Name-Himanshu Pal

CENTER FOR DISTANCE AND ONLINE EDUCATION

ASSIGNMENT-JULY 2023

Sub. Name: - Communication Skills

BCA – 103: Online Mode

Q1 Define Communication.

Ans-1 Communication is a process that involves sending and receiving

messages through the verbal and non-verbal methods. Communication is a
two-way means of communicating information in the form of thoughts,
opinions, and ideas between two or more individuals with the purpose of
building an understanding.

The types of communication are:

• Verbal

• Nonverbal

• Written

• Visual

Q2 What factors affect the sender-encoder in sending the message?

Ans-2 FACTORS AFFECTING COMMUNICATION

A number of factors which may disrupt the communication process and affect
the overall understanding and interpretaion of what is communicated are :

1. Status / Role

2. Cultural differences .
3. Choice of communication channel .

4. Length of communication .

5. Use of language .

6. Individual Perceptions / Attitudes / Personalities .

7. Known or Unknown Receiver .

1. Status/Role

The sender and receiver of a message may be of equal status within

a hierarchy (e.g. managers in an organisation) or they may be at
different levels (e.g. manager/employee, lecturer/student, business
owner/clients).This difference in status sometimes affects the effectiveness of
the communication process.

2. Cultural Differences

Cultural differences, both within or outside the organisation (for

example, inter-departmental dealings and communication with outside
organisations or ethnic minorities) may impede the communication process.

3. Choice of Communication Channels

Sender should choose the most appropriate channel for a particular purpose
and keeping the person/receiver in mind.

Sending messages via inappropriate channels can send out wrong signals and
end up creating confusion.

Choosing the appropriate channel needs :

 • Considering all aspects of the communication process (interpretation,
understanding, feedback).

• Determining all the possible barriers.

• Evaluating the complexity of the message and decide how it might be

best conveyed .

Knowing--

• Who? ? Characteristics of the receiver(s).

• Why? 􀄃 Purpose of the communication.

• What? 􀄃 Content of the message.

• How? 􀄃 Oral, written, visual or a combination of all three.

• Where? 􀄃 Location of the meeting.

• When? 􀄃 Timing/time limit/expected response time.

4. Length of Communication

The length of the message also affects the communication process.

Sender need to be sure that it serves the purpose and is appropriate for
the receiver.

Is the message too long or too brief?

5. Use of Language

The language used must be familiar to the receiver .

Poor choice of words or weak sentence structure also

hampers communication.

Sentences must be framed correctly .

6 .Individual Perceptions/Attitudes/Personalities

Sometimes, the method of communication needs to take into consideration

the receiver's personality traits, perceptions , age and preferred style.

EXAMPLE -The elderly and children, have different communication needs and
preferences when compared to young adults.

Q3 What do you mean by communication skills?

Ans-3 Definition-Communication skills enable individuals to understand

others and to be understood themselves. A variety of aspects are important in
the context of these skills, such as listening, speaking, observing and empathy.

In everyday life, these skills are required to communicate ideas to others,

develop a confident attitude, respect for others and public speaking.
Developing communication skills helps many people make progress in the
workplace.

Importance

Effective communication is essential for both employer and employee. The

success of making a point clear, for example, can be the difference between
making a deal and missing out on a good deal.

A specific communication skill can assist in communicating an idea clearly. It

is also crucial that company policy is carefully explained to customers and
employees and that everyone within the organisation is on the same
wavelength. To this end, it is essential that everyone has developed a certain
level of these skills.

Different types of communications, skills and environmental aspects can be

beneficial for a business. A healthy communication climate also improves
morale and efficiency in general. Various methods are used to promote this
climate within organisations, such as: Communication Strategy Framework
(CSF), communication plans, dialogue mapping and the 7Cs or communication
model.

Q4 Write a short note on the barriers to communication.

Ans-4 Barriers to Effective Communication

Communication is defined as the process by which information is exchanged

between individuals through a system of signs, symbols. The concept of
communication involves a sender, a message and a recipient.

The sender sends the message and the recipient is the receiver of the message.
The process of communication is never smooth as it is affected by the barriers
of communication.

Barriers to effective communication can result in confusion which can lead to

incorrect information being conveyed or miscommunication which can lead to
loss of business.

