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COMMUNICATION SKILLS
UNIT-III
Reading Comprehension Skills and Reading Speeds
Reading Comprehension Skills:
It is a two-fold process. It requires understanding of what is presented
and reproducing it as comprehended. This skill has a large demand in
practical life and it can be developed with intelligent effort like any
other skill.
Reading Speeds: This process involves speed reading, quick
understanding and reproduction.
There are three reading speeds:
(1)Study reading speed.
(2)Average reading speed.
(3)Skimming speed.
Speed

Poor Reading

Good Reading

Study Reading

90-125 WPM2
80-90% Comprehension

200-300 WPM
80-90%
Comprehension
250-500 WPM
70% Comprehension
800+ WPM.
50% Comprehension

Average
Reading
Skimming
Reading

150-180 WPM2
70% Comprehension
Cannot skim

Study reading Speed: Reading speed is used for reading. It deals

with difficult arguments, ideas, notion etc.
It aims at almost total comprehension and retention of what has
been read.
Average Reading Speed: It is used for everyday reading of
newspapers magazines, novels etc. The emphasis here is on
understanding the writers line of thought.
Skimming: Skimming is the fastest reading speed.

A good reader is one who keeping his purpose in mind can

quickly attain the required speed.
Slow reading speed often produces often produces listlessness
and causes distraction.
The wider your eye span, he greater will be your speed.
Lack of guidance in the early stages, some people develop the
habit of regression which means going back to words, they have
read.
They move their heads from side to side.
They move their
or point at words with a pencil, pen or
finger.
Vocalization (reading aloud) slows down the speed, and subvocalization (saying the words to one self)
Practical Hints to tackle the passages:
1) Read the passage to get general meaning.
2) Pause a while to recollect and determine what does the writer
want to say.
3) Time spent in reading in the whit is well spent.
4) Try to ____ the meaning unfamiliar of words.
5) Read all question attentively given at the end of passage and
look for the answers.
6) Be precise in answering question. Answer should be in you on
words and to the point.
7) Check grammars, spelling and punctuation of what you write.

Passage on Reading Comprehension:

Read the paragraph and answer the following questionA lot of accidents take place because of lack of safety
awareness. Men fall from ladders operate then machines without
guard drop objects on then toes or cut then hands because of min
use of a tool. These accidents are obviously the result of unsafe acts
and not unsafe condition. The practice of safety in the workshop goes
beyond the knowledge of the proper use of hand tools and
equipments. We must understand the hazards of job we are about to
undertake. Further we must give the job our undivided attention
visiting should not be permitted because it distracts attention and may
lead to accidents.
Question:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

What is the need of safety awareness?

What are the various causes of accident?
What happened if any body mistakes the tolls?
Why undivided attentions are needed in the workplace?
Give a suitable title for the passage.

Telephonic Conversation-Receiving and Making Calls:

One from of dyadic conversation is interaction between two persons
on the telephone. In this form the advantage of using body language
and eye contact is lost. But it one of the commonest and fastest ways
of contacting person. It in simple handy and its the long run
economical.
Guidelines:
Cultivate a cheerful and friendly tone.
Never sound hurried, flustered or impatient.
Enunciate your words clearly.
Do not use slang.
Speak distinctly. If you use a word which is likely to be
misunderstood, spell it out.
Be courteous in all circumstances.
Do not engage your telephone longer than necessary.

Receiving Calls:

Lift the recover promptly.

Reveal your identity e.g. Ram Gopal chief Accountant.
Hold the mouth piece properly.
If you do not know who the caller is obtain his name and
designation.
Even if the caller is annoyed, keep yourself cool.
Give the required information accurately. If it is not readily
power cable, promise to ring back and of course, keep your
promise.
If a wrong number call comes to you dont abuse the caller or
slam down the receiver.
Keep a got pad and a pencil handy to note message, if any.
Keep your telephone on your left hand side so that the right
hand is free to write.
Take the message fully and correctly; A suggested form is
given.

Telephone message
_____________________________________________Department/
Section_________________________________________________
________________________________
Message
Form___________________________________________________
_________
Telephone:
_______________________________________________________
_______
Message for:
_______________________________________________________
______
Received
at(Time)
on (Date)
Message
_______________________________________________________
_________________
Message Taken by:
_______________________________________________________
Making Calls:
Have a personal telephone directory listing the telephone
numbers which you have often to use.
If you are making a call for some body else follow his
instruction.
Have all the material ready before you dial the number. It is bad
manners to keep some body on the line while you rummage
through your files.
If you have to say a number of things alert the listener by
saying some thing like this;
I want your opinion on two points.
One______________________________
two
______________________________
If you wish to leave a message, say so and give a few seconds
to the receiver to get ready let your message be clear and
accurate. If it is important, you may repeat it.

You can use phone as a tool of contact incase you find the
person with whom you dont want to have any face to face
interaction.

