Listening and Speaking Skills

Listening is an important component in the process of communication. In oral

communication it is essential that the receiver must listen to what the speaker communicates and
if the message is not properly listened to, it is natural that the meaning cannot be understood or it
may be bewildering or misleading and it would definitely get lost. Listening is an art which is
important for both, the speaker and the listener. The correct meaning of a message can only be
obtained if and when the listener absorbs the message as it is communicated by the speaker and it
is possible only when the listener listens carefully to the speaker. Listening involves hearing,
making someone understand and remembering the words of the speaker. As per different
resources, to listen with an objective is a mixed process which includes listening, explaining or
expounding, evaluating, concentrating and remembering. The listening process begins with the
listening of message, understanding and evaluating the message conveyed and then responding
to it.

Speaking Skill:

The following are required for effective speaking skills:

i. FLUENCY- Fluency is about how comfortable and confident you are in speaking English. If
you can speak for an extended period of time, that is an indicator of strong fluency. It is also
about showing a clear connection between each point that you are trying to make. This skill
means that the listener can follow what you are saying and do not get lost.

ii. VOCABULARY- Being a good speaker means constantly growing your vocabulary. The
more interesting words you know, the stronger the speaking skills will be. The best way to grow
your vocabulary is to make a note of any new words that you encounter in a vocabulary
notebook.

iii. GRAMMAR- Grammar does matter and the fewer mistakes you make, the better your
speaking skill will be.

iv. PRONUNCIATION- Pronunciation is a complex area, with a lot of sub skills that can be
practiced. The sub skills of pronunciation include: word and sentence stress, intonation, rhythm
and the use of the individual sounds of a language. A good way to practice your pronunciation is
to copy. Simply listen to how someone with good pronunciation speaks, and try to imitate them
as closely as possible.

Listening Skill:

One of the weaknesses of most human beings is that we love to listen to our own voice rather
than listen to others. Listening is as important as speaking in a GD, unless you listen, you cannot
contribute to the stated purpose of communication. It is extremely important to listen very
carefully, only then you will be able to pick up the thread of discussion and continue. Only active
participation as a listener in a group makes a person a good leader.

Types of Listening:

 Active Listening: It is a listening which is required to listen to a message and react to it

immediately. In this process, the listener accepts the message with interest and desire.
 Content Listening: The purpose of content listening is to understand the message
completely and to retain it in a safe custody. Thus, the listener has to concentrate on the
main points of the message.
 Emphatic Listening: When a listener, in order to grasp the message, takes up physical,
emotional and psychological exercise, his purpose lies in the evaluation of a message.
 Critical Listening: The audience makes varied appraisal of the message with intent to
find faults or errors in it. It includes credibility of validity, validity of facts and logic in
argumentation.
 Attentive Listening: As the term implies, the audience listens to the speaker with rapt
attention, focusing the mind on the message.
 Selective Listening: According to this, the audience hears only important points and
leaves the unimportant unheeded. The audience is very selective in this regard as what to
choose and what to reject.
 Passive Listening: When the audience takes no interest in the message, it is called an
ineffective listening.

Developing effective listening skills

Effective communication is about more than just exchanging information. It is about

understanding the emotion and intentions behind the information. As well as being able to
clearly convey a message, you need to also listen in a way that gains the full meaning of what is
being said and makes the other person feel heard and understood. Effective communication
sounds like it should be instinctive. But all too often, when we try to communicate with others
something goes astray. We say one thing, the other person hears something else, and
misunderstandings, frustration, and conflicts ensue. This can cause problems in your home,
school, and work relationships. For many of us, communicating more clearly and effectively
requires learning some important skills. Whether you are trying to improve communication with
your spouse, kids, boss, or co-workers, learning these skills can deepen your connections to
others, build greater trust and respect, and improve teamwork, problem solving, and your overall
social and emotional health. Common barriers to effective communication include:

