Sustainable Module in Learning English:

A CONTEXTUALIZED MODULE IN ENHANCING THE ORAL

COMMUNICATION SKILLS OF GRADE ELEVEN ICT STUDENTS OF
SANTO DOMINGO INTEGRATED HIGH SCHOOL

Communicating Effectively
In
English

Teaching the Future Call Center Agents Part I

Ofelia S. Franco
Author
 Table of Contents
Lesson 1 Communication Pathways…………………………………………….1-3
1.1 verbal
1.2 non-verbal
1.3 written
1.4 email and other electronic methods

Lesson 2 Explaining the Nature of Communication…………………………4-16

2.1 Process of Communication
2.2 Elements of Communication
2.3 Functions of Communication
2.4 Types of Communicative Strategies
2.5 The Models of Communication

Lesson 3 Oral Skills…...…………………………………………………………17-27

1.5 Phonemes (IPA Vowels)
1.6 Say it the Right Way

Lesson 4 Customer Service Representative Basics……………………….28-34

4.1 Watch Learn and Act

4.2 Tips in Developing Oral Communication Skills

 PREFACE
Teaching ICT Contact Center Servicing for the High School Students is one of the
difficult tasks that a TVL Teacher could encounter. It was a great opportunity that we, at
Sto. Domingo Integrated High School Pioneered the K-12 track of ICT CCS or Contact
Center Services. This course gave me a chance to formulate our own training module
that will best fit the types of learners that we have.

This module was designed with arranged topics and exciting individual and group
activities before and every after the lessons. The learning approach used in this module
is the 4A’s or activity, analysis, abstraction and application. The topics are in line with
the K-12 Basic Education Curriculum under the Technical Vocational Livelihood Track
of ICT Contact Center Services (NCII) and Oral Communication as prescribed by
DepEd.

This training module gives focus on the enhancement of the students’ oral
communication skills. It also aims to serve as an effective learning material for the
development of the spoken communication skills in English.

We are fortunate to be able to speak and listen, to be able to express thoughts

and opinions and to be able to relate to others.

Effective communication is a gift! We should appreciate and nurture it!

The Author
 Introduction
It was 1992 when the BPO industries started here in the Philippines. The
company of Sykes Enterprise, Inc. came in 1997 then followed by many more call
center companies. On the other hand, the offshore call center industry came in 1999
during the time when cyber city set up an outsourcing facility in the former USAF base
in Clark then it has been followed by other firms such as e- Telecare, People Support,
EPLDT/Ventus, Convergys Corporation, Tele Tech Holdings, Inc., Cyber City
Teleservices, Sitel/Client Logic, etc.

The agents at this call centers handle inbound or outbound traffic via telephone
and other available channels. Today, the Philippines is considered as an important
offshore player.

ICT Grade 11 students while doing their classroom activity.

This is why ICT Contact Center Servicing Track is one of the most promising
courses that will help the students in creating a great career in Call Centers in the near
future! These and many more are the reasons WHY we need to strengthen the
students’ English speaking skills through a contextualized module S.M.I.L.E. or
Sustainable Module in Learning English. The title of this module is
Communicating Effectively in English which aims to develop the oral
communication skills of the students and make them ready for their future career in
BPO.
Lesson 1 Communication Pathways
Group Activity

The Blindfold Game

In this activity, blindfolded participants must rely on their partners to navigate an

“assault course” successfully.

Instructions:

1. Scatter furniture and objects around the room before the activity begins.
Your course should be challenging, but still safe to navigate around.
2. Put team members in to pair and ask them to stand at one end of the
room.
3. One person on each pair should be put on the blindfold.
4. The sighted people must guide their partners across the room and give
instructions to help them avoid the obstacles.
5. When each team reaches the other side of the room, partners should
switch roles and then repeat the exercise.

Analysis

Talk with your group after the exercise. Consider this question:

How did participants have to communicate differently to guide their partners?

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

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Abstraction

Verbal communication

This may occur in phone or in person. In this type of communication, the message is transmitted
verbally.

Remember:

K-keep

I-It

S-short

S-simple

For Example

A. I understand that you lost the receipt but we have to follow the standard procedure
regarding the return of items without receipt.

B. I understand your concern. However, we have procedures to follow regarding the matter.

Oral communication occurs in telephone calls. Call handling skills are the skills that you have
to possess to be part of the Contact Center Service industry.

Written communication is also a common form of communication. These are printed

messages such as memos, proposals, training manuals, company policies, and letters. Written
communication is asynchronous, which means that it occurs at different times.

Nonverbal Communication

Nonverbal communication between people is communication through sending and

receiving wordless clues.

It includes the use of visual cues such as body language (kinesics), distance
(proxemics) and physical environments/appearance of voice (paralanguage) and of
touch (haptics). It can also include chronemics (the use of time) and oculesics (eye
contact and the actions of looking while talking and listening, frequency of glances,
patterns of fixation, pupil dilation, and blink rate).

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Ways to Communicate Advantage Disadvantage

Oral communication ·Brings quick feedback Speaker is usually unable

to process the message
before speaking

Written communication Messages can be edited Does not bring instant

before sending feedback

Can be saved for later Takes time to prepare and

study requires writing ability

Electronic Disregards the aspect of Relies on good internet

communication distance connection

Below are helpful tips for you to consider in establishing good communication among
your customers or anybody else in your place.

