Oral Communication Skills

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How Oral Communication Skills connects to...

Communicating effectively requires the ability to to convey thoughts and goals and understand information presented by others. These skills allow adults to communicate with a variety of people, including within academic, workplace, personal, and peer contexts. Ineffective communication skills can cause frustration as misunderstandings may lead to conflicts between parties.

Main Ideas

Communication can include exchanges with instructors in classes, peers in collaborative settings, or managers and staff where adults must have the skills to communicate and to use the appropriate level of formality. Oral communication also includes public speaking. There are multiple component skills that contribute to producing and understanding oral communication:

Expressive vocabulary refers to those words individuals are able to use confidently and in the proper context, while receptive vocabulary refers to those words one can understand when heard or seen.
Speech production is the process of converting internal thoughts and ideas into spoken words. Appropriate grammar usage and sentence length are components of speech production that tend to decline in late adulthood. Verbal fluency is a cognitive component of speech production and refers to how well one can retrieve and use language from memory.
Listening comprehension is how well individuals can comprehend spoken language.

Those adults who struggle with Foundational Reading Skills also often struggle with some or all of the above Oral Communication Skills. Adult learners, through interacting with others over time, have likely developed processes for exchanging information, thoughts, and ideas with others. However, adult learners may still need additional support to develop advanced Vocabulary, Syntax, and Morphological Knowledge. Many cognitive functions decline over the lifespan which may in turn cause difficulty with Oral Communication Skills as one ages.

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Research-Based Strategies For This Factor

Accessible Vocabulary & Syntax

Using language that is accessible and appropriately leveled for each student allows all learners to feel successful and participate in learning.

Audiobooks

Audiobooks allow learners to hear fluent reading and experience books in a flexible format.

Authentic Audiences & Purposes

When adults can connect and communicate with authentic audiences about their interests and values, learning becomes more personally meaningful and relevant.

Case Studies/Case-based Learning

Case studies support authentic, active learning experiences centered around real world situations that present an account of a particular set of circumstances for learners to engage with.

Cultural & Life Experiences Connections

Understanding adults' lived experiences and cultural backgrounds and connecting them to instructional practices helps all learners feel like valued members of the community.

Direct Instruction: Vocabulary

Seeing and using new words repeatedly and across contexts is critical for vocabulary acquisition.

Expanding Social Networks

Networking and supporting adult learners in expanding social networks provide access to additional resources and Social Supports, which can impact their trajectory and Motivation.

Experiential Learning

Experiential learning is learning by doing, which may include self-directed learning activities.

Foster Growth Mindset

When adults are aware that learning involves effort, mistakes, reflection, and refinement of strategies, they are more resilient when they struggle.

Graphic Organizers

Visualizing how ideas fit together helps learners construct meaning and strengthens their recall.

Guided Practice

Opportunities for students to practice skills in context, with instructor support and also independently, helps to move concepts and ideas into Long-term Memory.

Metaphors & Analogies

Metaphors and analogies can support learners by helping to form connections and to notice patterns and similarities that promote learning, self-concept, and higher order thinking.

Multimedia Projects

For adults, the Composition process can become more robust when learners can express ideas through multiple media, which includes visual, audio, and digital production.

Multimodal Instruction

Instruction and training presented in multiple formats allows learners to activate different cognitive skills and Background Knowledge that are necessary to remember procedural and content information.

Peer Discussion

Learning in social contexts has been shown to have significant effects on comprehension of material and retention of new information into Long-term Memory.

Perspective Taking/Multiple Perspectives

Understanding that different individuals may experience and view the same event differently is a higher level cognitive skill that develops in adolescence and throughout adulthood.

Physical Activity

Making space and time for physical activity, through brief movement breaks in the classroom or workplace and incorporating it into daily life, has benefits for the body and mind.

Problem-based Learning

Problem-based learning (PBL) is a learner-centered multidisciplinary approach focused on real world applications using active learning methods.

Purposeful Reflection

Reflection can take place throughout learning, supporting critical thinking and Problem Solving skills when learners actively question assumptions, and after learning experiences to support Metacognition.

Quiet Learning Spaces

Creating a quiet space free of distractions is critical for adults to be able to focus on learning.

Self-monitoring

When adults monitor their comprehension, performance, and use of strategies when learning they become more invested in their work, build their Metacognition, and actively participate in the process.

Text Chats

Bringing learners' everyday literacy practices such as text chats into instruction provides regular, low-stakes practice communicating with authentic audiences.

Adult Learner

Oral Communication Skills

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