Non-Verbal Communication:
Non verbal communication refers to all external stimuli other than
spoken or written words including body motion characteristics of
appearance characteristics of voice and use of space and distancing.
All these non-verbal clues taken together are also known as bodylanguage. These elements are collectively termed as the visible
code they are:(1) Personal Appearance: The first impact on audience/listener is
created by the personal appearance of the speaker. Even
before he utters the first syllable, we begin to form an opinion
about him and visualize the way he is going to talk, the dress
he has used, his general physical appearance is respect of
certain communication situation such as interview, convocation,
state banquet etc.
(2) Posture: It is an important part of body language and generally
refers to the way one stands sits and walks. The movement of
the body, the position of hands and legs and other parts of the
body reveal an individuals personality whether he is vibrant
alive and dynamic nervous and glittery, confident and sell
assured etc. A good speakers stands tall, feet together with the
weight directly over the instep keeping his chin on a line
parallel to the floor or at right angles to the backbone standing
in this pasture before a group is in fact one of the first essential
for success in speaking. A drooping shoulder and a protruding
stomach indicate that the speaker is discouraged tired and
worn out. The walking posture may convey whether a speaker
is confident, energetic and vital or withdrawn, diffident and
nervous. To walk gracefully one should remember the following
tips; lift your feet from the floor; do not drag or shuffle them;
walk in a strength line, avoid a stride or taking tiny steps.
(3) Gestures: Gesture too play a significant role in making the
communication effective. A well timed gesture can drive a point
home. Similarly playing with a ring twisting a very-chain
clasping ones hand tightly rob a speaker of the effectiveness of
his communication. sometimes gestures do not accompany
oral delivering and are used to communicate certain
elementary and short messages such as yes no, come
here go there, keep sitting, be silent etc. To learn and to
make appropriate gestures it would be useful to practice before

a mirror, seeking guidance from friends and colleague who are

considered effective communicators.
(4) Facial Expression: Of all the parts of the body the face is the
most expressive. A smile (friendliness) a frown (discomfort),
raising the eye brows (disbelief), or tightening the jaw muscles
(antagonism) can add to the meaning being conveyed through
verbal means. A wooden expression on the face may prejudice
the listeners, where as brightness in the eyes may keep their
listeners sustained and also evoke an enthusiastic response.
(5) Eye Contact: Eye contact with the listener is perhaps the most
important aspect of the body language. It has been rightly said
that the eye is an extension of the brain and window of the
soul. Stress is laid on continuous eye contact between the
speaker and the listener because it tells whether the speaker is
sincere and also whether the listener is interested. Eye contact
is a means of giving feed back enabling the communicator to
other, adjust and reframe this message while transmitting it.
(6) Space Distancing: Each communicator maintain a personal
territory around himself. He normally does not allow it to be
invaded at the time of communication unless the relationship
between him and the listener is very friendly or intimate. In
social intercourse normally a zone ranging from 4 to 12 feet is
maintained when _____ situation is formal. This is termed as
social distance. The person who is in the superior or
commanding position usually stands and the others remain
seated. For example it may be difficult to contact the class (in
fact any group) if the teacher does not communicate is a
standing position. In a large group one can prove more
effective if one stands while speaking. In public gatherings the
distance between the audience and the communicator is much
greater it may range from 12 to 30 feet depending upon many
other considerations (e.g. security)

Speeches and Presentation

Preparation for Presentation
Body:
Characteristics of a Good Speech:
(1)It should be clear: Clarity is the first major characteristic of a
good speech: Your speech should be eminently successful in
conveying to the audience, the ideas or emotions, facts or
arguments, you want to express.
(2)It is like an informal talk: A good speech is closer to personal
and informal chat between two intimate friends. When you
speak there should be a perfect rapport between you and your
audience.
(3)It is vivid and concrete: Abstractions kill a speech. So make
your speech vivid. Include in it concrete facts easy to
comprehend and visualize.
(4)It is brief: The concentration of an average audience does not
last more than fifteen to twenty minutes. Ideally your speech
should not be longer than this unless the audience is motivated
to know more.
(5)It is interesting: Quotations, anecdotes and humorous touches
often make a speech interesting. Quotation should be only from
accepted authorities. They should be familiar, but not worn out.
Anecdotes should be new, brief and in good taste, humour
should be topical, spontaneous and gentle.
(6)It is audience oriented: A good speech is always tuned to the
wavelength of the audience consider the following points: Is the audience a general or specified one? And
accordingly the speech can be oriented.
How large is the audience? For small audience speech is
like a chat. Where as is a large gathering it will be
rhetorical.
What is the age group of the listener.
Profile of a Good Speaker:There are nine qualities of a good speaker-

