30 August 2016
23 August 2016
Barriers to listening skills
Barriers to listening skills
Why Don't We Listen? Unmasking the Barriers to Effective Listening
Listening is fundamental to strong communication, yet truly effective listening can be surprisingly challenging. We all experience moments where our minds wander, or background noises pull us away from a conversation. But what are the bigger barriers that prevent us from truly hearing what others are saying?
This blog post dives into the common roadblocks that hinder our listening skills, both internal and external. By understanding these challenges, we can become more mindful listeners and strengthen our communication in all aspects of life.
External Barriers:
- Environmental Distractions: A noisy coffee shop, a ringing phone, or an uncomfortable temperature can all make it difficult to focus on the conversation at hand.
- Physical Barriers: Hearing impairments or even simply the distance between speaker and listener can hinder clear communication.
Internal Barriers:
- Information Overload: In our fast-paced world, we're constantly bombarded with information. This overload can make it difficult to stay present and absorb new information during a conversation.
- Self-Centeredness: Getting caught up in our own thoughts and experiences can prevent us from fully engaging with what the other person is saying.
- Prejudgement: Walking into a conversation with preconceived notions about the speaker or topic can make us closed off to their message.
- Emotional State: Anxiety, anger, or other strong emotions can cloud our judgment and make it difficult to listen attentively.
Tips to Become a Better Listener:
- Minimize distractions: Find a quiet, comfortable space for important conversations.
- Practice active listening: Make eye contact, nod your head, and offer verbal cues like "uh-huh" or "I see" to show you're engaged.
- Be patient: Give the speaker time to fully express themselves before responding.
- Ask clarifying questions: This demonstrates your interest and helps ensure understanding.
- Park your judgments: Approach the conversation with an open mind and a willingness to learn.
By recognizing the barriers to listening and actively working to overcome them, we can strengthen our communication and build stronger relationships. Remember, listening is a skill that takes practice. Be patient with yourself, and you'll find yourself becoming a more effective listener in all your interactions.
20 August 2016
Army Public Schools Recruitment 2016
Army Public Schools Recruitment 2016
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14 August 2016
Satya Nadella's email to employees on first day as CEO of Microsoft
Satya Nadella's email to employees on first day as CEO of Microsoft
From: Satya Nadella
To: All Employees
Date: Feb. 4, 2014
Subject: RE: Satya Nadella – Microsoft’s New CEO
To: All Employees
Date: Feb. 4, 2014
Subject: RE: Satya Nadella – Microsoft’s New CEO
Today is a very humbling day for me. It reminds me of my very first day at Microsoft, 22 years ago. Like you, I had a choice about where to come to work. I came here because I believed Microsoft was the best company in the world. I saw then how clearly we empower people to do magical things with our creations and ultimately make the world a better place. I knew there was no better company to join if I wanted to make a difference. This is the very same inspiration that continues to drive me today.
It is an incredible honor for me to lead and serve this great company of ours. Steve and Bill have taken it from an idea to one of the greatest and most universally admired companies in the world. I’ve been fortunate to work closely with both Bill and Steve in my different roles at Microsoft, and as I step in as CEO, I’ve asked Bill to devote additional time to the company, focused on technology and products. I’m also looking forward to working with John Thompson as our new Chairman of the Board.
While we have seen great success, we are hungry to do more. Our industry does not respect tradition — it only respects innovation. This is a critical time for the industry and for Microsoft. Make no mistake, we are headed for greater places — as technology evolves and we evolve with and ahead of it. Our job is to ensure that Microsoft thrives in a mobile and cloud-first world.
As we start a new phase of our journey together, I wanted to share some background on myself and what inspires and motivates me.
Who am I?
I am 46. I’ve been married for 22 years and we have 3 kids. And like anyone else, a lot of what I do and how I think has been shaped by my family and my overall life experiences. Many who know me say I am also defined by my curiosity and thirst for learning. I buy more books than I can finish. I sign up for more online courses than I can complete. I fundamentally believe that if you are not learning new things, you stop doing great and useful things. So family, curiosity and hunger for knowledge all define me.
Why am I here?
