Communication Skills Chapter Notes | Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Class 9 PDF Download

What is Communication?

Communication is the exchange of information through signs, signals, speech, writing, or other forms of media.

Learning objectives of Effective communication

• Sending, receiving and understanding the message or information.
• Development of Interpersonal Skills
• To express effectively & with maximum efficiency

Communication Cycle (Process)

• Sender: the person or entity originating the communication
• Message: the information  that the sender  wishes to convey
• Encoding: how the sender chooses to bring the message into a  form appropriate  for sending
• Channel: the means by which the message is sent
• Receiver: the person or entity to whom the message is sent
• Decoding: how the receiver interprets and understands the message
• Feedback: the receiver’s response to the message

Communication Styles

There are four main categories or communication styles including 

• Verbal
• Non-verbal
• written 
• visual.

Verbal Communication

Advantages of Verbal Communication Skill

• It saves time – The verbal form of communication gives you this facility to quickly send intended message thus saving you time. It saves you money – No requirement of paper or designing a flyer etc
• Feedback quickness – The clear benefit of verbal communication is that the listener can ask questions and get answers immediately, without any waiting. If there is any ambiguity, the sender can clarify the recipient and obtain prompt feedback on whether his intended message was received in its intended form or not.
• Most convenient method – The most often used form of communication worldwide is verbal. Because it is more practical, people prefer verbal communication. When speaking, you are more likely to express information clearly and in easily accessible language.
• Ease of preparation – The simplest form of communication is oral because there is no need to prepare any written materials.

Disadvantages of Verbal Communication

• Chances of distortion of meaning – It sometimes happens that the message’s intended meaning changes for the intended individual due to the presence of numerous barriers in effective communication, which leads to a lot of issues down the road.
• Not convenient for long messages – Long messages shouldn’t be delivered verbally since the recipient can forget previously stated important points by the time the message is finished.
• Irrelevant information – A lot of useless material can enter a discourse during an important debate, wasting time and leaving a gap in the relevant information. This results in pointless time waste and, occasionally, ignoring or forgetting to chat about what is truly important.
• Create a misunderstanding – Usually, when two individuals are having deep conversations, they can have some misunderstandings during the time.
• Communication cost – Sometimes verbal communication can be really expensive if you need to communicate in a language that you are not familiar with. You will need another person to play the part of translator for you. With advanced technology of hologram, translator may not be required but surely big cost is involved.

Non-verbal Communication

• Nonverbal communication is the exchange of information with others through body language, gestures, and facial expressions. It may be applied both consciously and unconsciously. When trying to define the ideas and feelings of another, nonverbal communication is beneficial.
• Body language – Body language is a form of non-verbal communication in which information is expressed via physical behaviour instead of or in addition to words. It’s important that our words and body language complement one another.

Some of the example of Non-Verbal Communication

Body language includes: 

• Facial expressions 
• Posture 
• Gestures 
• touch
• The use of space 
• Eye movement

The Dos and Don’ts of non- verbal messages and body language
DOs

• Make eye contact
• Check your facial expression. 
• Be natural with your gestures 
• Maintain a receptive posture. 
• Refrain from sending mismatched messages. 
• Watch for actions that can be taken for defensiveness. 
• Don’t appear disengaged.

Don’ts

• Rubbing your hands together during an important meet up 
• Leaning back while meeting with a friend or close colleague. 
• Crossing your arms during an interesting conversation. 
• Not making eye contact. 
• Making too much eye contact.
• Fidgeting. 
• Touching your face too often.

Advantages of non-verbal communication

• Complementary – The meaning of a verbal statement is enhanced by nonverbal signs.
• Easy presentation – Information can be easily presented in non-verbal communication through using visual, audio-visual and silent means of non-verbal communication.
• Substituting –  Verbal communications may be replaced by nonverbal ones, especially if they are blocked by background noise, interruption, distance, language barrier, etc.; for instance, gestures like placing a finger to the lips to request silence or facial expressions like nodding in place of a yes.
• Reducing wastage of time –  Non-verbal communication spread quickly to the intended audience. This is why non-verbal indications of communication, such as signs and symbols, can convey some messages far more quickly than written or spoken words.

