MODULE 2

College of Engineering, Architecture and

Technology
Module Title: Module in English Proficiency
Course Title: English Proficiency
Course Number: ENG 101
Course Description: This is a course in listening, speaking, reading and writing in English.
The course serves students at various levels of English language proficiency, form high-
beginning to low- advanced. Emphasis is on the development of confidence, vocabulary,
conversation, reading comprehension, enjoyment, and writing. The course is open only to
students for whom English is a foreign language.
Total Learning Time: 18 weeks (54 hrs.)
Pre-requisites (if there’s any): None

Overview:
The subject of English Proficiency is structured into main subject areas with competence
aims. The main subject areas supplement each other and must be considered together. The
subject of English Proficiency is a common core subject for all the upper secondary education
programmes.
Learning in this subject shall therefore be made as relevant as possible for pupils by adapting
each subject to the different education programmes. The main subject deals with
understanding and using the English language by listening, speaking, conversing, reading,
writing and applying suitable communication strategies. The main subject area involves
listening to, understand and using English in different situations where communication needs
to be done orally.
The first part of this module, on listening skills which includes comprehension of gist and
detailed information. Communication skills, which cover communication situations. Reading,
which involves study of instructional business-related texts of topical relevance. Writing
skills, which have a specific focus on Art of Condensation. This subject helps students
converse better in day-to-day situations.

After reading this chapter, you will be able to:

 Distinguish verbal from nonverbal communication

 Identify the different types of verbal and nonverbal communication, and;
 Use verbal and nonverbal communication skills necessary for law enforcement.

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Indicative Content:

 Introduction
 Four Types of Verbal Communication
 The Elements of Verbal Communication Skills
 Types of Nonverbal Communication
 Four Reasons Understanding Nonverbal Communication Is Important
 Nonverbal communication can play five roles

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UNIT II
Verbal communication is any communication that uses words to share information
with others. These words may be both spoken and written.
Communication is a two-way process
Communication is about passing information from one person to another. This means
that both the sending and the receiving of the message are equally important.

Verbal communication therefore requires both a speaker (and writer) to transmit the
message, and a listener (or reader) to make sense of the message. This page discusses
both parts of the process.
Active listening is an important skill. However, when we communicate, we tend to
spend far more energy considering what we are going to say than listening to the other
person.

Effective listening is vital for good verbal communication. There are a number of
ways that you can ensure that you listen more effectively. These include:

 Be prepared to listen. Concentrate on the speaker, and not on how you are going to
reply.
 Keep an open mind and avoid making judgements about the speaker.
 Concentrate on the main direction of the speaker’s message. Try to understand
broadly what they are trying to say overall, as well as the detail of the words that they
are using.
 Avoid distractions if at all possible. For example, if there is a lot of background noise,
you might suggest that you go somewhere else to talk.
 Be objective.
 Do not be trying to think of your next question while the other person is giving
information.
 Do not dwell on one or two points at the expense of others. Try to use the overall
picture and all the information that you have.
 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 (see Personal Appearance).

FOUR TYPES OF VERBAL COMMUNICATION

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Verbal communication include sounds, words, language, and speech. Speaking is an

effective way of communicating and helps in expressing our emotions in words. This
form of communication is further classified into four types, which are:

1. Intrapersonal Communication
This form of communication is extremely private and restricted to ourselves. It
includes the silent conversations we have with ourselves, wherein we juggle roles
between the sender and receiver who are processing our thoughts and actions. This
process of communication when analyzed can either be conveyed verbally to someone
or stay confined as thoughts.

2. Interpersonal Communication
This form of communication takes place between two individuals and is thus a one-
on-one conversation. Here, the two individuals involved will swap their roles of
sender and receiver in order to communicate in a clearer manner.

