different types of communication.

Here we will learn the terms external and internal communication.

Internal Communication
Internal communication is the transmission of information within an organization. Internal
communication is a lifeline of a business. It occurs between an employer and an employee.

It is communication among employees. Internal communication is the sharing of the information,

knowledge, ideas, and beliefs between the members of the company.

Internal communication can be formal or informal. It depends upon the persons to which we are
communicating. We use informal or not so formal language with our colleagues. The language used
while communicating the head of the company is formal.

Effective Internal Communication

Effective internal communication must have the following.

• The open and clear reason for communication.

• Understanding the need of the audience.

• Consistent and regular communication.

• Clear, jargon-free, to the point, and brief language.

• Two-way communication.

• Good use of vocabulary.

Importance of Internal Communication

One can easily find the importance of internal communication. some of them are

• It increases productivity.
• Effective and responsive customer service.
• Easy attainment of goals.
• Reduce day-to-day conflict between team members.
• Enable fast response.
• Enable fast decision making.
• Helps in motivating the employees.
Common Internal Communication

• Group meetings.
• Company blogs.
• Employee training within an organization.
• Personal meetings.
• Telephonic conversation between employees.
• Inquiry of employee.
• E-mails within an organization.
• Staff communication.

• Company newsletter.

External Communication
External communication is the transmission of information between two organizations. It also
occurs between a business and another person in the exterior to the company.

These persons can be clients, dealers, customers, government officials or authorities etc. A
customer’s feedback is also external communication. An organization invests a lot of time and
money to improve their image through external communication.

Effective External Communication

One can easily find the importance of external communication. Some of them are

• Clear ideas, thoughts, and statement or the reason for communication.

• It must be two-way communication.

• Clear, error-free, formal, jargon-free, and easy language.

• Understanding the need of the audience.

• Proper choice of words for communication.

Importance of External Communication

• It presents a favorable image of an organization.

• It provides information about products and services to customers.

• Advertise the organization.

• Promote an organization

• Reduces the risks of mistakes.

Common External Communication

• Advertisement of an organization.

• Response to a customer.

• Press conference.

• Annual reports and letters.

• Print media.

• Face to face meeting of two organization heads.

• Tender documents.

• Brochures.
• Feedbacks.
• Questionnaire.
Solved Example on Internal and External Communication

Problem: Which communication is known as ‘Employee Communication’?

Solution: Communication between employees of an organization is an ‘Employee Communication’.

Internal communication is the ‘Employee Communication’.

1.7. Barriers to Communication, Overcoming the barriers

Barriers of Communication: This far we have seen what we mean by

the process of communication. But, at times even after taking care of
every other detail some misunderstandings arise. So, to eliminate
these misunderstandings, we have to understand the most common
barriers to effective communication. Let us see what these Barriers
of Communication are!

Barriers To Effective Communication

The process of communication has multiple barriers. The intended communique
will often be disturbed and distorted leading to a condition of misunderstanding
and failure of communication. The Barriers to effective communication could be
of many types like linguistic, psychological, emotional, physical, and cultural etc.
We will see all of these types in detail below.

Linguistic Barriers
The language barrier is one of the main barriers that limit effective
communication. Language is the most commonly employed tool of
communication. The fact that each major region has its own language is one of
the Barriers to effective communication. Sometimes even a thick dialect may
render the communication ineffective.

As per some estimates, the dialects of every two regions changes within a few
kilometers. Even in the same workplace, different employees will have different
linguistic skills. As a result, the communication channels that span across
the organization would be affected by this.

Thus keeping this barrier in mind, different considerations have to be made for
different employees. Some of them are very proficient in a certain language and
others will be ok with these languages.

Browse more Topics under Communication

• Types of Communication
• Network in Communication
• Characteristics of Effective Communication
• Interpersonal Skills, Listening Skills and Emotional Intelligence
.

Psychological Barriers
There are various mental and psychological issues that may be barriers to effective
communication. Some people have stage fear, speech disorders, phobia,
depression etc. All of these conditions are very difficult to manage sometimes and
will most certainly limit the ease of communication.
Emotional Barriers
The emotional IQ of a person determines the ease and comfort with which they
can communicate. A person who is emotionally mature will be able to
communicate effectively. On the other hand, people who let their emotions take
over will face certain difficulties.

A perfect mixture of emotions and facts is necessary for effective communication.

Emotions like anger, frustration, humour, can blur the decision-making capacities
of a person and thus limit the effectiveness of their communication.

