Professional Communication
Practicum in Business Management
Lesson Plan
Performance Objective
Upon completion of this lesson, each student will understand how interpersonal skills,
leadership, teamwork skills, and human relations affect the workplace
Specific Objectives
 Students will compare positive and negative traits in the workplace.
 Students will analyze the proper way to communicate effectively in a situation .
 Students will identify their own strengths and weaknesses along with keys to help
achieve self-actualization.
This lesson should take three to four class days to complete.
Preparation
TEKS Correlations
This lesson, as published, correlates to the following TEKS. Any changes/alterations to the
activities may result in the elimination of any or all of the TEKS listed.
130.122 (C) Knowledge and skills
(4) The student facilities internal and external office communications to support work
activities. The student is expected to:
(A) record messages accurately, legibly, and completely;
(B) deliver messages to appropriate person or department;
(C) coordinate arrangements for participants;
(D) follow calling and login procedures; and
(E) troubleshoot any problems.
(5) The student performs scheduling electronically to facilitate on-time, prompt
completion of work activities. The students is expected to:
(A) create a calendar or schedule;
(B) maintain an appointment calendar;
(C) verify appointments;
(D) coordinate travel arrangements; and
(E) set up meeting arrangements.
Interdisciplinary Correlations
English
1
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2015. All rights reserved.
110.42(b) Knowledge and skills
(6) Reading/word identification/vocabulary development. The student uses a variety of
strategies to read unfamiliar words and to build vocabulary. The student is expected to:
(A) expand vocabulary through wide reading, listening, and discussing; and
(B) rely on context to determine meanings of words and phrases such as
figurative
language, idioms, multiple meaning words, and technical vocabulary.
(7) Reading/comprehension. The student comprehends selections using a variety of strategies.
The student is expected to:
(F) identify main ideas and their supporting details;
(G) summarize texts; and
(J) read silently with comprehension for a sustained period of time.
Speech
110.56 (b) Knowledge and skills
(1)(A) explain the importance of communication in daily interaction;
(2)(E) participate appropriately in conversations for a variety of purposes;
(3)(A) use appropriate communication in group settings;
(E) use appropriate verbal, non-verbal, and listening strategies to communicate
effectively in groups; and
(5)(B) use language clearly and appropriately.
Tasks
 Students will secure signatures on all forms, as specified by the teacher.
 Students will return all paperwork in a timely manner.
Accommodations for Learning Differences
It is important that lessons accommodate the needs of every learner. These lessons may be
modified to accommodate your students with learning differences by referring to the files
found on the Special Populations page of this website (cte.unt.edu).
Preparation
 Copy the handouts
 Have multimedia presentations ready to show
Instructional Aids
 Student Notes sheet
 Student worksheets
Materials Needed
 Copies
 Pencils
Equipment Needed
 Teacher computer
2
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2015. All rights reserved.


Projector (for digital presentation)
Calculators
Introduction
Learner Preparation
 Have students share what they do to stay organized with homework assignments,
extracurricular activities, out of school activities, etc.
 Ask students why it is important to stay organized right now.
 Ask students how learning organization and professional communication skills early can
be helpful in the future.
Lesson Introduction
 Ask students if they are used to taking messages for anyone, either at home or on a job.
 Ask students to list important things to do when taking a message for someone.
 Tell students how important it is to take a message accurately, especially when in a
workplace.
 Explain the importance of communicating professionally in the workplace.
3
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2015. All rights reserved.
Outline
Outline
MI
NOTES TO TEACHER
I.
Message Taking
II.
Interoffice Communication
a. Memo
b. Email
III.
Meeting agenda
The teacher will explain to students
the importance of taking professional
and accurate messages.
Using the May I Take a Message
handout, students will practice taking
and leaving phone messages.
The teacher will explain to students
the purpose of interoffice memos
while discussing the information in
the Interoffice Memo handout.
Students will recreate an interoffice
memo and will create a meeting
agenda using the information from
the memo.
Multiple Intelligences Guide
Existentialist
Interpersonal
Intrapersonal
Kinesthetic/
Bodily
Logical/
Mathematical
Musical/Rhythmic
Naturalist
Verbal/Linguistic
Visual/Spatial
4
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2015. All rights reserved.
Application
Guided Practice
The teacher will use the multimedia presentations to teach the material. The teacher will
monitor students’ independent practices.
Summary
Review
 Why is it important to take an accurate and professional phone message for your
supervisor?

What is the purpose of an interoffice memo?