 Stress and out-of-control emotion: When you are stressed or emotionally

overwhelmed, you are more likely to misread other people, send confusing or off-
putting nonverbal signals, and lapse into unhealthy knee-jerk patterns of
 behaviour. To avoid conflict and misunderstandings, you can learn how to quickly
calm down before continuing a conversation.
 Lack of focus: You cannot communicate effectively when you are multitasking.
If you are checking your phone, planning what you are going to say next, or
daydreaming, you are almost certain to miss nonverbal cues in the conversation.
To communicate effectively, you need to avoid distractions and stay focused.
 Inconsistent body language: Nonverbal communication should reinforce what is
being said, not contradict it. If you say one thing, but your body language says
something else, your listener will likely feel that you are being dishonest. For
example, you cannot say “yes” while shaking your head no.
 Negative body language: If you disagree with or dislike what is being said, you
might use negative body language to rebuff the other person’s message, such as
crossing your arms, avoiding eye contact, or tapping your feet. You do not have to
agree with, or even like what is being said, but to communicate effectively and
not put the other person on the defensive, it is important to avoid sending negative
signals.

Monologue, Dialogue, Group Discussion

A monologue is a speech in which a character/individual expresses his/her thoughts and

feelings to the other characters/individuals or the audience. Monologues are used in both
dramatic works (dramas, films, etc.) as well as in non-dramatic works such as poetry. The main
purpose of a monologue is to reveal the inner workings of a character/individual and understand
his/her motivations which might otherwise remain mostly internal. There are two types of
monologues named interior monologue and dramatic monologue. An interior monologue
involves the character expressing his thoughts to the audience whereas a dramatic monologue
involves the character expressing his thoughts to other characters.

In literature, dialogue refers to a conversation between two or more characters. The term
dialogue is derived from the Greek word ‘dialogos’ meaning conversation. Dialogue plays a very
important role in literary forms such as novels, short stories, dramas, and films as it is a major
technique. In fact, dramas are entirely made of dialogues. It is the dialogues that portray the way
characters interact, make decisions and change. They reveal the thoughts and ideas of the
characters which cannot be understood otherwise. Dialogues help the readers to understand the
personalities of the characters create conflict in the plot and, move the storyline forward.

Monologues and Dialogue

• Monologues and dialogue reveal open actions and thoughts that are witnessed by all.

• Dialogue is a larger category, covering almost all kinds of interactions among characters. It
may even contain monologues as part of a scene. Most people are familiar with dialogue as the
typical construction of a play.
• Monologues and dialogue CAN be heard by the other characters onstage. Monologues and
dialogue are spoken directly to other characters onstage.

• These two appear often in contemporary and modern plays. They are very familiar to most
people who watch plays and movies.

Soliloquy:

A soliloquy is a dramatic device which allows a character to reveal his thoughts to the
audience but not to the other characters in the play. In Shakespeare’s time, soliloquies were
widely used. A soliloquy is a longer speech that a character gives onstage that no one else can
hear except the audience. Soliloquies may be spoken directly to the audience. When an actor was
alone on the stage he could speak aloud his thoughts, thus giving the audience clear insights into
his character and his intentions. Most often, a soliloquy is a character speaking to himself/
herself. Even if other people are present, they cannot hear what the character says. Only the
audience and that character can “hear” the words. In Shakespeare’s tragedies, the soliloquy
always reveals something about a conflict the character is facing. Usually this is a moral conflict,
and it most often shows a darker side of the character.

Soliloquy vs. Monologue

A Soliloquy is Private - The soliloquy usually reveals moral struggles or internal secrets. A
soliloquy is private, personal, and often very emotional. In contrast with the monologue, a
soliloquy is not meant to communicate with other characters. It is entirely focused on internal
struggle. A soliloquy is a longer speech, spoken to audience or to character’s private self, meant
to be personal, other characters onstage cannot hear the internal thoughts expressed.

A Monologue is Not Private - The monologue usually reveals events or personal opinions.
While monologues may be emotional, they are more focused on external factors. In contrast with
the soliloquy, a monologue is intended to communicate directly with other characters onstage. A
monologue is a longer speech, spoken to other characters, meant to be interactive - other
characters onstage CAN hear and respond to the thoughts expressed.

