ELC650: ENGLISH FOR PROFESSIONAL INTERACTION

About This Course

This course is designed to equip students with interpersonal skills necessary to help them focus on their personal growth and development as professional individuals. By introducing students to language functions essential for developing interpersonal skills, the course is designed to help them to communicate and interact in the workplace. Specifically, students will be exposed to a wide range of language norms and conventions that are used daily to interact with individuals and groups in the workplace. This course aims to equip students with core communication skills for both interpersonal and workplace communication which include verbal and non-verbal communication skills, conversational skills, listening skills, clarifying skills and reflection skills. By introducing students to language functions essential for developing core communication skills, the course is designed to develop their interaction skills specifically in the areas of working in groups and teams, questioning and negotiating, problem solving and decision making in a wide range of professional tasks and interpersonal contexts. Overall, the focus is on developing students’ interpersonal skills which will allow them to manage interactions with others in a positive manner. Students are encouraged to adopt a communicative approach when using the language. They are provided opportunities to observe and develop competency in interpersonal skills through activities like collaborative learning, role plays, group discussions, syndicates, fish bowl, video critiques, case studies, reflections and work-related simulations.

Topics In This Course

1. Essentials of Communication

1.1) Elements of Communication- communicator, message, channel, noise, context, feedback

1.2) Norms, turn taking and phatic communication

1.3) Principles and barriers to communication

2. Forms of Communication

2.1) Verbal- written and oral communication,

2.2) Written-pen and paper letters and documents, typed electronic documents, e-mails, text chats, SMS

2.3) Oral-face-to-face or through phone, voice chat, video conferencing

2.4) Nonverbal-body language, includes facial expressions, eye contact, body posture, gestures

3. Language Functions for Interpersonal Communication and Workplace Interaction

3.1) Language forms and functions for informal workplace interaction

3.2) o Engaging in small talk (family, home, interests, movies,

3.3) vacations, relationships, health, etc.)

3.4) o Initiating and closing conversations

3.5) o Giving compliments

3.6) o Praising and congratulating

3.7) o Expressing opinions and ideas

3.8) o Questioning and negotiating informally

3.9) o Agreeing and disagreeing

3.10) o Apologizing

3.11) o Making suggestions

3.12) o Making requests

3.13) o Accepting and declining invitations

3.14) o Taking leave

3.15) o Expressing condolences

3.16)

3.17) Language forms and functions for formal workplace interaction

3.18) Giving and responding to opinions

3.19) Problem-solving

3.20) Complaining

3.21) Making decisions

3.22) Justifying

3.23) Seeking clarification

3.24) Clarifying

3.25) Interrupting

3.26) Making decisions

3.27) Negotiating

4. Interpersonal Communication

4.1) Context of interpersonal communication

4.2) One-to-one vs group communication

4.3) Personality and conflict

4.4) Tone

4.5) Interpersonal communication styles

4.6) Confidence building

4.7) Problem solving skills

4.8) Listening skills

4.9) Negotiation skills

4.10) Decision making skills

5. Considerations for Professional Interaction

5.1) Attitudes and Behavior

5.2) Hierarchical relations (status and power)

5.3) Professional etiquette

5.4) Politeness

5.5) Concept of face

6. Cultural Competence for Interaction

6.1) Ways to become culturally competent

6.2) Managing culturally sensitive workplace practices

6.3) Being respectful of race, gender and religion

6.4) Cross-cultural communication styles: high context versus low context