Physical Barriers to Communication

They are the most obvious barriers to effective communication. These barriers are
mostly easily removable in principle at least. They include barriers like noise,
closed doors, faulty equipment used for communication, closed cabins, etc.
Sometimes, in a large office, the physical separation between various employees
combined with faulty equipment may result in severe barriers to effective
communication.

Cultural Barriers of Communication

As the world is getting more and more globalized, any large office may have
people from several parts of the world. Different cultures have a different meaning
for several basic values of society. Dressing, Religions or lack of them, food,
drinks, pets, and the general behaviour will change drastically from one culture to
another.

Hence it is a must that we must take these different cultures into account while
communication. This is what we call being culturally appropriate. In many
multinational companies, special courses are offered at the orientation stages that
let people know about other cultures and how to be courteous and tolerant of
others.

Organisational Structure Barriers

As we saw there are many methods of communication at an organizational level.
Each of these methods has its own problems and constraints that may become
barriers to effective communication. Most of these barriers arise because of
misinformation or lack of appropriate transparency available to the employees.

Attitude Barriers
Certain people like to be left alone. They are the introverts or just people who are
not very social. Others like to be social or sometimes extra clingy! Both these
cases could become a barrier to communication. Some people have attitude issues,
like huge ego and inconsiderate behaviours.

These employees can cause severe strains in the communication channels that they are present
in. Certain personality traits like shyness, anger, social anxiety may be removable through
courses and proper training. However, problems like egocentric behaviour and selfishness may
not be correctable.

Perception Barriers
Different people perceive the same things differently. This is a fact which we must consider
during the communication process. Knowledge of the perception levels of the audience is crucial
to effective communication. All the messages or communique must be easy and clear. There
shouldn’t be any room for a diversified interpretational set.

Physiological Barriers
Certain disorders or diseases or other limitations could also prevent effective communication
between the various channels of an organization. The shrillness of voice, dyslexia, etc are some
examples of physiological barriers to effective communication. However, these are not crucial
because they can easily be compensated and removed.

Technological Barriers & Socio-religious Barriers

Other barriers include the technological barriers. The technology is developing
fast and as a result, it becomes difficult to keep up with the newest developments.
Hence sometimes the technological advance may become a barrier. In addition to
this, the cost of technology is sometimes very high.
Most of the organizations will not be able to afford a decent tech for the purpose
of communication. Hence, this becomes a very crucial barrier. Other barriers are
socio-religious barriers. In a patriarchal society, a woman or a transgender may
face many difficulties and barriers while communicating.

Solved Examples on Barriers of Communication

Q1: What do you mean by a barrier to communication? List all the

important Barriers to effective communication?

Answer: Any parameter that limits the purpose or channel of communication

between the transmitter and the receiver is a barrier to communication. A
communication barrier may limit or reduce the ease at which we communicate
and hence the name barrier. Although the barriers to effective communication
may be different for different situations, the following are some of the main
barriers:

• Linguistic Barriers
• Psychological Barriers
• Emotional Barriers
• Physical Barriers
• Cultural Barriers
• Organisational Structure Barriers
• Attitude Barriers

• Perception Barriers
• Physiological Barriers
• Technological barriers
• Socio-religious barriers
This concludes our discussion on the topic – barriers of
communication.
Overcoming Communication Barriers
There are a lot of communication barriers faced these days by all. The message intended by the
sender is not understood by the receiver in the same terms and sense and thus communication
breakdown occurs.

It is essential to deal and cope up with these communication barriers so as to ensure smooth and
effective communication.

As, in the previous section we have discussed the major barriers of communication. Let’s talk
about how to overcome these barriers of communication.

1. Eliminating differences in perception: The organization should ensure that it is

recruiting right individuals on the job. It’s the responsibility of the interviewer to ensure
that the interviewee has command over the written and spoken language.

There should be proper Induction program so that the policies of the company are clear
to all the employees. There should be proper trainings conducted for required employees
(for eg: Voice and Accent training).

