Communication Skills Class 10 Notes
Session 1 : Method of Communication
What is Communication
The word ‘communication’ comes from the Latin word commūnicāre, meaning ‘to share’.
Communication is a method where we can exchange the information between two or more
people.
Definition: Communication is the process of conveying information, knowledge, feelings,
or ideas through speaking, writing, or using body language.
What are the different parts of communication
Communication has three important parts –
1. Transmitting: When someone sends a message or information to others.
2. Listening: The receiver listens to or understands the message.
3. Feedback: The receiver gives a message to the sender in the form of feedback to
complete the communication cycle.
What are the different elements of communication
The various elements of a communication cycle are:-
1. Sender: The person beginning the communication.
2. Message: The information that the sender wants to share, like ideas, information,
questions, etc.
3. Channel: Channel means how the message is sent to others, like using spoken
word, gestures, emails, phone calls, etc.
4. Receiver: The person who receives the message.
5. Feedback: The receiver’s acknowledgement and response to the message.
Method of
Description
Communication
Face-to-face communication is the easiest and quickest method for
Face-to-face sharing information. It helps the message to be understood clearly and
quickly.
E-mail E-mail can be sent to one or multiple users quickly.
It is helpful when the same message has to be convey to a large group of
Notices/Posters
people.
Business meetings use different methods of communication, like sharing
Business Meetings
information using text, charts or graphs or decision-making.
Some other communication methods are used, like social networks,
Other Methods
messages, phone calls, newsletters, blogs, etc.
Session 2: Verbal Communication
What is Verbal Communication
Verbal communication is an exchange of information using spoken or written words to
convey thoughts, ideas and emotions. Speaking is one of the most effective and commonly
used ways of communicating.
Different types of Verbal Communication
There are several types of verbal communication –
Type of Verbal
Description
Communication
It is a one-on-one conversation between two individuals. It can
Interpersonal
be formal (a business discussion) or informal (talking with
Communication
friends).
This form of communication involves writing words. It can be
Written Communication letters, circulars, reports, manuals, SMS, social media chats,
etc.
This type of communication takes place when there are more
than two people involved.
Small Group Example –
Communication 1. Press conferences
2. Board meetings
3. Team meetings
When one person speaks to a large group of people or audience.
Example –
Public Communication
1. Election campaigns
2. Public speeches by dignitaries
Advantages of Verbal Communication
1. Ease: Simple and straightforward way of communication.
2. Adaptability: Allows for adjustments based on the listener’s response.
3. Immediacy: Enables quick exchange of information.
4. Clarity: Facilitates clear understanding through spoken words.
Disadvantages of Verbal Communication
1. Dependency on Words: Relies on the accuracy of spoken words, leading to
potential misunderstandings.
2. Lack of Permanent Record: Information is not always documented, making it
challenging to reference.
3. Limited Non-Verbal Cues: Absence of visual and body language cues can lead to
misinterpretations.
4. Potential for Confusion: Without precise wording, meanings may be unclear or
confusing.
Mastering Verbal Communication:
1. Clarity: Use clear and simple words; avoid using confusing words.
2. Active Listening: Pay attention to what others are saying.
3. Effective Tone: Speak in a friendly and respectful way.
4. Conciseness: Say only what is needed.
Session 3: Non-verbal Communication
What is non-Verbal Communication
Non-verbal communication is a process of conveying messages without using spoken or
written words. Non-verbal communication uses facial expressions, body language and
gestures for conveying the message.
In everyday communication:
• 55% communication is done using body movements, face, arms, etc.
• 38% communication is done using voice, tone, pauses, etc.
• Only 7% communication is done using words.
Example of the Non-Verbal Communication
Non-Verbal
Examples
Communication
1. Raising a hand to greet or say goodbye.
Gestures
2. Pointing a finger at someone.
Non-Verbal
Examples
Communication
1. Smiling when happy.
Expressions
2. Making a sad face when sad.
1. Postures by which attitudes and feelings are communicated. Standing straight, showing
Body Language
interest.
What are the Different types of non-verbal communication?
Type How to use effectively?
a. Smile when you meet someone.
b. Keep your face relaxed.
