TwFs for Communication
TwFs (Tasks with Feedback) for Learning Communication Go to Linear ViewWhy learn how to communicate effectively?
There are many reasons, here are some of them.
- Get your messages heard and acted on.
- Express who you are; have a voice you feel good about.
- Respond to incoming messages in the best ways possible.
- Avoid being misled, tricked, or conned by false information.
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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.
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What is communication?
Communication is the process of sending and receiving messages.
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What is a message?
A message is what the sender wishes the receiver to understand. It includes ideas, information, feelings, intentions, or requests.
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Describe the two main roles in communication.
- The two main roles are sender and receiver.
- The sender’s job is to clearly encode their intended meaning in a form the receiver can easily understand.
- The receiver’s job is to decode the message and respond in the best way.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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)
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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}
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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}
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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}
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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.
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Is a warranted predisposition a bias?
Conclusion: No.
Reasoning:
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.
Bias is typically a warrantless or unjustified predisposition — something that distorts thinking, judgment, or decision-making.
If a predisposition is based on solid evidence, reasoning, or experience, it’s better described as a justified belief.
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.
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.
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