Pluricultural Competence in Action

Session 5:   Communication

Teacher:       Athena Alchazidu and Kateřina Sedláčková

Term:            Spring 2024


Session objectives

●     This session aims to acquaint students with the communication as a complesx proces of
exchanging and sharing informationSpecial attention is paid to different forms of verbal
communication in various cultural settings. As a result, participants will foster their
pluricultural repertoire and develop their pluricultural competence.


Key concepts

●     Communication

●       Verbal communication

●       Non verbal communication

●       Body Language, gestures, eye contact


1 Group work - preparation

Form pairs, or groups of 3 and choose one of the topics to learn about and present.
  * Cultural differences in verbal communication: volume, humour, expressive words. Due to cultural
differences, direct and literal translation may be problematic, if these nuenaces are not taken
into account.
  * Non verbal communication and gestures. Give examples of gestures that may not be transparent to
outsiders.
  * Politness and assertiveness vs rudness and preponderance. Provide examples how cultural
differences may be misinterpreted.


Each group has a set of learning tasks to complete that include listening and reading tasks.

·         Work together as a group to finish all the tasks.

·         When you’re ready, prepare a mini presentation for the other people in the class.

·         The mini presentation should cover the following points:

o   a description of the main point(s) of the concept

o   some examples


·         Prepare notes with the most important points to be able to cover key information and
speak fluently.














Also, prepare a few questions for your audience to make sure they understood your presentation.



2 Group work – presentation


·         Recreate groups so that there’s at least one person knowledgeable about each concept.

·         Take turns and present your concept.

·         As you’re listening to the presenters, take notes.

·         You can ask them as many questions as you want to make sure you understand their
presentation.











3 Class discussion


·         Rearrange groups.

·         In your group, discuss the following questions related to your topic:



Concept

                                             Questions

____________________

Communication

______________________________________________________- -What are the key elements of effective
communication?



- How does communication influence relationships in personal and professional settings?

- Can you describe a situation where communication broke down? What were the consequences?

- What role does feedback play in the communication process?

- How can cultural differences impact communication?

- What strategies can be used to improve communication skills?

Verbal Communication

- What are the main components of verbal communication?

- How does tone of voice affect the message being communicated?

- Can you give an example of a time when verbal communication was misunderstood?

- How important is clarity in verbal communication, and how can it be achieved?

- What role does active listening play in verbal communication?

- How do language barriers affect verbal communication?

Nonverbal Communication

- What are some common forms of nonverbal communication?

- How can nonverbal communication complement or contradict verbal communication?

- Can you describe a situation where nonverbal communication was more powerful than verbal
communication?

- How does cultural background influence nonverbal communication?

- What are the challenges of interpreting nonverbal cues accurately?

- How can awareness of nonverbal communication improve interpersonal interactions?

Body Language, Gestures, Eye Contact

- How does body language contribute to the overall communication process?

- What are some examples of positive and negative body language?

- How can gestures vary in meaning across different cultures?

- Why is eye contact important in communication, and how can it be used effectively?

- Can you identify a scenario where body language contradicted the spoken words?

- How can individuals become more aware of their own body language and its impact on others?


4 Sharing


·         Choose a dish/typical costume/dress, etc. you really like  and present it to class
mentioning its cultural significance in the country/region/community, it comes from.

·         Explain how it represents key aspects of the culture it comes from.

·         Put down key ideas that define that tradition.













New vocabulary

Go through the material once more, and list any new words you do not know and consider useful to
learn. Write at least one example sentence for each word.