Day 1 QOD: What should you do if you do not understand what a speaker is saying? Ask the speaker questions for clarification Agenda: 1. QOD & Measurement 2. Groups & Safety Pledges (Medical Cards & Parent Student Compact) 3. Communication Skills - PP 4. Activity – Are You a Good Listener? / Are You a Good Speaker? 5. Review SkillsUSA Announcements: 1. Membership Deadline – September 12th

Introduction – Communication Skills GPS Focus Standards: AC-IFOS-8: Demonstrate knowledge of the different forms of communication used in the construction industry. 8.1 Demonstrate knowledge of interpreting written and verbal instructions. 8.2 Demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate using verbal and written skills. 8.3 Demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate using electronic communication devices..

Introduction The ability to read, write, listen, and speak effectively is important to anyone in the construction industry. Good communication: – results in a job done correctly and safely – will help you advance in the industry. Good communication on the work site has a direct effect on: – safety, schedules, and budgets.

The Communication Process There are two basic steps to clear communication. – First, a sender sends message through a communication channel such as a telephone or . – Second, when the receiver gets the message, he or she figures out what is meant by listening or reading carefully. If something is not clear, the receiver asks the sender for more information. This process is called two-way communication and is the most effective way to make sure that everyone understands what is going on. Many things, called noise, can get in the way of effective communication. – Examples of noise include not speaking clearly or specifically and using jargon.

The Communication Process

Listening and Speaking Skills Verbal communication is a valuable learning tool. – Speaking - You need to be able to state your thoughts and ideas clearly. – Listening - You need to be a good listener so that you understand ideas and information from others. Learning through verbal communication occurs in several ways: – Giving and receiving instruction – Giving and listening to presentations – Participating in team discussions – Talking with teammates and supervisors – Talking with clients

Listening and Speaking Skills Experienced supervisors and coworkers can guide you to make sure you are learning what you need to know. – An important attribute of an effective speaker is the ability to explain and simplify complex topics.

Listening and Speaking Skills Understanding comes from active listening. – Listening involves more than hearing what is said, it involves making a conscious effort to understand what is being said. Poor listening skills can cause mistakes that waste time and money and create potentially dangerous situations.

Listening and Speaking Skills Some of the ways you can become a good listener are: – Maintain eye contact with the speaker. – Let your body language show that you are paying attention. – Ask questions, especially if you do not understand something that is said. – Take notes. – Repeat what you have heard in summary form. Barriers to effective listening include your emotional state, boredom, distractions such as outside noise, and your own ego.

Listening and Speaking Skills Effective listening depends on effective speaking. – a message can only be fully understood if it is clearly stated. Effective speakers have the ability to make complex issues sound simple. – One of the best ways to learn to speak effectively is to listen to someone who speaks well.

Listening and Speaking Skills Other ways to become an effective speaker are: – to organize your thoughts in advance – to choose an appropriate place and time for the discussion. – encourage your listeners to take notes if necessary. – always speak clearly and maintain eye contact with your audience. – one common mistake is to use jargon that your listeners may not understand. – adapt your discussion to your audience.

Listening and Speaking Skills Effective speaking is very important when you are on the phone, because you are unable to judge the listener's reactions to verify that he understands you. When you make a call – identify yourself, find out who you are speaking to, speak clearly, explain the purpose of the call, and make a written record of the call. If you leave a message – briefly explain the purpose of the call and leave a callback number. When receiving a phone call – do not keep people waiting. Keep the call brief and never talk on the phone in front of teammates and supervisors unless they have a direct interest in the call.

Listening and Speaking Skills You should never use a cell phone for personal calls while on the job. Even if it is a business-related call, you should never use a cell phone while driving or while operating machinery or tools.

Listening and Speaking Skills Before you can improve your listening and speaking skills, you should evaluate your current skill level with a self-assessment quiz.

Review What should you do when communicating on the job? maintain eye contact and encourage listeners to take notes, if necessary What does listening involve in addition to just hearing what is said? making a conscious effort to understand what is being said What is an important attribute of an effective speaker? ability to explain and simplify complex topics. What should you do if you do not understand what a speaker is saying? ask the speaker questions for clarifications. What is talking on the phone in front of co-workers, supervisors and customers considered? rude and unprofessional.

