Communication Skills

Communication is something we do everyday. We use it to express our ideas, learn from others and to resolve conflicts.

Making the most of your class involves being a good communicator. Are you a good communicator? Do you actively listen? The following are some tips to help you become a better communicator:

• Be clear. Know what you want to say before you say it and use simple language to express your point clearly.
• Keep a positive attitude. Express your ideas in a positive way, as opposed to a cynical way. Be confident in yourself and your ideas.
• Actively listen. Listening requires more than just being quiet while the other person talks. Active listening is very important for your communication skills and it is a GREAT tip to help make better use of your time, and make your class better for everyone. For active listening, remember your ESP (outlined below) during your classes. E? Empathy. Get into your subject, try to appreciate it, find things that interest you about it. Think the subject, feel the subject and get involved. S? Summarize. As your teacher is teaching, get the main points straight in your head. Try to sum up what he/she is saying. Put it in words! P? Try Paraphrasing to see if you understand what the other person is saying. This involves saying in your own words what the teacher is saying. When your teacher stops to ask if you understand, why don't you speak up and try to paraphrase what your teacher was saying. Or you can write it down as notes. Note that this may not be easy at first. It takes practice. However, once you get use to it paraphrasing will cut down on your work and allow you to make better use of your time.
• Keep an open mind and be flexible about changes. Also, practice self control and don't say the first thing that comes to your head. Make sure you understand what the other person is trying to say before you react.
• Learn from experience. Think of times that you communicated with different people. What could you have done differently? Did you actively listen? Did you get your message across?