What is the purpose of a meeting agenda?
Evaluation

Informal Evaluation
o Teacher will check for understanding
o Very small work group option (students help each other)

Formal Evaluation
o Tests over the material
5
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2015. All rights reserved.
May I Take a Message?
Instructions:
1. Tell students they are going to do a role play activity to practice taking and leaving
phone messages.
2. Put students in pairs. Give each student a role card. There are two situations, 1 and 2. In
each pair, one student should have the Student A card for a situation, and the other
student should have the Student B card for the same situation.
3. Have students read the information on their card. Answer any questions about
vocabulary. Tell students not to look at their partner’s card. If possible, have students do
this activity sitting back to back, so they can’t see each other. This makes it more like a
phone call.
4. Explain that Students A make the phone call. (They can start by making a ringing sound,
Brnng! Brnng!) Students B will answer the phone and then both students role play the
situation following the instructions on the role cards.
6
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2015. All rights reserved.
May I Take a Message?
SITUATION 1 Student A
SITUATION 1 Student B
Intro: It’s 10:00 a.m. You are a salesperson.
You’re calling a customer because you have a
meeting with her at 3:00 p.m. but you have a
problem. • You make the call. The secretary
answers. Identify yourself and ask to speak to
Ms. Martin. (Use your own name.) • Ask the
secretary when he or she thinks Ms. Martin is
going to be in the office. • Say yes to leaving a
message. Say that you can’t come in for the
meeting at 3:00 p.m. Ask if you can come at
4:00. • The secretary asks if you want Ms.
Martin’s cell phone number. Say yes and write
down the number. Say good-bye and thank
you.
Intro: You work as a secretary for the ABC
Company. Your boss, Sally Martin, has a
meeting with a salesperson at 3:00 p.m. The
phone rings: Brnnng! Brnnng: • Answer the
phone and identify yourself and the company.
(Use your own name.) • Tell the salesperson
that Ms. Martin isn’t in the office right now.
Ask if you can take message. • Tell the
salesperson that she is coming in at about 1:00
p.m. • Say that you’ll give her the message.
Ask if the salesperson would like to call her cell
phone. • Give caller Ms. Martin’s cell phone
number, 807-555-2398.
SITUATION 2 Student A
SITUATION 2 Student B
Intro: You are flying to visit your friend Richie
in another city. You are at the airport. There is
an announcement that your flight is going to be
late. • Make the call. Your friend’s roommate
answers the phone. Identify yourself and ask to
speak to Richie. (Use your own name.) • Say
yes to leaving a message. Say that you are at
the airport and your flight is late. You’re going
to arrive at 8:00 p.m., not at 5:00. • Say that
Richie isn’t picking you up. You’re going to take
a taxi to their house. • Say thank you and goodbye.
Intro: Your roommate’s friend is coming for a
visit. The phone rings: Brnnng! Brnnng! •
Answer the phone. Say hello • Say that Richie
isn’t at home. He’s out shopping. Ask if the
friend would like to leave a message. • Repeat
the message to make sure you understand it.
Say that you’ll give Richie the message. Ask “Is
Richie picking you up at the airport?” • Say OK.
Tell the friend to “have a good flight.” • Say
good-bye.
7
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2015. All rights reserved.
Interoffice Memo
Memos (interoffice memorandums) are written messages used by employees within an
organization to communicate with one another.
A standard format (arrangement) for memos:
Memo margins
 Top margin (TM): 2"

Side margins (SM): default or 1"

Bottom margin (BM): about 1"
Memo heading
The memo heading includes:
 Who the memo is being sent to (TO:)

Who the memo is from (FROM:)

The date the memo is being sent (DATE:)

What the memo is about (SUBJECT:)
Use ALL CAPS for all lines of the heading beginning at the left margin, and space as shown
below.
 TO: Tab twice to key name.

FROM: Tab once to key name.

DATE: Tab twice to key date.

