Solutions to Barriers

General Communication - Noise

Noise can be a large restraint when in correspondent with communication, things like groups of people shouting would become a barrier when someone is having a conversation as it may confuse and distract one or both persons. To reduce the amount of noise talking place, go somewhere like a park, or a quiet room so that there is minimum distractions.
Playing music loud also is another way to block communication, when music is to loud it is over heard than the voice in communication which then acts as a block, turning the TV down and other devices such as head phones gives you more of clear mind when communicating.
When working in an IT environment you should watch out for noisy things like the printer printing pages which could cause a distraction when communicating also outside noise like construction going on. Ways to stop this could be use instant messaging instead of out loud conversation if there is to much background noise, close the windows if noise is coing from outside and hold meetings in different room.

Written Communication – Spelling and Grammar

Whenever an employee is going to send out an employee they can simply select spell check which will allow them to see if they have any errors or mistakes made. In the long run spell check could be very effective as it will help make work easier to understand as it won’t contain any errors. Another step that could be taken is it to use a dictionary when you are working this way if you are unsure about the spelling of a word this will simply give you the correct spelling. Using headings and sub headings to break it up so that it makes it clearer for the user to read and understand. Choose a correct size of font and colour so that the user is able to make out and understand what is beind displayed. The colours used for the background and the text may make it distracting for the reader when reading the text.

Interpersonal communication – Lack of Concentration

A way in which concentration can be improved is to remove all the distractions which are in your range. for example an employee may be explaining to a client how to use something and then client may become distracted finding themselves concentrating on something different or off topic. Another way of improving concentration is to find a quiet room with no background noises as it will improve concentration. If clients and employees agree to meet and end at a certain time once a week this can also aid concentration as the employee wont become agitated and begin to wonder when they will be finished.

Powerpoint Correction

Here is the Powerpoint once I have made my corrections

 

Barriers

Noise

 

Noise can disrupt communication between two people by distracting them from the actual conversation going on. Lower levels of noise makes the person speaking more clear and direct. When there is too much noise present the information being spoken is not falling on the listeners ears i.e. Someone trying to present a PowerPoint in a noisy hall. Things like noises outside such as cars and animal can also be a barrier to communication by distracting one from speaking and listening to another this can be blocked however by thinking ahead and closing the window etc. A telephone is another way of distraction as if a telephone is ringing it can stop the communication from taking place.

 

Spelling and Grammar

 

When written communication is going on the spelling and grammar must be correct and up to scratch so that the communication can succeed, if someone writes a letter to another person and there is spelling mistakes everywhere the person reading may not be able to understand what is being said, this is a barrier of communication as it blocks one person communicating to another. Grammar mistakes can cause the reader problems when trying to understand what is being said. Some examples of spelling and grammar mistakes could be not in logical order, no text formatting, no headings and subheadings and badly presented. Ways of reducing this error happening make sure to take time when writing and look over what you have done, use bullet points and keep the work in logical order.

 

Lack of concentration

When communicating with another person it is very important to stay concentrated on what they are saying and doing, this is so that the communication will take place, vise versa when you are speaking to somebody you would like them to be concentating on what you are saying.

Focusing on a different topic when talking about something else to someone will confuse your mind and therefore become a barrier when communication is talking place. Things like a TV may cause lack of concentration or a mobile phone due to using them and thinking about it when you are communicating, this will cause you to not fully focus on the conversation which is talking place.

 

 

 Written Communication

This is the form of communication through handwritten or printed information. It can be seen in many ways with the new technology etc such as BBM, Social Networking, letters, memos, emails, fax, chats, texting, msn etc.

Social Networking

Social networking can be used to keep people in touch and allowing them to communicate via writing over the internet to each other or on chat such as Facebook. On Facebook you can also use photos as ways of staying in touch, and as a way of teaching a wider amount of people. It is open 24 hours a day so non stop access, this would be good for rainbow light as their members can always have the opportunity to express their views with their online companions.

Rainbow light could upload photos of their progress with talking books and their work etc, this will make their followers more comfortable as they can see what’s actually going on.

 

Email

This kind of written communication has become much more superior as it has new things such as being able to attach photos and files. As long as there is internet emails should be fine. Emails also run 24 /7 and cost free.

Also when using emails there is different formats for text, such as use bold writing for important information to catch the retriever’s eye.

 

General communication

Regardless of what sort of communication is going on general communication will always be working, such as in order for communication to take place there must be an audience on the other hand listening. Depending on who the person is changes the way the communication takes place such as if you are talking to a young child with learning difficulties you are going to be speaking in a way that you think they be able to make sense of what you are saying, also using your hands to talk is a way of communication. When communicating to people you must adapt to the environment and who you are talking to so it suits the audience, things like cultural differences could affect this due to if you speak to someone from a different country you may not know what is offensive therefore you may have to string up some different words in order to have your sentence understood.

 

 

 

 

Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills include not only how we communicate with others, but also our confidence and our ability to listen and understand. Problem solving, decision making and personal stress management are also considered interpersonal skills.