I am here for the same reason I think most people join Microsoft — to change the world through technology that empowers people to do amazing things. I know it can sound hyperbolic — and yet it’s true. We have done it, we’re doing it today, and we are the team that will do it again.
I believe over the next decade computing will become even more ubiquitous and intelligence will become ambient. The coevolution of software and new hardware form factors will intermediate and digitize — many of the things we do and experience in business, life and our world. This will be made possible by an ever-growing network of connected devices, incredible computing capacity from the cloud, insights from big data, and intelligence from machine learning.
This is a software-powered world.
It will better connect us to our friends and families and help us see, express, and share our world in ways never before possible. It will enable businesses to engage customers in more meaningful ways.
I am here because we have unparalleled capability to make an impact.
Why are we here?
In our early history, our mission was about the PC on every desk and home, a goal we have mostly achieved in the developed world. Today we’re focused on a broader range of devices. While the deal is not yet complete, we will welcome to our family Nokia devices and services and the new mobile capabilities they bring us.
As we look forward, we must zero in on what Microsoft can uniquely contribute to the world. The opportunity ahead will require us to reimagine a lot of what we have done in the past for a mobile and cloud-first world, and do new things.
We are the only ones who can harness the power of software and deliver it through devices and services that truly empower every individual and every organization. We are the only company with history and continued focus in building platforms and ecosystems that create broad opportunity.
Qi Lu captured it well in a recent meeting when he said that Microsoft uniquely empowers people to “do more.” This doesn’t mean that we need to do more things, but that the work we do empowers the world to do more of what they care about — get stuff done, have fun, communicate and accomplish great things. This is the core of who we are, and driving this core value in all that we do — be it the cloud or device experiences — is why we are here.
What do we do next?
To paraphrase a quote from Oscar Wilde — we need to believe in the impossible and remove the improbable.
This starts with clarity of purpose and sense of mission that will lead us to imagine the impossible and deliver it. We need to prioritize innovation that is centered on our core value of empowering users and organizations to “do more.” We have picked a set of high-value activities as part of our One Microsoft strategy. And with every service and device launch going forward we need to bring more innovation to bear around these scenarios.
Next, every one of us needs to do our best work, lead and help drive cultural change. We sometimes underestimate what we each can do to make things happen and overestimate what others need to do to move us forward. We must change this.
Finally, I truly believe that each of us must find meaning in our work. The best work happens when you know that it’s not just work, but something that will improve other people’s lives. This is the opportunity that drives each of us at this company.
Many companies aspire to change the world. But very few have all the elements required: talent, resources, and perseverance. Microsoft has proven that it has all three in abundance. And as the new CEO, I can’t ask for a better foundation.
Let’s build on this foundation together.
Satya Nadella's email to employees on first day as CEO of Microsoft
1. What are the three factors that Nadella lists as his formative influences?
In the letter introducing himself to the employees, Nadella says that he is 46 and has been married for 22 years. He has 3 kids and his ideology and thoughts have been shaped by his family and his overall life experiences. His acquaintances say that he is defined by his curiosity and thirst for learning. He buys more books than he could read and regularly signs up for several online courses to keep himself updated. He strongly believes that if we are not learning new things, we stop doing great and useful things. Hence family, curiosity and thirst for knowledge are the three factors that made Satya Nadella what he was.
2. What inspires Nadella?
In the letter introducing himself to the employees, Nadella says that he is 46 and has been married for 22 years. He has 3 kids and his ideology and thoughts have been shaped by his family and his overall life experiences. His acquaintances say that he is defined by his curiosity and thirst for learning. He buys more books than he could read and regularly signs up for several online courses to keep himself updated. He strongly believes that if we are not learning new things, we stop doing great and useful things. Hence family, curiosity and thirst for knowledge are the three factors that made Satya Nadella what he was.
3. Why did Nadella choose to work at Microsoft?
Nadella says that he, like most people, joined Microsoft to change the world through technology that empowers people to do amazing things. The Microsoft team proved it in the past and is continuing to do the same. He says that talent, resources and perseverance are the foundation on which a company attains great heights, and concludes by saying that Microsoft has all of this in plenty.
Nadella believes that Microsoft is uniquely situated to achieve its goal of being a tech leader in the coming decades as well, because it can harness the power of software as well as hardware, through its acquisition of Nokia.
