Communication Skills Instruction

Communication is a process of sharing information, sending or receiving

information (Bolding & Wehmeyer, 1999). It can be verbal or non-verbal. What is
said, what is not said, and how something is said, all effect the information
received. Forms of communication vary extensively and include symbols, songs,
lighting, sign-language, pictures, eye contact or lack of eye contact, body posture
or movements, facial expressions, and gestures. Further, the situation in which
we receive information may also influence what is communicated. Something
communicated in a dimly lit room may have a different meaning than if
communicated in a different setting.

Effective communication skills provide a method of expressing needs, wants and

desires (Anderson, Seaton, & Dinas, 1995) and are important skills for self-
advocacy (Wehmeyer, Agran, Hughes, 1999). Being able to advocate for a
specific job or specific job features (e.g., benefits, setting, responsibilities) could
mean the difference between a good job and an unacceptable job. Self-
advocacy in the work place can help provide a consumer with some of the skill
necessary to identify job and career goals.

The following materials will provide a brief overview of three types of

communication skills: conversation skills, body language, and listening skills.
This is not intended to be an exhaustive review but just a beginning. For
additional suggestions on communication skills, the reader is encouraged to look
at some of the web links or references at the end of the document. A facilitator
might assist the consumer in examining communications skills and how they
might be made more effective.

Step 1: Conversation skills

Effective communication skills can be important components of effective self-

advocacy efforts (Wehmeyer, Agran, & Hughes, 1999). Communication skills
include:
• Knowing when to respond to a statement or question with a relevant
statement or answer,
• Knowing when to initiate a conversation,
• Understanding how to take turns in a conversation,
• Showing interest in others conversations with appropriate body language
(e.g., eye-contact, head nods) and interspersing brief support statements
(e.g., yes, right, okay), and
• Using appropriate paralinguistic characteristics (e.g., volume of speech
intonation, inflection, and voice firmness).

Helping a consumer improve their conversation skills should include a review of

potential problems in conversations. Ineffective or problem conversation skills
include:
Self-determined Career Development Model: Employment Support

• Failing to respond to a question or statement from a conversation partner,

• Responding to questions or statements with short or abrupt responses,
• Interrupting another speaker frequently,
• Responding to a question with a change in topic,
• Responding in a manner that makes fun of or belittles a conversation
partner, and
• Mumbling or unintelligible responses.

Conversational skills can be learned using social skills training and role-play
exercises (Wehmeyer, Agran, & Hughes, 1999).

Step 2: Consider body language

Wehmeyer, Agran, & Hughes (1999) provide a short summary of basic nonverbal
communication skills. Consider how eye-contact, facial expressions, gestures
and body movements all influence communication. Each will be summarized
below.

Eye-contact (Banbury & Hebert, 1992) can reflect many things. Eye-contact that
is:
• Frequent indicates approval or acceptance,
• Averting, squinting, or glaring may mean disapproval, and
• Avoided or when the person is staring off into space can indicate
indifference.

Facial expressions communicate emotions and might include:

• A smile of approval or happiness,
• A frown of disapproval or unhappiness, and
• A scowl of anger with clenched teeth and tightly closed teeth.

Body gestures or movements can be used to augment verbal communications.

Gestures that are frequently seen and familiar include:
• A head nod that indicates approval;
• Body orientation towards a speaker that shows interest in a conversation;
• Shaking the head from side-to-side, folded arms, and physical distance all
express disapproval or an unwillingness to consider alternatives;
• Pointing or shaking a finger at someone, thrusting out one’s chin, clinching
a fist can indicate aggression; and
• Tapping feet or fingers and leaning away from a speaker suggests
indifference or boredom.

While there are many more subtle and not so subtle gestures and expressions,
these expressions are all familiar. Look at whether body language and words are
consistent in meaning. Conflicts between words and body language could lead
to confusion. Body language can also be used to emphasize verbal language.

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Self-determined Career Development Model: Employment Support

Step 3: Listening skills

Listening skills are another important component of effective communication

skills. Consumers may need assistance in identifying auditory communication
and then understanding the meaning. Weymeyer, Agran, and Hughes (1999)
provide a strategy that can be employed to enhance listening skills. This
includes:
1. Looking at the speaker so that the speaker knows you are interested and
listening,
2. Asking questions to clarify or confirm meaning,
3. Not Interrupting the speaker, and
4. Taking notes to remember what was said.

Step 4: Practice effective communication

Since every situation is different and there are so many ways to communicate, it
is important that people get the chance to practice effective communication skills.
Some ways to practice are:
• Role-play the various ways of communicating. This consists of identifying
a problem, acting out a potential solution, and discussing the solution that
was presented.
• Observe a mentor communicating in a variety of situations and settings.
• Share experiences in communication, noting the reactions to what was
said or shown.
• Video-tape an interaction and evaluate the interactions with a checklist or
rating sheet. Consider evaluating the interaction with and without an
audio component and looking at the congruence between verbal language
and body language.
• Examine body language in photographs and discuss what interpersonal
and personal relationships are reflected.

Effective communication will enhance every aspect of a consumer’s career

development including job attainment (e.g., advocating for a specific job during
the interview process), job maintenance (e.g., requesting an increase in pay
based upon a job well done), and job promotion (e.g., demonstrating and stating
relevant skills).

Web Resources

Cross-cultural Communication Strategies. (1998). Retrieved July 30, 2004 from

The University of Colorado, Conflict Research Consortium, International
OnlineTraining Program on Intractable Conflict Website:
http://www.colorado.edu/conflict/peace/treatment/xcolcomm.htm

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Self-determined Career Development Model: Employment Support

Cybercil: Independent Living Center on the World Wide Web. (n.d.).

Communication: Styles & methods. Retrieved July 16, 2004 from
http://www.cybercil.com/skills/comstyles.html

Cybercil: Independent Living Center on the World Wide Web. (n.d.).

Communication skills. Retrieved July 17, 2004 from
http://www.cybercil.com/skills/com.html

Cybercil: Independent Living Center on the World Wide Web. (n.d.).

Hearing/listening, - The other side of communication. Retrieved July
16, 2004 from http://www.cybercil.com/skills/listen.html

Superfund Community Involvement Toolkit. (February 20, 2004). Communication

Strategies. Retrieved July 30, 2004 from U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency Web site: http://www.epa.gov/superfund/tools/pdfs/3comstrats.pdf

Walters, J, S. 2004. Workplace communication essentials. In The CEO

refresher: brain food for business. Retrieved July 19, 2004 from
http://www.refresher.com/!jswessentials.html

References

Anderson, E. L., Dinas, P., & Seaton, K. (1995, September). Communication. In

Fostering self-determination: A guide for educators. (pp. 7-8). Lawrence,
KS: Full Citizenship, Inc.

Banbury, M. M., & Hebert, C. R. (1992). Do you see what I mean? Body
language in classroom interactions. Teaching Exceptional Children, 25,
34-38.

Bolding, N. L., & Wehmeyer, M. L. (1999). Communicating effectively. In It's my

future! Planning for what I want in my life: A self-directed planning
process. Silver Spring, MD: The Arc of the United States.

Sands, D. J., & Wehmeyer, M. L. (1996). Self-determination across the life span:
Independence and choice for people with disabilities. Baltimore, MD: Paul
H. Brookes.

Wehmeyer, M. L., Agran, M., Hughes, C. (1999). Teaching assertiveness and

effective communication skills. In M. Wehmeyer, M. Agran & C. Hughes
(Eds.), Teaching self-determination to students with disabilities: Basic
skills for successful transition. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.

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