Lesson Plan
Course Title:
Professional Communications
Session Title: Nonverbal Communication & The Listening
Process
Lesson Duration: Approximately one 90-minute class period
[Lesson length is subjective and will vary from instructor to instructor.]
Performance Objective:
Upon completion of this assignment, the student will be able to identify nonverbal
communication cues and apply key concepts based on the listening process.
Specific Objectives:
1. Define terms associated with the lesson.
2. Identify nonverbal cues and their meaning.
3. Identify functions of nonverbal communication.
4. Identify characteristics of nonverbal communication.
5. Apply fundamentals of nonverbal communication in a professional context.
6. Evaluate the components of the listening process.
Preparation
TEKS Correlations:
130.99 (c)(10)
The student develops an understanding of professional communications through exploration of
the career cluster. The student is expected to:
(B) demonstrate knowledge of various communication processes in professional contexts by:
(i) explaining the importance of effective communication skills in professional contexts;
(ii) identifying the components and functions of the communication process;
(iii) identifying standards for making appropriate communication choices;
(iv) identifying types and effects of nonverbal communication;
(v) recognizing the importance of effective nonverbal strategies such as a firm
handshake, direct eye contact, and appropriate use of space and distance;
(vi) identifying the components of the listening process;
(vii) identifying specific kinds of listening such as critical, deliberative, and empathic;
(viii) recognizing the importance of using accurate and complete information as a basis for
making communication decisions;
(ix) identifying specific kinds of listening such as critical, deliberative, and empathic;
(x) recognizing the importance of using accurate and complete information as a basis for
making communication decisions;
(xi) identifying and analyzing ethical and social responsibilities of communicators; and
(xii) recognizing and analyzing appropriate channels of communication in organizations.
Instructor/Trainer
References:
McGraw-Hill. (2000). Communication applications. (Teacher’s Wraparound Ed.). Columbus, OH:
Glencoe/McGraw-Hill.
AAVTC: Professional Communications: Nonverbal Communication & The Listening Process
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
1
2. Drucker, Peter. (2013). Peter F. Drucker Quotes. Business Quotations. from
http://www.albertarose.org/articles/quotes/peter_drucker_quotes2.htm
Instructional Aids:
1. Nonverbal Strategies & The Listening Process slide presentation
2. Group Activity Sheet
3. Expression Cards
4. Vocabulary Quiz and Key
5. Rubric
Materials Needed:
Pen/Pencil one per student
Equipment Needed:
 Projector for slide presentation.
 Computers – one per student for note-taking.
Learner
Knowledge of basic document creation and editing software.
Introduction
MI
Introduction (LSI Quadrant I):
SAY: The communication process can be very complex. It consists of various
levels. Nonverbal communication can include all forms of communication
except words. Because of this, it is important to not only be a good listener
but also a good observer. In this lesson, our goal is to understand the various
forms of nonverbal strategies in the listening process.
ASK: Can you think of a commercial that portrays poor listening? [Ask students to
describe the scenario and the reasons behind the breakdown in
communication.]
SAY: Poor listening can be a result of poor nonverbal communication.
ALTERNATE QUESTION:
ASK: Have you ever been in a situation where nonverbal communication
contributed to a breakdown in overall communication? [Ask students to share
factual information only without jeopardizing any person’s right to privacy.]
Outline
MI
Outline (LSI Quadrant II):
I. Define terms associated with the lesson
A. Nonverbal communication – a system of
symbolic behaviors that includes all forms
of communication except words.
B. Subconscious – nonverbal communication
is often sent and received on a
subconscious level. We are usually not
aware of the messages we send
Instructor Notes:
Use the Nonverbal
Communication & The
Listening Process slide
presentation to discuss
lesson content.
Have students create an
electronic document to
AAVTC: Professional Communications: Nonverbal Communication & The Listening Process
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
2
nonverbally.
C. Contextual – nonverbal communication
depends on the situation in which it occurs.
D. Ambiguous – meaning is open to
interpretation and often confusing.
E. Cultural – nonverbal communication has a
distinct cultural nature.
F. Listening – a physical and psychological
process that involves acquiring, assigning
meaning, and responding to symbolic
messages from others.
G. Acquiring – the act of picking up some type
of stimulus through the senses such as
hearing.
H. Attending – the act of choosing consciously
or subconsciously to focus your attention
on verbal or nonverbal stimuli.
I. Understanding – a complex mental process
that involves decoding the symbolic
message received from others and then
interpreting and assigning a personal
meaning to that message.
J. Responding – the listener’s internal
emotional and intellectual reaction to a
message.
K. Noise – anything that interferes with a
message.
L. Barrier – any obstacle that blocks
communication.
M. Memory – the process of retaining or
recalling information.
