What is the theory behind this Appropriate Conversation Skills Worksheet?
Conversation skills are crucial in determining the quality and effectiveness of our interactions with others. These skills encompass not just the verbal content of the conversation but also the tone of one’s voice and body language cues. Adopting appropriate conversation skills enable the speaker to get their message across and cultivate a healthy exchange of ideas in the most effective way.
How will the worksheet help?
The worksheet will educate about the do’s and don’ts of conversation that can help individuals learn about what they can do to converse effectively in order to get the maximum benefit from interactions with others. It can help individuals analyse the lackings in their current conversation skills so they can work on improvement where needed.
How to use the worksheet?
Read through the do’s and don’ts of conversation mentioned in the worksheet. Write about the things that you like or don’t like about a person’s conversation style when you are interacting with them. The response can tell you a lot about appropriate conversation skills.
Appropriate Conversation Skills Worksheet
Effective conversation skills are not just about using the right words but also choosing the appropriate tone and being mindful of our body language. Following are some of the dos and don’ts of conversations
| Do’s of Conversations ✅ | Don’ts of Conversations ❌ |
| Maintain an appropriate level of eye contact with the person both when you are delivering your point and when listening to theirs. Use occasional nods and verbal cues such as ‘hmm’, ‘yes’, ahh’ etc to show you are interested in the conversation Do not let your emotions dictate the conversation. When you are angry or frustrated take a few breaths before continuing the conversation Always maintain a steady tone of voice. It can be firm or gentle depending on the situation. Keenly observe the verbal and non-verbal cues shown by the other person and you respond and adjust your conversation accordingly | Conveying you are not interested in the conversation with your body cues and audible sighs. Eyes are set somewhere else or appear glazed. You appear distracted. For example you are on your phone or constantly checking your watch or fidgeting Instead of clarifying something you don’t understand you assume what the other person means and react accordingly. You are either shouting your words or murmuring them You are listening to react and interrupting the other person instead of waiting to respond. You are not reading the situation and only concerned about getting your point across |
- Write about your opinion on appropriate conversation skills based on what you like or don’t like when interacting with others.
Reference
Greavestone, D. (2019) Effective Communication Skills. Independently Published.
You can download this worksheet here.