Comprehension, punctuation and literary devices Flashcards
Oral and Written Communication
ORAL & WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
Communicating orally via conversations, arguments, speeches, debates,
recordings, songs and poetry.
Sometimes when communicating orally we we add gestures such as hand
movements or facial expressions and we modulate our voices by regulating
the volume , pitch, tone rate and most of all pronunciation.
At times it’s quite useful to incorporate presentation aids such as pictures,
videos, music to reinforce our deas while we speak while we speak.
Written Mode
We use written mode to write notes, reflections, reports, letters, text
messages or different types of essays.
When we write we have to decide whether to explain our thoughts at length or
to be brief depending on the form and purpose of the message.
Regardless of which form we use, the process of communication involves the
effective transfer of information from one person to another.
As a form of expression, writing shares certain characteristics with oral
communication but generally they different in terms of structure and style.
Types of writing
Literal
intepretive
Analysis
Application, Synthesis &
Evaluation
Comprehension strategies to understand via major modes of understanding.
- Efferent mode - reading the information or main points that support the
meaning of the text, - Aesthetic mode - reading and focusing on the expressive and affective
language in the text, and to form an opinion. - Critical mode - reading to engage with the text with the text in debate,
discussion and analysis of the author’s intention.
Purpose of reading
As you read, you attempt to make sense of the information in front you.
When you read you are using the different levels of comprehension. These
include: Interpretation, Integration, Analysis and Evaluation.
Purpose of listening
Listening is a very important of communication. An effective listener: identifies
the speaker’s purpose, only interrupts when necessary, observes the
non-verbal cues of the speaker and shuts out the barriers to listening.
We listen for the following purposes:
● To get information
● For enjoyment
● To understand and learn
Modes of listening
- Efferent mode - listening in order to understand the meaning of the
message, report, song or poem. You can brainstorm or take notes in the
process. - Aesthetic mode - listening to a story, song or poem for pleasure and to
connect with the presenter in some way. - Critical mode - listening for to evaluate, to express an opinion or to make
a judgement.
Critical reading and listening
Critical reading and listening are very important aspects of comprehension
and are necessary for effective communication. What you hear or read is
often applied of existing knowledge and views. In this way it reinforces your
ideas and opinions.
A critical reader and listener must be conscious of the following when listening
and reading:
● The speakers or author’s purpose
● Techniques of persuasion being used
● Emotional language
● Logical ideas and supported arguments
Purpose of communication and audience
When we communicate you usually do with specific aims, goals and intentions. Some reasons to communicate:
● Inform
● Persuade
● Argue
● Evaluate a situation
● Explain
● Express feeling
● Entertain
● Explore an idea
STRATEGIES FOR EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
- Use of emotional appeal - the writer/speaker draws on emotion to engage
the audience. - Use of examples, dialogue
- Use of appropriate vocabulary
- Persuasive devices/tactics
- Use of characterisation - actions or words
- Use of cause and effect
- Use of comparison and contrast
- Use of point of view - the first, second or third person voice to allow the
audience to identify with that perspective - Sequence of ideas
STRATEGIES FOR EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
- Use of bias to persuade the audience to accept a point of view
- Use of language - formal/informal, tone of voice, attitude, irony, sarcasm, hyperboles.
- Reliability of the source and validity of the information - fact, opinion, quotes from experts, scientific data, published data, webpages, libraries, newspapers, magazines, journals, books and periodicals.
- Visual and auditory aids - pictures 3D images, captions, music, recording, cartoon, Internet pop up advertisements etc
Function of literary devices
Used to make writing clear, writing clear, effective and to evoke interest
among the readers. Some devices are used to demonstrate emotions, mood
and attitude to a subject
Types of literary devices
● Simile - making comparisons between things that are not similar using ‘as’
or ‘like’.
● Metaphors - making comparisons between two things, where oe subject
is implied to be the other so as to make a connection between them
Personification - give human traits to inanimate objects
● Symbolism - uses an object to create metaphoric meaning
● Imagery - creates mental pictures based on the five sensory
experiences
● Allegory - a narrative that serves as an extended metaphor such as
a fable, parable or poem
Sound Devices
Alliteration is a term for repeated letter sounds (usually consonants, but not always) at the stressed part of two or more words.
example is “glowing golden grains.” Another word for alliteration is initial rhyme
or head rhyme.
Like alliteration, assonance is the repetition of sounds in multiple words.
Repetition of identical or
RHYME similar sounds or words.
A word whose sound is
ONOMATOPOEIA close to the meaning.
Tone and mood
The tone and mood of a piece refers to the emotions that are conveyed in
writing and speech. Tone specifically refer to the author’s attitude towards a subject , atopic or a
character. Mood is the emotional perspective of the author, which establishes
the atmosphere of the piece of writing.