You must be:

Alert Pleasant Polite friendly Fair

Thoughtful Cooperative Humble tolerant Considerate

Loyal Sensitive Honest flexible and with self-control

adaptable

Application: Conduct small group forums and discuss the different ways to
communicate, present the output in the class.

Task: Modified True or False

Directions: Read the following statements about communication. Tell whether the
statement is true or false. Write TRUE on the blank if the statement is correct. Rewrite
the statement to correct it if FALSE.
_________1. The fastest way to get a response is through oral communication.

_________2. Written communication is synchronous.

_________3. Written communication brings quick feedback.

_________4. The electronic type of communication doesn’t need good internet

connection

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Lesson 2 Explaining the Nature of Communication
Group Activity Mirror, Mirror

Instructions:

1. Get into pairs

2. One person will be looking in the mirror while the other person will
be the reflection.
3. Plan the pantomime step-by-step, down to the smallest detail.
4. Movement must be slow, precise and exactly together.
5. No talking, props, costumes or sound effects.
6. Practice several times for synchronization.
7. Time limit is one to two limits.

Analysis

Talk with your group after the exercise. Consider this question:

How did the team able to survive the given challenge? What are the strategies you
considered in communicating with one another to make the action synchronized?

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Abstraction

Process of communication

Communication is reciprocal in nature. It is a dynamic, ongoing, non-static activity and

a two-way process.

Here are the elements of a communication process:

1. SENDER - this represents the source, the speaker or the person who creates,
encodes and transmits the message.

2. MESSAGE - this refers to the ideas, feelings, perceptions, values, beliefs or opinions
conveyed by the speaker to the receiver. Messages can be transmitted by verbal or
non-verbal process.
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3. CHANNEL - this serves as the vehicle or medium used in transmitting the messages,
or ideas.

a. Written Media - this includes memos, letters, reports, bulletin boards, handbooks,
newsletters, and the like.

b. Verbal Media - this includes face-to-face conversation, telephone, mobile, phone,

computer, television, radio, tape-recorded messages, emails, slide shows and many
more.

c. Non-verbal - this refers to simple gestures, facial expressions, body position and
clothing that can transmit an idea and message to the receiver.

4. NOISE or BARRIERS - this pertains to something that can distort the sending and
receiving of the messages. There are so many factors that can block effective
communication process:

a. Physical Barrier - refers to conspicuous disruptions in the environment that make it

difficult to hear or listen. This includes the environmental noise, or background noise.

b. Psychological Barrier - refers to emotions, mood, knowledge, or the mechanism

within the speaker that can impede the speaker's or receiver's ability to express and to
understand the message clearly.

c. Semantic Barriers - refers to the ability of the receiver to understand the meaning of
the words. It is very important to use appropriate words and phrases that the receiver
will surely understand.

d. Psychosocial Barrier - this is related to the receiver's background , perception,

values, biases, needs and expectations.

Here are the few areas that may affect communication:

a. Sincerity - It is the foundation of all communication. Without sincerity and honesty, all
attempts of communication will surely fail.

b. Empathy - It is your ability to put oneself into some one's shoes. If you can see the
world through the eyes of others, you will surely be a good conversationalist.

c. Self-perception - how we see ourselves affects our ability to communicate

effectively.

d. Role Perception - It is very important for us to know our role as a person.

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This will guide us when to communicate, whom to communicate with, and what to
communicate.

e. Listening ability - you will not fail to understand the message of the sender when
you know how to listen attentively.

5. RECEIVER - is the individual or individuals to whom the message is directed. The

receiver will understand the message depending on his/her experiences, attitudes,
knowledge, skills, perceptions, and culture.

6. FEEDBACK/RESPONSE - is considered as the key component in the

communication process. It allows the sender to evaluate and to respond to the
message, whether the feedback is positive or negative.

7. CONTEXT – is the circumstances surrounding a message. The circumstances

might include the setting, the value position of the people and appropriateness of a
message.

APPLICATION

1. Think-Pair-share. Cite situations and examples of NOISE and BARRIERS inside the
classroom.
Physical Noise Psychological

2. What would be the appropriate FEEDBACK on the following situations:

a. While you were inside the jeep, you saw pickpocket burglar trying to slash the bag of
a woman beside you.

______________________________________________________________________

b. While watching the television, you learn about suspension of classes due to heavy
rain.

______________________________________________________________________

6
 Functions of Communication
Group Activity My Television Show

Think of an idea for a TV show, and write the details on a paper. Once most of you have
finished filling in the sheet of paper, form groups of four, take turns describing their TV
show, and finally choose which idea is the best.

Conclude the activity with some feedback, such as asking people which of TV shows
that they heard about sounded the most interesting (note that unlike simply asking
people what their show was about, this question requires that they actually listened to
their group members!)

My Television Show

Type:
Title:

Why this is a good show?

Abstraction

Communication is vital to every human being. People communicate for several reasons:
regulation and control, social interaction, motivation, emotional expression and
information.

