Unit 1:

Perform Interactive
Workplace Communication
By:
Latanya Smart
Teacher Assistant Level 2 Instructor
Ice Breaker
Complete the following:

▪ My favourite movie of all time is _______

▪ I would be the happiest person in the world if I had _______
▪ School for me was _______
▪ I will eat anything put in front of me except _______
What is Communication?
Communication is the transfer of facts, ideas, opinions,
feelings and information from one person or group to
another. It is how we come to know and understand
everything around us. We use communication to:
• relax and entertain ourselves
• learn about the world
• learn about ourselves and others
• share ideas, knowledge, thoughts and feelings
• exchange information
• influence and persuade people
• conduct business.
The Communication Process
The Communication Process
The Communication Process
The Communication Process
❖ Communicator – the person who sends the message.
❖ 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.
❖ Message – the information the communicator wants to
communicate.
The Communication Process
❖Method/medium – how the communicator sends the message;
for example, phone call, email.
❖ Receiver – the person to whom the message is being sent.
❖ 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.
❖ Feedback – the way the receiver lets the communicator know
they have received the message; for example, replying to the
email or nodding.
Main Types of Communication
Communication can be grouped into four main forms –
1. verbal,
2. non-verbal,
3. written and
4. visual.
Verbal Communication
▪ Verbal communication is probably the most used form of
communication.
▪ It relies on sharing spoken words that the communicator
and the receiver both understand.
Non-Verbal Communication
Non-verbal communication is when you communicate to others without the use of
words. Often non-verbal communication is sent unintentionally, that is, you don’t
deliberately send it as part of your message, but it is still received by the other
person. Some different kinds of non-verbal communication include:

• body language

• posture

• facial expressions.
Written Communication
Written communication means putting words onto a page or
screen. There are many different types of written communication.
Each type is more suited to some situations, audiences or
purposes than others.
Visual Communication
Visual communication is all the types of communication that we
see that are mainly pictorial, although there could be a few words
present as well, such as on a sign or poster.
Some Examples of these Four Main Types of
Communication
Types of Verbal Communication
Verbal communication can happen in many different ways between different
people in different situations.
Listening
For verbal communication to be effective, there has to be a similar
amount of talking and listening. If one or both people do lots of talking
but no one is listening, there’s not going to be much communication
happening. Good listening isn’t easy.
Here are some tips to help you develop better listening skills.
• Look at the speaker – not at the floor, out of the window, at your hands
or phone or watch.
• Give your full attention – don’t try to do something else or think about
something else, multitasking is overrated. Concentrate on what is being
said to you.
Listening
• Listen for main ideas – try to grasp the bigger picture, the overall meaning of what you
are being told.
• Keep your personal opinion out of it – try to hear the other person’s point of view and
understand their message, even if you don’t agree with it.
• Let them finish – interrupting, jumping in to finish sentences and changing the subject
are all rude. Let the other person finish speaking before offering your opinion.
• Let them know you’re listening – by doing things like nodding or smiling at appropriate
moments and saying things like ‘Uh huh’ and ‘I see.’
• Summarize or repeat often – this gives you a chance to check you have understood
what the speaker said and gives the speaker a chance to correct anything that’s
incorrect.
If you can do most or all of these things, you are well on the way to being an effective
listener, an essential role in the communication process.
Forms of Non-Verbal Communication
Body language refers to things like gestures, facial expressions and posture.
How you move your hands, the expression on your face, the way you stand
or sit (posture) can tell other people a lot about what you really mean that
might not be communicated by the actual words you use.
Have a look at the body language of the three people below. Which one do
you think really does feel happy? And what do the other two really think?
Forms of Non-Verbal Communication
Some body language is learned as you grow up, like shaking
hands when you meet someone or how close you can stand to
someone when you talk with them. Other types of body language
are a reflection of you as a person or how you are feeling about
what’s happening at that moment. Have a look at the information
in Table 1.2 to find out some common body language statements.
Forms of Non-Verbal Communication
• Whether we like it or not, people make
assumptions about us based on our appearance.
Turning up to work wearing the clothes you wore to Appearance
fix your bike doesn’t say ‘Here I am, ready to look
after your clients’ (unless you work in a bike repair
shop).
• A good rule is to dress and present yourself the
way you want to be treated. If you want people to
think you’re a capable professional, then you need
to look like one. Some workplaces or organizations
have uniforms, others have dress codes.
• Make sure you know what the rules are in your
workplace. A good idea is to check out what other
staff wear, whether they keep piercings in, or cover
tattoos or tie their hair back, and then do the same
yourself. If in doubt, check with your supervisor.
Tone of Voice
• The tone of your voice tells people how you are feeling, either
generally or about what you are saying at that moment.

• Sometimes you might give out more information than you

intended through the tone you use.

• Although tone of voice is related to verbal communication, it’s

actually a form of non-verbal communication.
Communication Barriers
Lots of things can get in the way of good communication. Barriers to
communication can include:
• the words used
• context
• history
• individual factors
• environment
• information.
How can Words Be a Barrier
Words can be misunderstood or get in the way of communication for several reasons. They
might:

• genuinely have more than one meaning

• be able to be interpreted in several ways

• be specialized or technical

• be used only in certain places, such as slang

• be offensive

• be negative.
Jargon
• Every industry has its own jargon – words and phrases that have particular
meanings in that industry and may not be used at all in other work
environments.

• It can be a bit scary when you first start work and have to try to figure out
what everyone around you is talking about, so it’s important to quickly get to
recognize and understand as much jargon as you can.