2. Use of Simple Language: Use of simple and clear words should be emphasized. Use of
ambiguous words and jargons should be avoided.
3. Reduction and elimination of noise levels: Noise is the main communication barrier
which must be overcome on priority basis. It is essential to identify the source of noise
and then eliminate that source.
4. Active Listening: Listen attentively and carefully. There is a difference between
“listening” and “hearing”. Active listening means hearing with proper understanding of the
message that is heard. By asking questions the speaker can ensure whether his/her
message is understood or not by the receiver in the same terms as intended by the
speaker.
5. Emotional State: During communication one should make effective use of body
language. He/she should not show their emotions while communication as the receiver
might misinterpret the message being delivered. For example, if the conveyer of the
message is in a bad mood then the receiver might think that the information being
delivered is not good.
6. Simple Organizational Structure: The organizational structure should not be complex.
The number of hierarchical levels should be optimum. There should be a ideal span of
control within the organization. Simpler the organizational structure, more effective will be
the communication.
7. Avoid Information Overload: The managers should know how to prioritize their work.
They should not overload themselves with the work. They should spend quality time with
their subordinates and should listen to their problems and feedbacks actively.
8. Give Constructive Feedback: Avoid giving negative feedback. The contents of the
feedback might be negative, but it should be delivered constructively. Constructive
feedback will lead to effective communication between the superior and subordinate.
9. Proper Media Selection: The managers should properly select the medium of
communication. Simple messages should be conveyed orally, like: face to face
interaction or meetings.

Use of written means of communication should be encouraged for delivering complex

messages. For significant messages reminders can be given by using written means of
communication such as: Memos, Notices etc.

10. Flexibility in meeting the targets: For effective communication in an organization the
managers should ensure that the individuals are meeting their targets timely without
 skipping the formal channels of communication. There should not be much pressure on
employees to meet their targets.

Unit 2 - Listening Skills 08L 15M

2.1. Types of Listening ( theory /definition )

The importance of listening can’t be overstated.

While learning to communicate what you want to say is important, knowing how
to listen using different types of listening skills is just as crucial for
communication.
 Not only can it help you process information on different levels, but it can also
help you build relationships with others.

That’s because listening goes deeper than just hearing.

It’s also much more than listening to the words someone else is saying. While
this is one type of listening, it isn’t the only one that matters.

Let’s discuss the various types of listening and why listening is important for
helping you advance your career and life.

Definition

Listening is the ability to accurately receive and interpret messages in the

communication process. • Listening is key to all effective communication, without. the
ability to listen effectively messages are easily misunderstood. • Listening is one of
the most important skills you can have.

7 types of listening skills

1. Informational listening
2. Discriminative listening
3. Biased listening
4. Sympathetic listening
5. Comprehensive listening
6. Empathetic or therapeutic listening
7. Critical listening

There are several types of listening you can develop both at home and at work.

Let’s explore seven of these types of listening, why they matter, and what they
can look like:

1. Informational listening

When you want to learn something, you’ll use informational listening to

understand and retain information.

It usually takes a high level of concentration to perform this type of listening.

That’s because you need to be highly engaged to understand a new concept.

You also need to apply critical thinking to what you are learning. This is so you
can understand what you’re learning within the context of relevant information.

Some examples of informational listening include:

• Work training
• Self-paced learning at home or at work
 • Listening to an educational ebook
• Coaching

When you know how to use informational listening, you empower yourself to
become a better learner. By actively learning and improving yourself, you can
become a more valuable asset in your place of work.

You can also feel more fulfilled when you pursue your passions and learn
something new at home.

2. Discriminative listening

Discriminative listening is the first listening type that you’re born with.

Everyone innately has discriminative listening skills.

You use this type of listening before you even know how to understand words.
Instead of relying on words, discriminative listening uses tone of voice, verbal
cues, and other changes in sound.

Discriminative listening is how babies understand the intention of a phrase

before they can understand words. If someone speaks to them in a happy and
amused tone of voice, they’ll smile and laugh back.

They can also tell who is talking because they recognize different voices.

But discriminative listening isn’t just for babies.

If you’re listening to a conversation happening in a foreign language, you’ll likely

automatically use your discriminative listening skills.

These will allow you to analyze tone and inflection to get an idea of what is going
on.

You can also use nonverbal cues to listen and analyze. For instance, someone’s
facial expressions, body language, and other mannerisms can tell you a lot about
the meaning of someone’s message.

You shouldn't discount discriminative listening, even if you understand

someone’s language.

This listening style is key to understanding the subtle cues in a conversation.

Using this listening skill can help you read between the lines and hear what
remains unspoken.

Here’s an example:

Let’s say you ask one of your colleagues if they agree with a course of action.
They say yes, but you can tell from their body language, such as shifting
uncomfortably, that something is wrong.

Using your discriminative listening skills, you can pick up on this and ask them if
they’re certain. You can also ask if something is going on that they’d like to
discuss.

3. Biased listening

Biased listening is also known as selective listening.

Someone who uses biased listening will only listen for information that they
specifically want to hear.

