IELTS Aligned Communication - sample

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IELTS Aligned Communication

Language Activities Manual

Acknowledgements Each activity in this booklet has been aligned to the International English Language Testing System (IELTS)* bands 3 - 9.

• * IELTS is jointly managed by British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (Cambridge ESOL)”.

The following table provides the level of reading, writing, oral communication, learning and numeracy skills to meet these bands.

Chapter

IELTS Equivalent Reading Skills Band(s)

IELTS Equivalent Writing Skills Band(s)

IELTS Equivalent Oral Communication Skills Band(s)

IELTS Equivalent Numeracy Skills Band(s)

IELTS Equivalent Learning Skills Band(s)

1. Communicate in the workplace 7 7 7 7 7

2. Apply basic communication skills 7 7 8 7 8

3. Write complex documents 8 8 8 8 8

4. Manage project communications 9 9 9 9 9

5. Direct Communications Management of a Project/Program

9 9 9 9 9

© All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of MW Training Consultants.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 - Communicate in the Workplace ..................................... 5 Activity 1 Personal Presentation .............................................................................6 Activity 2 Customer Service Standards...................................................................7 Activity 3 Taking a Verbal Message........................................................................8 Activity 4 Taking a Telephone Message .................................................................9 Activity 5 Adding up Prices ...................................................................................10 Activity 6 Discounts...............................................................................................11 Activity 7 Work Words...........................................................................................12 Activity 8 Greeting a Customer .............................................................................13 Activity 9 Experiences list .....................................................................................14 Activity 10 Mission Statements ...............................................................................15 Activity 11 Workplace Standards ............................................................................16 Activity 12 Receipts and Dockets............................................................................17 Activity 13 Task Listing ...........................................................................................18 Activity 14 Budgets .................................................................................................19 Activity 15 Meeting Budget .....................................................................................20 Activity 16 Conversing with Customers...................................................................21 Activity 17 Clarifying Questions ..............................................................................22 Activity 18 Skills Plan ..............................................................................................23 Activity 19 Interpreting Invoices ..............................................................................24 Activity 20 Understanding Lay-By...........................................................................25

Chapter 2 - Apply Basic Communication Skills ..................................27 Activity 21 Instructions ............................................................................................28 Activity 22 Email and FAX.......................................................................................29 Activity 23 Message Pad.........................................................................................30 Activity 24 Details on FAX and Email......................................................................31 Activity 25 Wages ...................................................................................................32 Activity 26 Work Expenses .....................................................................................33 Activity 27 Work Words...........................................................................................34 Activity 28 Personnel in a Team .............................................................................35 Activity 29 Current Skills .........................................................................................36 Activity 30 Business Vision .....................................................................................37 Activity 31 Budget ...................................................................................................38 Activity 32 Procedures ............................................................................................39 Activity 33 Leave Letter...........................................................................................40 Activity 34 Writing Procedures ................................................................................41 Activity 35 TimeFraming .........................................................................................42 Activity 36 Wage Calculations.................................................................................43 Activity 37 Team Discussion ...................................................................................44 Activity 38 Supervisor’s Instructions .......................................................................45 Activity 39 Skills Plan ..............................................................................................46 Activity 40 Working with Colleagues.......................................................................47 Activity 41 TimeFraming Plans ...............................................................................48

Chapter 3 - Write Complex Documents ..........................................50 Activity 42 Style Manual..........................................................................................51 Activity 43 Read Information from a Graph.............................................................52 Activity 44 Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation......................................................53 Activity 45 Prepare an Advertisement.....................................................................54 Activity 46 Presenting Information ..........................................................................55 Activity 47 Meet Budget ..........................................................................................56 Activity 48 Giving Instructions .................................................................................57 Activity 49 Participate in a Discussion ....................................................................58 Activity 50 New Skills ..............................................................................................59 Activity 51 Prepare a Presentation..........................................................................60 Activity 52 Comment on an Opinion Piece..............................................................61 Activity 53 Write a Report .......................................................................................62 Activity 54 Meeting Minutes ....................................................................................63 Activity 55 Calculate and Contrast Weekly Income Options...................................64 Activity 56 Calculate area .......................................................................................65 Activity 57 Communicating with People from Diverse Backgrounds.......................66 Activity 58 Lead a Discussion .................................................................................67 Activity 59 Career Planning.....................................................................................68

