Sahil Manzoor Bhatti
If we want to improve our communication skills, we need a good learning environment. The people around us, our family, friends, teachers, school, books, and daily experiences all play an important role in developing the way we speak and express our ideas. Communication skills do not improve in a single day. They develop slowly through regular practice, reading, listening, speaking, and learning new things.
There are many simple ways to improve our vocabulary. Reading books, newspapers, magazines, and good articles can help us learn new words. Listening to good speakers and talking with knowledgeable people can also improve our language. We should not feel shy when we make mistakes. Mistakes are a natural part of learning. The more we practise, the more confident we become.
If someone wants to become a public speaker, teacher, motivator, educator, counsellor, or leader, having knowledge is very important. A person cannot speak effectively without having something useful to share. Sometimes, a person may know a few things and speak about them for some time, but real communication requires proper and wide knowledge. We should have basic knowledge about the subject we are talking about. Knowledge gives us confidence and helps us explain difficult ideas in simple words.
Today, competition among students is increasing. Even primary school students are developing good communication skills. Their environment plays a major role in this development. Children learn from their parents, brothers and sisters, friends, teachers, and society. If children are surrounded by people who read, speak, discuss, and learn new things, they also develop these habits.
Teachers have a very important role in developing language and communication skills among students. A teacher can encourage students to speak in the classroom, ask questions, participate in discussions, read books, and share their ideas. Such activities slowly remove fear and hesitation from students.
The mother tongue also has a very important place in education. Children can understand many difficult ideas more easily when they are explained in their mother tongue. A complex topic can often be explained in very simple language when students are comfortable with that language. The mother tongue also helps children develop their basic understanding and knowledge.
At the same time, our educational institutions have students from different cultural and language backgrounds. Different languages are spoken by different students. Therefore, languages such as Urdu and English become important because they are commonly understood by a large number of students. We should respect all languages while also helping students learn languages that are useful for education and communication.
According to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, children are generally expected to enter Grade 1 at around six years of age. During the early years of education, children learn many things through play and enjoyable activities. They learn the alphabet, numbers, Urdu letters, and other basic concepts through songs, rhymes, games, pictures, and activities.
Rhymes are especially useful for young children. They help students learn new words, improve pronunciation, remember information, and develop fluency. Repeating words and sentences can also help children remember what they have learned. Therefore, teachers should use interesting and simple methods while teaching young learners.
Basic learning should not stop after primary school. Even students at the secondary and higher secondary levels need regular revision of basic concepts. Teachers can keep one day every week for basic learning and revision. On that day, students can be given simple questions from different subjects such as English, Mathematics, Science, Urdu, Kashmiri, and other subjects.
Such tests should not create fear among students. They should be simple, student-friendly, and based on basic concepts. The purpose should be to check whether students understand the foundation of a subject. A student who has strong basic knowledge can learn advanced topics more easily. On the other hand, when the basics are weak, students often become confused and lose interest and confidence.
Therefore, we should always focus on the foundation of education. A strong foundation makes future learning easier. We should not feel ashamed if we do not know something. Instead, we should identify our weaknesses and work on them. Learning has no age limit. A person can learn something new at any stage of life.
Today, communication skills and English are receiving a lot of attention. There is no doubt that good communication skills are very important. They can help a person in education, employment, public speaking, interviews, and everyday life. However, we should also remember that communication skills are not the only measure of a person’s talent.
There are many talented and hardworking people who have excellent knowledge and ability but are not fluent in English or are not confident speakers. This does not mean that they are less talented. A person may have great ideas, practical knowledge, creativity, and dedication but may need more time to improve language and communication skills.
Therefore, we should give such people opportunities to prove their abilities. During interviews and selection processes, communication skills are sometimes given too much importance. Language is important, but talent, knowledge, honesty, dedication, creativity, and practical ability are also important. A talented person who is weak in English can improve through proper training and a supportive environment.
The country needs talented and dedicated young people. If they are given the right opportunities, they can improve their communication skills with time. A good environment can teach us many things without our even realising it. When we spend time with knowledgeable, positive, and hardworking people, we naturally learn from them.
So, how can we improve our communication skills?
The first and most important habit is reading. Every learner should develop the habit of reading books. Reading increases vocabulary and introduces us to new ideas. It also improves our understanding of sentences and helps us express our thoughts more clearly.
Reading also increases confidence. When we read regularly, we become familiar with different words, expressions, ideas, and writing styles. Slowly, we begin to use these words in our own speech and writing.
A person can join a public library if buying books is difficult. Libraries provide access to many useful books. Those who can afford it can also create a small library at home. It is not necessary to have hundreds of books. Even a few carefully selected books can be very useful.
We should also read the same material more than once when necessary. Sometimes, we read a question or paragraph quickly but fail to understand its real meaning. Reading it again and thinking about it carefully can make the meaning clear. This habit is especially useful for students.
Finally, improving communication skills requires time, patience, practice, and a good environment. We should read every day, learn new words, listen carefully, speak without fear, ask questions, and interact with knowledgeable people. We should also respect our mother tongue while learning other useful languages.
Education is not only about getting marks or a job. It is about developing knowledge, confidence, understanding, character, and the ability to express ourselves. If we strengthen our basic knowledge and improve our communication skills step by step, we can become better learners and better human beings.
(The author is a freelancer and can be reached at [email protected])