1. Regulation/Control

Regulation/control as a function of communication means a person is able to use

language, behavior emotion and gesture to manage individual or a group in an activity.
A parent not allowing his/her daughter to attend a party and finish her homework would
follow and do her homework.

This is also observed during holy mass in school, students are under strict order not to
create noise or inappropriate behavior that may show disrespect to the occasion.
Communication acts to control member's behavior in several ways.

7
In all organizations there are authority hierarchies and formal guidelines that employees
are required to follow. When employees, for instance are required to first communicate
any job related grievance to their immediate boss, to follow their job description, or to
comply with company policies, communication is performing a control function.

2. Social Interaction

People do not only talk because they enjoy, like, or love talking. They are involved in
conversation to blend in a particular group where they belong. They relate experiences,
behavior, decisions, and opinions as a foundation for them to create and sustain
relationships. In doing so, communication acts as social interaction. This function of
communications allows people to be connected. A newcomer in a group can create
relationship through taking opportunities for interaction. However, for people you barely
know such as acquaintances, co-workers, employers and online strangers, we tend to
be careful disclosing so much of our personal life. You will likely express yourself
differently since there is no familiarity and intimacy towards these people.

One has to keep in mind the following practices of a successful conversation:

 Do not monopolize the conversation. Give equal opportunity for both parties to
say something.
 Be emphatic. Show interest with the subject of conversation.
 Be aware, interested, and willing to accept the message
 Listen attentively
 Understand the value of the message

3. Motivation

Think of the reason why would you still go to school and do all activities prompt in the
lessons. What makes you strive in finishing your studies? Who or what keeps you
motivated? Communication fosters motivation by clarifying to someone what is to be
done, how well he/she is doing and what can be done to improve performance if it's
subpar. The formation of specific goals, feedback on progress toward the goals, and
reinforcement of desired behavior all stimulate motivation and require communication.

4. Emotional Expression

Our emotions are communicated to others with verbal and nonverbal language like
facial expressions, body gestures or postures. Some expressions of emotion have an
automatic effect on others.
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When there is a difference in what a person communicates nonverbally versus verbally,
the other person will usually respond to the nonverbal expression. The emotional
expression is fundamental to show one's frustration and feelings of satisfaction. Once
you know how you feel, you then consider how you will express your emotion.
Communication provides release for the emotional expression of feelings and for
fulfillment of social needs.

5. Information

Information exchange is considered to be the most basic function of communication.

Information is necessary for the individual to have a harmonious relationship with their
environment. It is important to have facts or needed information to come up with a
solution to a problem or making decisions by transmitting the data to identify and
evaluate alternative choices.

Application
A. Answer the following through small group discussions and present the output in the
class.

1. Think of other instances when regulation and control are manifested.

2. Describe the following in the context of communication:
 Regulation/control
 Social Interaction
 Motivation
 Information

B. Group yourselves according to the given preferences. Individually discuss the

reason(s) for being in the group. Consolidate the answers and make a best
description of the group.
 K-Pop
 JaDine
 Romantic Movies
 Beach
 Manga(book)
 Extreme sports
 Blogging
 AlDub
 Sci-Fi stories
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 Types of Communicative Strategy

Activity Blindfold Drawing Game

Instructions:
1. There will be two partners as representatives of group 1 and 2.
2. The one with the blindfold will be holding a chalk and face the black board.
3. The one without the blindfold will assist his partner in drawing by providing verbal
instructions.
4. The group with the best drawing of a “cat” will win the game.

Analysis
Based on the conducted game give your reflections in accordance to the following
questions:

1. How did your group behave in the game?

______________________________________________________________

2. How did you feel while doing the game?

_______________________________________________________________
3. What strategies did you plan to achieve the group’s goal towards the game?
_______________________________________________________________
4. Did your strategies work well? Why or why not?
_______________________________________________________________

Abstraction

Communicative competence is defined as the cluster of abilities that enable humans to

convey and interpret message and to negotiate meanings personally within specific
contexts.

Theories related to communication

Noah Chomsky (1957) He stressed that the person’s ability to understand and to
produce the language solely determine linguistic competence of the person in a
particular language. He also proposed the two concepts of communication, the
language forms (competence) and language use (performance).

10
Hymes (1970) He made a research on communicative competence then distinguished
between linguistic and communicative competence in order to highlight the difference
between knowledge “about” the language and how to communicate using the target
language.

Canale and Swain (1980)

They classified the communicative competence into four sub- categories.

1. Grammatical Competence - this refers to the competence of the person in syntax

and morphology.

2. Discourse Competence - this refers to the proper use of the words (cobesion) and
the appropriate combination of communicative function (coherence).

3. Sociolinguistic Competence - this refers to the ability of the person to use

appropriate words in a particular social situation.

4. Strategic Competence - it is when the person has the ability to make repairs, to
cope with imperfect knowledge and to sustain communication through a variety of
methods.

Definitions of Communicative Strategy

1. CSs are strategies that a speaker used to solve the communication problem, which
are caused by the lack of appropriate forms in the mental-lexical. The speaker
compensates either by going to conceptual stage or by trying out alternative linguistic
formulations.