People with strong interpersonal skills are usually more successful in both their professional and personal lives. They are perceived as more calm, confident and charismatic - qualities that are often endearing or appealing to others. Being more aware of your interpersonal skills can help you improve and develop them.

Interpersonal skills

Communication – 2 or more people

Listening – signs/ sign language signals

Lip Reading – Body expression, Facial

Type of voice - angry, silence / body language, posture

Body Language

A bad interpersonal skill would be not looking at the person talking to you, making them feel like you are not communicating with them. Body language is also another factor as if you are slouched over a table while somebody is trying to teach a class it will give the effect you are not paying attention whereas if you where to sit up and look at the instructor it would show better communication skills. In Rainbow light, when talking to the manager or the owner of the business body language would be very important as respect must be shown therefore standing upright and presenting yourself well. Rainbow Light is a charity teaching young people who are blind etc talking books, giving them the same chance as everyone else. When talking to one of the clients it would be important to behave in a responsible matter.

Eye Contact is one of the most powerful means of communication after words. It can be direct or indirect, long-lasting or short and more usually intermittent when talking to someone in normal conversation. Staring or holding eye contact for too long can make people feel uncomfortable and is unsettling. Appropriate eye contact is important for effective communication. People who like or feel comfortable with each other engage in eye contact more frequently. People who avoid eye contact are likely to be feeling uncomfortable, guilty or embarrassed.

Verbal Communication

The basis of communication is the interaction between people.  Verbal communication is one way for people to communicate face-to-face.  Some of the key components of verbal communication are sound, words, speaking, and language. In Rainbow Light when talking to a manager or someone who is higher up in the charity business than you, you must speak in a formal happy tone of voice, this immediately shows of what kind of person you are and the way you are feeling about talking to this certain person. When talking to a client the tone of voice could change a bit as you need to have fun with the person as they are younger and speak with them in a way they can communicate back. When directly speaking to someone facial structure also comes into play as the way you say things and the mood you are in has effect on your facial structure. By looking at someone’s face we can read their emotion. Small gestures like the eyebrow flash happen almost subconsciously when we greet people we are pleased to see or who we know. A smile can also work wonders when greeting someone for the first time.

Employee Attributes

Assignment 2

Task 1

Employee Attributes

An employee attribute that would be ideal for a certain candidate would be ICT technical knowledge and skills, this would help the candidate a lot within Rainbow Light as they will be pursuing in helping and aiding people who have sight impairments while using a computer, the candidate will have to use the most up to date ICT skills to gather new ideas within a small group of staff members working as a team. Also as a part of this the candidate must know how to use email, word processing, databases this will make sure that the candidate can keep up to date with the other staff members such as using emails to discuss problems and databases to hold information on items sold etc. all of these skills are mainly aimed at making talking books to support people with eye sight impairments, these books must be up to standard and use of stable technology such as using text reader software as a way of reading the text out loud.

General Attributes

A personal attribute that would be very compatible with the Rainbow Light job role would be good organisation skills, this means that the candidate must be in control of his/her time, work handed in on time and in on top of all the work that has to be done this will ensure that all the staff members are on the same skill levels and the business is at its peek with modern production.

Personal Attitudes

Rainbow Light is a small business with a small number of staff therefore the staff that there is have to be the best, to be the best you have to think like the best there for 2 key examples of personal attitudes that are beneficial to the business are confidence and determination. This will ensure that there is positive attitude within the business and the happier the environment the better the work ethic. When working on new ideas the candidate must be determined to think of new creations and new ideas and also must be confident that they have the same say as the other staff members.

Learning Styles

Introduction

 A learning style is a technique best fitted to you to help you learn in the way you feel most comfortable. Different people learn more in different ways and styles, here are some examples people may feel most suited to when learning.

Visual

People may like actually seeing what they are learning in detail such as images, this may be because it sticks in their mind better as an image rather than lots of text. Some ways people may benefit from visual learning could be;

charts/ pictures, diagrams this would give them visual detail and statistics.

colour coding can also make things easier by highlighting important information.

Aural

Some people may prefer sound when learning such as earphones reading books and music, listening may put them in a zone which allows them to keep what they are learning in their memory. Repetition may also help you learn as it is said over and over again for some people who find it easier to remember that way. Discussing in groups can also be an easier way to learn for some as they can talk over their problems etc. Tutorials such as online learning websites allows people to learn because it has hands on detail about a certain thing. Music, audio books and CD’s allow the person to listen instead of read which they may find sticks in their memory better.

Verbal

Speaking out loud such as reading a book out loud may help people to learn more as they are hearing what they want to learn. They may also find talking in groups can make learning much easier than doing it alone. When learning something some people may like to write it down then read it out repeatedly to help it implant on their memory. Discussions in groups or PowerPoint presentations is a good way of learning for some people as speaking out loud to people may help their confidence and help the information to stay in your memory. Working within groups such as small groups when learning a certain topic may help as its less formal which may make the person feel more comfortable to learn.

Physical

Some people may rather physical learning such as playing a learning game, this active learning may make the memory more fresh for the person trying to learn.