Day 2 QOD: What is the best way to insure that you get all of the information when listening to instructions? Take notes, ask questions at appropriate time, and repeat a summary of the instructions. Agenda: 1. QOD & Measurement 2. Safety Pledges (Medical Cards & Parent Student Compact) 3. Communication Skills – PP 4. Activity – Special Features within a Book 5. Review SkillsUSA Announcements: 1. Membership Deadline – September 12th

Reading and Writing Skills The construction industry depends on written materials. – Such as construction drawings, building codes, and specifications. Textbooks and codebooks are an important part of the learning process. – These documents contain information that the reader must know in order to perform effectively.

Reading and Writing Skills Written communications includes: – materials lists – signs – Permits – specifications – codes – instructions. Workers must be able to read and understand these documents in order to perform safely and effectively.

Reading and Writing Skills You should always have a purpose in mind when reading, so you can find the information you need quickly. When reading a manual, go straight to the section that deals with what you need. Most books have special features such as: – table of contents – index, glossary – appendices – tables and graphs

Reading and Writing Skills Indexes are used to list information in documents such as books and construction drawings. Appendices contain supplemental reference information, and are usually located at the back of a book or chapter. Bold and italic text are used to highlight important information.

Reading and Writing Skills Construction workers are required to write a variety of documents such as – work orders – safety reports – memos – punch lists – change orders Therefore, the ability to write effectively is an important skill.

Reading and Writing Skills When writing, be clear and direct. – Use only the words needed to convey the message. One way to highlight important information is to put it in a list that is offset by: – bullets – numbers

Reading and Writing Skills Once you have finished writing, you should always reread your work to eliminate errors and unnecessary words – reading it out loud will help you see how it will sound to others. Accuracy is very important in writing. You need to accurately and completely identify the following so that time consuming errors are avoided. – materials on order forms – material takeoffs

Reading and Writing Skills The use of electronic mail ( ) sent over the Internet is quickly becoming the standard way to send a variety of written information and pictures. Because s can be copied and sent to virtually anyone with a computer, they are not as private as paper-based documents.

Reading and Writing Skills When writing s, the nonverbal part of communication such as facial expression and tone of voice is lost. For that reason, some people may misinterpret your message. Many of the rules that apply to writing paper-based documents still apply to s. Use a concise format and use numbers or bullet points to clarify your meaning.

Reading and Writing Skills #1

Reading and Writing Skills #2

Activity: Special Features within a Book Objective: Determine the special features within a book that help the reader to locate and/or understand information. Group Task:Prepare a Tree Map to classify each special feature contained within a book. Be prepared to present work to the class. Group Task: Prepare a Tree Map to classify each special feature contained within a book. Be prepared to present work to the class.

CLASSIFYING Tree Map

Review What are some special features in books that help you locate information? tables of contents, indexes, and glossaries What is an important practice in writing to avoid errors that can cost time and money? accuracy With , non-verbal communication is lost and your message must be carefully composed to avoid being what? misinterpreted by the recipient What can you do to make sure points are understood in an ? write in concise format using bulleted or numbered items What should you do when reading instructions? read the direction completely

Day 3 QOD: With , non-verbal communication is lost and your message must be carefully composed to avoid being what? Misrepresented by the recipient Agenda: 1. QOD & Measurement 2. Safety Pledges (Medical Cards & Parent Student Compact) 3. Communication Skills – Review Quest. & Trade Term Quiz (pp ) 4. Quia Log-in Information 5. Kahoot!!! Review SkillsUSA Announcements: 1. Membership Deadline – September 12th

Day 4 QOD: What can you do to make sure points are understood in an ? Write in concise format using bulleted or numbered items Agenda: 1. QOD & Measurement 2. Medical Cards & Safety Pledges & Parent Student Compact 3. Communications Skills - Test 4. Review SkillsUSA Announcements: 1. Membership Deadline – September 12th