3. Small Group Communication

This type of communication can take place only when there are more than two people
involved. Here the number of people will be small enough to allow each participant to
interact and converse with the rest. Press conferences, board meetings, and team
meetings are examples of group communication. Unless a specific issue is being
discussed, small group discussions can become chaotic and difficult to interpret by
everybody. This lag in understanding information completely can result in
miscommunication.

4. Public Communication
This type of communication takes place when one individual addresses a large
gathering of people. Election campaigns and public speeches are example of this type
of communication. In such cases, there is usually a single sender of information and
several receivers who are being addressed.

The Elements of Verbal Communication Skills

Communication is a broad topic. It involves both non-verbal and verbal
communication skills. The non-verbal communication skills are crucial and we talk
about them often. But, today, let’s focus in on the verbal side of things from the
perspective of a person actually speaking.

How can we organize our thoughts about these verbal communication skills? It can
help to break them down to their basic elements as we’ve done below.

Voice Tone
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Voice tone is so basic that it can come into play even when you’re not uttering words,
per se. Even when you simply make a sigh or laugh, your voice tone modifies how it
is likely to be interpreted. When you do use words, the tone in which you say them
can make all the difference.

Voice Speed
Speaking fast can convey an excited or agitated feel. Speaking slower can convey a
steady, reliable feel. Speaking very slow can let someone know that you’re either
bored or tired. If you’ve ever experienced someone speaking at a speed that is
incongruent with the content of what they’re saying, you know how this can stand out.

Voice Volume
Volume can range from a whisper to a scream and everything in between. A very
quiet voice can represent that you are sharing something you don’t want overheard,
that you are being mischievous or that you are depressed. A very loud voice can
express great joy or terror.

NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION

Nonverbal Communication- includes facial expressions, the tone and pitch of the
voice, gestures displayed through body language (kinesics) and the physical distance
between the communicators (proxemics).

Nonverbal communication can play five roles:

Repetition: It repeats and often strengthens the message you’re making verbally.
Contradiction: It can contradict the message you’re trying to convey, thus indicating
to your listener that you may not be telling the truth.
Substitution: It can substitute for a verbal message. For example, your facial
expression often conveys a far more vivid message than words ever can.
Complementing: It may add to or complement your verbal message. As a boss, if
you pat an employee on the back in addition to giving praise, it can increase the
impact of your message.
Accenting: It may accent or underline a verbal message. Pounding the table, for
example, can underline the importance of your message.

Types of Nonverbal Communication

The many different types of nonverbal communication or body language include:

Facial Expressions
Facial expressions are responsible for a huge proportion of nonverbal communication.
Consider how much information can be conveyed with a smile or a frown. The look
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on a person's face is often the first thing we see, even before we hear what they have
to say.
While nonverbal communication and behaviour can vary dramatically between
cultures, the facial expressions for happiness, sadness, anger, and fear are similar
throughout the world.

Gestures
Deliberate movements and signals are an important way to communicate meaning
without words. Common gestures include waving, pointing, and using fingers to
indicate numeric amounts. Other gestures are arbitrary and related to culture.

Paralinguistic
Paralinguistic refers to vocal communication that is separate from actual language.
This includes factors such as tone of voice, loudness, inflection, and pitch. Consider
the powerful effect that tone of voice can have on the meaning of a sentence. When
said in a strong tone of voice, listeners might interpret approval and enthusiasm. The
same words said in a hesitant tone of voice might convey disapproval and a lack of
interest.

Body Language and Posture

Posture and movement can also convey a great deal of information.4 Research on
body language has grown significantly since the 1970s, but popular media have
focused on the over-interpretation of defensive postures, arm-crossing, and leg-
crossing, especially after publishing Julius Fast's book Body Language.
While these nonverbal behaviours can indicate feelings and attitudes, research
suggests that body language is far more subtle and less definitive than previously
believed.

Proxemics
People often refer to their need for "personal space," which is also an important type
of nonverbal communication. The amount of distance we need and the amount of
space we perceive as belonging to us is influenced by a number of factors including
social norms, cultural expectations, situational factors, personality characteristics, and
level of familiarity.