Hands on learning such as computer systems where you are looking inside a computer and learning about the parts in detail. Some people may use flash cards to help learn as they can apply their own information they want to learn and physically see it in front of them.

Logical

Thinking through problems in your mind and keep thinking over what you are learning may cause some people to learn information easier. Brainstorming ideas help keep your memory thinking of parts you want to learn, this can be good for some people as it keeps their mind active. Writing notes also can be a way of logical learning, this allows you to look back over what you have done to keep it in your memory.

  Social

Being in and around people and groups and discussing and learning together may be the best way to learn for some people as they feel more comfortable working along side others. Communicating with others about topics that need to be learned can help people remember the most of the information.

Solitary

Being alone in a quiet area can be the best way to learn for some as they are alone with little distractions. Learning alone can make the person more independent by increasing their knowledge by self tutoring. A person who finds learning alone may keep a journal to look back over to keep their mind fresh on the topics that have been done. Usually the main sort of person who finds it better to always work alone and find it easier that way would be a quieter person.

There are many ways you can tell what learning style best suits you, such as experience and websites on the internet that allow you to under go a short test to tell you what learning style best suits you. Here is an example of a website http://www.ldpride.net/learning-style-test.html

Here is the results I achieved from an online website

  

This information allows me to take a look at how I can approach learning in the best way, the graph tells me that social learning is my best suited technique there for I can now look for ways in which social learning can help me such as learning with others or in groups and classes, speaking out loud and performing presentations. This should allow me to learn the most as I can and also change how I go about doing work such as assignments. Social learning could have an effect on my learning by commuicating with others, learning in a group or an environment with other people. Another way I could learn is by physical learning such as learning games, which could be used as a method of memory. Physical learning also includes looking at things hands on and learning from it in your own comfort and knowledge. In order to achieve my goals in the future i am going to work more socially when trying to learn ie. working in a small group or talking through the situation casually with people such as friends or family. I also think that speaking out loud will help me learn as saying things over and over again out loud will help me focus.

My personal development

Personal Development Plan Skills Review			Progress Diary
Strengths	Action	Review date
Confidence and Experience I am confident and have experience with computers by using them at home and other devices such as xbox, also doing ICT for previous years in school.	I will continue to learn more about computers and electrical devices.  I will achieve this by using the internet and books. Do tests on topics to see how you do and learn from your mistakes. Look over information I have from school about computers etc.	Long term	I have been looking more into computers the further i go through this course including how they are built, set up and installations etc. I have also been practicing with the likes of Microsoft excel and PowerPoint. I used youtube tutorials to help me with this and self teach myself. 23/05/13
Social skills  I have a good social skill, I have met many new people and talked to groups, this is good for meeting new work partners.	I will try and improve my grammar when talking out loud to groups. I will try to meet as many new people to overcome the weird nervous feeling. Talk to others as a learning progress such as talking over problems. Improve my confidence when talking.	Long term	I have started to ask more questions when I’m stuck. i have learned to keep calm when speaking to new people or even unsure about a certain topic. 20/05/13
Determination I am determined to finish what needs to be done such as if there is a certain assignment needed to be handed in I would make sure to have it complete.	I will organise my work better so I can understand easier what needs to be done precisely. Instead of trying hard for things I only like doing I will try find better ways to doing things I don’t particularly like. I will have thinking time before doing a certain task to give me determination to get the task done. I will set certain dates when I want to have the task done so it will be done on time.	Long term	I have used determination when trying to get the assignments in on time making sure I get them in as soon as possible so i don’t loose any grades. i have been aiming for the highest grades i can get by doing my best in every class. 01/06/13
Weaknesses	Action	Review date
Listening  I need to listen more to the small parts in the sentence rather than just going straight into the work without fully knowing what to do.	I will listen more and think before I go and do the task. I will make plans of what is going to be done before starting. I will pay more attention to who ever is ++speaking so I can take in as much information as possible. Look up listening techniques on the internet.	Long term	So far I have listened to most of the details to help me with the assignments but i need to keep listening and not dose of. i have listened to all the feedback i have been given about my work and made actions on it making it better. 12/05/13
Speaking out loud I will practice speaking to groups that I don’t know more often this will help my confidence and also make me improve on this area of work such as showing presentations.	I will speak to groups when at a programme I go to. By speaking to groups it will build my confidence to not get nervous when talking to people. Research on how to improve presentations. Increase volume when speaking to others instead of mumbling.	Long term	So far I have only done two presentations but each one increased my confidence speaking out loud in front of a group. 15/05/13
Photoshop I need to gather more skills in using Photoshop.	I will look at tutorials online http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UeXHN3DaNo  , of how to work Photoshop in finer techniques. I will listen more and keep up in graphic design to find out as much about Photoshop as I can I will ask more questions when using Photoshop and learning about it as that would give me more knowledge and skill. I will practice more using Photoshop in my free time as well to allow me to become a better user	Long term	I have used Photoshop in Digital Graphics creating new images and manipulating them to make them my own. i have made many new logos etc in multi media using photoshop and i have gained many skills using it. 24/05/13