Poulisse (1989)

2. CS is a systematic attempt by the learner to express meaning by a target language in

which the suitable systematic target language rules have not been formed.
Cohen (2004)

3. CS are the techniques of dealing with difficulties in communicating in an imperfectly

known second or foreign language.

Stern (1983)

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5. CS is a systematic technique employed by a speaker to express his own idea when
faced with some difficulties.
Corder (1978)

Overall, the communicative strategies give us a systematic technique in sharing and

transmitting ideas or information effectively.

Types of Communicative Strategies

1. Nomination - What makes a person a credible and reliable speaker and/or writer?
Is it necessary for you to only have a good facility of a language or having diction of
pronunciation? When you share ideas or information, always make sure that you are
able discuss a particular topic clearly, extemporaneously and truthfully.
2. Turn-Taking – There is also a moment that you want to intervene in the discussion.
3. Topic-Control - To be a good conversationalist, you should always learn how to ask
question.
4. Topic-Shifting - We enjoy talking and sharing ideas from one topic to another.
5. Repair - Misunderstanding occurs when there is communication breakdown. In order
to avoid this, it is important to send comprehensive details and information regarding the
topic.
6. Termination - There are different ways of closing the dialogue. You can say it in a
nice way, or you can use signal to end the conversation.

Application

Write a journal and reflect on the given task.

Think of a person who is a best motivation for you to strive harder. Recall the motivating
line he/she gave you. Discuss briefly its impact in your current situation in life.

____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

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 The Models of Communication
Group Activity Pass the Message

The students will form 2 groups. They will make a straight line with a leader in front
and a secretary at the end of the line.

Instructions:

1. The leaders per group will go outside the classroom to listen to the teacher’s
instructions.
2. The teacher will dictate a complete sentence to the leaders to pass on to another
group member by whispering.
3. The first group member whom the message will be sent by the leader will be the
next to transfer the given message to another group member.
4. The message will be passed continuously until the last member of the group
received it.
5. The secretary as the last in line will be the one to write the received message on
the board.

The group with the most correct words to pass will win the game.

Analysis

1. What did you feel while doing the game?

___________________________________________________________________
2. What are the barriers of communication that you encountered during the game?

___________________________________________________________________

3. What are the elements of communication that you encountered during the game?

___________________________________________________________________

4. How did your group survive the challenge of the game? Explain

___________________________________________________________________

13
Abstraction

The best way to understand communication is to see it graphically. Many authors and
researchers have come up with their own models based on what they want to
emphasize as being an important component of communication.

The following are the four models of communication:

a. The first and earliest model is that of Aristotle (5BC), who was a teacher of
Rhetoric and even put up an academy to produce good speakers. The following is
a representation of his model:

(Message) (Listener)
SPEAKER
SPEECH AUDIENCE

ARISTOTLE’S MODEL OF COMMUNICATION

Although Aristotle focused in the Speaker and the Message, the most important
part in his model is the Setting where the Listener is situated. It is the Setting that
dictates the Message. The three settings in Aristotle’s time were legal, deliberative
and ceremonial. The Legal setting meant the courts where ordinary people defended
themselves (there were no lawyers then). The Deliberative Setting meant the political
assemblies, the highest of which was the Roman Senate. The Ceremonial Setting
meant the celebrations held when they won a war, when they lost leaders or had a
new one, and when they welcomed a visiting leader from another kingdom or country.
Such occasions called for speeches of welcome, poems of tribute or of eulogies, and
poems of lament.

b. The second model is that of Claude Shannon and Warren Weaver (1948) which
gave us the concept of “noise”. This is often called the Telephone Model
because it is based on the experience of having the message interfered with by
“noise” from the telephone switchboard back in the 1940s.
In this model, Shannon and Weaver assert that the Message sent by the Source
(Speaker) is not necessarily the Message received by the Destination (Listener). This
is due to the intervention of “noise” or anything that hampers the communication. Even
today, with our advanced cellphone technology, there are still barriers to clear
transmission and reception of calls. Dropped calls, calls that echo, faint signals, all
interfere with the communication of the message.

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 SHANNON-WEAVER’S MODEL OF COMMUNICATION

c. The third model is that of Wilbur Schramm, who is considered the Father of Mass
Communication. He came up with five models, but the Schramm Model (1955) was
concerned with the concept that explains why communication breakdown occurs.
Schramm asserts that communication can take place if and only if there is an
overlap between the Field of Experience of the Speaker and the Field of
Experience of the Listener.

SCHRAMM’S MODEL OF COMMUNICATION

What is the Field of Experience? It is everything that makes a person unique, everything
he/she has never learned, watched, seen, heard, read and studied. In other words, it is
everything a person has ever experienced or not experience, done or not done. In fact,
this is practically everything that has happened in his/her life. It is this Field of
Experience of the Listener that needs to overlap with the Speaker’s Field of Experience
that is used to interpret the Message and create a Response.

