Communication skills
Area
Soft skills
Duration
5 sessions
Dimension of the advised group of students
One group of 10-20 people divided in small groups of 2 or 4, depending on the activity
Specific objectives
- to develop a variety of skills for both communicating to others and learning how
to interpret the information received from others
- to know our audience and understanding how they need to receive information
- to understand communication cues
o verbal (sounds, language, and tone of voice)
o aural (listening and hearing)
o non-verbal (facial expressions, body language, and posture)
o written (journals, emails, blogs, and text messages)
o visual (signs, symbols, and pictures)
Needed Materials
- Photocopies of activities
- Flip chart/markers
- Costumes and other props, if possible.
If the training is organized online one communication platform will be necessary.
Software
- One online communication platform, such us: Zoom, Google Meet, Webex, etc.
- In person, no software is needed.
Description
The activities included in Mastering Soft Skills for Workplace Success will not only help
participants practice and recognize how they provide information to others, but also
help them consider how others may prefer to receive information. It is important to
reinforce with participants that communication skills involve give and take – and they
can, indeed, be learned and strengthened over time.
The activities could be used with students at risk of demotivation because they are
appealing to their interests. Communication skills are ranked high in a job candidate’s
“must have” skills and qualities. To an employer, good communication skills are
essential. In fact, employers consistently rank good communication skills at the top of
the list for potential employment. Communication skills are necessary for the
development of self-advocacy and self-determination, important skills for lifelong success. To that end, the activities offer many opportunities for youth to practice
communicating their strengths and assets while learning how to minimize any perceived
barriers to employment.
For example, if working with youth with disabilities, create opportunities to practice
communicating how, when, and to whom to disclose a disability on the job or in postsecondary
education and/or different ways to communicate a request for a reasonable
accommodation. If you support youth involved in the juvenile justice system, enhance
this section’s extension activities to include practicing how to communicate the
proactive changes they are making in their lives, what they have learned from previous
experiences, and how any mistakes of the past have helped them to become
more focused and dedicated young adults.
Procedure on how to put in practice
One of the selected activities could be:
Quit Talkin’! I Know What to Do
Duration: 35 minutes
No of participants: 10-20 students in pairs
Methods used: following instructions
Competences developed: reading comprehension, critical thinking, patience
Step-by-step description:
1. Students are given a copy of the worksheet and are told to follow the
instructions. If they read the instructions before starting, they’ll realize they
don’t need to do all tasks. If they didn’t, they’ll see how important it is to
read/listen to all instructions before starting a task.
2. Students discuss how they felt about this activity. Was it fun, frustrating, easy,
or difficult? What aspects of the activity made it so? What is the moral or
message of this lesson? How does this message relate to work?
3. They are asked to consider all of the different ways directions can be offered and
how they can be collected or received and to decide their preferred method.
Debriefing question: Think about people who might have difficulty reading or
understanding the spoken word. What are some different ways the instructions could
have been given to ensure EVERYONE understood?