Group discussion

Group Discussion is an important activity in academic, business and administrative

spheres. It is a systematic and purposeful interactive oral process. Here the exchange of ideas,
thoughts and feelings take place through oral communication. The exchange of ideas takes place
in a systematic and structured way. The participants sit facing each other almost in a semi-circle
and express their views on the given topic/issue/problem. Debate is competitive in nature while
group discussion is a cooperative group process. In a debate, a speaker can speak either ‘for’ the
topic or ‘against’ the topic whereas in a GD, the speaker can express both. The final decision or
result in a debate depends on voting while in a GD, the group reaches group consensus. There
are four major areas of evaluation in selection GDs:

 Subject knowledge,
 Oral communication skills,
 Leadership skills
 Team management

Subject Knowledge:

Participants must possess a thorough understanding of the topic on which they are
supposed to speak. You must prepare yourself to talk on a wide range of subjects. Be abreast of
the current events, national and international affairs, burning social and economic topics,
scientific and environmental issues, key newspapers’ controversial topics and any experience
that may be expected of an educated person. As a member of the group, you are expected to
contribute substantially to the discussion. The originality of your ideas, your knowledge and
initiative and your approach to the topic or case contribute to your success in the group
discussion. The best way to equip yourself is to read daily newspapers, good magazines, national
and international journals and also watch new bulletins and informative programmes on the
television. Internet is the greatest boon which provides you with everything you are looking for.
The World Wide Web is a vast database of current authentic materials that present information in
multimedia form and reacts instantly to the user input. The greater your knowledge of the
subject, the more enthusiastic and confident you will be during the discussion. Once you have
understood the topic or issue, you should be able to generate ideas as well as organize them so
that you present it well. You will have the ability to analyse facts or information in a systematic
way. A person putting forward new ideas that may work will be accepted as the natural leader of
the group. The panel will observe the ideas put forward, their originality, the depth of analysis
and their relevance to the topic. Problem solving skills are essential and do not hesitate to give
solutions. Your approach to the case study will be observed keenly by the evaluators.

Oral Communication Skills:

If subject knowledge is important, communication skills is more important as without

expression, the knowledge is of no use. As the exchange of ideas in a group discussion takes
place through speech, one of the pre-requisites of success in a GD is the ability to speak
confidently and convincingly. Good communication skills include active listening, clarity of
thought and expression, apt language and proper nonverbal clues.

Advantages of a GD: Ideas can be generated, shared and tried out, groups provide a support
and growth for any endeavours, combine talents to provide innovative solutions.
Roles in a Structured GD: Initiator, Information seeker and giver, Procedure facilitator,
Opinion seeker/giver, Clarifier, Summarizer, Social supporter , Harmonizer, Tension reliever ,
Energizer , Attacker and Dominator.

Expectations of the Panel: You should have the following qualities - Team player, Reasoning,
Leadership, Flexible, Assertiveness, Initiative, Creativity (out of the box thinking), Inspiring
ability, Listening and Awareness.

Phases in a GD: (i) Initiation/introduction (ii) The central group discussion (iii)
Summarization/conclusion

PUBLIC SPEECH

Public speaking is the process and act of speaking or giving a lecture to a group of people
in a structured, deliberate manner intended to inform, influence, or entertain a listening audience.
Public speaking is commonly understood as face-to-face speaking between individuals and an
audience for the purpose of communication. Public speaking has evolved from a skill reserved
by a selected few to one of the most powerful marketing, educational and brand promotion tools
in any business. It is safe to say that in the modern business world just about every well-paid
position requires some form of public speaking, be it giving a group sales presentation,
presenting your ideas to the board of directors, speaking to a committee or telling a group of
potential clients about your company during a corporate event. Most public speeches can be
broken down into five basic elements, usually expressed as “Who is saying, What to Whom
using what Medium with what Effects?”

CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD SPEECH

 It is clear.
 It is vivid and concrete.
 It is brief. It is interesting.
 It is audience-oriented.

THREE STYLES OF SPEECH

The three most common styles of speeches that you encounter in today’s business and
social world are - impromptu, manuscript and extemporaneous. To become a great public
speaker, you will have to learn and ace each one of them, as it will allow you to speak
confidently and effectively in front of any number of listeners and in any given situation.

1. Impromptu speech: Impromptu speech is prompted by the occasion rather than being
planned in advance. While famous public speakers often joke that best impromptu speeches
should be prepared weeks in advance, usually in real life we have very little or no time to prepare
before we speak in front of the audience. Some examples of impromptu speech could be your
boss asking you to bring the rest of your team up to date, or a group of friends urging you to say
a few words at a non-profit event.