This listening process can lead to a distortion of facts. That’s because the person
listening isn’t fully in tune with what the speaker wishes to communicate.

Here’s an example:

Let’s say your superior is briefing you on a new project. You’re waiting to hear
about the details of this assignment because you’ve been excited for a long time
about it.

Because you’re so focused on the details of the assignment, you don’t fully hear
everything your superior says. As a result, you hear your superior explain how
you’ll be judged on this project, but you don’t fully process it.

Because you don’t have this information, you may not perform as well as you
could if you had understood all the details.
4. Sympathetic listening

Sympathetic listening is driven by emotion.

Instead of focusing on the message spoken through words, the listener focuses
on the feelings and emotions of the speaker.

This is done to process these feelings and emotions.

By using sympathetic listening, you can provide the support the speaker needs.
You can understand how they’re really feeling, not what they say they are
feeling.

The speaker will feel heard and validated when you take the time to pay attention
in this way.

Sympathetic listening is crucial if you want to build a deeper relationship with

someone in your life.

For example, let’s say you run into a work colleague at the grocery store. They
seem upset, so you decide to listen to what they have to say.

You also use sympathetic listening to feel how they are feeling. In doing this, you
notice how frustrated they are about the lack of recognition they are getting at
work.

As a result, you can offer your support and sympathize with their situation.
5. Comprehensive listening

Unlike discriminative listening, comprehensive listening requires language skills.

This type of listening is usually developed in early childhood.

People use comprehensive listening to understand what someone is saying

using words.

Several other types of listening build on comprehensive listening. For example,

you need to use comprehensive listening to use informational listening and learn
something new.

At work and in your life, you’ll likely use a combination of comprehensive and
discriminative listening to understand the messages people are giving you.

For example, let’s say your colleague briefs you on a project. You’ll need to use
comprehensive listening to analyze the words and understand the message.

You’ll also use comprehensive listening when you receive feedback.

6. Empathetic or therapeutic listening

Empathetic listening is useful to help you see from other people’s perspectives.

Using this type of listening, you can try to understand someone else’s point of
view as they’re speaking. You can also try to imagine yourself in the other
person’s shoes.

Instead of just focusing on their message, you can use empathetic listening to
relate to someone else’s experiences as if they were your own.

This is different from sympathetic listening.

With sympathetic listening, you try to understand someone’s feelings to provide

support. But you don’t necessarily try to imagine what it’d feel like to be in their
position.

Here’s an example:

Let’s say your superior just announced that this week’s company outing is
canceled due to budget cuts.

By using empathetic listening, you can tell how much pressure your superior is
feeling. You can imagine yourself having to break the bad news.

You know there’s pressure from higher-ups to respect the budget. You also know
that there’s pressure from employees.
Instead of getting upset, you understand why your superior made this decision.
That’s because you can imagine what it’s like to be in their shoes at this moment.

7. Critical listening

If you need to analyze complex information, you’ll need to use critical listening.

Using critical thinking while listening goes deeper than comprehensive listening.
Instead of taking the information at face value, you can use critical listening to
evaluate what’s being said.

Critical listening is crucial when problem-solving at work.

For example, you’d use this type of listening when trying to choose how to
handle an unusual and complex client request.

You need to use this skill to analyze solutions offered by other people and decide
if you agree or not.

To do this, you don’t just need to hear their words. You also need to look at the
bigger picture and compare everything you know.

Why is listening so important in life and at work?

Listening is a key component of effective communication skills.

Regardless of the type, listening is key to understanding what other people are
really trying to say. Without listening, it's easy to get something wrong and make
assumptions.

On the other hand, when you actively listen, you can fully communicate with
someone else.
Listening is the most important part of communication. That’s because it allows
you to come up with a substantial and meaningful response. You can pick up on
subtleties you wouldn’t have otherwise, especially with body language.

If something isn’t clear, you can ask clarifying questions. This is something you
might not have done without active listening.

At work, communication is an important soft skill. According to LinkedIn's 2019

Global Talent Trends report, 80% of companies say that soft skills are
increasingly important to their success.

Listening is also important for productive collaboration.

According to the same LinkedIn report, collaboration is the third most important
soft skill companies need.

Imagine trying to collaborate if you can’t actively listen to your colleagues.

Information gets lost, and misunderstandings occur.

The same can happen if everyone on the team uses different levels of listening.
Some people will be more engaged than others. Not everyone will get the same
understanding of the same conversation.

You can avoid this if everyone actively listens to each other.

