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The Cutting Edge: A Workplace Communications Model

by Luz E. Taboada, Workforce Literacy & Technical Assistance Program
El Paso Community College

As a Workplace Literacy instructor, I was very excited to participate in developing The Cutting Edge: Workplace Communications Instructional Model, made possible by the National Workplace Literacy Grant Program. I was able to use my experience in the media to facilitate an innovative approach to learning.

For this project, I recruited eleven students from the regular ESL classes I taught at Levi Strauss. The pilot class was comprised of all Hispanic women ranging in ages from their early 20's to early 50's. Their language ability was mid to high level. Most of them had little or no previous education, and what little education they did have, they had obtained in Spanish.

At first, the students felt a little "double whammied." Not only were they participating in a communications pilot class, but they also had to stand in front of a video camera to role play various communication issues and scenarios! Fortunately, they already felt comfortable with me as their instructor. I reassured them they would not be forced to do anything if they did not want to and we agreed to see the pilot through the full first twelve week session. What an experience!

I began the pilot class with two initial lesson themes: "Communication Stoppers" and "Nonverbal Communications." The lessons were simple. The first was designed to help students develop verbal strategies to respond effectively when someone else "put down" another's idea. The second was designed to help students interpret and use nonverbal communication. For your use, I have provided the step by step lesson plan for this second lesson at the end of this article.

From this point on, the lesson themes were suggested by the students themselves. These included "Dealing with Hearsay," "Giving Constructive Criticism," and "Giving Instructions." Suggestions and ideas arose from their actual experiences with supervisors and coworkers out on the sewing floor.

Valuable feedback for future lessons was generated as the students and I worked through each lesson. This was a very dynamic approach to identify what worked and what didn't. Then, I took their suggestions to the curriculum developer who, in turn, incorporated them into the lessons for the following week.

The unique videotaping component of this model is the second major contributor to its success. Instead of showing students pre-produced videos to supplement the lessons, they produced their own! What better way to develop oral communication skills than to have the students themselves "star" in the video?

After they had the opportunity to practice on video, they critiqued their own "performances." Students were able to watch themselves creating positive communication strategies to replace those that did not work for them in the workplace and in their personal lives.

What did this do for their self-esteem? Tired and sometimes frustrated workers learned communication strategies that enabled them to feel more productive, more in control of how they responded to situations in their team interactions at work and outside the workplace.

I saw these students grow more confident practicing their oral language skills and taking pride in their accomplishments. There was, in general, a very noticeable, positive change in their self-perception and in their demeanor, especially towards each other. For example, one previously grey-haired woman walked into class showing off her newly cut and dyed hair. Also, most of the women started wearing makeup to work and to class. They all wanted to do well in class and collaborated toward this end!

Oh, yes. I had one student who did not appear even once on camera. Initially, she did not want to be in this "scary" class, although she was there from the first day. We negotiated early on. If she refused to be on camera but, still wanted to be in class, she would need to learn to work behind the scenes. She never missed a class.

At the end of the pilot class, the students decided they wanted to produce a short video "commercial" encouraging other workers in the plant to sign up for the communications class. They worked hard, even after classtime, writing their scripts, videotaping, and watching their final product.

As I watched them, I thought back on how much they had progressed since their first class. A five-minute video may not mean much to the average camcorder owner. However, to this class, to their families and coworkers, and to me, it was one more dynamic way of discovering successful learning in the workplace.

LESSON PLAN

More than Words: Nonverbal Messages and Voice Tone

Explain to the participants the following situation and ask for four volunteers to role play the dialogue. Hand out the script/dialogue. Read through the role play once as students follow along. Do not read the stage directions during the actual role play -- these directions are only there to help the students know which nonverbal messages are to be expressed by the volunteers. Videotape the role play. The tape will be used to analyze the situation during Step One.

Luis, Teresa, Joe and Gloria are seated in a circle. Joe picks up a binder, looks at his watch, does not look at his team mates, and speaks very fast:
Joe: O.K. That's it. We have to start this new procedure tomorrow. Any questions?