2. Manuscript speech: This type of speech is written like a manuscript and is meant to be
delivered word for word. Manuscript speeches are used on many political and social occasions,
when every word carries a lot of weight and should not be misquoted. One of the most common
examples of a manuscript speech is a political figure delivering a speech that has been written by
another person.

3. Extemporaneous speech: Extemporaneous speech is the most commonly used type of speech
that helps to establish emotional connection with the audience. It is built around key points, but
the material can be presented freely, allowing the speaker to make changes in their speech based
on the listeners’ reaction.

INTERVIEW:

The word interview comes from Latin and middle French words meaning to “see
between” or “see each other”. Generally, an interview means a private meeting between people
when questions are asked and answered. The person who answers the questions of an interview
is called in the interviewee. The person who asks the questions of our interview is called an
interviewer. It suggests a meeting between two persons for the purpose of getting a view of each
other or for knowing each other. When we normally think of an interview, we think a setting in
which an employer tries to size up an applicant for a job.

Types of interviews:

1. Panel interviews: in panel interview each member of the panel is closely observing the
interviewee. Hence, the interviewee’s body language and eye contact are especially important.
The interviewee should give an impression of speaking to all the members of the panel, not just a
single individual, by making eye contact with all the panel members.

2. Telephone interviews: the interviewee should consider this a face to face interview and use
proper modulation of voice to reflect his/her thoughts. The interviewee’s voice should be clear,
steady, and audible.

3. Lunch/dinner interviews: This type of interview is conducted in an informal environment, but

still requires that the interviewee be careful about his/her body language and manners.

4. Preliminary interview: as the preliminary interview is a first stage screening test the
interviewee should pay full attention to it. This stage must be cleared before moving to the final
interview. The interviewee’s communication skills express his or her confidence and ease.
5. Sequential interviews: in this form of interview the interviewee has to report to several people
successively. He or she should be very careful about his/her behavior, speech, and manners in
each interview, as each interviewer is a prospective employer.

6. Skill based interview: such interviews require the interviewee to demonstrate skills that are
relevant to the jobs. For instance, someone seeking to be an actor or a sales person can be asked
to act or read a script or demonstrate his or her pitch and skills of persuasive oral
communication.

7. Academic interviews: An academic interview is conducted in a question and answer format.

The interviewee should be able to demonstrate attentive listening, eye contact, clarity of ideas
and depth of knowledge.

8. Personality interviews: this form of interview evaluates the interviewee as an individual in

terms of his / her response to certain situations. The emphasis is not on the answers themselves,
but on how they are delivered. The entire range of non-verbal communication skills is bought
into play to demonstrate a well-rounded personality.

Strategies required for the success at interviews

1. Study the company: One of the best job interview strategies that most candidates ignore is to
study the current events of the company. Knowing what the current events of the company, is
important so that you can ask pertinent questions. Doing so will show the interviewer that you
have done your homework, and also have a genuine interest in the company. This strategy will
definitely help your job interview.

2. Know your resume: As a candidate, you should be very familiar with your resume. In any job
interview, anything on your resume is at the interviewer’s disposal. Implementing this job
interview strategy will help build credibility with your interviewer. It is your responsibility to
convince the interviewer that you can come in and do the job. Speaking intelligently about each
of your previous positions will help do this, and is one of the best job interview strategies to
follow.

3. Prepare an interview emergency kit: Many candidates don’t properly prepare for a job
interview. Getting together a “job interview kit” is a great job interview strategy to follow.
Suggested items for the kit include extra copies of your resume, directions to the office, a bottle
of water, eye drops, pens, and notepad. But you should only bring the extra copies of your
resume into the office with you, preferably in a portfolio.

4. Study the job description: After landing an interview, you need to study the job description to
truly understand what the interviewer is looking for. If the description calls for attentiveness to
detail, you will want to tailor the discussion accordingly. Knowing this, you can navigate the
interview and discuss examples from previous jobs that will exemplify this trait. Do this for all
significant traits or qualities that you identify in the job description. This is one of the best job
interview strategies I have used, and know that it can bring you success.

5. Build rapport: You know the saying, “There’s never a second chance to make a first
impression?” That holds very true in the case of job interviews. That is why building rapport is
such an important job interview strategy. Shake hands, make eye contact, and smile. Put those
three together when you first meet your interviewer and it will set a positive tone for the rest of
the interview.