15
It is also this Field of Experience of the Listeners that needs to overlap with the
Speaker’s Field of Experience, which can only happen when the two fields have
commonalities. For example, the teacher must deliver his/her lecture in English or
Filipino because that is the language that students know and use. If the teacher
suddenly started using Chinese in the lecture, the students will not understand a single
thing! The teacher may perhaps be understood only if he/she was teaching in Chinese
school.

d. The fourth model is that of EUGENE WHITE (1960), who tells us that
communication in circular and continuous, without a beginning or end. This is why
he made a cyclical model. He also points out that although we can assume that
communication begins with thinking, communication can actually be observed from
any point in the circle.

WHITE’S MODEL OF COMMUNICATION

Eugene White contributed the concept of Feedback to the field of

communication. Feedback is the perception by the Speaker about the Response of the
Listener. The Speaker can only receive Feedback if the Speaker is monitoring the
Listener. The Speaker will know what the Listener’s Response is only if he/she is paying
attention.

16
Application

Answer the given questions individually then discuss it within your group.

1. In Eugene White’s model of communication, he introduces the concept of

_________ which is the __________ of the Listener as monitored by the
Speaker.
2. Schramm’s model transforms the Message into the ___________ which is
passed from the Source to the ____________.
3. Aristotle’s model of communication focuses on the Speech or the Message which
is dictated by the ___________.
4. The Telephone model of _____ and ________ talks about the concept of “noise”
which interferes with communication.
5. The best way to understand __________ is to see it ____________.

Lesson 3 Oral Skills

Group Activity Lip Synchronization

Choose a reading selection and study the all the words.

Instructions:

1. Add movement or pantomime action.

2. Exaggerate lip movement.
3. Add facial expressions.
4. Create a strong character.
5. Perform the selection using the exact timing cues.

Analysis

1. How did you feel while doing the activity?

________________________________________________________
2. What particular part of the body is emphasized in the said activity?
________________________________________________________
3. Give your idea on the importance of power of speaking
________________________________________________________

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Abstraction

Phonemes

any of the abstract units of the phonetic system of a language that correspond to
a set of similar speech sounds (such as the velar \k\ of cool and the palatal \k\
of keel) which are perceived to be a single distinctive sound in the language.

Read the given words from the IPA Table.

IPA Key Words Transcriptions

Symbols of Key Words
Front Vowels /i/ BEAT /bit/
/I/ BIT /bIt/
/e/ FATE /fet/
/ Ԑ/ BET / bԐt/
/ ᴂ/ BAT / bᴂt/
Back Vowels /U/ FOOD /fUd/
/u/ PUT /put/
/o/ BOAT /bot/
/ɂ/ DOG /dɂg/
/ α/ BAR /bαr/
Central Vowels / ɝ/ BIRD /bɝd/
/ɝ/ NEVER /nɛvɚ/
/ʌ/ CUT / Kʌt/

Front Vowel /i/ as in beat

The /i/ sound is produced with the high point of your tongue arched toward the roof of
your mouth. The tip of your tongue is behind the lower front teeth while the side rests
against the inner sides of your upper front teeth. In making the sound, the front of your
tongue is raised toward the roof of your mouth. Your upper and lower teeth are slightly
apart as your lips are spread in a slight smile.

The /i/ sound can be spelled in different ways: e represented by be, ea as in eat, eo as
in people, ey as in key, I as in ravine, ie as in chief, ei as in perceive, ee as in see, oe as
in phoenix, and ae as in Caesar.

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Listen to the teacher and read aloud the following words with the /i/ sound
spelled as ee or ea.

Words with the ee spelling

seek sweet teen sheet weep
cheek feet greet steel seems
sleep sheep deep wheel creep
beef sleek reel beef seep

Words with ea spelling

leave peak cream stream leaf

read neat lead meat treat
peas reach gleam weak beam
team creature reason squeal seams

Phrase Drill
mean seaman creep with ease

heed the leader eel seen at the deep

leaping on each seat leading to the creek

Sentence Drill
1. Don’t weep over the lost sheep.
2. Reach for the leaf going down the stream.
3. Fix the room neatly before you leave.
4. It seems the creature’s cry is weak.
5. The child caused the beeping sound by sitting on the car wheel.
6. Exercise by reaching for your feet.
7. Do you eat beef and peas?
8. There was a squeak from the creeping mouse.

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Front Vowel

The front vowel /I/ has a shorter sound compared to the /i/ sound. To form this sound,
your jaw is lower while your lips and tongue are more relaxed. The opening of your
mouth is also slightly bigger. The arch of your tongue is slightly lower.

Word Drill
finger friction spirit villain timid
thing skill gifted ditch mittens

Phrase Drill
trace the maze braided the hair
baking a cake brain drain
tape the famous play weigh the jade
chaotic aliens hate mail

Sentence Drill
1. He told his tale about how the raid failed.
2. You are not of age to date yet.
3. The razor cut gave him pain.
4. At any rate, the space program is a success.
5. After eight weeks, the baby became pale.
6. Give aid to a great program.
7. Do you favor your neighbor?

Front Vowel /Ԑ/ as in set

The vowel/Ԑ/ is a mid-front vowel. To say this sound, your tongue is arched in a
middle high front position. Your mouth opening is bigger and wider while your lips and
tongue are less tense.

