Roll for role-play
IT PAYS to be part of group activities, particularly when it comes to soft skills. This is where the strength of "role-play" conversation as an effective communication tool lies.
The scope for using this technique is unlimited. Team up with a handful of friends or classmates. Start playing imaginary roles. Call it impersonation, role-play or any other, you stand to score mutual gain.
You can pick up any topic that relates to interactions that we might have with different set of people in daily life. For example, put before yourselves the situation of a person who receives flowers other than he has actually ordered for. This is enacted by staff at ICFAI English laboratory in Vijayawada for demonstrating communication skills to learners.
Let's say one Gopal calls up the florist. His friend Kumar, playing receptionist, promptly receives the phone.
Kumar: This is the florist. How can I help you, sir?
Gopal: My name is Gopal. Can you check up and let me know what I ordered for and what your people actually delivered?
Kumar: Hold on, Sir. I will check up with my colleagues.
Kumar asks another friend, Kamal, who plays storekeeper, about details of the transaction.
Kamal: Mr. Kumar, there is a mistake at delivery point. The bouquets we delivered to Mr. Gopal were not the ones he ordered for.
Kumar: May I know how did it happen? Who was responsible for it?
Kamal: I have no idea, Mr. Kumar. I was not present on the day when Mr. Gopal placed the order. I think it was the work of either Kalyan or Govind.
Kumar: Would you please ask them to talk to me immediately.
Kamal: They are not available right now. They have gone out to deliver bouquets to customers. It may take quite some time for them to return.
Kumar: Thank you, Kamal. (Kumar picks up the phone again)
Kumar (to Gopal): Mr. Gopal, you received a wrong set of bouquets. We regret the inconvenience and apologise for the same. Give me sometime. I will talk to my manager and see how best we can compensate for this.
Gopal: I cannot use the bouquets delivered to me. I want to know what should I do with them as of now. You talk to my wife how your boy casually handed over the cover and went away without checking it.
Like this, the conversation can go on and on. It fires your imagination. A good way to enhance your mental agility and ability to give proper responses in official telephonic conversations.
Experts in teaching communication skills have found this highly useful in increasing confidence levels in learners.
You can practise on a variety of situations. Calling up a telephone exchange to know the status of your complaint. Informing the police about robbers moving in your vicinity. The list is endless.
By G. Ravikiran
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Education Plus
Karnataka
Chennai
Coimbatore
Hyderabad
Madurai
Tiruchirapalli
Vijayawada
Visakhapatnam