Plus, when you actively listen, your colleagues and your superiors will notice that
you come up with meaningful responses.

Listening is also crucial if you want to learn effectively.

Without attentive listening, it can be easy to miss small details that make a
difference in your learning.
Active listening games

You can improve team communication with active listening games.

In one such game, you and your colleagues can split up into groups of two. The
first person in each group is given a picture, while the other person is given a
pen and paper.

The second participant needs to ask questions in order to accurately draw the
image the first participant is holding.

In another game, participants need to mime non-verbal cues to express their

feelings about a topic. The other participants need to write down what they
believe the other person feels.

Finally, you can practice active listening by having all participants listen to one
person speak for three to five minutes. During this time, no other participants
may speak. Afterwards, the other participants need to paraphrase what they
think the other person said.
Learn all types of listening to improve your life and your
work
One type of listening isn’t better than the other. Instead, these seven types of
listening work together to help you better understand the messages you receive.

By being a good listener, you can become a better communicator, avoid

misunderstandings, and learn new information more easily.

If you’re struggling to become an active listener, you’re not alone. You can make
it easier to work on those skills through coaching from experts at BetterUp.

Schedule a coaching demo today to see how it can help you become a better
listener.

2.2. Tips for Effective Listening

tips for active listening

Listening is an important skill in all areas of life, whether you’re
supporting a loved one through health problems, dealing with colleagues
or in family relationships. But most of us aren’t as good at listening as
we’d like to think.

When we show we’re really listening, it’s much more rewarding for the person talking
to you, and you’ll get more out of it too. This is called active listening, and it can help
avoid misunderstanding and reduce the potential for conflict.

Here are 10 easy ways to make your communication more effective and make the
other person feel more valued.

1. Face the speaker and have eye contact

Eye contact is an important part of face to face conversation. Too much eye contact
can be intimidating, though, so adapt this to the situation you’re in. Try breaking eye
contact every five seconds or so, or to show you’re listening attentively, look at one
eye for five seconds, then another eye for five seconds, then switch to looking at their
mouth. When you look away, looking to the side or up is better than looking down,
which can seem like you want to close the conversation.

Check your posture and make sure it’s open – avoid crossed arms or crossed legs,
which can make you look ‘closed’ or defensive. Leaning slightly forward or sideways
whilst sitting can show that you’re listening – as can a slight tilt of your head or resting
your head on your hand.

2. “Listen” to non-verbal cues too

Pay attention to what the other person is saying with their body
language
Facial expressions, tone of voice and gestures can tell you just as much as what is
being said in words. Pay attention to what the other person is saying with their body
language - are they smiling, for example, or are their arms crossed defensively, or are
they rubbing their eyes as if they're tired or upset. Even on the phone, you can learn a
lot from the other person’s voice, which might sound subdued or upbeat.

3. Don’t interrupt
Being interrupted is frustrating for the other person – it gives the impression that you
think you’re more important, or that you don’t have time for what they have to say. If
you are naturally a quicker thinker or speaker, force yourself to slow down so that the
other person can express themselves. Remember, a pause or a few seconds of silence
doesn’t mean that you have to jump in. Letting the other person speak will make it
easier for you to understand their message, too.

Even interruptions that respond to something that they’ve said can be distracting if it
means the conversation gets sidetracked from what they were trying to tell you about.
If this does happen, steer the conversation back to “So, you were telling me about…”.

4. Listen without judging, or jumping to

conclusions
If you start reacting emotionally to what’s being said, then it can get in the way of
listening to what is said next. Try to focus on listening. Equally, don’t assume that you
know what’s going to be said next.

5. Don’t start planning what to say next

You can’t listen and prepare at the same time.

6. Show that you’re listening

Nod your head, smile and make small noises like “yes” and “uh huh”, to show that
you’re listening and encourage the speaker to continue. Don’t look at your watch,
fidget or play with your hair or fingernails.

7. Don’t impose your opinions or solutions

It’s not always easy, but lending a listening, supportive ear can be much more
rewarding than telling someone what they should do. When a loved one has health
problems is a time when they probably want to tell you how they’re feeling, and get
things off their chest, rather than have lots of advice about what they should be
doing.

In other areas of life too, most people prefer to come to their own solutions. If you
really must share your brilliant solution, ask first if they want to hear it – say
something like “Would you like to hear my suggestions?”

8. Stay focused
If you're finding it difficult to focus on what someone is saying, try repeating their
words in your head as they say them – this will reinforce what they’re saying and help
you to concentrate. Try to shut out distractions like other conversations going on in
the room. And definitely don’t look at your phone.

