Page 141 - DENG401_Advance Communication Skills

Advanced Communication Skills

Notes Introduction

In business communication, it is essential for the business executives in mastering the various
skills of communication. There are four communication skills—writing, speaking, reading and
listening. Each skill has its own significance, however, for complete efficiency one is required to
be efficient in all. Each one of us spends a lot of time on reading. We began our day by reading
the newspapers. During the day, we read our e-mails, letters and other books and magazines.
We also read banners and advertisements on the boards. The success of any business organization
depends upon the ability of its executives to read and understand the material given in office
manuals, newspapers, magazines, books, journals, letters, reports, business reports, etc., quickly
and adequately.

7.1 What is Reading?

Reading is a dynamic process in which the reader interacts with the text to construct meaning.
Inherent in constructing meaning is the reader’s ability to activate prior knowledge, use reading
strategies and adapt to the reading situation.
This definition of reading as a dynamic, interactive process means that, a good reader is no
longer defined as one who demonstrates mastery of a series of isolated skills, but rather as a
person who can apply reading strategies independently and flexibly. Valid reading assessments
therefore evaluate students’ ability to apply their knowledge, skills and strategies to reading
situations that are representative of those they encounter in their daily lives.

7.2 Reading Objectives

Readers think and use text differently depending on the types of text and their purpose for
reading. Three purposes for reading can be described as follows:

7.2.1 Reading for Literary Experience

1. It involves reading novels, short stories, poems, plays and essays.

2. It requires exploration of the human condition and the interplay among events, emotions
and possibilities.
3. It requires knowing what and how an author might write in a specific genre and forming
expectations of how the text will be organized.
4. It involves looking for how the author explores or uncovers experiences.
5. It requires engaging in vicarious experiences through the text.

7.2.2 Reading for Information

1. It involves reading articles in magazines and newspapers, chapters in textbooks, entries of
business, encyclopedias and catalogs, entire books on particular topics.
2. It requires awareness of the features found in this type of prose such as charts, footnotes,
diagrams, subheadings and tables.
3. It requires obtaining general information (e.g., scanning a magazine article or obtaining
information for a research project).

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