Facial Expressions
c. Match your expressions with your words.
d. Nod while listening.
a. Keep your shoulders straight and body relaxed.
b. Sit straight while resting your hands and feet in relaxed
Posture
position.
c. While standing, keep your hands by your sides.
a. Keep your hands open.
Gestures or Body Language b. Avoid pointing your finger at people.
c. Tilt your head a bit to show that you are attentive
a. Shake hands firmly while meeting someone.
Touch b. Avoid other touch gestures during formal
communication.
a. Maintain proper space depending on the relationship,
Space
which could be formal.
Type How to use effectively?
a. Look directly at the person who is speaking.
Eye Contact b. Avoid staring; keep a relaxed look.
c. Maintain eye contact with intermittent breaks.
a. Use a suitable tone and volume
Paralanguage
b. Maintain a moderate speed while talking
What is Visual Communication
Visual communication conveys the messages through images, pictures, videos and
symbols. It is an effective way of communication.
Session 4: Communication Cycle and Importance of Feedback
What is Feedback
When a sender shares information, the receiver responds with feedback, which can be
positive or negative. Feedback is an important part of the communication cycle.
Effective feedback is always-
1. Specific
2. Helpful
3. Kind
Different types of Feedback in Communication Cycle:
Types of
Examples
Feedback
Positive a. I noticed you finished the work perfectly. Great job!
Feedback b. I really appreciate you taking that call. Can you please also share the details?
Negative a. You keep forgetting to smile at the hotel guests when you talk to them.
Feedback b. You take really long to reply to e-mails! Are you always so busy?
No
a. It is also feedback in itself which indicates disagreement of ideas.
Feedback
What do you mean by good feedback
Good feedback is one that –
• Specific
• Timely
• Polite
• Offering continuing support
What is the importance of Feedback
1. It validates effective listening
2. Motivation
3. Learning Boost
4. Performance Improvement
Session 5: Barriers to Effective Communication
What is 7Cs of Effective Communication?
• Clear: Make your message easy to understand.
• Concise: Use a simple and short
message; avoid unnecessary
details.
• Concrete: Use specific words and
real facts.
• Correct: Check your spelling and
grammar to avoid confusion.
• Coherent: Ensure your words logically connect and relate to the main topic.
• Complete: Include all necessary information for a complete message.
• Courteous: Be polite, respectful, and truthful in your communication.
What are the different barriers to Effective Communication
1. Physical Barriers: When distance, noise or surroundings create challenges, it is
known as a physical barrier. For example, a weak phone signal can create physical
barriers.
2. Linguistic Barriers: A language barrier occurs when people use different languages.
It is the most common communication barrier.
3. Interpersonal Barriers: Sometimes, people misunderstand each other’s messages
because of tone, emotions or personal biases.
4. Organisational Barriers: When the organisational hierarchy, rules and regulations,
procedures, policies and norms are not followed by the employee.
5. Cultural Barriers: Cultural barriers are when people of different cultures are unable
to understand each other’s customs, resulting in inconveniences and difficulties.
What are the ways to overcome Barriers of Effective Communication
• Use simple language
• Do not form assumptions on culture, religion or geography
• Try to communicate in person as much as possible
• Use visuals
• Take help of a translator to overcome differences in language
Be respectful of other’s opinions
Session 6: Writing Skills — Parts of Speech
Writing skills are part of verbal communication and include e-mails, letters, notes, articles,
SMS/chat, blogs, etc. all these forms of written communication, we use sentences to
express ourselves.
What are the different capitalization rules in communication cycle?
We know that all sentences begin with capital letters. However, there are certain other
points in a Sentence where we should use capital letters. ‘TINS’ is a set of simple rules that
help you capitalise words correctly.
What do you mean by punctuation rules?
Certain set of marks, such as full stop, comma, question mark, exclamation mark and
apostrophe are used in communication to separate parts of a sentence for better clarity of
message.
What are the basic parts of speech?
The part of speech indicates how a particular word functions in meaning as well as
grammatically within the sentence.
