Course Details
Speak for Yourself: Conversation Skills for the Kiwi workplace
7 Aug 2012
Professional Development
Presentation / Public Speaking
The University of Auckland
Room 332, Level 3, Building 810, 1-11 Short Street, Auckland Central
Two Half Days
9am-12pm
9am-12pm
$695.00
Includes morning tea
Includes morning tea
Good verbal communication at work is essential for productive and happy team work.
In this course we will look at the workplace as a context for international communication: what’s really going on when we chat about the weather? The course is full of practical tips on how to speak up, give your opinion, disagree, interrupt, and encourage others to speak – while still managing to sound friendly and polite. We will study ways of getting your message across without being too direct, and of softening requests and refusals. Finally, we will look at what you need to understand about the strange world of Kiwi slang.
Course outline
Understanding verbal and non-verbal communication across cultures: why do we find it so hard to understand each other? Becoming aware of different body language rules and speaking styles.
1. Taking part in discussions and meetings. How to speak up, give your opinion, disagree, interrupt, and encourage others to speak. Managing difficult interactions
2. How to get your message across without being too direct. Politeness and softening of requests and refusals
3. The importance of small talk: how we form and maintain relationships at work. What we talk about and how we talk about it. Analysing typical interactions and identifying suitable topics
4. Kiwi slang: what on earth does it mean? Should we use it?
Learning outcomes
During this course you will learn to:
contribute to meetings and discussions
identify strategies for managing difficult situations and communication styles
understand how the Kiwi workplace contrasts to your own
understand the importance of 'small talk'; use a 'phrase bank' to participate in conversations.
Who should attend?
Expertly designed this course is for speakers of other languages (ESOL students) at an advanced level who need professional telephone skills for the Kiwi workplace.
In this course we will look at the workplace as a context for international communication: what’s really going on when we chat about the weather? The course is full of practical tips on how to speak up, give your opinion, disagree, interrupt, and encourage others to speak – while still managing to sound friendly and polite. We will study ways of getting your message across without being too direct, and of softening requests and refusals. Finally, we will look at what you need to understand about the strange world of Kiwi slang.
Course outline
Understanding verbal and non-verbal communication across cultures: why do we find it so hard to understand each other? Becoming aware of different body language rules and speaking styles.
1. Taking part in discussions and meetings. How to speak up, give your opinion, disagree, interrupt, and encourage others to speak. Managing difficult interactions
2. How to get your message across without being too direct. Politeness and softening of requests and refusals
3. The importance of small talk: how we form and maintain relationships at work. What we talk about and how we talk about it. Analysing typical interactions and identifying suitable topics
4. Kiwi slang: what on earth does it mean? Should we use it?
Learning outcomes
During this course you will learn to:
contribute to meetings and discussions
identify strategies for managing difficult situations and communication styles
understand how the Kiwi workplace contrasts to your own
understand the importance of 'small talk'; use a 'phrase bank' to participate in conversations.
Who should attend?
Expertly designed this course is for speakers of other languages (ESOL students) at an advanced level who need professional telephone skills for the Kiwi workplace.
Rosemary Hepozden
Rosemary Hepozden has been teaching English as a Second Language since 1991. She taught adults in language schools, universities and businesses overseas -- in England, Italy, and Turkey -- before returning to Auckland where she was Director of Studies at a private language school for five years. For the last ten years, Rosemary has provided various writing and ESOL courses through the University of Auckland's Centre for Continuing Education. She loves good language and clear communication, and has a continuing passion for helping students of English understand,
enjoy and excel in the Kiwi workplace.
Rosemary Hepozden has been teaching English as a Second Language since 1991. She taught adults in language schools, universities and businesses overseas -- in England, Italy, and Turkey -- before returning to Auckland where she was Director of Studies at a private language school for five years. For the last ten years, Rosemary has provided various writing and ESOL courses through the University of Auckland's Centre for Continuing Education. She loves good language and clear communication, and has a continuing passion for helping students of English understand,
enjoy and excel in the Kiwi workplace.