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(1)A good speaker is lively, interested, enthusiast he vital. He

treats his audience as a group of living people. He makes it
sure that he is keenly interested in the subject he is speaking
about and he is taking pains to make his audience equally
interest in it.
(2)A good speaker is earnest He does not speak just for the
sake of in order to show off, to impress the audience with
erudition or his authority.
(3)A good speaker has a sense of responsibility to his listeners.
He realizes that time is precious and tries to say something
worth the time being spent by audience.
(4)A good speaker has sense of responsibility to others on the
programme. He doest not take more time than what is allotted
to him.
(5)He has a sense of responsibility to his subject. He does not
bite off more than he can chew. He does not spread it thin.
(6)He has sense of leadership; he stands up tall. He talks eye to
eye; speaks responsibility and with authority as a leader should.
(7)A good speaker keep his head, He is not carried off by his
over enthusiasm or over confidence.
(8)A good speaker tries to be balanced, sane.
(9)A good speaker keeps his sense of humor.
Planning/Preparations to Speak:- A good speech appears to be
spontaneous and effortless. But it needs a lot of planning and labor.
Preparation should always start well in advance. Plan your speech in
3 parts(i) The beginning should arouse the interest of the audience.
(ii) The middle should be devoted to the discussion.
(iii)
The concussion should summaries the main points. If
some action is to be taken it should clearly tell the audience
what they are required to do.
Time your speech to make sure it is neither too large
nor too short.
Look for some suitable quotation or anecdotes, if
possible.

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Arrange your points is such a way that, strong points

are kept at the beginning.
Tailor your speech to the intellectual level and general
taste of the audience.
Make sure that your delivery is going to be good. It is
always desirable to rehearse the speech.
Types of Group Discussion:
Following are the types of group discussion.
1. Seminar
2. Conference
3. Symposium
4. Convention
5. Panel Discussion.
1. Seminar:- A seminars refers to the discussion is a small group
in which the result of original research or advanced study is
presented through oral or written reports. Generally one person
presents a lead paper incorporating his findings and then there
is an in-depth discussion on the material presented.
Other members are knowledgeable and take active part is the
discussion. They closely interact with lead speaker by
expressing their views as seen from their individual angles. The
doubts are clarified. The main purpose of a seminar is the share
knowledge and get the view points of equally well-informed
person
2. Conference:- It is a type of meeting. Its purpose is to confer
with person having similar interests. The discussion usually
results in a set of suggestion or recommendations on the
central theme of the conference. It is a closed group discussion.
Formal lectures audio-visual presentation and exhibitions are
also organized on such occasions.
3. Panel Discussion:- Here instead of a series of speeches on
different aspects of a problem each member speaks on the
announced topic which is generally worded as a question. The
number of panelists is small and they are usually the people
who have a lot of experience in the problem area selected for

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discussion. There is a distinct conversational inter change of

ideas. A panel discussion may be followed by a session is
which question are put to the panel members by the listener. It
is perhaps best suited to public discussion, program on radio
and T.V.
Convention & Symposium:
Convention:- It is generally a fellowship meeting of a closely linked
fraternal group.
It is usually more rigorously structured than a conference and
only matters of professional interests are discussed. Thus it is applied
to professional gatherings held by companies, societies, associations
etc.
Symposium:- It is a small group of experts or well informed person
to discuss different aspects of a problem for the benefit of an
audience. Each speaker is allotted a certain amount of time for his
presentation. A discussion takes place is which the audience may
also participate. Generally it is suited to the program presented to a
relatively large audience.

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Language, Visual Aids:

It is estimated that 11.0 percent of what we learn is through hearing
83 percent through sight and the rest through other three senses. So
visual aids can make your presentation more effective. The listeners
usually feel stimulated and take more interest in what is being
presented.
To get best results you should keep a few facts in mind.
(1)Integrate the aid with the oral presentation and use it when
you reach the relevant point.
(2)If possible keep the chart, picture or map hidden or at an
inconspicuous place until you need to refer to it.
(3)When is use the visual aid should be displayed where
everyone in the audience can see it. If necessary, examine
the room before hand and decide on the arrangement.
(4)Interpret it to the listeners and draw their attention carefully
to what you want them to note.
(5)Stand on one side and use a pointer, if necessary, while
interpreting it.
(6)The aid should be sharp: emphasize only those aspects
which you consider important. Do not clutter it with too much
information.
(7)If there is a black board you see that it is clean. Write on it
rapidly and legibly in large letter keep speaking while you
write, if the entity is long. After you have finished writing, face
the audience as you retrieve or discuss the material.
Computer: Slides are prepared through computer and they are
shown through OHD on the screen. Thus a lecture with, salient points
can be explained quite effectively.
OHP: Is used to make learning process quite effectively.
Transparencies and slides are shown on the screen with OHP.
Charts: lectures is short explained through charts and models. These
visual aids help a lot to make the subject matter quite easy and
understandable.