Chapter 4 - Manage Project Communications ...................................70 Activity 60 Client Letter ...........................................................................................71 Activity 61 Memo and Letter ...................................................................................72 Activity 62 Research Skills......................................................................................74 Activity 63 Write Agenda and Reports and Record Outcomes from Meeting .........76 Activity 64 Communication Budget .........................................................................79 Activity 65 Communication Strategies ....................................................................81 Activity 66 Career Planning.....................................................................................83 Activity 67 Review Legislation.................................................................................84 Activity 68 Letter .....................................................................................................86 Activity 69 Data Analysis.........................................................................................88 Activity 70 Team Discussion ...................................................................................91 Activity 71 Review Performance .............................................................................93

Chapter 5- Direct Communications Management of a Project/Program ....96 Activity 72 Prepare a Summary ..............................................................................97 Activity 73 Media Release.....................................................................................100 Activity 74 Communication Budgets .....................................................................102 Activity 75 Team Dynamics...................................................................................105 Activity 76 Training Needs ....................................................................................107 Activity 77 Reports Summary................................................................................109 Activity 78 Letter ...................................................................................................111 Activity 79 Data Analysis.......................................................................................113 Activity 80 Telephone Conversation .....................................................................116 Activity 81 Review evaluations..............................................................................118

Contact details and order information – refer last 2 pages.

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© MW Training Consultants Chapter 1 -– Communicate in the Workplace Page 5 of 22

Chapter 1 - Communicate in the Workplace

Contents

1. Read a personal presentation checklist

2. Read basic customer service standards

3. Record a simple verbal customer message

4. Record a simple telephone message

5. Add up a list of prices using a calculator

6. Recognise simple % discounts used in retail

7. Use common retail related words

8. Greet and welcome a customer using service standards

9. Make a list of good service experiences

10. Read and follow straight forward mission statement

11. Read and follow straight-forward workplace standards

12. Fill in the details on a cash receipt docket

13. Record a verbalized list of routine tasks

14. Recognise different budgets

15. Work out how to meet a simple budget

16. Converse with a customer and listen for specific information

17. Clarifies and asks questions to ensure understanding

18. Prepare a plan for meeting standards and budgets

19. Read and interpret simple Invoice

20. Read and interpret a Lay-by form

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Writing Skills Bands 3 - 4

Activity 3 Taking a Verbal Message It is Friday the 17th October 2010. John Jones came in at 4.30 this afternoon to see Judy Lewis. As Judy has left for the day, John asks if he can leave a message with you to give to Judy. He says: “Tell Judy we have just received the five metres of silk fabric she ordered. She can pick it up at any time. My number is 03 9966 4433 if she has any questions.” What is the single most important point about John and his message that Judy will need to know? Choose from the list below, put a cross (x) next to the answer.

John came in The silk has arrived It was 4.30 in the afternoon when John came in John’s phone number

Fill out the following message form so that Judy will get as much information as possible.

MESSAGE For _____________________________ From ______________________________________________ Phone number_________________

URGENT NOT URGENT

Message ____________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Time_________ AM/PM

Date _____ /____ / ____

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Oral Communication Skills Bands 3 - 4

Activity 7 Work Words To encourage someone to talk to you, the best questions to ask them are open questions. Open questions are questions that encourage people to give more than a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ response. Questions that people can only answer with a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ are called closed questions. Open questions begin with words such as:

1. How 2. When 3. Where 4. What 5. Tell me more about……..

Look at the following questions and tick whether they are ‘open’ or ‘closed’ by placing a cross (x) in the appropriate column

QUESTION OPEN CLOSED

Can I help you?

What can I find for you today?

How would you like me to wrap this?

Are you going to want gift-wrap?

Where would you like to pick this parcel up?

What is your favourite colour?

Tell me more about your rash.

Is your favourite colour red?