9. Ask questions
Asking relevant questions can show that you’ve been listening and help clarify what
has been said.

If you’re not sure if you’ve understood correctly, wait until the speaker pauses and
then say something like “Did you mean that x…” Or “I’m not sure if I understood what
you were saying about…”

You should also use open questions where you can, like “How did that make you feel?”
“What did you do next?”

10. Paraphrase and summarise

Repeating what has been said really shows you’ve been paying
attention, and allows the speaker to correct you if you haven’t
understood
Sometimes called reflecting, this is repeating what has been said to show that you
understand it. This may seem awkward at first, but really shows you’ve been paying
attention, and allows the speaker to correct you if you haven’t understood correctly.

If you’re not sure how to do this, try starting a sentence with: "Sounds like you are
saying…”
And remember….practice makes perfect
Old habits are hard to break, so you’ll need to make a conscious effort to become an
active listener. Try spending a week in which you summarise the main points or
outcomes at the end of each conversation or meeting. This will help you get into the
habit.

2.3. Academic Listening- ( lecturing )

Academic listening is a special kind of listening. It is listening in

order encounter, understand, learn, discuss, and remember new
ideas. No matter what your teaching situation, helping students
become better academic listeners is an important part of language
teaching.

Listening helps us learn and assimilate knowledge from different sources. For example,
listening skills can improve reading comprehension, learning, and academic performance
early and later (Jalongo, 2010)

What are academic listening skills?

1. Listening for Gist

This is when a student listens for the overall idea of what an audio text is saying or describing
without focussing too much on the finer details of that text. This type of listening is usually
necessary the first time an audio excerpt is played, after which the tutor may ask some
general comprehension questions, such as ‘How many speakers were there?’ or ‘What was
the topic of this discussion?’. Because overall meaning is the main focus here, unknown
vocabulary can be mostly ignored.

2. Listening for Specific Information

The second type of listening is when a listener focuses on certain key words in order to begin
to understand the main ideas of the audio text. Perhaps the listener needs to hear a date or a
figure to answer some simple or closed comprehension questions for a task that their teacher
has set. It’s therefore not necessary at this stage for the listener to think too deeply about what
they’re listening to, but to instead focus only on the key and specific surface information.

3. Listening for Detailed Information

Listening for detailed information is particularly useful for open comprehension question
such as those that ask why or how, as this type of listening requires the student to listen
particularly carefully – and to perhaps consider deeper implications of the audio text or to
make inferences based on what the speaker may or may not be saying. The teacher might set
questions such as ‘What do you think the speaker’s overall opinion was of that topic?’, or
‘Why do you think speaker A avoided responding to speaker B about X?’ to get their students
thinking a little more deeply.

Activities involving these three types of listening will usually be carefully constructed and
supported with pre- and post-listening tasks to increase the student’s chances of success. The
following is a typical structure in such a listening-oriented class:
However, these are not the only listening skills that a language learner must have to deal
with, and the structure provided above may in fact not be used at all by a professor whose
background is not in language teaching or EAP. We’ve therefore isolated six additional skills
below that a listener must learn to improve if they wish to increase their listening success.

1. Listening and Reading

Firstly, a successful listener must be able to listen to a speaker while simultaneously reading
additional information, such as any notes that the teacher writes on the whiteboard, any
handouts they’ve been given, or any illustrations provided through visual data such as
PowerPoint presentations.

2. Listening while Notetaking

A good listener, particularly an academic one, must also be able to take notes during a
lecture, both for concepts and facts and perhaps even for new vocabulary items. Not only
must a language learner be able to do all these things at the same time, but they must able to
write quickly and comprehensively – perhaps through the use of shorthand or symbols to
improve their notetaking speed.

3. Listening for Cues

Additionally, it’s important that a student who wishes to improve their listening skills is able
to recognise a wide variety of lecture and discussion cues that a speaker may call upon for
various reasons. Such lecture cues may be used to transition from one topic to another, to
provide supporting details for a concept, or perhaps to signal the general organisation of a
talk or lecture.
4. Listening to Multiple Speakers

One of the hardest aspects of multitasking when listening is being able to listen to multiple
speakers providing their opinions and ideas at the same time. Such a situation may occur in
a group discussion or during a class seminar, for example. Sometimes such speakers may
take it in turns to speak, in which case the listener will only need to focus on the accents or
pacing of each individual speaker. However, at other times, especially during heated debate,
speakers may end up talking over each other, and so it can be difficult to separate each
speaker even for natives. Nevertheless, the more practice you have at this, the better you’ll be
at dealing with this situation effectively.