Disadvantages or limitations of non-verbal communication

• Vague and imprecise – It’s difficult to understand and interpret nonverbal communication. Since no words or language are used in this communication to convey a clear meaning to the recipient.
• Continuous – While verbal communication can be stopped, non-verbal cues are typically impossible to stop.
• Multi-channel – If you only focus on someone’s eyes, you can overlook an important hand signal.  Therefore it may be confusing to keep up with everything. 
• Culture bound –  The thumbs-up gesture, which is considered favourable in the US, may be considered obscene in another culture.
• Long conversations are not possible – In non-verbal communication, long conversation and necessary explanations are not possible.

Written Communication

Advantages of Written Communication

• A Permanent Record – A written communication makes it easier to keep a record of the information discussed or exchanged permanently.
• Meticulous Presentation – People take great care to meet all writing requirements since written documents are permanent records and must be readable on the other end. Every document that has been collected thus far includes all key information that must be conveyed.
• Easy Circulation – In opposed to oral communication, a printed document can be simply distributed within an organisation. This feature of written communication is useful for providing the general public with the information they need.
• Suitable for Statistical Data – Statistical charts and figures are difficult to be interpreted verbally, thus, circulating a document allow people to examine such intrinsic detail with ease.
• Promotes Goodwill – A well-written document conveys a lot about an organization’s professionalism when trying to do business. Therefore, if done properly, written communication aids in the promotion of goodwill.

Disadvantages of Written Communication

• Time Consuming – It takes a lot of effort to create an excellent piece of writing, which is challenging when there are time constraints.
• Non-flexible – Once distributed, a written document cannot be changed. Because every written word is concrete and binding, written communication is inflexible as a result.
• No Scope for Clarification – The details cannot be understood by such persons through the formulated written text if the document is not edited with the less informed person’s mindset in mind.
• Demands Writing Proficiency – In order to deliver the message adequately across the other end, one should have competencies in the writing sector.
• Probability of Wrong Interpretation – One could get the wrong or no sense from a piece of writing if it contains complex vocabulary or tough sentences. Therefore, using written communication requires using simple language.

Perspectives in Communication

• Visual perception: The capacity to see and understand the visual data that surrounds us  is known as visual perception.
• Language: The different perspectives we experience can be with language as well.
• Prejudices: If all future experiences with persons of the same “type” or who share the same qualities would be the same, we have prejudices. This happens when we focus on a single, isolated experience with a certain “type” of person.
• Feelings: Actually, there are two ways that your emotions might affect how you speak to someone else. The first only pertains to how you are feeling that day; if you are feeling well, you will communicate in one way, and if you are feeling unwell, you will communicate in a different way.
• Environment: Your environment is the final factor that affects communication. In various settings, each of us communicates in a different way. Do you communicate with our professors the same way you do with your friends? Do you treat strangers more or less formally than you treat people you are familiar with?

Factors affecting Communication at Work place

8 Factors Influencing the workplace Communication are;

• Cultural Diversity: The risk of miscommunication and incorrect message interpretation increases when persons from various cultural backgrounds converse.
• Emotional Difference: The meaning of communication is strongly influenced by the emotions and sentiments of the individuals involved. For instance, doctors typically have a lower level of emotional attachment to their patients than do their patients’ family.
• Educational and Intellectual Difference: The difference in the informal educational and intellectual level of the sender and receiver also influences the meaning communication If they have similar educational qualifications, communication will be effective because they are likely to hold similar perceptions, understanding ,feeling, thinking ,view, etc.
• Positional Differences among the Personnel: Communication between two parties may be difficult if they are in different positions in the hierarchy. For instance, leaders typically give any message from their subordinates less consideration.
• Functional Relationship between Sender and Receiver: The purpose of communication in business is substantially influenced by the functional relationship between the sender and recipient. The recipient might not grasp the sender’s message if they are from different functional departments or sectors

Basic Writing Skills

Writing is a way of communication that enables students to express their thoughts and feelings, develop sensible arguments from their knowledge and beliefs, and transmit meaning through well-written prose. Written communication can, in its most sophisticated form.

Kinds of sentences 

A set of words that is complete in itself, typically containing a subject and predicate, conveying a statement, question, exclamation, or command, and consisting of a main clause and sometimes one or more subordinate clauses.

There are four types of Sentence 
Declarative Sentence

• Tells something
• Ends with a period.

Interrogative Sentence

• Ask a question.
• Ends with a question marks

Exclamatory Sentence

• Shows strong feeling
• Ends with an exclamation marks

Imperative Sentence

• Gives a command
• Ends with a period or an exclamation marks