• Jargon is very useful in communication when both parties know the jargon; it
saves time and effort. When used incorrectly, it can be a barrier.
How can Context be a Barrier
• When we’re talking about communication, context means what else is
happening around the people who are communicating, either in their work or
personal life.

• If someone is sad, angry or busy, they are less likely to be helpful or flexible
if you approach them with a request or problem. So be aware of what’s
happening in the life of the people around you when you’re communicating
with them.
How can History be a Barrier
• Everyone in your workplace has done other things before; they’ve
been students, sons or daughters, brothers or sisters, members of
teams, employees, friends or enemies.

• This means they bring to their work all their past experiences,
feelings, attitudes, values and expectations.
How can Individual Factors be a Barrier
Individual factors can affect communication. You need to consider
other people’s abilities when communicating with them. To avoid
miscommunication, you may need to change what you say, how
you say it or how you interpret what someone else is trying to
communicate to you.
How can Environment be a Barrier
The environment means what is around us. The work
environment means the place we work, what goes on
around us in that place and how that all interacts. When
we’re trying to communicate, the environment can impact
how effective that communication is.
How can Environment be a Barrier
There are many other distractions at work – you might be
thinking about what you’re going to do on the weekend,
listening to someone talking on the radio or admiring a car
that’s going past. If this is while the supervisor is explaining to
you what you should do next, chances are the communication
won’t be getting through to you.
How can Information be a Barrier
How much information you include in a communication is important. If you

don’t include enough, important things could be left out and mistakes

could then happen. If you include too much, the other person might get

confused or stop paying attention and the message still won’t get through

properly.
Checklist-Avoiding Communication Barriers
This list summarizes the communication barriers you’ve looked at
so far.
• Words – choose words that will communicate effectively. Avoid
jargon or overly complicated explanations.
• Context – make sure the person you’re communicating with is in
a good space, and not too busy, distracted or upset. Choose a
time and place where your message is most likely to be well
received.
• History – try to know a bit about the people you work with and
what they’ve done in the past and take this into account when you
communicate with them. If someone doesn’t ever say anything at
meetings there might be a very good reason.
Checklist-Avoiding Communication Barriers
• Individual factors – get to know how the people you work with
operate and take this into account when you communicate with
them. Knowing that someone is shy, for example, can stop you
from making the mistake of thinking that they’re unfriendly or
avoiding you.
• Environment – make sure communication takes place in an
appropriate environment, that is, one where everyone has a good
chance of clearly seeing or hearing the message or conversation.
Information – include just the right amount of information to clearly
communicate whatever needs to be known, not too much or too
little.
Ages and Stages of
Communication
Ages & Stages of Communication
• Communication with children will vary according to the age of the
child.

• Children at different ages and stages have different ways of

communicating.

• For instance, younger children tend to work out problems or

frustration through play, whereas older children can use words to
express their feelings and troubles.
Communication Needs & Implications
Birth- 6 Years Old
• Use nurturing language to develop positive feelings about themselves and others
• Reinforce that the range of emotions and fear they have are normal
• Help them to development resilience
• Use loving tones and simple language
• Encourage inquiry and curiosity
• Facilitate learning through play
• Use everyday experiences to explain concepts
• Be open to playing pretend
• Reinforce equality among peers and adults
• Encourage dealing with difficult issues in healthy ways
• Allow simple decision making and sharing of opinions
Communication Needs & Implications
Age 7-10 Years Old
• Use nurturing language to develop positive feelings about
themselves, others, and the larger world
• Create opportunities for them to explore and test their own ideas
and skills
• Demonstrate understanding and respect their feelings and
worries
• Facilitate interactive problem-solving and critical thinking
• Model pro-social actions (kindness, conflict resolution, empathy)
• Introduce and discuss topics that show other children dealing
with difficult social issues
Communication Needs & Implications
Age 11+
• Guide them into adult life by being open to discuss behaviors that put
them at risk about responsible sexual behaviours
• Recognize and respect their ideas and opinions
• Allow them to learn from their mistakes and correct self-destructive
behaviours
• Present divergent points of view, opinions, and perspectives
• Create opportunities to discuss and learn about role models with
whom they can identify
• Reinforce ideas such as equality
• Talk about issues of concern to their particular age group (substance
abuse, sex, violence, romantic relationships, bullying and discrimination,
friendships)
• Talk respectfully and not didactically: don’t “talkdown”
• Use a lot of humor and creativity
Age Band
Age band should be:
• Under 1 year (infant)
• 1 -2 years (toddler)
• 3 -5 years (preschooler)
Communication Needs & Implications
For babies and infants (under 1 year). Some examples
are:
• worker responds to non verbal cues and take
appropriate action
• initiation or reflection of babbling and cooing
• responds to crying in ways that meets the babies/infants
need
Communication Needs & Implications
For toddlers (1 -2 years):
• respond to verbal and non verbal communication of the
toddler
• spend sufficient time to respond to child's comments
Communication Needs & Implications
Accessibility to children may include:
• proximity to child
• making eye contact
• working at child's level
Who Are Your Clients?
Clients may include:
• children birth to 8 years from a range of cultural backgrounds
• children with a range of physical and mental abilities
• parents, guardians or their representative
Communication in the workplace should
be demonstrated in accordance with
the:
•EC institution’s policies and procedures for performing interactive
workplace communication
• documentation of incidents
• reporting incidents
• referral of clients complaints
Class Activity
Answer the following questions:
1. Why is it important to follow routine instructions and
information?
2. Identify some ways to communicate positively with children.
3. Explain ways you can participate in workgroups and teams.
4. What is the correct way to receive and refer
clients(parents/guardians) complaints?
5. Describe ways you can apply professional ethics.