Word Drill

element tell fresh

engine session seven

error fresh second

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 Phrase Drill

better to fetch her men to lead instead

heaven by present her friend’s sweater

second schedule rent which is due again

twenty heads that blend eleven dreaded men

Sentence Drill

1. To catch our attention, she told us the legend.

2. Does your schedule include the lecture?
3. May you be blessed as you turn twenty years old.
4. Is this the second time your engine conked out?
5. Don’t reject the record unless you find an error.
6. The men were led to the den.
7. They set his bruised leg on the chair.
8. Don’t wreck those heavy decks of wood.

Application

A. Say each pair of words distinguishing the /Ԑ/ sound from the/I/
sound.
/Ԑ/ /I/
bed bid
pen pin
desk disk
hem him
red rid
fell fill
ten tin
let lit

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 B. Practice saying these tongue twisters

Tongue Twisters
1. Riding to his wedding over the wet roads, Fred raced rapidly in his
little red willis. A white rat ran right under the willis. The already
wilted fred winced, but soon realized that the white rat had really
run between the wide rear tires.
2. Peter Prangle, the prickly, prangly pear picker, picked three pecks
of prickly, prangly pears from the prickly, prangly pear trees on the
pleasant prairies.
3. How many berries could a bare berry carry,
If a bare berry could carry berries
Well they can’t carry berries
(which could make you very wary)
but a bare berry carried is more scary.

Activity Mock Interview

As a future professional, imagine that you are in a job interview in your respective area
of study. How would you manage to communicate properly, carry yourself confidently
and use gestures and/or body language to send positive impression to your interviewer?

Instructions:

1. Divide the class in groups then, choose an interviewer and an interviewee.

2. Do a mock interview and perform it in class you, may use the sample questions
below or design your own.
3. After each presentation, lead a class discussion on the good and bad points of the
interviews as follows.

Sample Questions
1. Tell me something about yourself.
2. What are you strengths?
3. What are your weaknesses?
4. Why do you want to work here/in this company?
5. How could you be an asset to this company?

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Discuss ( after the interview, discuss in class)

1. Was the interviewee prepared? How did you know this?

2. Was the interviewee confident with his answers? How did his manner of talking show
this?
3. Did the interviewee look his best? What does this imply about him?
4. What did his body language say about him? Did it add positive impressions about
him?
5. What is your over-all impression about the interviewee?

REVIEW TIME!
Say It the Right Way Vowels

Say the words several times until you can say them naturally.

/ou/ /au/ /ea/

go plow dare
elope pound swear
nose house fair
sew devout heir
blow sour square

NEXT TOPIC! Say It the Right Way Consonants

/b/
be, beef, beer, beet, bake, base, bail, bait, bane
bid, big, bill, bin, bit bear, best, bend, bell, belt
back, bad, ban, bank, bat bud, buck, butter, burger, but
book, boor, bull, bully, blue, blew, bloom, boon

Say it the Right Way

1. The bitch buys butter and burger

2. She bakes a big butter cake.
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3. They ban a bear in a nook.
4. Let’s have a beef and a beer.
5. It’s best to rest with a book in our nook.
Read the following tongue twisters rapidly while observing the critical vowel
sounds and consonant sounds.
1. A big black bug bit a big black bear,
made the big black bear bleed blood.
2. A bitter biting bittern
bit a better brother bittern,
and the bitter better bittern
bit the bitter biter back.
and the bitter bittern, bitten,
by the better bitter bittern,
said: I’m a bitter biter bit, alack!
SAY IT THE RIGHT WAY

Say the words several times until you can say them naturally.

/l/ /w/ /hw/

leather wed whack

limbo way whale

legend wall whether

lounge weapon whisk

24
SAY IT THE RIGHT WAY

/t/

Tea, team, tear, teen, tease, taste, tale, tame, tape, take, tick, tin, tip, till, tilt, ten, tent,
tell, term, tempt, tab, tan, tap, tackle, trumpet, tumble, touch, tough tool, tooth, took,
tour, tourist, true, thru, truth, Tuesday, truce.

Let’s practice pronunciation.

1. The team will rent a tent for a tour on Tuesday.

2. Let’s try to know the truth for a true truce.
3. Taste the tea and tease the turkey.
4. The tale of a ten fake turkey.

Let’s enjoy tongue twister.

Read the following tongue twisters rapidly while observing the critical vowel sounds and
consonant sound.

1. Twelve twins twirled twelve twigs.

2. Thirteen thieves of Thebes thinned three thickets of thistles.
3. A tooter who tutored the flute
tutored two tooters to toot
said a tooter to the tutor,
“Is it harder to tutor two tooters to toot,
or two tooters to tutor a tutor?”
Just tutor just told him to toot.

SAY IT THE RIGHT WAY

Say the words several times until you can say them naturally.

