Evaluating Communication Methods

Purpose: We all have multiple communication methods available. Matching the method to the audience and purpose is an effective communication skill all adult students can benefit from. To read more about effective communication skills, please see the Transitions Integration Framework.

Prep Time: 2-5 minutes

Materials: Evaluating Communication Tools worksheet (see link below); pictures or realia of communication tools, if needed; a projector.

Preparation: Gather the materials and edit the worksheet to include the communication tools you wish to focus on during the lesson.

Procedure:

1. Elicit from students which communication methods they are familiar with. This could be done by holding up realia or a picture and asking students to raise their hands if they use it.
2. Use a projector to show students the Evaluating Communication Tools worksheet. Elicit sample answers for the first item in the grid from the students and model how to fill out the grid.
3. Invite a student to model how to fill out the grid for the second communication tool.
4. Give students copies of the worksheet and have them fill out the grid. You may wish to have students fold it so that only the grid is visible and they don’t work ahead.
5. Optional: As students complete the grid, pair them up to discuss which tools they like and don’t like and why.
6. Call on individual students to give their opinions about the communication tools. Ask them why they like and don’t like the tools.
7. Use a projector to show the worksheet. Elicit from students how to fill in sentence frame 1. Invite a student to model how to fill in sentence frame 2.
8. Students fill out the sentence frames.
9. Optional: Students work in pairs or small groups and compare their sentence frame answers, being sure to explain why they chose their answers.
10. Choose one student’s completed worksheet and project it. Ask students to raise their hands if they agree with the choices. Call on students to explain why they agree and disagree with the projected answers.