Eye Gaze
The eyes play an important role in nonverbal communication and such things as
looking, staring and blinking are important nonverbal behaviours. When people
encounter people or things that they like, the rate of blinking increases and pupils
dilate. Looking at another person can indicate a range of emotions including hostility,
interest, and attraction.
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People also utilize eye gaze as a means to determine if someone is being honest.
Normal, steady eye contact is often taken as a sign that a person is telling the truth and
is trustworthy. Shifty eyes and an inability to maintain eye contact, on the other hand,
is frequently seen as an indicator that someone is lying or being deceptive.

Haptics
Communicating through touch is another important nonverbal behaviour. There has
been a substantial amount of research on the importance of touch in infancy and early
childhood.

Appearance
Our choice of color, clothing, hairstyles, and other factors affecting appearance are
also considered a means of nonverbal communication. Research on color psychology
has demonstrated that different colors can evoke different moods. Appearance can
also alter physiological reactions, judgments, and interpretations.
Just think of all the subtle judgments you quickly make about someone based on his
or her appearance. These first impressions are important, which is why experts
suggest that job seekers dress appropriately for interviews with potential employers.

Four Reasons Understanding Nonverbal Communication Is Important

Understanding different types of nonverbal communication is important in order to
control the messages you are communicating and to decode the emotional states of
others. Here are a few of the ways understanding nonverbal cues can make you a
more effective communicator:

To show interest: Nonverbal signals are a great way to communicate attentiveness

and engagement to those around you. Controlling your posture and eye contact will
demonstrate to others that you are interested in what they have to say.
To convey specific meaning: Many words have multiple different meanings, and the
things we say can often be misheard. Learning how to complement your words with
nonverbal communication can prevent misinterpretation and miscommunication.
To establish connection: Nonverbal communication is a great way to establish
connection and trust. It’s no accident that many cultures see some sort of physical
gesture like a handshake or hug as necessary in certain types of personal interactions.
To demonstrate authenticity: Your nonverbal communication goes a long way in
establishing the authenticity of your feelings to those you are speaking with.
Complementing your actual words with direct eye contact and confident posture will
demonstrate to others that you are giving voice to your true feelings.

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 QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION

Name: _____________________________________________ Date: _________________

Section: _____________________________________ Score: ________________

Direction: Answer the following questions.

1. What is Verbal and Nonverbal Communication? (15 sentences)

2.’Actions speaks louder than words and thus, Kinesics provide a deeper insight into the
sender’s message.’ Elucidate the statement in words, giving suitable examples from your own
experiences.

3. How do you communicate effectively? Discuss your answer in 10 sentences.

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4. In your own opinion, why do you think understanding Nonverbal Communication Is

Important? (10 sentences)

ACTIVITY
Name: _____________________________________________ Date: _________________

Section: _____________________________________ Score: ________________

Direction: Answer the following questions.

1. How would you describe good/ effective communication?

2. Is there a way we can measure or assess effective communication?

3. Can culture, gender, nationality or social class have an effect on communication?

4. What role do facial expressions, gestures, and pauses play in communication?

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5. What role do voice tone, voice speed, and voice volume play in communication?

6. Write short notes on each of the following: (10 sentences each question)
a. Posture
b. Gestures
c. Facial Expressions

7. Write a brief note on each of the following:

a. Haptics
b. Proxemics

REFERENCES:

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 Communication Skills by Sanjay Kumar and Pushp Lata; 1st Edition published in
2011 by Oxford University Press
 https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/verbal-communication.html
 https://businessjargons.com/verbal-communication.html
 http://www.maefahluang.org/?p=17
 https://www.communicationskillsactivities.com/elements-of-verbal-communication-
skills/
 https://www.helpguide.org/articles/relationships-communication/nonverbal-
communication.htm

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