Microsoft is the only company with the history and continued focus in building platforms and ecosystems that create broad opportunity.
4. Why did Nadella believe that Microsoft was the best company in the world?
Nadella says that he, like most people, joined Microsoft to change the world through technology that empowers people to do amazing things. The Microsoft team proved it in the past and is continuing to do the same. He says that talent, resources and perseverance are the foundation on which a company attains great heights, and concludes by saying that Microsoft has all of this in plenty.
Nadella believes that Microsoft is uniquely situated to achieve its goal of being a tech leader in the coming decades as well, because it can harness the power of software as well as hardware, through its acquisition of Nokia.
Microsoft is the only company with the history and continued focus in building platforms and ecosystems that create broad opportunity.
5. What did Nadella predict for the future of technology?
Nadella forecasts cloud computing, machine learning, insights from big data and increasingly ubiquitous technology with connected devices as the future, and says that Microsoft will have to evolve to keep pace with these emerging technologies and trends.
Microsoft’s goal in its early years was to have a PC in every home and on every desk. This goal has largely been achieved in the developed world. Today, the world has more or less moved away from PCs and instead favors Mobile and Clouds-Computing devices.
Nadella believes that going forward, Microsoft must focus on innovations which empower people to do more and improve their lives.
Nadella believes that Microsoft is uniquely situated to achieve its goal of being a tech leader in the coming decades as well, because it can harness the power of software as well as hardware, through its acquisition of Nokia.
6. In which direction is technology evolving, according to Nadella?
Nadella forecasts cloud computing, machine learning, insights from big data and increasingly ubiquitous technology with connected devices as the future, and says that Microsoft will have to evolve to keep pace with these emerging technologies and trends.
Microsoft’s goal in its early years was to have a PC in every home and on every desk. This goal has largely been achieved in the developed world. Today, the world has more or less moved away from PCs and instead favors Mobile and Clouds-Computing devices.
Nadella believes that going forward, Microsoft must focus on innovations which empower people to do more and improve their lives.
Nadella believes that Microsoft is uniquely situated to achieve its goal of being a tech leader in the coming decades as well, because it can harness the power of software as well as hardware, through its acquisition of Nokia.
7. How will evolving technology make an impact on the lives of common people? How can Microsoft contribute to this?
Nadella forecasts cloud computing, machine learning, insights from big data and increasingly ubiquitous technology with connected devices as the future, and says that Microsoft will have to evolve to keep pace with these emerging technologies and trends.
Microsoft’s goal in its early years was to have a PC in every home and on every desk. This goal has largely been achieved in the developed world. Today, the world has more or less moved away from PCs and instead favors Mobile and Clouds-Computing devices.
Nadella believes that going forward, Microsoft must focus on innovations which empower people to do more and improve their lives.
Nadella believes that Microsoft is uniquely situated to achieve its goal of being a tech leader in the coming decades as well, because it can harness the power of software as well as hardware, through its acquisition of Nokia.
8. What are the unique selling points of Microsoft, according to Nadella?
Nadella forecasts cloud computing, machine learning, insights from big data and increasingly ubiquitous technology with connected devices as the future, and says that Microsoft will have to evolve to keep pace with these emerging technologies and trends.
Microsoft’s goal in its early years was to have a PC in every home and on every desk. This goal has largely been achieved in the developed world. Today, the world has more or less moved away from PCs and instead favors Mobile and Clouds-Computing devices.
Nadella believes that going forward, Microsoft must focus on innovations which empower people to do more and improve their lives.
Nadella believes that Microsoft is uniquely situated to achieve its goal of being a tech leader in the coming decades as well, because it can harness the power of software as well as hardware, through its acquisition of Nokia.
9. How does Nadella try to motivate his employees in his letter?
Nadella believes that Microsoft is a great place to work in because it believes in empowering its employees to innovate.
Nadella says that employees commonly underestimate their role in a company, and overestimate the role of others. He says that each employee must work towards innovating technology which will make people’s lives better and easier, and this way, they can also find meaning and joy in their work.
10. What will help employees find meaning in their work?
Nadella believes that Microsoft is a great place to work in because it believes in empowering its employees to innovate.