Following are some of the barriers to effective communication:

1. Semantic barriers

2. Psychological barriers

3. Organisational barriers

4. Cultural barriers

5. Physical barriers

6. Physiological barriers

Let us study in detail about the various types of barriers to effective

communication.
Semantic barriers: Semantic barriers are also known as language barriers.
These barriers are caused due to improper communication between the
sender and the receiver. The following instances of semantic barriers can be
witnessed in communication.

Poor quality of message: Message when communicated should be precise and

easy to understand, that makes it easy for the receiver to grasp the
information conveyed.

Sometimes, due to the lack of clarity or complexity of the way of providing

information from the sender, there can be a case of semantic barriers.

For e.g. A manager is conversing in English to a group of workers who

understand and speak Bengali. It will create confusion among workers as they
will not be able to understand what is being conveyed by the manager.

Technical language: Language barriers also arise when the sender of the
message is speaking in technical terms while the receiver is unaware of the
terms. It creates confusion and misunderstanding between the sender and
receiver by acting as a barrier to effective communication.

Q5 Define Listening Skills.

Ans=5 Five ways to improve your listening skills

1. Face the speaker and give them your attention

It is difficult to talk to someone who is constantly looking around. Make sure

to face the speaker, maintain eye contact, and give them your undivided
attention. In Western cultures, eye contact is necessary for effective
communication. Although shyness, uncertainty, or cultural taboos may inhibit
eye contact, try your best to make sure the speaker knows that they have your
full attention.

2. Keep an open mind

Do not judge or mentally criticize what the speaker is telling you. Doing so can
compromise your ability to take in what is being said. Never exhibit
judgmental behavior, as it compromises your effectiveness as a listener. You
can evaluate what was said after the speaker is finished talking, but don’t do
so while you are still listening to them.

Let the speaker finish what they are saying and don’t be a sentence-grabber.
Interrupting the speaker or prohibiting them from finishing what they are
saying can indicate disrespect to the speaker. Often, interrupting the speaker
mid-sentence interrupts their train of thought and can easily destroy a
productive conversation.

3. Active listening

Active listening shows the speaker that you’re interested and is an important
business communication skill. Using active listening techniques helps to
ensure that you correctly understand what is said.

Active listening techniques:

• Paraphrasing back to the speaker what was said, to show understanding

• Nonverbal cues (nodding, eye contact, etc.)

• Verbal affirmations (“I understand,” “I know,” “Thank you,” etc.)

• Demonstrating concern and establishing rapport

4. Just listen!

Create a mental model of the information, whether it be a picture or an

arrangement of abstract concepts. Listen to keywords and phrases and do not
rehearse what you are going to say after the speaker is done talking. Think
about what the other person is saying rather than what you are going to
respond with. It is difficult to think of what you are going to say while also
listening to the speaker. Be attentive and relaxed – don’t get distracted by
your own thoughts and feelings.

The Importance of Listening

Effective listening is a skill that is frequently undervalued in our society. Good
communication skills require both effective speaking and listening. By being
an attentive listener, you can understand more and improve relationships.

Q6 What do you mean by Writing Skill?

Ans-6 Writing skills is all about having adequate knowledge and abilities to
express your thoughts and ideas in written words. Good writing skills allow
communicators to communicate their message with clarity to a far larger
audience than other mediums of communication like face-to-face or telephone
conversations.

Q7 What is kinesics?

Ans-7 Kinesic communication is the technical term for body language, i.e.,
communicating by body movement. We call the study of kinesic
communication kinesics. Kinesic communication is a non-verbal form of
communication. However, it is not the only non-verbal way of communicating
with other people.

When we communicate with others we can speak, i.e., utter words. We can use
body movements such as gestures and facial expressions. We can also write
letters, texts, and emails to other people.

People in one ship can communicate with those in another ship using Morse
code or flags.

Kinesic communication is one of the many ways we can communicate non-

verbally. Non-verbal communication is one of the processes of conveying
messages without writing or uttering words.

Changing Minds says the following regarding the term:

“Kinesic communication is communicating by body movement and is perhaps

the most well-known non-verbal form of communication, although it is not the
only way to talk with others without words.”
Q8 What is proxemics?