/ð/ /θ/ /S/ /ʃ/

thin than scram shuttle

thorn those scandal shanty

thank thy soup shrine

theory these sister shore

thumb thus stranded chateau

25
thief there slice chef

theme though symphony chagrin

Soft / th /

thigh author wrath

thaw myths health

thought faithful truth

thwart earthquake birth

Hard / th /

these worthy bathe

then weather breath

though Loathing soothe

thine logarithm teethe

/ sh /

sheen pension leash

chauffeur pressure wish

shriek passion gnash

shrank lotion furnish

/ zh /

measure mirage genre

usual entourage azure

decision barrage derision

26
occasion camouflage illusion

explosion beige erosion

/j/

gem besieged sponge

jail adjourn discharge

jaw merger bridge

jewel major sludge

/r/

rough drench syrup

rude stress awry

wrestle through struggle

wrought trust freeze

wreck draw merit

Let’s practice pronunciation:

1. The rude ruined the romantic scene in Rome.
2. There’s a rooster in the roof of the room.
3. Rub the rough rubber with a red rattan.
4. The rare rat is in the big rock.
5. Respect the report of the rude, rough man.

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Application

Tongue Twister

Read the following tongue twisters rapidly while observing the critical vowel sounds and
consonant sounds.
1. Around the rough and rugged rock the ragged rascals run.
2. Ruby Rugby’s brother bought and brought her back some rubber baby-buggy
bumpers.
3. There was a rustling that seemed like a bustling,
of merry crowds jostling at pitching ad hustling,
small foes were puttering, wooden shoes clattering,
little hands clapping and little tongues chattering,
and, like fowls in a farmyard when barley is scattering
out came the children running.

Lesson 4 Customer Service Representative Basics

Activity

Watch and listen “The Girl Who Silenced the World for Five Minutes”. She was able to
share her observations, give her opinions, and literally silenced the world for five
minutes. Let us watch closely and see how communication makes an effective tool for
several functions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQmz6Rbpni0

28
Here’s a copy of the script for your convenience:

Editor’s note: The following is the transcript of the speech that Severn Suzuki gave to
the Plenary Session at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio Centro, Brazil. Severn was twelve
years old. SASS feels there’s no better example of a young person standing up and
speaking on behalf of something, in which they truly believe, for the betterment of
themselves and the world around them.

. Hello,I’m Severn Suzuki speaking for E.C.O.- The Environmental Children’s

Organization. We are a group of twelve and thirteen-year-olds from Canada trying to
make a difference. .
Vanessa Suttie, Morgan Geisler, Michelle Quigg and me. We raised all the
money ourselves to come six thousand miles to tell you adults you must change your
ways. Coming here today, I have no hidden agenda. I am fighting for my future.
. Losing my future is not like losing an election or a few points on the stock market.
I am here to speak for all generations to come

I am here to speak on behalf of the starving children around the world whose
cries go unheard. .

I am here to speak for the countless animals dying across this planet because
they have nowhere left to go. We cannot afford to be not heard.
. I am afraid to go out in the sun now because of the holes in the ozone. I am
afraid to breathe the air because I don’t know what chemicals are in it.
. I used to go fishing in Vancouver with my dad until just a few years ago we found
the fish full of cancers. And now we hear about animals and plants going to extinct
everyday vanishing forever. .
In my life, I have dreamt of seeing the great herds of wild animals, jungles and
rainforest full of birds and butterflies, but now I wonder if they will even exist for my
children to see. .
Did you have to worry about these little things when you were my age?
. All this is happening before our eyes and yet we act as if we had all the time we
want and all the solutions. I’m only a child and I don’t have all the solutions, but I want
you to realize, neither do you!

You don’t know how to fix the holes on our ozone layer.
. You don’t know how to bring the salmon back up a dead stream
. You don’t know how to bring back an animal now extinct

29
And you can’t bring back forests that once grew where there is now desert. If you don’t
know how to fix it, please stop breaking it! Here, you may be delegates of your
government, business people, organizers, reporters or politicians-but really you are
mothers and fathers, brothers and sister, aunts and uncles and all of you are
somebody’s child. .

I’m only child yet I know we are all part of family, five billion strong, in fact, 30 million
species strong and we all share the same air, water and soil- borders and governments
will never change that. .

I’m only a child yet I know we are all in this together and should be act as one single
world towards one single goal. In my anger, I am not blind, and in my fear, I am not
afraid to tell the world. In my country, we make so much waste, we buy and throw away,
buy and throw away and yet northern countries will not share with the needy. Even
when we have more than enough, we are afraid to lose some of our wealth, afraid to
share.

In Canada, we live the privileged in life, with plenty of food, water and shelter- we have
watches, bicycles, computers and television sets. Two days ago here in Brazil, we were
shocked when we spent some time with some children living on the streets. And this is
what one child told us: “

I wish I was rich and if I were, I would give all the street children food, clothes, medicine,
shelter, and love and affection.”

.If a child on the street who has nothing, is willing to share, why are we who have
everything still so greedy? .

I can’t stop thinking that these children are my age, that it makes a tremendous
difference where you are born, that I could be one of those children living in the Favelas
of Rio; I could be a child starving in Somalia; a victim of war in the Middle East or a
beggar in India. .

I’m only a child yet I know if all the money spent on war was spent on ending poverty
and finding environmental answers, what a wonderful place this earth would be!
.At school, even in kindergarten, you teach us to behave in the world. You teach us:

● not to fight with each other,

● to work things out,

● to respect each other,

● to clean up our mess,

30
● not to hurt other creatures
● to share-not be greedy.