5. Dealing with Unknown Vocabulary

Subject-specific vocabulary may be one difficult aspect of listening in an academic context,

as it’s indeed true that a student will be required to simultaneously consider an unknown or
uncertain vocabulary item while still continuing to listen to the lecturer. It’s important
therefore that students don’t spend too long considering such vocabulary. Ultimately, what’s
important is that you note down these vocabulary items, continue listening, and return to
them later.

6. Thinking of a Response

Finally, as well as listening to your tutor, the lecture, or a discussion amongst your peers, and
as well as having to deal with new vocabulary or making notes while listening, you
may very well also be required to respond if called upon to answer a
question or contribute to the debate. You’ll therefore likely have to both
listen and consider your opinion or stance on the topics being discussed at
the same time. While this is of course a natural human skill, being able to
do so easily in a second language will take considerable practice.

2.4. Listening to Talks and Presentations

Truly listening requires you to pay attention to the words the speaker is saying as
well as their non-verbal cues. That means you have to maintain good eye contact.
Listen for phrases used to introduce a new topic or concept. Listen for transitions to indicate
the connections between ideas. Listen for pauses and emphasis – these are signals that key
information is to follow. Review your notes while you still remember what the speaker has
said.
 Effective Business
Presentations: Three Keys to
Listening Success
Listening: It doesn’t sound hard to do, but you must hone your listening skills
for effective business presentations. Unfortunately, due to all the distractions
and technology surrounding us, concentrating on communicating with others
is becoming increasingly difficult. We know that effective communication
requires both speaking and listening. Most people have the speaking part
down; few have mastered the art of listening.

When we don’t listen, communication quickly breaks down. The result? Lost
sales, lost opportunities, misunderstandings, bad customer service and hurt
feelings. What can you do to help improve your listening skills? Plenty.
Consider the following strategies:

1. Stop multi-tasking.
In an attempt to get as much done as possible, we multi-task. Instead of
talking on the phone while reading an e-mail and drafting a response, give
your full attention to one communication. Focus only on your conversation.
When it comes time to listen, you need to tune out all of the “noise” and make
an effort to focus on the speaker. Get yourself mentally prepared for listening
by removing distractions. Close your office door, turn off your computer
monitor, disable your e-mail notification, and turn off music and cell phones.
The first step in listening success is creating an environment conducive to
listening.

2. Listen to comprehend.
Most people listen with the intent to reply. Try changing your intent from
“listening to respond” to “listening to comprehend.” This is especially important
when you’re listening to a client with a problem or concern. Force yourself to
focus on what the speaker is telling you without formulating a response or
excuses. This will ensure you truly understand what has occurred and what
the client is requesting. When t they’ve finished talking, repeat back what was
said to validate comprehension.
3. Observe non-verbal cues.
Truly listening requires you to pay attention to the words the speaker is saying
as well as their non-verbal cues. That means you have to maintain good eye
contact. For example: If someone is telling you they are excited about
something with a scowl on their face, you may infer that they are not really
happy about the news or event. Oftentimes, talking is our way of processing
our thoughts. Combine what you see with what you hear, and you will get a lot
more out of the conversation.

2.5. Listening to Announcements- (railway/ bus

stations/ airport / stadium announcement etc.)

Places where you listen to announcements include airports, train

stations, bus terminals, educational institutions, shopping malls,
stadiums, public transportation, hospitals, government buildings, and
public places.

• Airports: Announcements are made at airports to provide flight updates,

boarding calls, security instructions, and general information to passengers.
• Train Stations: Train stations announce train arrivals, departures, platform
changes, delays, and safety guidelines for the convenience of travelers.
• Bus Terminals: Announcements at bus terminals include bus schedules,
gate assignments, route changes, and other important information for
passengers.
• Educational Institutions: Schools, colleges, and universities make
announcements for various purposes such as class cancellations, event
notifications, exam schedules, and important announcements for students
and staff.
• Shopping Malls: Announcements in shopping malls inform visitors about
ongoing sales, special offers, upcoming events, and general
announcements related to mall operations and services.
• Stadiums and Arenas: Announcements are made during sporting events,
concerts, and other large-scale gatherings to provide updates on match
scores, safety instructions, and entertainment details.
• Public Transportation: Public transportation systems like subways, metros,
and trams make announcements regarding station stops, route changes,
service disruptions, and safety instructions for commuters.
• Hospitals: Hospitals announce important information like visiting hours,
emergency instructions, public health campaigns, and updates for patients,
visitors, and staff.
• Government Buildings: Government offices and buildings may use
announcements to provide public notifications, meeting schedules, policy
updates, and other relevant information.
• Public Places: Parks, museums, libraries, and other public places may
make announcements for events, closures, rules, and safety instructions
for visitors.