Mrs. Jones has just purchased a present for her friend and she knows she can choose between gift-wrapping, a paper bag or a plastic bag to take her present away in. Place a cross (x) next to the best question to ask Mrs. Jones:

“Do you want this in a bag?” “How would you prefer me to wrap this, Mrs. Jones?” “I’ll stick this in a plastic bag for you, Mrs. Jones.”

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Numeracy Skills Bands 5 - 6

Activity 14 Budgets This is a bar chart

Down the left is the budget you need to make each month. Across the bottom are the months in which you need to make the budget.

For instance, in February you will need to make $10,000. How much will you need to sell to make budget in May? $ Now, here is a chart that tells you what you actually made compared to your budget. The bar on the left was your budget, and the bar on the right hand side tells you what you actually achieved each month compared to your budget. Did you make budget for the month of February? YES NO

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Learning Skills Bands 5 - 6

Activity 18 Skills Plan Within 18 months, you’d like to be promoted to a bigger department in your retail store. To achieve this, your supervisor has said that you must always set a good example by making sure you always follow the workplace standards so that the business will continue to meet the expectations listed in the Mission Statement. What does he mean by ‘set a good example’? _________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________

How will you do this?_____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________

He also said that you will need to meet your budgets every month, and if you exceed them by 10% you will get a bonus. That would be great as you’ve been planning to buy a car within two years. Draw up a budget template below that you can use to keep a track of your budget month by month on a weekly basis:

How often do you plan to review this budget to make sure you are on track?

___ monthly ___ every six months ____daily ___ weekly ___ never ____hourly

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Reading Skills Band 7

Activity 20 Understanding Lay-By

COOL CLOTHING Pty Ltd

24 Salamander Street MUNGADILLA VIC 3250

Ph: 3434 3434 Fax 3434 3435 Email: [email protected] ABN Number: 97007480524

LAY BY FORM

Name: Jackie Smithereen Address: 44 Westmeak Avenue Mungadilla Vic 3270 Phone No: 03 2244 6688

Lay-by Number: 444 Date commenced: 14/10/10 Date to be paid out: 25/11/10

Date Product Description Product No Quantity Total 14/10/10 Shoe string strappy dress size 10 12455-798 1 40.00 14/10/10 T-shirt size 10 12545-

6 1 15.00

TOTAL 55.00 LESS 20% DEPOSIT 11.00 BALANCE OWING $44.00 Terms and Conditions

A minimum 20% deposit must be paid on lay-by Lay-by must be paid in full within six weeks of commencement Management has the right to withhold the deposit on lay-by returns Sale products are non refundable or returnable

Here is a typical Lay-By. Why do people sometimes Lay-by a product or products rather than buy them outright? _____________________________________________________________________

Lay-by’s always have ‘terms and conditions’ on them to protect both the business and the lay-by recipient. How much % deposit has had to be paid on this Lay-By? Place a cross (x) next to your answer: ___ 5% __ 10% ___ 15% ____20% ___ 25% Why do companies usually ask for at least a 10% deposit? How long has Jacky Smithereen got to pay her lay-by in full? _____________________

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NOTES/QUESTIONS/COMMENTS ...................................................................................................................... ...................................................................................................................... ...................................................................................................................... ...................................................................................................................... ...................................................................................................................... ...................................................................................................................... ...................................................................................................................... ...................................................................................................................... ...................................................................................................................... ...................................................................................................................... ...................................................................................................................... ...................................................................................................................... ...................................................................................................................... ...................................................................................................................... ...................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................