Nadella says that employees commonly underestimate their role in a company, and overestimate the role of others. He says that each employee must work towards innovating technology which will make people’s lives better and easier, and this way, they can also find meaning and joy in their work.
11. What is Nadella’s strategy for Microsoft as it steps into the new decade?
This is a critical time for the industry and for Microsoft. Nadella wants Microsoft to gear up for the increasing competition and prove itself as a strong rival to its competitors like it was a decade back.
Nadella emphasises on the need to priorotise innovation that helps to empower users and organisations to ‘do more’. This starts with clarity of purpose and sense of mission that lead to imagine the impossible and deliver it. All the employees need to do their best work, lead and help drive cultural change. Each of the employees should find meaning in his work.
The Microsoft team proved it in the past and must continue to do the same. He says that talent, resources and perseverance are the foundation on which a company attains great heights, and concludes by saying that Microsoft has all of this in plenty.
Nadella emphasised that with every new device or new service launch in the future, Microsoft should bring about more and more innovation. He envisioned a bright future for Microsoft.
12. Briefly describe Nadella’s thoughts on innovation and its importance.
This is a critical time for the industry and for Microsoft. Nadella wants Microsoft to gear up for the increasing competition and prove itself as a strong rival to its competitors like it was a decade back.
Nadella emphasises on the need to priorotise innovation that helps to empower users and organisations to ‘do more’. This starts with clarity of purpose and sense of mission that lead to imagine the impossible and deliver it. All the employees need to do their best work, lead and help drive cultural change. Each of the employees should find meaning in his work.
The Microsoft team proved it in the past and must continue to do the same. He says that talent, resources and perseverance are the foundation on which a company attains great heights, and concludes by saying that Microsoft has all of this in plenty.
Nadella emphasised that with every new device or new service launch in the future, Microsoft should bring about more and more innovation. He envisioned a bright future for Microsoft.
13. What philosophy is at the heart of Nadella’s vision for Microsoft?
This is a critical time for the industry and for Microsoft. Nadella wants Microsoft to gear up for the increasing competition and prove itself as a strong rival to its competitors like it was a decade back.
Nadella emphasises on the need to priorotise innovation that helps to empower users and organisations to ‘do more’. This starts with clarity of purpose and sense of mission that lead to imagine the impossible and deliver it. All the employees need to do their best work, lead and help drive cultural change. Each of the employees should find meaning in his work.
The Microsoft team proved it in the past and must continue to do the same. He says that talent, resources and perseverance are the foundation on which a company attains great heights, and concludes by saying that Microsoft has all of this in plenty.
Nadella emphasised that with every new device or new service launch in the future, Microsoft should bring about more and more innovation. He envisioned a bright future for Microsoft.
Satya Nadella's email to employees on the first day as CEO of Microsoft
Exercises
Homophones on page 32
1. hare
2. son
3. harsh
4. weak
5. stare
6. quay
7. piece
8. tow
Homographs on page 33
1. minute
2. wind
3. incense
4. object
5. row
6. advocate
Homonyms on page 34
1. gross
2. lying
3. arms
4. stress
5. rose
6. key
7. stand
8. shade
Synonyms on page 35
1. rarely
2. dangerous/risky
3. urgent
5. desire for
6. cruel
7. clear
8. become less intense
9. compulsory
10. very careful
Satya Nadella's email to employees on the first day as CEO of Microsoft
11 August 2016
JNTUH I year B.Tech/I B. Pharm I Sem Professional Communication in English
JNTUH I B.Tech./I B. Pharm I Sem English Syllabus
JAWAHARLAL NEHRU TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY HYDERABAD
I Sem B.Tech. L T/P/D C 2 -/-/- 4PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION IN ENGLISH
1. INTRODUCTION:In view of the growing importance of English as a tool for global communication and the consequent emphasis on training students to acquire communicative competence, the syllabus has been designed to develop linguistic and communicative competencies of Engineering students. The prescribed books and the exercises are meant to serve broadly as students’ handbooks.
In the English classes, the focus should be on the skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking and for this the teachers should use the text prescribed for detailed study. For example, the students should be encouraged to read the texts/selected paragraphs silently. The teachers can ask comprehension questions to stimulate discussion and based on the discussions students can be made to write short paragraphs/essays etc.
