Introduction to Communication
Hanna (Ha Le)
Blog assignment 1
Communication is the process of exchanging ideas, feelings, intentions, attitudes...through different means. Noone lives without communicating with others, whether verbally or non-verbally. We talk to our parents, friends and colleages on a daily basic and even to strangers when waiting for the bus downtown.
Communication creates understanding, thus helps bring people together, especially in the world today with the emerge of the social networks where people from different parts of the world can see each other just by clicking a button. That's the reasons for my first two images.
As I'm on my way to Highschool Education and Psychology degrees, I find effective communication necessary for my teaching career and in my life. I want to transfer my knowledge to my students and want to be a source of inspiration by using my communication skill. For this, I would choose a picture of my mother who is my closest example of skillful communication and influentiality.
Blog Assignment 2
Blog assignment 3
How about you? What type of person do you think you are and do you feel there is something you can do with yourself to be a better person?
Blog Assignment 4
Week 5: Live speech ahhhhhhh!
However, I really enjoy our live impromtu speeches about effective speech delivery this morning. I could see my classmates standing in front of me speaking with comfort but with great enthusiasm and engagement, which was a great different compared to online classes. Everyone had different tips to share by using various approaches and they were relatable to me a lot, since all the tips were so useful and practical to make an effective speech. Although I still got freaking out some seconds in my speech today, I did not feel as stressful as I used to be because I am getting used of speeches and also because of the cozy asmostphere in my small class. Now that I am less scared of speaking out loud, I feel more comfortable and appreciative of the advantages live classes as well as public speaking bring about.
Week 6
I also enjoy watching my classmates' videos on how to make a key fob, an origami balloon, a braid and how to do push-ups through basic steps but bring out great outcomes. There is still space for improvements in our speeches but I think we did a good job for the first process speech. I really like this assignment.
All of you, my classmates, may have had a stressful week but how about you? Did you have fun in making the speech like me?
7th week: No impromtus? Yes!
I was in the same group with Abby and Danielle. Our conversation seemed awkward and unnatural when everyone wanted to ask questions and there were gaps when we were figuring out what to say next. Through this, I am aware of how indirect communication matters in day life as well as professional affairs, considering. As a low context speaker, I need to develop this kind of communication to reach the effectiveness in conversations which may help me in my future career.
Assignment 8
In my opinion, by knowing this kind of non-verbal communication, anyone can adapt and be less confused or frustrated with punctuality when invited to a meal, doing business or having an appointment in a foreign country, which contributes to effective communication.
Personally, I don't want to be late and I was always one of the first to come to meet with my friends in Vietnam. However, Vietnamese people tend to use "plastic time" when it comes to informal appointments which means late to the time scheduled so I was kept waiting several times. How about you? Have you ever experienced a different way time is used somewhere in or out of America?
Blog Assignment 9
Single stories, as small as they may seem, have negative effects, especially hurting people. I grew up in a city in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. When I as well as other people from my hometown go to big cities in the North or the South, we are often told: " You don't look like ethnic minority people". The main reason for this awkward conversation is due to the misleading media. Because there are more ethnic minority groups in our part than in other parts of Vietnam and the Government offer special policies and priorities to them, whenever our city is on the television, it is about ethnic minority groups and the undeveloped areas. Therefore, many people relate our city to more poverty and dificulties than it really is.
Through my own experience and this week Ted talk, I am more open to culture awareness and think on different sides instead of making rush conclusion or making someone sad unintentionally.
Blog 10
I used to talk a lot and could talk about everything when I was in Vietnam. Sometimes I even felt that I was talkative. I was rarely siting in silence and was a type of person who could start a conversation with strangers when waiting for my Mom to pick me up after school. However, when coming to the U.S, I tend to talk less and only talk when necessary. I don't chat much anymore and seem to keep things to myself. I think the reason for this is mostly that I am in a new country and using a different language. Sometimes I wanted to get into the talks or discussions that my classmates are in, but I couldn't find the proper words to express myself. And I didn't want everyone to wait until I finish my story so I would rather not talk about it. There were also sometimes when I didn't understand my friends' jokes and I didn't know how to react. What made it quite a situation for me is that my American friends could talk about everything, and of course with enthusiasm, while I was just siting there laugh or smile and saying nothing.
To my classmates who in my opinion, are disclosed: Have you ever been in a situation where you couldn't express yourself and how was your feeling at that time?