II. Identify nonverbal cues and their meaning
A. Sounds (tone of voice, laughter)
B. Body Language (movement, posture, eye
contact)
C. Environmental factors (touch, distance,
objects, etc.)
record notes and key terms
presented.
Use the accompanying cards
to create a deck of
“expression” cards
(happiness, anger, fear,
anxiety, discomfort, shock,
fatigue, etc.) Have students
volunteer to draw from the
deck and act out the
nonverbal cues.
Class members will try to
determine their meaning.
Teacher will reinforce/clarify
each cue.
III. Identify functions of nonverbal
communication.
A. Expands verbal communication by:
1. Reinforcing a message,
2. Contradicting the message, and
AAVTC: Professional Communications: Nonverbal Communication & The Listening Process
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
3
3. Substituting for messages.
B. Conveys emotional and relationship
dimensions of a message.
IV. Identify characteristics of nonverbal
communication.
A. Subconscious
B. Contextual
C. Ambiguous
D. Cultural
V. Apply fundamentals of nonverbal
communication in a professional context.
A. Confidence
B. Poise
C. Assertiveness
D. Immediacy
Discuss the importance of
appropriate nonverbal
communication in a
professional setting with coworkers, superiors,
subordinates, clients, etc.
Have students brainstorm
career-related scenarios
where nonverbal
communication might come
into play.
VI. Evaluate the components of the listening
process.
A. Acquiring
B. Attending
C. Understanding
D. Responding
Discuss the group activity
before having students break
into groups to work.
Go over the instructions on
the activity sheet.
Review evaluation rubric.
Application
MI
Guided Practice (LSI Quadrant III):
Have students demonstrate an understanding of concepts by acting out scenarios
involving personal situations such as two friends disagreeing over something that
happened at school. Give students two minutes to prepare a short, impromptu two to
three minute skit. Review key concepts and provide redirection before students
begin independent practice activity.
AAVTC: Professional Communications: Nonverbal Communication & The Listening Process
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
4
MI
Independent Practice (LSI Quadrant III):
Students will work in groups to prepare a skit that will be presented to the class and
instructor.
Summary
MI
Review (LSI Quadrants I and IV):
Have students share strategies they have learned in this lesson that they think will
be beneficial to them in the future.
The teacher can create a game to help students review vocabulary terms prior to the
quiz. Students can create their own games for their peers to play. Examples of
interactive games can be found online. http://jc-schools.net/tutorials/ppt-games/
Evaluation
MI
Informal Assessment (LSI Quadrant III):
Teacher will observe each group ensuring all group members are actively and
appropriately contributing to the activity.
Teacher will circulate through lab as students work on their skits to redirect/re-teach
as necessary.
MI
Formal Assessment (LSI Quadrant III, IV):
Using the rubric as a guide, each group will be graded based on their performance.
Use the vocabulary quiz to assess student ability to define terms associated with the
lesson.
Extension
MI
Extension/Enrichment (LSI Quadrant IV):
Students will apply communication strategies in personal, school, and work
environments.
Have students think about a situation in the past in which they used poor listening
skills. Students should reflect on previous actions and “rewrite” their responses using
the skills learned in this lesson. Reflections should be recorded in a journal.
Students who demonstrate good listening skills can volunteer to serve as peer
mediators.
AAVTC: Professional Communications: Nonverbal Communication & The Listening Process
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
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GROUP ACTIVITY
OVERVIEW:
Your group is responsible for creating a four-minute skit. The skit needs to display bad listening
skills vs. good listening skills. You have two minutes to display bad skills, then two minutes to
display good skills. The goal is to help your classmates understand what effective
communication looks like. Please include plenty of non-verbal cues in your skit. Your teacher
will provide you with an example scenario for your skit.
Example Scenarios:
An employer interviewing a potential employee, a supervisor talking to an employee about being
chronically late to work, an employee contesting a critical performance review, a supervisor
talking to an employee about inappropriate grooming/dress habits, a co-worker observing a
fellow employee taking extended breaks and leaving early at the end of the day, a co-worker
observing a fellow employee taking office supplies for personal use, a supervisor talking to an
employee about spending excessive time at work handling personal business such as texting,
talking on the phone, etc.
Group Member Names:
______________________
_____________________
______________________
______________________
_____________________
______________________
Describe your scenario:
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
How will you display bad listening?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
How will you display good listening?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
AAVTC: Professional Communications: Nonverbal Communication & The Listening Process
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
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Expression Cards
Directions: Cut on the lines to create expression cards for the lesson.
ANGER
FEAR
ANXIETY
FRUSTRATION
CONTENTMENT
HAPPINESS
FATIGUE
SHOCK
AAVTC: Professional Communications: Nonverbal Communication & The Listening Process
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
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Student Name:
Date:
Nonverbal Communication Vocabulary Quiz
Directions: Match each term to the appropriate definition from the list below. Record your
answers in the space provided beside each vocabulary word.
