Barriers to Effective Communication

Recognizing barriers to effective communication is a first step in improving communication style.  Do you recognize these barriers from your own personal and professional experience?

1. Language encoding and decoding - Encoding is how you word and phrase things. Decoding is being able to understand how another person words and phrases things. Inability to converse in a language that is known by both the sender and receiver is the greatest barrier to effective communication. When a person uses inappropriate words while conversing or writing, it could lead to misunderstanding between the sender and receiver.

2. Cultural Differences - Cultures provide people with ways of thinking - ways of seeing, hearing, and interpreting the world. Thus the same words can mean different things to people from different cultures, even when they talk the "same" language. When the languages are different, and translation has to be used to communicate, the potential for misunderstanding increases.

3. Psychological differences - people's state of mind, if someone has personal problems like worries about their health or marriage, then this will probably affect them.

4. Physical barriers - one of the major barriers of communication in a workplace is the physical barrier. Physical barriers in an organization include large working ares that are physically separated from others. One example is long distance communication by phone.

5. Environmental Condition

TOEFL Speaking

The speaking section of the iBT TOEFL consists of 6 parts. These are:

• 2 independent speaking parts (require more in the way of descriptions and references to personal experiences, or personal preferences and opinions) - where students give their opinion on a familiar topic. The test-taker is given 45 seconds to answer. 
• 4 integrated speaking parts (1 or 2 content sources in reading and listening format, and generally focus on comprehension and reporting skills) - where students talk for 60 seconds about written or spoken information.

Independent Speaking Sample Tasks

Describe something that you do keep your grades up. Explain why it is helpful. Include details and examples to support your answer.

• 15 seconds - preparation time
• 45 seconds - answering time

Tell of an important day in your life. Explain why it is important. Include details and examples to support your answer.

• 15 seconds - preparation time
• 45 seconds - answering time

Is it better for children to grow up in the country than in the city? Explain your answer. Include details and examples to support your answer.

• 15 seconds - preparation time
• 45 seconds - answering time

For examples of Integrated Speaking Tasks, follow the link below. Listen to the lecture and answer the prompt that follows.

http://global-english.lefora.com/2008/08/26/ibt-toefl-speaking-topic-16-integrated-task-academ/

Study the following sample from http://www.englishroleplay.com/study/152 

Part 1

How popular is the Internet in your country?


Part 2

In what ways do you think television influences people?


Part 3

Many people believe that physical exercise is the key to happiness. This is because sustained sessions of physical activity produces endorphins, also known as 'happy chemicals'.

What do you think about this information?


Part 4

According to current sociological data, people these days are living longer and  growing taller than people 50 years ago. This is in spite of the fact that consumption of fast food and obesity are on the increase.

What do you think about this information?


Part 5

There are now more non-native English speakers in the world than there are native speakers. In many cases this is changing the way that English is used. 

How do you think the English language is changing with the increase in numbers of non-native speakers?


Part 6

The number of student exchange programs being offered at universities around the world is increasing every year. This development has lead to a growing trend in globalization in the workplace, as well as changes in the way people socialize.

Can you give examples of how these trends are influencing societies around the world?