Overview
During this Interpersonal Communication course, you will be reading about communication skills and theories that can improve your relationships with others. However, reading the textbook and listening to lectures alone probably will not directly affect your real-life relationships unless you follow through by increasing your personal awareness of communication and applying these skills to your daily behavior.
This Skills Package assignment will give you an opportunity to translate theory into practice so that it is personally meaningful to you. You will select two communication skills in areas in which you want to improve and complete four activities (SPs) for each skill. This is an individual project.
This project has three parts:
- Identifying and practicing your two chosen communication skills
- Writing a summary conclusion paper
- Giving an oral presentation to the class discussing your projec
Choose first of two skills
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Complete four activities (“SPs” 1-4)
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Choose second skill
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Complete second set of four activities “(SPs” 5-8)
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Write Conclusion Paper
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Give Oral Report in class
Below you will find over 30 Skills Areas from which you are to select two. (You may select one early in the term and choose the second a little later). For each of the two Skills Areas you will do four activities ("SPs") selected from the 36 Activities attached (total activities: 8). The reason for selecting two skills is to give you a chance to improve in two areas of your communication behaviors; the purpose of selecting four activities for each skill is to give you several opportunities to learn about, try, and grow in these new areas.
For any of the first several weeks of the term you will turn in at the start of class two of your completed activities. All eight SPs need to be submitted the week before you submit the conclusion paper about the activities you completed and some things you learned from this project.
Although many weeks on the class calendar with "SP" listed, you will not have to turn in an activity each week if you turn in two activities on the due dates listed in the course calendar. You are welcome to turn in SPs before the due dates, but those turned in after the due dates may not be accepted. See the calendar in the course syllabus.
Most likely you will always be working on one or more activities as self-paced homework; thus, I suggest you begin the project immediately. Some activities take more than one week to complete. Because of the number of SPs, I need to review, I cannot accept more than two activities per week. Late activities will not be accepted the week of the conclusion paper/oral report and finals.
- Please label all work by name, indicating the skill, activity, and number (i.e., "My 5th SP").
- Remember you are focusing on two skills for this project. In other words, do not complete eight SPs on eight different skills. Doing so will not allow you to explore any one skill in depth.
- Type all work, unless the activity calls for drawings, photos, or worksheets. Please staple all work and make sure your first and last name is on all work submitted.
- Your writing should be to 1-2 pages each, double-space. Please proofread your work for proper grammar, spelling, formatting, and so
- Do not "blend" two or more skills into your activities-each one should deal with one skill.
- When an activity calls for you to do something, e.g., try out a skill with someone or lead a discussion, etc., your work should provide a complete explanation of what occurred: who was there, what was your goal, when was it, where was it, what occurred, reactions, what you learned, Remember, since I was not there when you did the activity, your paper should help me to understand what occurred.
- You may write in an informal style, such as you would write in a diary or letter to a friend but be mindful of good writing conventions. Please refer to yourself in the first person ("I").
- Your activities will benefit by your integration of communication skills and concepts from the text and class discussion as we learn
- See the General Scoring Rubric in the syllabus for more guidelines on written assignments.
- When reading books that relate to your chosen skill areas (Secondary Sources activities), please include both the book's title and author(s).
- Keep in mind that the second part of this project, the Conclusion Paper, is based on the eight individual activities (SPs) you have completed throughout the term. Therefore, you cannot earn full credit on this final phase of the assignment if you have not completed all eight individual SPs. See below for more details.
- Complete all SPs for your first skill before starting on those for your second.
Select (only) two areas that you personally would like to work on. Please ask me if you want me to explain any of these areas in more detail. Your two skill areas should be from different categories (e.g., not both around "assertiveness"). Begin by asking yourself if this is a skill you wish you had. Do not choose skills you already possess!
- Assertiveness: initiate ideas & actions forcefully; assert yourself when you are right; feel able to give orders/directions when a situation calls for you to do
- Assertiveness: argue well; be able to say exactly what you mean; defend your point of view; reason clearly; recognize weaknesses others'
- Assertiveness: say "no"; refuse a request or favor; reject someone's offer to be with you; be abrupt with someone when necessary.
- Assertiveness: ask someone for a favor; make a request; ask to be included in a decision or a group; ask for a loan; ask for personal
- Assertiveness: be independent; differ from others in a group; refuse to conform to another's position; state an unpopular
- Assertiveness: complain about bad treatment; rebel against an injustice; speak up about prejudice, the poor quality of something, rudeness, etc. Stand up for yourself or another.
- Meeting people: meet and get to know people; overcome shyness; begin new relationships; introduce yourself to people you don't know; go to an event where you don't know anyone; promote a positive self-image with people you are getting to know.
- Meeting people: interact with people from different social groups or cultures; discuss varying points of view with people from a different age group, gender, race, culture, language group, nationality, religion, and so on; try to get to know people of the opposite gender.
