WBL Communication Lesson Plan

Submitted By: Frank Holthouse

Lesson Name: Employability Skills- Communication

Purpose/Objective: During this assignment, you’ll complete activities that will help you think about the importance of communication for college, career, and life success

Materials Needed: 

• Youtube Video Link
• Projector
• Location / process for students record answers

Process:

Opening Question: Do you think you communicate well with others? 

When we think about “communication” we often think about verbal communication which is talking with other people. Communication also includes hand signals and facial expression. If you shake someone’s hand or shrug, you’re communicating non-verbally. To be good communicators we need to use both verbal and non-verbal communication skills well. Let’s keep reading and listening to learn more about effective communication.

Watch Video on the importance of communication in the workplace.

The video you just viewed speaks to the idea that whomever you’re communicating with impacts HOW you communicate. In other words, you may adjust your voice, tone, facial expressions, etc. for unique audiences. Imagine you are presenting a recycling lesson to 3rd graders today and to senior adults at a community center tomorrow. How would your verbal communication style differ for these two groups of people (children vs. senior citizens)?

Read the following text.

Communication is talking, listening, and making your ideas heard or known. Whether you talk or write a note, you’re communicating, but you should always be asking yourself if you’re communicating well.  Does the other person understand what you’re saying or writing? There are many ways to communicate with others, from speaking to writing down ideas in a note, to using hand signals to express an idea.

Facial expressions and tone of voice are also key parts of communication. You may tell someone you are sorry, but if your face or voice still projects anger while you’re apologizing, you’re sending mixed messages.

Listening is an important part of communication. How you listen to others when they are telling you something is just as important as how you express something. Bad communication happens when we fail to think about our tone, facial expressions, body language, choice of words, or don’t listen to others.

 Who communicates well?

Every career requires workers to communicate with co-workers whether that’s via email, phone, or in a face to face setting. That means it is critical to think about what we say, how we say it, and whether our non-verbal cues match our words. If you write an email to a fellow employee or customer, send an instant message, call, or text them, it’s critical that you think about what you’re sharing and how you’re sharing it. Some careers require more communication than others. Examples include: air traffic controllers, doctors and nurses, teachers, professional movers, supply chain managers, event planners, and social media managers. Let’s move along to the next activity to consider why communication matters.

Written Reflection #2 – What would you do?

Imagine that you’re a dental hygienist. While cleaning a client’s teeth you ask what flavor toothpaste to use and they say “orange,” but you accidentally use cinnamon. The next day the client writes a bad review online, saying you didn’t listen to them. Bad reviews are bad for your business. You need to figure out a way to communicate an apology to the client. How will you reach out and what will you say? Write your response below.

Closure:

Find a partner, grab some paper and colored pencils, and complete this activity. You will each draw your dream bedroom. Money is not an issue. What furniture and colors do you want? Take about 10 minutes to sketch the bedroom. Don’t let your partner see what you’ve drawn. When complete, verbally describe your bedroom to your partner in a way that helps your partner draw EXACTLY what you drew. Is this easy or hard? Clear verbal communication is key to complete this activity. Reflect on your experience below and be prepared to share those reflections with the class.