The text for non-detailed study is for extensive reading/reading for pleasure. Hence, it is suggested that they read it on their own the topics selected for discussion in the class. The time should be utilized for working out the exercises given after each section , as also for supplementing the exercises with authentic materials of a similar kind for example, from newspaper articles, advertisements, promotional material etc.. However, the stress in this syllabus is on skill development, fostering ideas and practice of language skills.
2. OBJECTIVES:
a. To improve the language proficiency of the students in English with emphasis on LSRW skills.
b. To equip the students to study academic subjects more effectively using the theoretical and practical
components of the English syllabus.
c. To develop the study skills and communication skills in formal and informal situations.
I B.Tech./I B. Pharm SYLLABUS:
Listening Skills:Objectives
1. To enable students to develop their listening skill so that they may appreciate its role in the LSRW skills
approach to language and improve their pronunciation
2. To equip students with necessary training in listening so that they can comprehend the speech of people of
different backgrounds and regions Students should be given practice in listening to the sounds of the language to be able to recognise them, to distinguish between them to mark stress and recognise and use the right intonation in sentences.
• Listening for general content
• Listening to fill up information
• Intensive listening
• Listening for specific information
Speaking Skills:
Objectives
1. To make students aware of the role of speaking in English and its contribution to their success.
2. To enable students to express themselves fluently and appropriately in social and professional contexts.
• Oral practice
• Describing objects/situations/people
• Role play – Individual/Group activities (Using exercises from all the nine units of the prescribed text: Learning
English : A Communicative Approach.)
• Just A Minute(JAM) Sessions.
Reading Skills:
Objectives
1. To develop an awareness in the students about the significance of silent reading and comprehension.
2. To develop the ability of students to guess the meanings of words from context and grasp the overall
message of the text, draw inferences etc.
• Skimming the text
• Understanding the gist of an argument
• Identifying the topic sentence
• Inferring lexical and contextual meaning
• Understanding discourse features
Scanning
• Recognizing coherence/sequencing of sentences
NOTE : The students will be trained in reading skills using the prescribed text for detailed study.
They will be examined in reading and answering questions using ‘unseen’ passages which may be taken from
authentic texts, such as magazines/newspaper articles.
Writing Skills :
Objectives
1. To develop an awareness in the students about writing as an exact and formal skill
2. To equip them with the components of different forms of writing, beginning with the lower order ones.
• Writing sentences
• Use of appropriate vocabulary
• Paragraph writing
• Coherence and cohesiveness
• Narration / description
• Note Making
• Formal and informal letter writing
• Describing graphs using expressions of comparison
TEXT BOOKS
1. Fluency in English - A course book for Engineering Students by Board of Editors: Hyderabad: Orient BlackSwan Pvt. Ltd. 2016. print.
2. Raman, Meenakshi and Sharma, Sangeeta. Technical Communication - Principles and Practice. 3rd edition. New Delhi: Oxford University Press. 2015
UNIT –I:
Chapter entitled ‘Presidential Address’ by Dr. A.P.J. Kalam from “Fluency in English– A Course book for Engineering Students” published by Orient BlackSwan, Hyderabad. Vocabulary: Word Formation -- Root Words --The Use of Prefixes and Suffixes– Collocations– Exercises for Practice. Grammar: Punctuation – Parts of Speech- Articles -Exercises for Practice.
Reading: Double Angels by David Scott-Reading and Its Importance- Techniques for Effective Reading- Signal Words- Exercises for Practice Writing: Writing Sentences- Techniques for Effective Writing-- Paragraph Writing- Types, Structure and Features of a Paragraph-Coherence and Cohesiveness: Logical, Lexical and Grammatical Devices - Exercises for Practice
UNIT –II:
Chapter entitled Satya Nadella: Email to Employees on his First Day as CEO from “Fluency in English– A Course book for Engineering Students” Published by Orient BlackSwan, Hyderabad.
Vocabulary: Synonyms and Antonyms – Homonyms, Homophones, Homographs- Exercises for Practice (Chapter 17 ‘Technical Communication- Principles and Practice’. Third Edition published by Oxford University Press may also be followed.)
