What are the English Language Conversation Skills?
English Language Conversation Skills include language abilities, conversation skills, social skills, culture knowledge and non-verbal communication skills.
Non-verbal communication skills are classified as posture, body movements, gestures, facial expressions, proximity and eye contact.
In English speaking countries the non-verbal messages can represent from 50-93% of the meaning.
Social skills and culture knowledge can be generalized as “what to say, when to say it, where and why to say it, and most important how to say it”.
When learning English Language Conversation Skills ESL students must learn: language abilities, conversation skills, social skills, culture knowledge and non-verbal communication skills. ESL Students need everything if they actually want to converse with native English speakers.
ESL Students can not just learn English vocabulary or English pronunciation as it represents less than 50% of most conversations.
What are some of the Professional Communication Skills?
The ability to add charisma to your speaking and interpersonal communications.
The ability to create initial rapport even on first phone calls or meetings.
The ability to build rapport easily in meetings, networking functions, or conversations.
The ability to use specialized industry or business English using industry-specific vocabulary for accuracy.
The ability to emote the appropriate emotion at the correct level.
The ability to create and deliver persuasive and dynamic presentations and speeches.
The ability to display confident leadership and competent management or knowledge.
Other specialized skills include customer service, handling complaints, conflict management.
There are many similarities between conversation and communication skills. Both are very important. One could generalize that communication skills add extra dimensions to conversation skills. One example: Conversations can transmit information where communication skills can transmit trust.
(original post by Ross McBride – ESL in Canada. Reprinted with permission)