6. Make eye contact: Making positive eye contact is one of the best job interview strategies to
follow. Eye contact is one of the strongest forms of nonverbal communication. A person’s
qualities and personality can be detected simply based on eye contact. Making direct eye contact
communicates confidence and high self-esteem, two key qualities employers look for in
candidates. Thus, it is very important that you make eye contact when you first meet interviewer
and shake hands. And during the interview, it is important to make eye contact, not only when
you talk, but also as you listen. Simply doing this job interview strategy will greatly help your
chances of success in an interview.

7. Body language: Just as eye contact speaks volumes about you, so does your body language.
Proper body language conveys confidence and high selfesteem. During the interview, things like
sitting up straight with your chest out and keeping a pleasant demeanour on your face will
project confidence. The interviewer will be aware of this, and it will help you stand out in his/her
mind.

8. Display your skills with concrete examples: When it comes to discussing their skills, many
candidates make the mistake of “telling” instead of “showing.” One of the best job interview
strategies is to use concrete examples to demonstrate their skills to the interviewer. For example,
if one of your skills is successfully handling multiple tasks at once, providing an example of how
you do that will help paint a picture for the interviewer. It also gives the interviewer something to
“hold on to” once the interview is over, and helps him/her remember you when it comes to
decision time.

9. Be yourself: A common mistake that many candidates make is not being themselves. Some
feel that they need to fit a certain mould and act accordingly. This will only end up hurting both
parties in the end when your “true” personality comes out. You will be surprised how easy it is to
detect insincerity during an interview. Thus, it is important to be professional, but also maintain
your true essence. When you do this, your sincerity and genuineness will be picked up by the
interviewer. This is one of the best job interview strategies to implement, and will go a long way
in determining your success.

10. Follow up quickly: After the job interview, send a thank you note to the interview. These
days, an email is fine, but traditionally a handwritten card is sent. Whatever method you choose,
do it promptly after the interview. The correspondence should be sent the next day after the
interview. Many hiring decisions are made quickly these days, so timeliness is very important.
You now have 10 of the best job interview tactics to follow. There are many aspects of a
successful job interview, but if you implement these 10 best job interview tactics listed above,
your chances of success will skyrocket.

Context based Conversation/Communication

Context is the circumstances surrounding a message. The circumstances mightinclude the

setting, the value positions of the people, and appropriateness of a message. Thismeans
considering your audience, the forum under which you are speaking, the era, andaccepted norms.
For a Satanist to preach at a Christian church would be out of context

Basic Components of the Speaking Environment:

The physical location of a speech refers to the immediate environment in which the speaker will
be speaking. Locations vary from large rooms to small rooms, from outdoors to the comfort of
your office or home. It is important, however, to stress that the location refers to a physical
environment, and not the medium through which a speech is delivered.

Speaking tool are the tools that assist the speaker to deliver speech. These tools include a
microphone, a podium, a lectern, and lighting.

Podium which is a raised platform that can vary in size that the speaker stands on. As mentioned
earlier, it is advantageous to both the speaker and the audience if both are not on the same level,
and podiums create this type of atmosphere

Lectern is the stand behind which people speak, and on which they place their notes. Lecterns
are usually placed on a podium or at the end of a dais, so that there is a designated place from
which a person will speak

Communication in Context:
Interpersonal communication normally involves two people, and can range from intimate and
very personal to formal and impersonal. It implies a trusting relationship established over time
between two individuals or some previous familiarity, and is really more about acknowledging
each other and actual exchange of information

Intrapersonal communication involves one person; it is often called

“self-talk.” intrapersonal communication can be positive or negative, and directly influences how
you perceive and react to situations and communication with others
Group communication is a dynamic process where a small number of people engage in a
conversation.” (McLean, 2005) Group communication is generally defined as involving three to
eight people. The larger the group, the more likely it is to break down into smaller groups

Public communication refers where one person speaks to a group of people; the same is true of
public written communication, where one person writes a message to be read by a small or large
group. The speaker or writer may ask questions, and engage the audience in a discussion (in
writing, examples are an e-mail discussion or a point-counter-point series of letters to the editor),
but the dynamics of the conversation are distinct from group communication, where different
rules apply