Abdelmalek Essaadi University

ENSA College – Al Hoceima

Subject: English
Stream: GC1/S1 2022 / 2023
Prof. E. BOUAZZA
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Oral Communication
Introduction
Communication is the process whereby people share ideas, feelings, attitude… with
each other. The communication skills are the key to success in our academic and professional
life. Engineering students are generally overcome by fear and anxiety prior to going on a job
interview or speaking in front of an audience. It is therefore important to know about the
communication skills particularly, the oral communication. As future engineers, knowing
these skills and polishing them will certainly help you in your academic and professional
career.
There are different types of communication. They are mapped as follows:

As the above diagram suggests, verbal communication is divided into: oral and written
communication.

Definition of verbal communication

‘Verbal’ is the Latin adjective of ‘word’. Verbal communication refers to the use of
words to share information. These words can be both spoken and written.
Therefore, verbal communication refers to both oral (spoken) communication and
written communication. However, many people mistakenly use verbal communication to
describe only spoken communication. For humans, language is the medium of communication
that is the most commonly used.
Definition of oral (spoken) communication
Oral (spoken) communication is the process of orally sharing or transmitting
information and ideas from one individual or group to another. At workplace, as in everyday
life, we communicate more orally than in writing.

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Formal / informal oral communication
Formal oral communication
Formal oral communication refers to the flow or exchange of official information. In
formal oral communication, the flow of information is controlled and needs deliberate effort
to be properly communicated.
Examples of formal oral communication and contexts in which they occur:
 Classroom presentations;
 Presentations at business meetings,
 When conducting interviews;
 Negotiations at workplace;
 Training sessions,
 Conferences, seminars, workshops...
Informal oral communication
Informal oral communication is a natural form of communication as people freely
interact with each other and can talk about a diverse range of topics, often extending outside
of their work duties.
Examples of informal oral communication:
 Face to face conversations;
 Telephone conversations;
 Discussions that take place at workplace;
 Grapevine (The informal and unofficial sharing of information, gossip or rumors)
Other new forms of oral communication due to the advancement modern technology:
 Video phones and videoconferences;
 An audio file that can be downloaded and listened to on a mobile phone;
 Phone calls over the internet like: WhatsApp, Facebook, Skype...
Individuals engaged in oral communication
In a work setting, oral communication takes place between different individuals and groups.
Oral communication for supervisors, superiors:
 Showing an interest in others, asking about their feelings;
 Speaking calmly even when you’re stressed;
 Training and advising others to carry out a task or role;
 Showing assertiveness and confidence to say what you want or believe;
 Conveying feedback in a constructive manner;
 Disciplining or giving instructions to employees in a respectful manner;
 Recognizing and countering objections;
Oral communication for team members:
 Explaining that you need assistance;
 Explaining a difficult situation without getting angry;
 Conveying messages concisely;
 Receiving criticism without defensiveness;
 Refraining from speaking too often or interrupting others;
 Stating your needs, wants, or feelings without criticizing or blaming.
Oral communication for presenters
Public speaking is a talent that can be improved both through practice and training. Speaking
persuasively to a live audience involves:
 Planning your presentation prior to delivery;
 Pronouncing each word you speak clearly;
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  Speaking at a moderate pace, not too fast or too slowly;
 Projecting your voice to fill the room;
 Speaking confidently but with modesty;
Advantages of oral communication:
Oral communication provides immediate feedback and clarification
 People listening to the speaker can ask questions,
 They can make comments, they add to the information provided;
 The speaker can immediately understand the group’s reaction.
At workplace, oral communication builds up a healthy climate by:
Bringing the superior and the subordinate together;
Giving the subordinate a feeling of importance;
Enhancing the subordinate work performance;
Managers/supervisors call up their workers to reach an agreement, resolve a
conflict, or settle a dispute.
Personal touch
 The receiver hears not only the words but also the tone, pitch and volume.
 In face-to-face talk, body language can be used to supplement the words.
 Question can be asked and doubts can be cleared then and there.
Secrecy
 Oral communication is best suited when information is to be kept secret;
 Written communication leaks secrecy as the message passes from one person to
another.

Disadvantages of oral communication

Oral communication can be disadvantageous in the following areas:
No records:
 Oral communication does not provide records for future use or legal evidence.
 In the absence of a taped or written record, oral communication can be forgotten
easily and cannot be retained or memorized for a long time.
 Hence, “spoken words fly away, written words remain” (Latin proverb)
Misunderstanding:
 Oral communication leads to misunderstanding if the speaker doesn’t carefully
organize his thoughts,
 Often, the listener misses the message on account of his in attentiveness;
Inaccuracy:
 Oral communication tends to be less accurate and precise: People often lose
control over the spoken words.
 Once spoken, the wrong or inaccurate words cannot be eliminated.
Distortion:
 Oral message is likely to get distorted when it gets passed through several
persons.
 Therefore, oral communication is less reliable.
Conflict provoking:
 Oral communication may provoke conflicts due to the use of offensive words by
the speaker, unbearable facial expression etc….

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Guidelines to make oral communication more effective
Think before you speak:
 By organizing your thoughts in advance, you can eliminate many of the awkward
pauses that occur when speaking.
 This will also help you communicate your information more concisely.
Speak with confidence:
 Speaking in a confident manner will help you build trust and respect of your
audience.
 Factors that can impact your ability to speak confidently include:
 Your command of the subject matter,
 The tone and quality of your voice,
 Your body language (stance, eye contact, gestures...)
Active listening:
 Being a good listener is as important as being a good speaker,
 It shows the people you are speaking with that you care about their ideas,
 It helps ensure you understand their needs.
 It will enable you to build trust and rapport much quicker.
Do not stereotype the speaker:
 Try not to let prejudices associated with, for example, gender, ethnicity, accent,
social class, appearance or dress interfere with what is being said.
 As the saying goes: Appearances can be deceiving. People are often different
from what they appear.
Clear and proper words:
 For effective oral communication, the words should be clearly pronounced.
 Poor voice control and poor pronunciation act as a barrier to oral communication.
 The person who speaks should have a good vocabulary at his disposal.
Correct pitch:
 Pitch means the way in which your voice moves up and down (high/low voice).
 Correct pitch is necessary for effective oral communication.
 To hold the attention of your listeners, pitch must change from time to time.
Hold your temper:
 Anger is the worst enemy of communication as it builds walls among the
participants in the communication event.
Ask questions:
 Questioning is an essential way of clarifying areas that are unclear to you.
 Questions show an open mind. They indicate that you are getting the message;
 Questioning helps to start a conversation or draw someone into a conversation.
Conclusion
In the professional world, communication is one of the major tools for success of any
organization. If you, as future engineers, have the ability to communicate effectively, there
can be a tremendous scope of success. Thus, to be an effective oral communicator, one has to
be aware of the oral communication skills and put them into practice.
Actually, the modern technological advancement has made all forms of
communication more efficient and effective in responding to the workplace needs.
Practice makes perfect. Developing your oral communication skills can help in all
aspects of your life, from your professional life to social life and everything in between.
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Exercises
1. At workplace, why do we have more oral communication than written? Illustrate your
answer with some examples.

2. What, according to you, are the most important advantages of oral communication?

3. Visualize a situation in which, in the midst of your speech, you are repeatedly interrupted
by a listener. What effect will it have on the entire communication event?

4. Imagine a situation in which a manager gives only oral instructions to his subordinates.
What problems do you think can crop up in such a situation?