Minds On
How do we communicate?
There are a lot of different ways to communicate.
We can use body language or facial expressions as well as words, writing, or technology to express ideas and information. These may change depending on our audience.
Choose one of these two tasks to complete.
Option 1: Communicating with words
Let’s imagine that someone needs to communicate that they are not going to be able to make an appointment.
What if:
- The appointment was an afternoon at the park with your friends?
- Someone needed to cancel a meeting with the dentist?
- A computer scientist was supposed to meet a new intern at the office at 9AM?
- The appointment was a lesson or practice with a coach?
How would the message be clearly communicated in these situations?
Would the way the message was communicated be different in each of these situations? Why or why not?
Record your thoughts orally, digitally, or in print.
Option 2: Examining images
In this option you will discuss these images with a partner, if possible, and decide what each one is communicating. Who is the audience for each message?
There are four images.
Street Sign #1
A green street sign that shows exits to 4 other roads. One is off to the right, one continues straight on and the other two are to the left.
Street Sign #2
A yellow street sign that has an arrow that points straight to the top of the sign but has three other arrows that go to the sides. One goes to the right and the other two go to the left. Then there is an arrow to the right of centre that points from right to left at the bottom of the middle arrow.
Street Sign #3
A yellow road sign. It has a black thick arrow that starts in the centre bottom of the sign, twists and turns to the right, then over to the left before ending at the top of the sign.
Street Sign #4
A number of street signs all together, including a red stop sign, an orange detour sign with an arrow that points straight ahead, a yellow Dead End sign that also reads no outlet, and two street signs: Pine Street and Fanklin Street.
Record your messages in an audio recording or in an organizational tool of your choice.
Reflection
Whether you chose to complete Option 1 or Option 2, complete these reflection questions:
- What does a communicator need to consider before they send their message?
- What does an effective message need to do?
- How does audience change how the message is created?
Action
Exploring communication through video
As communicators we need to consider what tools and strategies we can use to best communicate with others. We also need to think about who we are communicating with and the purpose of our communication.
The most important part of communication is that the message is shared and received effectively.
How does that happen?
The following checklist is a way to check for the effectiveness of the message being shared AND received.
Effective communication strategies
| The Messenger | The Receiver |
|---|---|
Let’s search for some signs of effective communication in these TVO programs.
Choose one of the three videos to watch and evaluate.
You can record your answers and findings orally, digitally, or in print. If possible, taking a screenshot of certain visuals will be a helpful way to record these instances.
Press 'Video #1' to watch the first video.
After exploring this video, fill in the checklists for the strategies you noticed:
Effective communication strategies
| The Messenger | The Receiver |
|---|---|
Press 'Video #2' to watch the second video.
After exploring this video, fill in the checklists for the strategies you noticed. In this case, you would be the receiver:
Effective communication strategies
| The Messenger | The Receiver |
|---|---|
Would the message have been communicated differently if the audience were scientists? How would it change?
Press 'Video #3' to watch the third video.
After exploring this video, fill in the checklists for the strategies you noticed. In this case, you would be the receiver.
Effective communication strategies
| The Messenger | The Receiver |
|---|---|
Would the message have been communicated differently if the audience were adults? How would it change?
Consolidation
Think about your learning
Using a journal, webcam, or audio recorder, explain a time when you communicated with someone else.
- Do you feel you communicated effectively? How do you know?
- How could you have communicated more effectively?
- How might your communication need to change based on a different audience?
Practice
Choose one of the following audiences and create a short message. Consider how tone, pitch, volume, gestures, and word choices can be evident when creating a message. Consider the audience!
The content of the message will be about recommending the video you explored in the Action section.
You can record your message in an audio recording, present in person to your teacher, create a script on the computer or on paper, write a note or a paragraph, or create a visual representation of your message.
- A message for other students in your school
- A message to your teacher
- A message to your friends
- A social media message
- A message to someone important in your life
Reflection
As you read through these descriptions, which sentence best describes how you are feeling about your understanding of this learning activity? Press the button that is beside this sentence.
I feel...
Now, record your ideas using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.