© MW Training Consultants Chapter 2 -– Apply Basic Communication Skills Page 12 of 22

Chapter 2 - Apply Basic Communication Skills

Contents

21. Instructions

22. Email and Fax

23. Message Pad

24. Details on Fax and Email

25. Wages

26. Work Expenses

27. Work Words

28. Personnel in a Team

29. Current Skills

30. Business Vision

31. Budget

32. Procedures

33. Leave Letter

34. Writing Procedures

35. TimeFraming

36. Wage Calculations

37. Team Discussion

38. Supervisor’s Instructions

39. Skills Plan

40. Working with Colleagues

41. TimeFraming Plans

© MW Training Consultants Chapter 2 -– Apply Basic Communication Skills Page 13 of 22


© MW Training Consultants Chapter 3 –Write Complex Documents Page 14 of 22

Chapter 3 - Write Complex Documents

Contents

42. Access Style Manual

43. Read Information from a Graph

44. Use Correct Grammar Spelling and Punctuation

45. Write an Advertisement

46. Present Information in Graphical Form

47. Meet Budget

48. Give Instructions

49. Participate in a Small Group Discussion

50. Identify and Discuss Skill Requirements

51. Read Text and Prepare a Presentation

52. Read and Comment on an Article About a Contemporary Issue

53. Write a Report on a Topic of Interest

54. Write Procedures for Minute Taking

55. Calculate and Compare Annual Income Options

56. Calculate Area of an Office

57. Communicate with People from Diverse Backgrounds

58. Prepare and Lead a Discussion

59. Identify and Document Career Goals

© MW Training Consultants Chapter 3 –Write Complex Documents Page 15 of 22


© MW Training Consultants Chapter 4 - Manage Project Communications Page 16 of 22

Chapter 4 - Manage Project Communications

Contents

60. Read and Interpret Client Demands in Relation to Project

61. Write Internal and External Documents

62. Apply Research Skills to Obtain Specific Information

63. Participate in a Meeting by Writing Agenda and Recording Outcomes from Meeting

64. Calculate Communication Budget

65. Use a Range Of Communication Strategies to Establish Rapport and Diffuse Potentially Difficult Situations

66. Plan Career

67. Review Legislation Relevant to Own Job Role

68. Write a Letter Involving a Level of Subtlety

69. Analyse Data

70. Make a Presentation to Team

71. Review Performance Relevant to Personally Set Goals

© MW Training Consultants Chapter 4 - Manage Project Communications Page 17 of 22


© MW Training Consultants Chapter 5 - Direct Communications Management of a Project/Program Page 18 of 22

Chapter 5 - Direct Communications Management of a Project/Program

Contents

72. Read Article & Prepare Summary

73. Write a Media Release

74. Calculate Communication Budgets

75. Facilitate Communication Difficulties

76. Calculate Communication Budgets

77. Read Project Reports & Prepare Summary Report

78. Write a Letter

79. Analyse Data

80. Determine Client Requirements Through Open Questions & Active Listening

81. Review Training Program

Contact details and order information – refer last 2 pages.


Appendix A

Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) Chapter10 (Project Communications Management)

Overview Project Communications Management is the Knowledge Area that employs the processes required to ensure timely and appropriate generation, collection, distribution, storage, retrieval, and ultimate disposition of project information. The Project Communications Management processes provide the critical links among people and information that are necessary for successful communications. Project managers can spend an inordinate amount of time communicating with the project team, stakeholders, customer, and sponsor. Everyone involved in the project should understand how communications affect the project as a whole. Figure 10-1 provides an overview of the Project Communications Management processes, and Figure 10-2 provides a process flow diagram of those processes and their inputs, outputs, and other related Knowledge Area processes. The Project Communications Management processes include the following:

10.1 Communications Planning - determining the information and communications needs of the project stakeholders.

10.2 Information Distribution - making needed information available to project stakeholders in a timely manner. 10.3 Performance Reporting - collecting and distributing performance information. This includes status reporting,

progress measurement, and forecasting. 10.4 Manage Stakeholders - managing communications to satisfy the requirements of and resolve issues with

project stakeholders. These processes interact with each other and with the processes in the other Knowledge Areas as well. Each process can involve effort from one or more persons or groups of persons based on the needs of the project. Each process occurs at least once in every project and occurs in one or more project phases, if the project is divided into phases. Although the processes are presented here as discrete elements with well-defined interfaces, in practice they may overlap and interact in ways not detailed here.