SUBJECT: Tab once to key subject in ALL CAPS.
Memo body
The paragraphs of the memo all begin at the left margin and are SS with a DS between
paragraphs. Reference initials. If someone other than the originator of the memo keys it,
his/her initials are keyed in lowercase letters at the left margin, a DS below the body.
Attachment/Enclosure notations
If another document is attached to a memo, the word Attachment is keyed at the left margin a
DS below the reference initials (or below the last line of the body if reference initials are not
used). If a document accompanies the memo but is not attached to it, key the word Enclosure.
8
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2015. All rights reserved.
Email
Email (electronic mail) is used in most business organizations. Because of the ease of creating
and the speed of sending, email messages have partially replaced the memo and the letter.
Generally, delivery of an email message takes place within seconds, whether the receiver is in
the same building or in a location anywhere in the world. An email message is illustrated on p.
58.. The format used for the email heading may vary slightly, depending on the program used
for creating email.
The heading generally includes who the email is being sent to (To:), what the email is about
(Subject:), and who copies of the email are being sent to (Cc:). The name of the person sending
the e-mail and the date the email is sent are automatically included by the software. If you
don’t want the person receiving the e-mail to know that you are sending a copy of the email to
another person, the Bcc: feature can be used.
Email body
The paragraphs of an email message all begin at the left margin and are SS with a DS between
paragraphs.
Email attachments
Attachments can be included with your email by using the attachment feature of the software.
Common types of attachments include word processing, database, and spreadsheet files.
9
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2015. All rights reserved.
Instructions:
1. Key the following memo with the proper spacing and indentations for each section.
Memo
To: (Student name), Administrative Assistant; From: (Teacher’s name), President; Date: (Today’s
date); Subject: Business trip to (City)
Please make arrangements for my upcoming business trip on March 24 until March 27. I have an
early morning meeting with Mr. Jerry Jemison, President of Dunbar Corporation on March 25.
The meeting is at 8:00 a.m. at the Dunbar Corporation headquarters in (city). I would like to fly,
first class, in the evening before the meeting but I can’t leave the office until 11 a.m. I would
prefer a nonstop flight, if possible, without a great deal of extra cost.
The meeting should last about 3 hours. After the meeting I would like to do something fun that
involves seeing the different sights of the city. I will be dining with Adam Stanson and Jennifer
Adams, Vice Presidents at 7:30 p.m. One of them will pick me up for dinner.
I would like to fly back to (city) on March 27, which means I will have a full day to enjoy the
sights and sounds. Please prepare a trip itinerary for my review as soon as possible. Please also
include a budget for the trip to show estimated costs.
2. Using the Internet, the student will plan a business trip for his/her supervisor. After
typing the above memo from the supervisor explaining the details of the business trip,
your job is to coordinate the travel by planning the transportation, accommodations,
and one activity.
3. Be sure to include actual flight numbers, times and prices, accommodation names,
locations and prices, and types of activities and costs. Students should prepare an
itinerary for their supervisor, which includes a budget showing the cost of each item of
the trip.
10
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2015. All rights reserved.
Setting Up a Meeting
Instructions: You are starting a new project and would like to conduct a meeting with team
members to introduce the new project idea. Below is a copy of the agenda for your first
meeting.
Agenda
Date: (Tomorrow’s date)
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Location: Small conference room
1. Presentation: Background to the project, aims, scope
2. Questions and answers
3. Brainstorming: ideas for the launch event
4. Action points
5. Schedule for next month’s meeting
11
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2015. All rights reserved.
Instructions:
1. In pairs, plan a large meeting involving people from several departments. First, decide
what your meeting will be about. You can use the below ideas to help:
 Introduction of a new project
 The role of your organization
 Who are you going to invite and why do you need them there
2. When you have a strong idea about the purpose of your meeting, write one or two
memos or emails to set up the meeting and invite participants.
3. Create an agenda for the meeting.
4. In groups of four, each of you will spend about five minutes managing the meeting you
planned.
a. Explain the background to your meeting to the other people in you group.
b. Get the meeting started and try to manage the problems that arise.
c. Other students in the group will make sure there are a few, minor problems,
such as:
i. Questions that are not on topic
ii. Interruptions before somebody has finished an important point
iii. Participants who don’t what to get involved
iv. Too many ideas at the same time
(**However, don’t make it too difficult for the one in charge.**)
12
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2015. All rights reserved.
Scheduling Your Life
You are a stay-at-home parent with two busy kids. You are to create and maintain the family
calendar for the month. Use the attached blank calendar for this. (Students can also an online
calendar format for this activity.)
1)
2)
3)
Take List #1 and fill in the month’s appointments from the master list. YOU will fill in
your local addresses for some of the appointments. Assume both kids attend the
same school.
Then, use the UPDATES page to return to the calendar and make the changes. Draw
a line through, or strikethrough, the old appointment and fill in with updated one.
Keep accurate notes of the appointments that need to be rescheduled or cancelled.
Coordinate travel arrangements by using the TRAVEL form to fill out all the
information for the UPDATES IN BOLD ONLY. Be sure to include time you had to
leave, driving time (estimated on the map), etc. For example, from school to
doctor’s office or from church back to soccer field.
List #1
WEEKLY APPOINTMENTS
JACK
Soccer M-W-Th. 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.
*use local rec center address
Tutoring 6:45 a.m. Tuesday only
*use local address
Drama Club pick up 4:30 p.m. Friday only
JILL
Piano 4:00 – 4:30 p.m. Tuesday only
Gymnastics M-W-Th. 4:30 – 6:00 p.m.
Art Club drop off T & Th. 7:00 a.m.
*use local address for this
Wednesday nights Church Choir 7:30 – 8:30 p.m.
*use local address
School Art Show on the 2nd Friday night 5:45 – 7:30 p.m. come and go
Drama Performance on the 3rd Friday 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.
13
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2015. All rights reserved.
Updates
Soccer time changed for remainder of month to 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Soccer cancelled the second week of the month due to rain
Jill got sick on the 7th and had to leave school at 9:45 on the second Tuesday of the month
to go to the doctor. *use a local doctor address and be sure to fill out a TRAVEL FORM for
this change.
Drama Performance rescheduled to last Friday of the month, same time.
Art Club meeting added before school on the 3rd Monday of the month.
All gymnasts have to go do a local sporting goods store and purchase grips by the end of
the 3rd week. You can schedule it in any Tuesday after piano.
14
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2015. All rights reserved.
Travel Form
DATE OF CHANGE:
________________________________________
WHAT SOMETHING ADDED: ____________________________________
ADDRESS:
MILES FROM ONE LOCATION TO NEXT: _________________________ (ONE WAY)
TIME IT WILL TAKE TO GET THERE: __________________________
15
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2015. All rights reserved.
16
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2015. All rights reserved.