Listening to announcements in English is easy when you are prepared for this
process. Keep to the above mentioned steps to succeed in listening to
announcements in English.

Listening to announcements, especially in public spaces like railway stations, bus

stations, airports, stadiums, and other transportation hubs, is an essential aspect of
communication for public safety and information dissemination. Here are some key
points related to listening to announcements in these settings:

1. **Information Dissemination:** Announcements provide important information to

the public, such as departure and arrival times, platform or gate changes, emergency
procedures, and general instructions.

2. **Public Safety:** Announcements play a crucial role in ensuring the safety of

passengers and visitors. Emergency announcements provide instructions on
evacuation procedures, security measures, and other critical information in case of
unforeseen events.

3. **Schedule Updates:** In transportation hubs like railway and bus stations,

announcements convey changes in schedules, delays, or cancellations. Passengers
rely on these updates to plan their journeys effectively.
4. **Directional Guidance:** Announcements guide passengers through the facility,
providing information on where to find services like ticket counters, baggage claim
areas, restrooms, and exits.

5. **Multilingual Announcements:** In international or multicultural settings,

announcements may be made in multiple languages to cater to a diverse audience.
This ensures that all passengers can understand important information.

6. **Accessibility Considerations:** Efforts are often made to make announcements

accessible to individuals with visual or hearing impairments. This may include visual
displays or sign language interpreters in addition to audio announcements.

7. **Public Address Systems:** The quality and clarity of public address systems are
crucial for effective communication. Well-designed systems ensure that
announcements are audible and comprehensible to everyone in the vicinity.

8. **Stadium Announcements:** In stadiums or large event venues, announcements

may include information about the event schedule, safety guidelines, and any
changes to the program. They also help guide attendees to their seats and facilities.

9. **Automated Systems:** Some transportation hubs use automated announcement

systems to broadcast pre-recorded messages, especially for routine information like
upcoming train departures or general facility announcements.

10. **Courtesy Announcements:** Announcements may also include reminders about

courtesy and safety, such as asking passengers to keep their belongings with them,
not to block pathways, and to report any suspicious activities.

Listening to announcements is a fundamental part of navigating public spaces,

ensuring that individuals are well-informed and can move through these
environments safely and efficiently. It highlights the importance of clear and effective
communication in various settings.

2.6. Listening to Radio and Television

Why is listening to the radio important?
Radio broadcasts provide real-time information, and some that broadcast 24 hours a
day, can provide the most recent updates to listeners. Radio has the ability to reach
across borders and can become a valuable source of information where reliable
news is scarce.

It seems like you're referring to a specific section or topic

related to "Listening to Radio and Television." However,
your question is a bit brief, so I'll provide some general
information on this topic. If you have more specific
questions or if there's a particular aspect you'd like to know
more about, feel free to ask for more details.

Listening to radio and television is a common form of

entertainment and information consumption. Here are a
few points related to this:

1. **Entertainment:** Many people tune in to radio and

television for entertainment purposes. They may listen to
music, watch movies, TV shows, or enjoy talk shows and
interviews.

2. **News and Information:** Radio and television are

important sources of news and information. News
programs, both on radio and TV, keep people updated on
current events locally, nationally, and globally.

3. **Cultural Influence:** Radio and television play a

significant role in shaping and reflecting culture. They
contribute to the spread of popular music, trends, and other
aspects of popular culture.

4. **Educational Content:** Some radio and television

programs focus on educational content. Educational TV
shows and radio programs cover a wide range of topics,
from science and history to language learning.

5. **Advertising:** Both radio and television are used as

platforms for advertising. Commercials and sponsored
content are common, providing a way for businesses to
reach a large audience.

6. **Technological Changes:** With the advent of digital

technology and the internet, the way people access radio
and television has evolved. Online streaming services,
podcasts, and internet radio have become popular
alternatives to traditional broadcast methods.
Listening to radio and watching television can be a shared
experience that brings people together, and it has evolved
significantly over the years with advancements in
technology. If you have more specific questions or if there's
a particular aspect you're interested in, feel free to ask!
Unit 3 –Oral Communication & Presentation Skills 12L 15 M