Teresa's shoulders are slumped. She looks down, plays with her fingers and mumbles.
Teresa: Ummm. Well ... Uh, I'm not sure I understand where we would start.

Luis is leaning forward. His fists are clinched. He is staring straight at Joe with a frown on his face. He speaks loudly, with a deep, gruff voice:
Luis: I still don't understand WHY we are making this change.

Gloria is sitting straight, looking directly at Joe. Her face is relaxed. She is holding a pen and has a pad of paper on the desk. Joe sighs, looks at his watch again and rolls his eyes.

STEP ONE: PLAN

(A) Critical Inquiry
Ask students to watch their videotape of the scenario twice -- once with the sound on and once with the sound off. Begin the critical inquiry discussion by encouraging students to respond to the following questions and to each other's comments.

• How does body posture affect communication in this situation?
• How does voice tone affect communication in this situation?
• What gestures did you notice that affected communication?
• What conclusions can you draw about each participant based on their nonverbal communication?
• Can you give examples of other situations that have been affected by non verbal communication?

Outcome: Students orally define the affects of body posture, voice tone, and gestures on communication.

(B) Technical Tool Development
Divide students into groups of four. Ask students to designate the group roles of recorder, timer, reporter, and prompter. Pass out pieces of flipchart paper. Ask half of the groups to brainstorm and write down a list of descriptions of negative nonverbal messages, such as rolling eyes, clenched fists, etc. Ask the other half of the groups to brainstorm and write down a list of descriptions of positive nonverbal messages, such as nodding head, relaxed face, etc. Give groups ten to fifteen minutes to complete the assignment, then ask each group to share their ideas, and tape the written lists to the wall.

Outcome: Students use personal experience to define and write a comprehensive list of negative and positive nonverbal messages.

(C) Decision-Making
Ask groups to re-write the nonverbal description in the opening script, using some of the nonverbal messages developed in the Technical Tool Development portion of Step One. Emphasize that the words must remain the same, BUT they may want to alter voice tone. Encourage students to first define what messages they want each participant to express, and then to use nonverbal message and voice tone appropriately.

Outcome: Students think critically about how altering nonverbal messages and voice tone can affect communication. Students cooperatively develop an alternate script reflecting changes.

STEP TWO: DO

Ask groups to role play the situation again, using their new descriptions of nonverbal messages and changes in voice tone.

Outcome: Students become actively involved in consciously using specific nonverbal messages and voice tone for specific purposes.

STEP THREE: STUDY

After each group has finished, ask others to orally compare and contrast the new version with the first version by asking these questions:

• How did the nonverbal changes affect the communication?
• How did voice tone changes affect the communication?
• Were the changes effective? Believable?

Outcome: Students critically analyze their use of nonverbal messages and voice tone, and share ideas orally with others.

STEP FOUR: ACT

Ask students to take out their personal journals. Have them reflect on the lesson in relation to the following questions and write their ideas in their journal:

• In what situations at work do you think you might use what you learned about nonverbal messages?
• Was this lesson useful to you? Why or why not?

Outcome: Students relate the lesson to personal communications on the job.

[Source: El Paso Community College National Workplace Literacy Grant Program, 1995. Contributors for this lesson are Luz Taboada and Kay Taggart, El Paso Community College.]

About the Author

Luz E. Taboada has worked in the field of adult education for over twelve years and is currently the Project Director for the Workforce Literacy Training & Technical Assistance Center. This project is a grant funded by the Texas Education Agency to create, maintain, publicize and facilitate a Technical Assistance Center that disseminates presentation materials and other relevant workforce literacy information and links via a web page. Luz has written curriculum for workplace instruction in industry and vocational training. She is a member of the El Paso Bilingual Institute Steering Committee, the El Paso PREP advisory committee, and the El Paso Literacy Council. Luz is planning to obtain her doctorate in education. You may reach her at BorderLT @aol.com