- Meeting people: make small talk; converse to pass the time with strangers; start up conversations with new people; initiate
- Conversing: change a stiff, superficial, or phony conversation into a more genuine one; encourage someone to be more real with you; try to express what you feel & encourage others to do so; make superficial conversations
- Supporting others: encourage someone to take a risk, to try something he/she is hesitant to do; support another to go beyond boundaries, to dare the
- Supporting others: support a good idea from someone you dislike, mistrust, or usually ignore; try to see others in a fresh light; get past stereotypes or past
- Supporting others: resolve a conflict between two people (e.g., 2 children); settle arguments; help them to see other points of
- Supporting others: help someone in difficulty by discussing his/her problem; encourage someone in distress; respond to a friend who is in trouble; help someone deal with a
- Build a relationship: do your part to strengthen a relationship with a significant other or a casual acquaintance; work on appropriate sender and receiver behavior areas such as listening, feelings, expressing
- Feelings: when you disagree with what someone is saying about another person, or when someone's comments make you uncomfortable, express your feelings in a way that does not damage your relationship,
- Feelings: become aware of your feelings; express your feelings; be genuine about showing emotions; be regarded as an open, frank person; feel spontaneous and genuine in reacting
- Feelings: express gratitude, appreciation; thank someone for a gift, or favor, or advice, or
- Feelings: admit an error; apologize for a mistake or for hurting someone; own
- Feelings: express warmth or friendliness to someone you like; show you
- Feelings: express difficult feelings to others such as anger, disagreement, fear, hurt, Open up & express things that usually are hard to admit. Share a personal problem with someone; reveal something about yourself you are not proud of (e.g., a mistake, a lie, something foolish).
- Being understood: Say what you mean & have it understood by others; encourage others to listen to your
- Being understood: Explain an idea or process to someone; give a factual report; give clear directions so they are easily
- Nonverbal communication: Become more proficient at expressing yourself nonverbally; improve your observation skills and notice the nonverbal communication of others; check your perceptions (perception checking) when appropriate.
- Group Interactions: Go along with a group's decision about which you disagree; give in or compromise, deal with someone who is stubborn and unreasonable without raising defensiveness.
- Group Interactions: get a group or people to work together; to share ideas, to cooperate, reach a decision, etc.
- Persuasiveness: convince others of the value of an idea; be persuasive; use many approaches to change someone's thinking; advocate what you believe
- Listening: listen carefully to what others are saying, assess the implication of what they say; what do they not say verbally, but do say nonverbally? Strive to be open minded and a good
- Self-confidence: be reserved, dignified, poised, sophisticated in socializing and bargaining with others; feel and appear unruffled, self-controlled, and calm.
- Self-confidence: feel at ease speaking with small groups of people; be able to talk for a few minutes without getting tongue-tied; be able to tell a joke when you want or be a good
- Self-confidence: make a good impression at an interview; be able to convey relaxation with voice, body, and eye contact. Learn what is effective for you in an interview situation.
- Self-confidence: keep cool in crisis; avoid becoming upset; be able to think when others are reacting emotionally; be a person that others trust to be cool under pressure.
- Reprimand: be strict or stem with someone; admonish; be firm about some error or wrongdoing; reprimand someone who has done something harmful. Discipline
- Taking responsibility: Identify an event from your life where your behaviors had a detrimental effect on a significant What actions on your part contributed to this problem? How could you have handled it more effectively, and what will you do differently in the future?
- Anger Management: Recognize a tendency to overreact with anger. What can you do to overcome this potentially debilitating behavior? What other options would be better suited to dealing with anger-inducing challenges when interacting with others?
- Worry: Note a tendency to obsess over details and to expect the worst possible outcome in school, work, or when dealing with others. What are the sources of this angst? How can you reframe your thoughts and create a healthier, more optimistic outlook?
- Unfinished business: Do you have an unresolved conflict with someone? What is the nature of the conflict, and why do you think it hasn't been addressed? What would be the ideal resolution, and what could you do to achieve this outcome?
- Other: Do you have another idea for a skill area? Just ask!
For each of your two selected skills, complete 4 activities (SPs) from the lists below.
Guidelines for activities:- You will notice that the activities are grouped into categories ("introspection", "symbolization", etc.) Each category calls upon different parts of the brain and will probably have different effects upon your personal growth. Therefore, please select your activities from different categories so that your experience will be broader. (If you think you should do two in one category, see me to discuss it).
- Some activities are rather brief; others will take longer. Selecting only the short, easier activities will affect your final grade; therefore, I will expect some variety in your choices of activities.
- Sometimes it really helps to discuss your ideas for activities with me. Please do so! I am here to help.
- I am flexible about your adapting or modifying these activities in ways that are more meaningful. See me if you have questions.
- For activities that call for interaction with another, you may ask a classmate to be your partner (outside of class).
