TwFs for Communication

TwFs (Tasks with Feedback) for Learning Communication

Why learn how to communicate effectively?
There are many reasons, here are some of them.
1. Get your messages heard and acted on.
2. Express who you are; have a voice you feel good about.
3. Respond to incoming messages in the best ways possible.
4. Avoid being misled, tricked, or conned by false information.
Complete the following template.

Regarding communication, I want to be able to ( ), because ( ). I will practice and persist until I succeed!
Speak from your heart; be open and honest.

There are no right or wrong answers. Here are some examples that sound like real people:
- I want to be able to create simple and effective messages because I like getting good results.
- I want to communicate clearly with my family because misunderstandings cause stress we don’t need.
- I want to feel confident speaking up in groups because my ideas deserve to be heard.
- I want to express myself without freezing up because I don’t want fear to run my life.
- I want to listen better when others talk because I care about what they’re trying to tell me.
- I want to communicate well at work because good communication leads to better teamwork and opportunities.
- I want to understand what people really mean because guessing wrong causes problems.
Be honest about what you truly want — that honesty makes your growth stronger.
What is communication?

Communication is the process of sending and receiving messages.
What is a message?

A message is what the sender wishes the receiver to understand. It includes ideas, information, feelings, intentions, or requests.
Describe the two main roles in communication.
1. The two main roles are sender and receiver.
2. The sender’s job is to clearly encode their intended meaning in a form the receiver can easily understand.
3. The receiver’s job is to decode the message and respond in the best way.
What is a channel?

A channel is the path a message travels from sender to receiver.

It can be: - Physical (air for spoken words, paper for writing) - Technological (text messages, email, social media) - Nonverbal pathways (facial expressions, gestures)

The key idea: The channel is how the message gets there.
What resources can a sender use to assemble and express their message?
A sender constructs a message using codes and channels the receiver can understand. Common resources include:
- Words and language
- Symbols and visual cues
- Tone of voice and vocal features (pitch, pace, volume)
- Body language (posture, gestures, eye contact, facial expression)
- Medium-specific elements (images, diagrams, emojis, formatting)
Essence → The sender chooses forms of expression that fit the receiver and support the sender’s intended meaning and purposes.
What is the job of a sender in communication?
The sender’s job is to:
- Decide the meaning they want the receiver to understand.
- Clarify the purpose(s) of the message (inform, request, persuade, connect).
- Craft the message so the intended meaning and purposes are easy for the receiver to understand.
- Choose words, symbols, tone, and nonverbal cues that support clarity and accuracy.
Essence → Create a message that the receiver can accurately decode and respond to in the best way.
What is the job of a receiver in communication?
The receiver’s job is to:
- Accurately decode the sender’s intended meaning.
- Infer the sender’s purpose(s) (inform, request, persuade, connect).
- Respond in the best way, supporting mutual understanding and shared goals.
- Use active listening and clarifying questions when unsure of the meaning.
Essence → Understand what the sender means and wants — and respond in a way that moves the communication forward effectively.
Distinguish cognitive content from affective content in a message.

Definitions:

Cognitive content → the factual or conceptual meaning (what the message is about) Affective content → the emotional and motivational tone (how the message feels)

Simple: Cognitive tells what. Affective signals how to feel and how the relationship stands.

Examples: - “The meeting is at 3pm.” → mostly cognitive - “I really appreciate your help!” → mostly affective - “We need that report ASAP!” → both (information + urgency/pressure)
What are success criteria?

Success criteria are a set of measurable indicators that define what high-quality (desirable) results look like.

Examples: - Party → {everyone has fun, great food, good attendance} - Novel → {readers love it, captivating plot, interesting characters, meaningful insights} - New Car → {good price, love it, safe, good mileage, reliable}
What are success criteria for communication (sender role)?

Sender role (essence) → {receiver understands intended meaning, high likelihood of intended response}

Sender role (empowering fundamentals) → {accurate, clear, concise, complete, logical, persuasive, audience-appropriate, engaging, action-oriented}
What are success criteria for communication (receiver role)?

Receiver role (essence) → {accurately understand intended meaning, respond in the best way}

Receiver role (empowering fundamentals) → {active processing, skilled decoding, clarifying questions, paraphrasing}
What is paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing is a listening skill where the receiver restates the sender’s message in their own words to check that they’ve understood the intended meaning.
Is a warranted predisposition a bias?
Conclusion: No.

Reasoning:
1. Definitions:
  - Predisposition: A tendency to act in a certain way.
  - Bias: A predisposition that results in unfairness, distortion, or systematic error.
  - Warranted: Justified with good reasons or evidence.
2. Bias is typically a warrantless or unjustified predisposition — something that distorts thinking, judgment, or decision-making.
3. If a predisposition is based on solid evidence, reasoning, or experience, it’s better described as a justified belief.
4. A justified belief is valuable. Example: A doctor is predisposed to test for malaria in patients returning from sub-Saharan Africa because malaria is common there. This isn’t a bias — it’s a justified belief.
5. Summary: A warranted predisposition is not a bias. Bias implies error or unfairness. A justified predisposition is generally a strength — an efficient guide to action based on evidence.