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Get the message across!Following on from previous articles about key skills, we are now looking at:- Communication This key skill is already used in our everyday lives and we often don't think about it…. we just do it! Again, there are three levels, Level 1,2 and 3. Communication helps us to get to know people, find out information, give other information and present ideas and we do it in lots of different ways like speaking, reading and writing. |
This unit is about using your communication skills to deal with straightforward situations and you will need to show that you can take part in discussions, read and find information and write different types of documents.
An example of what you need to know could be about discussions. When you have a discussion, you need to know about a subject in order to talk about it (otherwise it would be a very short conversation!). You also need to know when to speak (perhaps not in the middle of your managers speech at a company conference) and in an appropriate way ( like not becoming Ali G and screaming 'Whassup' when walking into the staff room or answering the phone to a customer!)
You will need to show that you can
take part in a one-to-one and a group discussion, read and obtain information
from different types of documents and write different types of documents.
An example of what you need to know could be about giving short talks. You will need to prepare for your talk (although you might know what you are going to talk about, it can be quite nerve racking!). You will also need to adapt your language to suit your audience, subject and situation (remembering that if you are talking about a computer system to people who can barely switch one on…you might need to explain technical jargon in a way that they understand). Structure your talk so that the people listening can follow it carefully (you wouldn't tell a joke and start with the punch line would you!) and you could also use something visual like a chart or picture to help your audience see what you are explaining more easily.
You will need to show that you can
join in with a discussion, give a short talk about something, read, summarise
and write information for longer documents
This unit like other level three units that we have looked at in previous articles, looks at using the skill with more complex situations and tasks. Again you will need to join in with discussions, make a presentation, read, write and use information from different types of documents.
An example of what you will need to know could be about reading, writing and using the information. This may include skimming though large documents to find the relevant information (you would be annoyed if you read a 50 page report and found that the information you needed was in 1 paragraph on the 49th page!). You will also need to synthesise the information (and in English this means bringing information together so that it makes sense in order to make your own presentation or report on how you understand the subject!)
You will need to show that you can
join in a group discussion about a complicated topic, make a presentation about
a complicated subject, read and synthesise information from longer documents
and write different types of longer documents like reports etc.
From the above units you will see that you will need to use communication skills in the world of work. These might include using the telephone as a receptionist, joining in with a team meeting as an admin assistant, explaining a large bill to a customer as a mechanic or presenting a new promotion to other staff as a retail assistant. So make sure that you find out more information about these skills from you tutor, careers / connexions adviser or check out the web or your local careers library.
Good Luck
Jennie Glitherow.
General DfES information on Key Skills
http://www.dfes.gov.uk/keyskills/
Key Skills Student Website
http://www.keyskills4u.com/
QCA website
http://www.qca.org.uk/603.html
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