"Introspection" Activities (Please provide a brief written explanation with artwork)
- Sit down and write or draw anything that comes into your head about this skill.
- Write an Include all the following (and more if desired):
- How does my performance of this skill vary when I am with different people?
- How do I react when others use this skill?
- How would my life change if I could perform this skill well?
- There is often one part of us that feels strong and adventurous and another part that feels uncertain and cautious. Write (or audio record) an inner dialogue between the two parts of yourself on the topic of this skill/strategy.
- Thoroughly describe and analyze one experience in your life in which this skill was involved or needed.
"Symbolization" Activities (Please provide a brief written explanation with artwork. Do not just submit several pictures as all your SPs)
- Write a poem, take some photographs, or make a collage inspired by your thoughts about this skill.
- Write a skit, play, or scene in which you are the central character and in which this skill is involved.
- Write a strongly worded value statement or opinion related to this skill and record or write a debate between two people (real or imaginary) who completely disagree about this Also, list all the possible viewpoints in between these two poles.
- Write a song (lyrics alone or lyrics & music) inspired by your thoughts on this Option: play it for others, or record it, or perform it in class.
- Relate this skill to some movement, or specific event being reported in the How does it apply?
- Select and analyze a scene from a work of literature (novel, play etc.) in which this skill was used. Read the scene aloud to or with someone else. Describe what you felt and learned while reading it.
- Plan a specific instance in which you will use this skill in your daily life. Do it, then describe and evaluate your experience. If possible, try the skill out on another occasion and react to this experience, too.
- Keep track for a week or two of times when this skill is (i.e., each time was used by others or could have been used by you).
- Ask a person you trust what his/her opinion is of your performance of this skill. Summarize what the person said and then give your assessment of that person's opinion. Do you agree? Why/why not?
- List some questions you have regarding this skill. Put them on a questionnaire and give it to five people for their responses. (This could be done in written form, or you could interview them orally). Compare the answers of others and your own point of view.
- With someone else, role-play a scene that involves this skill. Have a third-party look on and then provide feedback on what you did.
- Describe a hypothetical problem situation in which this skill is involved (like a "Dear Abby" letter) and ask five people to offer a Compare their responses.
- List four people you know in different situations in your life. Then write or audio record a statement each might make describing your behavior regarding this skill. Compare their statements.
- Gather 3-7 people together at once. Raise some questions related to this skill. Then write a summary of the ideas which emerge in the discussion.
- Try to observe this skill being used in real life on several Summarize your observations and react to them.
- Find a scene in a work of literature in which this skill is Analyze it.
- Conduct an experiment to answer a question you have about this skill.
- Do a "case study" of one person who has this skill.
- Discuss whether people of a different age, race, education, nationality, profession, etc. use the skill differently.
- Create a learning experience in which you could teach this skill to someone If desired, try it out.
- Invent a game in which this skill is needed to win.
- Invent a test which measures someone's ability with this skill. Determine whether people you know who are good at the skill would do well on the test; this will show if you have created a good test.
- Try teaching this skill to one or more Write about how you felt teaching it and how your "students" did.
- Compile an annotated bibliography of five library resources related in any way to this skill. (Ask for a definition of "annotated" if you are unsure).
- Summarize and compare how 2-3 authors deal with this skill (e.g., 2-3 journal articles).
- Read and critique one book this term dealing with this skill. What in the book was most beneficial to you with regards to mastering this skill? Please include the title and author's name. This counts for two activities.
- Attend a workshop or seminar, listen to a podcast, or watch a TEDx Talk addressing your chosen skill. Summarize and evaluate the presentation. What was most/least useful to you, and why?
- Think of a famous person who was good at this skill. Read a biography (a book, not just a webpage) this term of him/her and try to describe how he or she developed this skill. Please include the title and author's name and indicate what was most beneficial to you with regards to mastering this skill. This counts for two activities.
- Using a book of quotations such as Bartlett's or an online source, look up and list all the quotations that relate to this skill. Select three of your favorite ones and summarize what you think each quote means (in your own words).
- Relate this skill to your future career. Ask someone who already has a position like one you hope to have about how this skill relates to this profession.
- Find a story from the Bible, another religious book, or from mythology that is related to the use of this skill. Summarize it and explain how it relates to or illustrates this skill.
- Choice: If you can think of a different activity that would be useful for you, please discuss it with me
For my first skill, I have chosen "Listening." I have already completed SP1 and SP2; you need to complete the remaining sections—SP3 through SP8. You have full discretion to choose the specific content for SP4 through SP8. I also require a concluding paper and an oral presentation. I would like you to deliver SP3 and SP4 to me within 10 hours; for the remaining sections, you have two weeks to complete the work. You *must* write this yourself—absolutely no use of AI tools is permitted!
You *must* write this yourself—absolutely no use of AI tools is permitted!！！！！