Then why do you go out and do things you tell us not to do? Do not forget why you’re
attending these conferences, who you’re doing this for- we are your own children. You
are deciding what kind of world we will grow up in. Parents should be able to comfort
their children by saying “everything’s going to be alright”, “we’re doing the best we can”
and “it’s not the end of the world”.

But I don’t think you can say that to us anymore. Are we even on your list of priorities?
My father always says “You are what you do, not what you say.” Well, what you do
makes me cry at night. You grown-ups say you love us. I challenge you, please make
your actions reflect your words.

Thank you for listening.

http://100777.com/node/1827

Analysis

R-E-A-C-T

After watching the video, answer the following questions:

1. What did you feel after watching the video?

________________________________________________________________

2. What did you learn about the condition of the environment as a whole? Mention
some concrete examples.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
3. What will you promise to do after learning this?
_________________________________________________________________
4. Was the speaker effective to reach her audience? Why were you motivated to

listen?___________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________
5. How did you react with her challenge at the end of the speech?

________________________________________________________________

31
Abstraction

Tips in Developing Oral Communication Skills

Choose words effectively. Choose words carefully when you speak and write. Always
take time to think your word choices rather than simply use the first word that comes to
mind. You must develop the habit of selecting words that are precise and appropriate
for your purpose. One way on how you can show sensitivity to the language is by
avoiding slang, clichés and pretentious words.

1. SLANG. You often use slang expression when you talk because they are so vivid
and colorful. However, slang is usually out of place in formal writing. Here are the
examples of slang:

Someone ripped off my new Adidas shoes in my locker.

After the game, we stuffed our faces at the dinner.
I finally told my parents to get off my case.
The movie really grossed me out.

Slang expressions have a number of drawbacks. They go out of date quickly.

Other people may understand the meaning of the expressions but not the others. Also,
the use of slang can be an evasion to specific details that are often needed to make
one’s meaning clear in writing. For example: in, “The movie really grossed me out.” the
writer has not provided the specific details about the movie necessary for us to clearly
understand the statement. Was it acting, special effects, or violent scenes that the writer
found so disgusting?

1. CLICHES. A cliché is an expression that has been worn out through the constant
use. Though it is common in speech, it should be rarely used since it evades
specific details. You should always try to express your ideas in fresh, original
ways. Here are the typical clichés:

Short but sweet last but not the least

Drop in the bucket work like a dog
Had a hard time of it all work and no play
Word to the wise it goes without saying
It dawned on me at a loss for words
Sigh of relief In the nick of time
On top of the world Too close for comfort
time and time again
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 2. PRETENTIOUS WORDS. Some people think that they can impress their
audience by using fancy, elevated words rather than simple, natural words. They
use artificial, stilted language that more often obscures their meaning than
communicates it clearly. Here are some unnatural-sounding sentences:

It was a splendid opportunity to get some slumber.

We relished the delicious repast.

The officer apprehended the intoxicated operator of the vehicle.

This establishment sells women’s apparel and children’s garments.

The same thoughts can be expressed more clearly and effectively by using plain,
natural language, as below:

It was a good chance to get some sleep.

We enjoyed the delicious meal.

The officer arrested the drunken driver.

This store sells women’s and children’s clothes.

Always bear in mind that we communicate to express our thoughts, feelings, emotions,
and ideas not to impress others. We are expected to use the simplest, natural words for
us to share our ideas clearly.

3. ARTICULATE WORDS CLEARLY. Articulation refers to the particular way by

which the sounds of a language are commonly produced in actual speech. It
refers to the movement of lips, tongue, jaw and soft palate. Here are the steps to
develop one’s pronunciation/articulation:

1. Listen effectively. Filipinos have a flexible tongue. By clearly listening to the

sounds, we can easily learn the accent, and pronunciation of the words. We
should give time to watch CNN News, and foreign movies.
2. Constant practice makes it perfect. After listening, try to imitate the sounds.
There are so many American accent videos in the Internet which will surely
train you to become a good speaker.

33
 3. Practice the three major sound families such as vowel sounds, critical
consonant sounds and diphthongs. It is very important to study the guide
words in the International Phonetic Symbols (IPA) symbols.

Application

A. Performance Task Based Activity

As part of your performance task in this module, you will be asked to perform an
individual speech presentation based on the current issues in the Philippines.

Please see the attached rubrics for the said performance task.

B. Essay Writing

Write your over-all learnings from this module. Please use correct grammar,
punctuations and make your writing neat and legible.

The teacher will be the one to assess your learning journal.

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Senatin,R.B.,& Centenera,F.G.Essentials of English 101.Manila:National

Bookstore,Inc.,2010

Bayeng,G.H.I.&Tiglao,H.M.Builders for Effective Oral Communication,2017

Hermosa, A.L.S.,Hernandez,M.R.R.,&Vergara,S.M.Oral Communication for Senior High

School,2016

Buenaventura, Villy ATH. Speech Basics. Quezon City, Philippines: FNB

Educational,Inc.,2004

Sipacio, P.J., & Balgos, A.R.Oral Communication in Context For Senior High

School.C&E Publishing, Inc.,2016

The Girl Who Silenced the World for Five Minutes. Accessed September 6,

2018.Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQmz6RbpniO