1. Nonverbal communication
2. Subconscious
A. Any obstacle that blocks
communication.
B. Anything that interferes with a message.
C. Being unaware of the messages we
send nonverbally.
3. Contextual
4. Ambiguous
5. Cultural
D. Choosing consciously or subconsciously
to focus your attention on verbal or
nonverbal stimuli.
E. Complex mental process that involves
decoding the symbolic message
received from others and then
interpreting and assigning a personal
meaning to that message.
6. Listening
F. Listener’s internal emotional and
intellectual reaction to a message.
7. Acquiring
G. Meaning that is open to interpretation
and often confusing.
8. Attending
H. Of or relating to a civilization’s or
person’s background and inherent belief
system.
9. Understanding
I.
10. Responding
11. Noise
Physical and psychological process that
involves acquiring, assigning meaning,
and responding to symbolic messages
from others.
J. Picking up some type of stimulus
through the senses such as hearing.
K. Process of retaining or recalling
information.
12. Barrier
L. Situation in which nonverbal
communication occurs.
13. Memory
M. System of symbolic behaviors that
includes all forms of communication
except words.
AAVTC: Professional Communications: Nonverbal Communication & The Listening Process
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
8
Student Name:
Date:
Nonverbal Communication Vocabulary Quiz Key
Directions: Match each term to the appropriate definition from the list below. Record your
answers in the space provided beside each vocabulary word.
M
1. Nonverbal communication
C
2. Subconscious
A. Any obstacle that blocks
communication.
B. Anything that interferes with a message.
C. Being unaware of the messages we
send nonverbally.
L
3. Contextual
G
4. Ambiguous
D. Choosing consciously or subconsciously
to focus your attention on verbal or
nonverbal stimuli.
E. Complex mental process that involves
decoding the symbolic message
received from others and then
interpreting and assigning a personal
meaning to that message.
H
5. Cultural
I
6. Listening
F. Listener’s internal emotional and
intellectual reaction to a message.
J
7. Acquiring
G. Meaning is open to interpretation and
often confusing.
D
8. Attending
H. Of or relating to a civilization’s or
person’s background and inherent belief
system.
E
9. Understanding
I.
F
10. Responding
Physical and psychological process that
involves acquiring, assigning meaning,
and responding to symbolic messages
from others.
J. Picking up some type of stimulus
through the senses such as hearing.
B
11. Noise
A
12. Barrier
L. Situational impact of circumstances in
which nonverbal communication occurs.
13. Memory
M. System of symbolic behaviors that
includes all forms of communication
except words.
K
K. Retaining or recalling information.
AAVTC: Professional Communications: Nonverbal Communication & The Listening Process
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
9
Student Name:
Date:
Nonverbal Communication and the Listening Process: Group Activity
Criteria
Excellent
4
Below Average
2
Poor
1
Speaks clearly and
distinctly most (8594%) the time, but
mispronounces one
word.
Speaks clearly and
distinctly some ( 7584%) of the time.
Mispronounces no
more than two words.
Often mumbles or
cannot be understood
OR mispronounces
more than three
words.
Group is completely
prepared and has
obviously rehearsed.
Group seems pretty
prepared but might
have needed a couple
more rehearsals.
Group is somewhat
prepared, but it is
clear that rehearsal
was lacking.
Group does not seem
at all prepared to
present.
Shows a full
understanding of the
topic.
Presentation is 5-8
minutes long.
Shows a good
understanding of the
topic.
Presentation is three
minutes or less
over/under the time
limit.
Shows a good
understanding of
parts of the topic.
Presentation is five
minutes or less
over/under the time
limit.
Does not seem to
understand the topic
very well.
Presentation is more
than five minutes
over/under the time
limit.
Uses vocabulary
appropriate for the
audience. Extends
audience vocabulary
by defining words that
might be new to the
audience.
Uses vocabulary
appropriate for the
audience. Includes
one to two words that
might be new to most
of the audience, but
does not define them.
Uses vocabulary
appropriate for the
audience. Does not
include any
vocabulary that might
be new to the
audience.
Uses several (five or
more) words or
phrases that are not
understood by the
audience.
Speaks clearly and
distinctly all (95100%) the time, and
Speaks Clearly
mispronounces no
words.
Preparedness
Content
Time-Limit
Vocabulary
Above Average
3
Stays on topic all (95- Stays on topic most
Stays on topic some It was hard to tell
(85-94%) of the time. (75-84%) of the time. what the topic was.
Stays on Topic 100%) of the time.
Point to Grade Conversion Scale:
22-24 = A
19-21 = B
17-18 = C
14-15 = D
13 or Below = F
TOTAL POINTS:
AAVTC: Professional Communications: Nonverbal Communication and the Listening Process
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
1