INTEGRATING EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION COMPETENCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Communication is far more complex than simply exchanging information. It implies understanding the emotions and intentions behind the information. Effective communication refers to a) how a message is conveyed so that it is received and understood by someone in exactly the way that was intended and to b) how a person listens to gain the full meaning of what is being said and to make the other person feel heard and understood. More than just the words being used, effective communication combines a set of skills including nonverbal communication, engaged listening, managing stress, the ability to communicate assertively, and the capacity to recognize and understand one’s own emotions and those of the person being addressed. Acquiring effective communication skills in the learner’s native language is crucial in today’s competitive world but acquiring these skills in a foreign language no doubt strengthens our students’ professional options and scope, and provides them with a tool to better cope in today’s global world. This paper reports on an on-going project conducted at the School of Design Engineering in Valencia (Spain) geared towards improving students’ communication skills in English for Specific Purposes. The project was divided into 4 stages: designing tasks to help learners become aware of communication strategies; integrating these tasks into an online learning environment; designing a rubric to aid in assessing student communication skills; and, evaluating learners on the basis of this rubric. The authors will illustrate the tasks and the rubric.