Ans-8 Proxemics is a type of nonverbal communication involving how we deal

with the environment around us. Proxemics is defined as the study of the
nature, degree, and effect of the spatial separation individuals naturally
maintain (as in various social and interpersonal situations) and how this
separation relates to environmental and cultural factors. (Merriam-Webster)

This explains how we use the space around us to communicate our personal
comfort or perceived relationship to the world around us. For example, if
someone were sharing personal secrets with a very close friend, their
proxemics would be different than if they were attending a lecture at a school.
A person would not be standing within a few inches of a professor while he is
giving the lecture. These proxemics communicate that one person is
intimately close to their friend and values a professor's space as a public
speaker (and possibly a stranger).

Examples of Proxemics

Everyone has a certain amount of space that surrounds their body in different
settings and varying situations. Certain situations have unspoken rules
about personal space, such as a crowded bus or an elevator. In these
instances, we cannot always dictate to the world what amount of space we are
comfortable with; we must abide by the proximity to others that has been put
in place by that social circumstance. In many cases involving shared spaces,
such as urinals in a crowded restroom or the subway on the way to work, we
do not always get to decide how much room is around us. But in most social
situations, we can set a perimeter around ourselves that is appropriate for the
setting and our comfort level. If someone were standing in a crowd at the
front of the stage in a concert, they might be practically touching those around
them. But do they need to be? If a person becomes uncomfortable with this
level of closeness with strangers, they could choose to walk further from the
crowd and watch the stage from a different spot in the venue that might allow
for a little bit more breathing room. These are all common examples of
proxemics.

Q9 Discuss the Importance of LSRW in academia.

Ans-9 Introduction- Every element of our lives, including development, our

personal lives, and our learning environments, depend on our ability to
communicate with others. Because of this, it's crucial to instill good
communication skills in children from a very young age and to practice
successful communication amongst ourselves. LSRW skills are what they will
need in such a situation. LSRW full form is listening, speaking, reading, and
writing. They help every individual in conveying themselves to others. When
it comes to learning, LSRW skills of learning often involve listening first,
followed by speaking, reading, and writing.

LSRW

The four skills of language learning, or LSRW, are a group of four aptitudes
that enable a person to understand and produce spoken language for proper
and effective interpersonal communication. These abilities include speaking,
reading, writing, and listening.

Listening

The most important among the LSRW skills is listening. It is what is referred
to as a latent skill or a responsive ability since it expects us to use our ears and
minds to comprehend what is being said or addressed. It is the first of two
typical learning skills. Listening is the ability to accurately understand and
interpret the importance of what is being said during a conversation. It is also
the most effective and powerful skill. The comprehensibility of a lesson
quickly wanes out after that, and the association separates, leaving the
student perplexed.

Speaking
Oral learning takes place through speaking as the communication medium.
Speaking is the second of the LSRW skills and typically the second skill we
pick up. Communicating or expressing one's thoughts and feelings verbally is
referred to as speaking or talking. Elocution and recitation are the main
methods used in elementary schools to teach students how to effectively
communicate ideas and information by mastering phonetics, sounds, rhythm,
and, to a lesser extent, intonation, modulation, and variety.

Reading

One of the first things you learn about reading is that there are many different
reading strategies. Students should be aware of which strategy is best for the
reading effort demanded by the particular topic or by their educator or
teacher.

It is crucial to prepare students to understand their reading strategies and

determine when to use them, especially during test situations when
opportunity constraints may end up being the most crucial aspect and
decisions must be based on time availability and the importance of the desired
result.

The following are the four basic categories of reading practices:

• Skimming

• Scanning

• Intensive

• Extensive

Writing

The fourth of the LSRW skills is writing. Similar to speaking, it requires

students to use both hands and minds to convey the written message, idea,
thinking, or information that we would have said otherwise. As such, it is
profitable or dynamic expertise. By providing exploratory writing exercises,
writing skills may be strengthened. It is important to teach and encourage
students to write, arrange, and organize their ideas on a given subject or topic.
To write coherently, completely, and accurately, writers must consider the
value of organizing their ideas.

Q10 What do you mean by Reading Skill?

Ans-10 Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of letters,

symbols, etc., especially by sight or touch.