Grammar: Verbs-Transitive, Intransitive and Non-finite Verbs – Mood and Tense—Gerund – Words with Appropriate Prepositions – Phrasal Verbs - Exercises for Practice
Reading: Sub-skills of Reading- Skimming, Scanning, Extensive Reading and Intensive Reading - The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost -- Exercises for Practice
Writing: Letter Writing –Format, Styles, Parts, Language to be used in Formal Letters- Letter of Apology – Letter of Complaint-Letter of Inquiry with Reply – Letter of Requisition –- Exercises for Practice
UNIT –III:
From the book entitled ‘Technical Communication- Principles and Practice’. Third Edition published by Oxford University Press.
Vocabulary: Introduction- A Brief History of Words – Using the Dictionary and Thesaurus– Changing Words from One Form to Another – Confusables (From Chapter 17 entitled ‘Grammar and Vocabulary Development’)
Grammar: Tenses: Present Tense- Past Tense- Future Tense- Active Voice – Passive Voice- Conditional Sentences – Adjective and Degrees of Comparison. (From Chapter 17 entitled ‘Grammar and Vocabulary Development’)
Reading: Improving Comprehension Skills – Techniques for Good Comprehension- Skimming and Scanning- Non-verbal Signals – Structure of the Text – Structure of Paragraphs – Punctuation – Author’s viewpoint (Inference) – Reader Anticipation: Determining the Meaning of Words – Summarizing- Typical Reading Comprehension Questions. (From Chapter 10 entitled ‘Reading Comprehension’)
Writing: Introduction- Letter Writing-Writing the Cover Letter- Cover Letters Accompanying Resumes- Emails. (From Chapter 15 entitled ‘Formal Letters, Memos, and Email’)
UNIT –IV:
The chapter entitled ‘Good Manners’ by J.C. Hill from Fluency in English – A Course book for Engineering Students” published by Orient Blackswan, Hyderabad.
Vocabulary: Idiomatic Expressions –One- word Substitutes --- Exercises for Practice (Chapter 17 ‘Technical Communication- Principles and Practice’. Third Edition published by Oxford University Press may also be followed.)
Grammar: Sequence of Tenses- Concord (Subject in Agreement with the Verb) – Exercises for Practice
Reading: ‘If’ poem by Rudyard Kipling--Tips for Writing a Review --- Author’s Viewpoint – Reader’s Anticipation-- Herein the Students will be required to Read and Submit a Review of a Book (Literary or Non-literary) of their choice – Exercises for Practice.
Writing: Information Transfer-Bar Charts-Flow Charts-Tree Diagrams etc., -- Exercises for Practice. Introduction - Steps to Effective Precis
Writing – Guidelines- Samples (Chapter 12 entitled ‘The Art of Condensation’ from Technical Communication- Principles and Practice. Third Edition published by Oxford University Press)
UNIT –V:
Chapter entitled ‘Father Dear Father’ by Raj Kinger from Fluency in English – A Course book for Engineering Students” Published by Orient BlackSwan, Hyderabad
Vocabulary: Foreign Words—Words borrowed from other Languages- Exercises for Practice
Grammar: Direct and Indirect Speech- Question Tags- Exercises for Practice
Reading: Predicting the Content- Understanding the Gist – SQ3R Reading Technique- Study Skills – Note Making - Understanding Discourse Coherence – Sequencing Sentences. (From Chapter 10 entitled ‘Reading Comprehension’ - Technical Communication- Principles and Practice. Third Edition published by Oxford University Press.)
Writing: Technical Reports- Introduction – Characteristics of a Report – Categories of Reports –Formats- Prewriting – Structure of Reports (Manuscript Format) - Types of Reports - Writing the Report. (From Chapter 13 entitled ‘Technical Reports’ - Technical Communication- Principles and Practice. Third Edition published by Oxford University Press.) Exercises from both the texts not prescribed shall be used for classroom tasks.
References
1 Green, David. Contemporary English Grammar –Structures and Composition. MacMillan India. 2014 (Print)
2. Rizvi, M. Ashraf. Effective Technical Communication. Tata Mc Graw –Hill. 2015 (Print).