10.1 COMMUNICATIONS PLANNING Communications planning involves determining the information and communications needs of the stakeholders: who needs what information, when will they need it, and how will it be given to them. On most projects, the majority of communications planning is done as part of the earliest project phases. However, the results of this process should be reviewed regularly throughout the project and revised as needed to ensure continued applicability. Communications planning is often tightly linked with organizational planning (described in Section 9.1) since the project’s organizational structure will have a major effect on the project’s communications requirements.

10.1.1. Inputs to Communications Planning 1. Communications requirements. Communications requirements are the sum of the information requirements of the project stakeholders. Requirements are defined by combining the type and format of information required with an analysis of the value of that information. Project resources should be expended only on communicating information which contributes to success or where lack of communication can lead to failure. Information typically required to determine project communications requirements includes:

o Project organization and stakeholder responsibility relationships. o Disciplines, departments, and specialties involved in the project. o Logistics of how many individuals will be involved with the project and at which locations. o External information needs (e.g., communicating with the media).

2. Communications technology. The technologies or methods used to transfer information back and forth among project elements can vary significantly: from brief conversations to extended meetings, from simple written documents to immediately accessible on-line schedules and databases. Communications technology factors which may affect the project include:

• The immediacy of the need for information—is project success dependent upon having frequently updated information available on a moment’s notice, or would regularly issued written reports suffice?

• The availability of technology—are the systems that are already in place appropriate, or do project needs warrant change?

• The expected project staffing—are the communications systems proposed compatible with the experience and expertise of the project participants, or will extensive training and learning be required?

• The length of the project—is the available technology likely to change before the project is over in a manner that would warrant adopting the newer technology?

3. Constraints. Constraints are factors that will limit the project management team’s options. For example, if substantial project resources will be procured, more consideration will need to be given to handling contract information.

4. Assumptions. Assumptions are factors that, for planning purposes, will be considered to be true, real, or certain. Assumptions generally involve a degree of risk.


10.1.2 Tools and Techniques for Communications Planning 1. Stakeholder analysis. The information needs of the various stakeholders should be analysed to develop a methodical and logical view of their information needs and sources to meet those needs

10.1.3 Outputs from Communications Planning 1. Communications management plan. A communications management plan is a document which provides:

o A collection and filing structure which details what methods will be used to gather and store various types of information.

o A distribution structure which details to whom information (status reports, data, schedule, technical documentation, etc.) will flow, and what methods (written reports, meetings, etc.) will be used to distribute various types of in-formation.

o A description of the information to be distributed, including format, content, level of detail, and conventions/definitions to be used.

o Production schedules showing when each type of communication will be produced. o Methods for accessing information between scheduled communications. o A method for updating and refining the communications management plan as the project progresses

and develops.

10.2 INFORMATION DISTRIBUTION Information distribution involves making needed information available to project stakeholders in a timely manner. It includes implementing the communications management plan as well as responding to unexpected requests for information.

10.2.1 Inputs to Information Distribution

1. Work results. Work results are described in Section 4.2.3.1.

2. Communications management plan. The communications management plan is described in Section 10.1.3.1.

3. Project plan. The project plan is described in Section 4.1.3.1.

10.2.2 Tools and Techniques for Information Distribution

1. Communications skills. Communications skills are used to exchange information. The sender is responsible for making the information clear, unambiguous, and complete so that the receiver can receive it correctly and for confirming that it is properly understood. The receiver is responsible for making sure that the information is received in its entirety and understood correctly. Communicating has many dimensions:

o Written and oral, listening and speaking. o Internal (within the project) and external (to the customer, the media, the public, etc.). o Formal (reports, briefings, etc.) and informal (memos, ad hoc conversations, etc.). o Vertical (up and down the organization) and horizontal (with peers).

2. Information retrieval systems. Information can be shared by team members through a variety of methods including manual filing systems, electronic text data-bases, project management software, and systems which allow access to technical documentation such as engineering drawings.

3. Information distribution systems. Project information may be distributed using a variety of methods including project meetings, hard copy document distribution, shared access to networked electronic databases, fax, electronic mail, voice mail, and video conferencing.

10.2.3 Outputs from Information Distribution 1. Project records. Project records may include correspondence, memos, reports, and documents describing the project.



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