• Noun – Names a person, place, thing, or idea. (e.g., dog, city)
• Pronoun – Replaces a noun to avoid repetition. (e.g., he, she, it)
• Verb – Expresses action or state of being. (e.g., run, exist)
• Adjective – Describes or modifies a noun. (e.g., happy, tall)
• Adverb – Modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb. (e.g., quickly, very)
What are the different supporting parts of speech
• Article – A type of adjective that defines a noun as specific or unspecific. (e.g., a, an,
the)
• Conjunction – Connects words, phrases, or clauses. (e.g., and, or, but)
• Preposition – Indicates the relationship between a noun and another word. (e.g., in,
on, under)
• Interjection – Expresses strong emotions but is not grammatically related to the
rest of the sentence. (e.g., wow, oh)
Session 7: Writing Skills—Sentences
What is a sentence?
A sentence is a group of words that conveys a complete thought. It consists of a subject
(the main actor or topic) and a predicate (the action or what the subject does). A sentence
can be simple, compound, or complex, and it is the basic unit of communication in written
and spoken language.
What are the different parts of a sentence
There are basically three different parts of sentence –
• Subject – The person or thing performing the action.
• Verb – Describes the action carried out by the subject.
• Object – The person or thing that receives the action.
What are the different types of objects
In a sentence, there can be two types of objects — Direct and Indirect.
Direct Object:
1. Receives the action directly from the verb.
2. Answers the question “what” or “whom.”
3. Example: She ate an apple.
Indirect Object:
1. Indirectly affected by the action, often preceded by a preposition.
2. Answers the question “to whom” or “for whom.”
3. Example: He gave a gift to her.
What are the different types of sentences
1. Statement or Declarative Sentence
2. Question or Interrogative Sentence
3. Emotion/Reaction or Exclamatory Sentence
4. Order or Imperative Sentence
What do you mean by Active and Passive Sentences
Active Sentence:
1. The subject performs the action.
2. Example: The cat (subject) chased the mouse (object).
Passive Sentence:
1. The subject receives the action.
2. The object becomes the focus.
3. Example: The mouse (object) was chased by the cat.
What do you mean by paragraph
A paragraph is a collection of sentences centered around a single idea. It starts with a topic
sentence, followed by supporting details, and often ends with a concluding sentence. This
structure enhances organization and readability in written communication.
Self Management Skills Class 10 Notes
What is Self-Management?
Self-management, also referred to as ‘self-control,’ is the ability to control one’s
emotions, thoughts and behavior effectively in different situations. This also
includes motivating oneself and setting goals.
Basics of Self-management
To do better at work and life you must be able to manage and improve yourself in
various skills including discipline and timeliness, goal setting, problem solving,
teamwork, professionalism, etc. Once you develop your personality and abilities
you will be able to succeed in personal as well as professional life.
Some of the skills you must master to succeed in life
1. Self-awareness – Ask for honest feedback. Think about your daily
interactions and how you handled situations well or could have
handled them differently.
2. Responsibility – Taking responsibility for your tasks is very
important. Taking ownership is the step towards self-development.
3. Time Management – Priorities the things you have to do. Remove
waste and redundancy from work. Make a timetable and follow it
diligently.
4. Adaptability – Stay current with best practices and read up on new
information always. Prepare yourself for new changes, so that you
can transition seamlessly.
Session 1: Stress Management
What is Stress?
Stress can be defined as our emotional, mental, physical and social reaction to
any perceived demands or threats. These demands or threats are called
stressors. Stressors are the reason for stress.
For example,
1. You are too close to the exams but feel unprepared.
2. You are experiencing a loss of someone close in the family.
3. You are worried about what people would think of you if you don’t
dress well or cannot speak confidently.
4. You are stressed due to lack of sleep.
What is Stress Management?
Managing stress is about making a plan to be able to cope effectively with daily
pressures. The ultimate goal is to strike a balance between life, work,
relationships, relaxation and fun.
Always keep in mind the ABC of stress management
A: Adversity or the stressful event
B: Beliefs or the way you respond to the event
C: Consequences or actions and outcomes of the event
What are the different stress management Techniques
Here are a few simple stress management techniques.
1. Time Management: Proper time management is one of the most
effective stress-relieving techniques.
2. Exercise and Fresh Air: A healthy lifestyle is essential for students.
Stress is generally lower in people who maintain a healthy routine.
Doing yoga, meditation and deep breathing exercises help in proper
blood circulation and relaxes the body.
3. Healthy Diet: Having a healthy diet or balanced diet will also help
you reduce stress.
4. Positivity: Focussing on negative aspects of life will add more
stress. Instead, learn to look at the good things and stay positive.
5. Organising academic life; no delaying: By keeping class notes
organised, finishing in assignments on time, and keeping track of all
deadlines, stress can be reduced to a great extent.
6. Adequate Sleep: We should get a good night’s sleep for at least 7
hours so that your brain and body gets recharged to function better
the next day.
7. Holidays with family and friends: Going to a relative’s place, such
as your grandparents’ house or a new place during your summer
vacations can help you break from the normal routine and come
back afresh.
Ability to Work Independently
If you can become a calm and relaxed person, you will have the ability to
work independently, which means.
• Becoming self-aware, self-monitoring and self-correcting.
• Knowing what you need to do.
• Taking the initiative rather than being told what to do.
• Recognising your mistakes and not blaming others.
• Having the ability and the will to learn continuously.
Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify and manage one’s own emotions,
as well as the emotions of others. This usually includes three key skills –
1. Emotional Awareness: The ability to identify and name one’s own
emotions.
2. Harnessing Emotions: The ability to harness and apply emotions to
tasks like thinking and problem solving.
3. Managing Emotions: The ability to regulate one’s own emotions
when necessary and help others to do the same.
Some steps to manage emotional intelligence are as given below –
1. Understand your emotions: Observe your behavior and note the
things you need to work on. You can then work on the things you
need to improve.
2. Rationalise: Do not take decisions abruptly; be rational in your
thinking.
3. Practice: Do meditation and yoga to keep yourself calm.
Session 2: Self-awareness— Strength and Weakness
Analysis
Techniques for Identifying your Strengths and Weaknesses
Finding Strengths (or abilities)
1. Think of anything that you are always successful at.
2. Think about what others like in you.
3. Take out time and think about what you do well.
Finding Weaknesses
1. Point out the areas where you struggle and the things you find
difficult to do.
2. Look at the feedback others usually give you.
3. Be open to feedback and accept your weaknesses without feeling
low about it. Take it as an area of improvement.
Difference between Interests and Abilities (Strengths)
Session 3: Self-motivation
What is self-motivation?
Self-motivation is simply the force within you that drives you to do things. Self-
motivation is what pushes us to achieve our goals, feel happy and improve our
quality of life. In other words, it is our ability to do the things that need to be done
without someone or something influencing us.
Different types of self-motivation?
There are two type of motivation –
1. Internal Motivation (Love): We do things because they make us
happy, healthy and feel good. For example, when you perform on
your annual day function and you learn something new, such as
dancing, singing, etc., you feel good.
2. External Motivation (Reward): We do things because they give us
respect, recognition and appreciation. For example, Suresh
participated in a 100m race and won a prize. This motivated him to
go for practice every morning.
What are the qualities of self-motivated people?
There are some typical behaviors seen in self-motivated people which are
as given below.
Building Self-motivation
1. Find out your strengths
2. Set and focus on your goals
3. Develop a plan to achieve your goals
4. Stay loyal to your goals
Session 4: Self-regulation— Goal Setting
What do you mean by goals and goals setting
• Goals: They are a set of dreams with a deadline to get them, for
example, saving pocket money to buy a favorite mobile phone by a
particular date.
• Goal setting: It is all about finding and listing your goals and then
planning on how to achieve them.
How to set SMART Goals
SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time
bound.
• Specific Goal
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Realistic
• Time bound
Session 5: Self-regulation— Time Management
Time Management and Its Importance
Time management is the ability to plan and control how you spend the hours of
your day well and do all that you want to do.
Time management is the thinking skill that helps you to
• Complete tasks on time.
• Make a daily timetable.
• Make a good guess at how long it will take you to do something.
• Submit homework and assignments on time.
• Not waste time during the day.
Four Steps for Effective Time Management
1. Organize: Arrange our daily tasks systematically.
2. Prioritize: Create a to-do list and rank tasks by importance.
3. Control: Manage activities and time effectively.
4. Track: Identify and record how time is spent.
Tips for Practicing the Four Steps for Effective Time Management
• Avoid delay or postponing any planned activity
• Organise your room and school desk
• Develop a ‘NO DISTURBANCE ZONE’, where you can sit and
complete important tasks
• Use waiting time productively
• Prepare a ‘To-do’ list
• Prioritise
• Replace useless activities with productive activities