12 Communication Styles

Interactive Activity: Communication Differences

This activity is an interactive book and invites students to read through the following information and learn about communication differences.

Before you begin:

These interactive activities will give you an understanding of, and insight into communication.
Specifically, this section covers the different ways we communicate and how neurodivergent communication might differ to neurotypical communication.

How do we communicate?

Click on the image hotspots to learn more about the main ways we communicate.
The background image depicts a small, white terrier dog’s face looking forward. The hotspots are located to the side of his face, on his eyes, nose and his ears, in an anticlockwise order.

• Written language is also form of verbal communication. This might be emails, texts or handwritten reminders. Dogs haven’t yet advanced to this form of communication!
• Eye contact is another form of non-verbal communication.
• Some of our communication comes from speaking (verbal-communication). This is simply the words we are saying. Or, for this dog, it might be barking…
• Some of our communication is non-verbal- this might be hand gestures, tones, body language and facial expressions. Non-verbal communication actually makes up between 70-90% of the way humans communicate! Or, for dogs, their ears or their tail often give an indication of their intentions.

Neurodiverse communication:

Click through the follow categories to learn more about how communication may differ between neurotypical and neurodivergent people.
Neither way is right or wrong; both are perfectly valid methods of communicating. Learning about communication differences will help you to understand your peers and teammates better and ultimately help you all to work constructively together.

Stimming:

Stimming or self-stimulating behaviour is common among neurodivergent people. But really, everyone engages in stimming to some extent.
It can look like the repetitive use of an object, such as flicking a rubber band, picking your fingers, using a fidget toy, or actions such rocking or jumping.
Neurodivergent people often engage in stimming because it is enjoyable, it can help to reduce stress and anxiety, or it can help increase or reduce sensory input (e.g. focusing on one object may help reduce overwhelm associated with a loud environment). For someone with ADHD, movement may help them focus on what is being said.
Neurotypical expectations around communication usually see stimming or fidgeting as ‘rude’ or as though the person is not listening. This is not the case at all. Sometimes additional movement can help neurodivergent people absorb information. The same can also be true for neurotypical people.
This section was informed by the National Autistic Society (2020).

Eye Contact:

When communicating with someone, there is often an expectation that you will make eye contact to show you are listening.
However, for neurodivergent people eye contact can be particularly challenging, and some even describe it as physically painful. This may mean when you are communicating with a group member, they may prefer not to look you in the eyes. This is not them being rude, rather they are wanting to give themselves the best chance to process what you are saying to them (McGlensey, 2016).
If eye contact is something you find challenging, it can be helpful to let your group members know so they don’t have that expectation.
If you are interested in learning more about eye contact and autistic people, check out the blog post by McGlensey (2016).

Tone:

Autistic people in particular may experience differences with tone. They may find it difficult to interpret the tone of other people, and/or they themselves may speak with a ‘flat affect’ or have less changes in their tone when speaking.
This may mean they miss things like sarcasm or humour in a conversation. Or, when they speak, it may seem like they are not interested or engaged.
When working in your group, use clear and direct language. Listen to their words, not their tone.
If you are interested in learning more about tone, check out the article by Autistic Science Person (2021).

Small talk:

Neurotypical conversation often begins with small talk, such as questions about the weather, how a person’s day is going or other neutral topics to ease into the conversation.
However, neurodivergent people may find small talk confusing, or they may prefer a more direct, factual conversation style.
In your meetings, be mindful of different communication preferences. Instead of traditional small talk, maybe you can discuss something you all enjoy or are passionate about. This could be the book/movie/tv show you are currently reading/watching, or something interesting you are learning about.

Masking:

Masking is something that neurodivergent people, or people in a minority group often engage in. Sometimes it occurs unconsciously, and sometimes it occurs consciously.
To some extent everyone engages in masking. For example, being a bit louder and more confident with friends, or speaking more formally and politely to grandparents. However, the form of masking described here, in the context of neurodivergence and specifically autism, is much more pervasive.
Masking is the process of adapting, changing or hiding ones natural behaviours or way of being in order to ‘fit in’ or appear ‘socially acceptable’.
For autistic people, masking may look like suppressing stimming behaviours, forcing themselves to make eye contact, or ignoring overwhelming sensory stimuli. Long term consequences of masking might include exhaustion, maladaptive coping strategies, or burnout.
Masking is included here so that you can be aware of the importance of creating a safe group environment for peers to be themselves. Remember that how a group member presents in the project is not necessarily an indication of their functioning. They may leave the group environment and sleep for 3 hours because of how draining it was or they may leave and be overstimulated from trying to suppress all their energy and movement.
This section was informed by The Autistic Advocate (n.d)

Test your understanding:

Answer the following four questions to test your understanding by selecting either a) or b) as the correct response.

1. Eye contact is
   a) something you should expect from everyone in your team.
   b) something some people may struggle with. It is not always necessary in conversation.
   B was the correct answer!
2. If someone’s tone suggests they are not interested in the conversation
   a) don’t bother including them; they obviously don’t want to know.
   b) listen to their words and focus on those instead.
   B was the correct answer!
3. Non-verbal communication makes up
   a) 70-90% of the way humans communicate.
   b) 10-30% of the way humans communicate.
   A was the correct answer!
4. If someone has different non-verbal cues to what you are used to (for example, less eye contact, minimal facial expressions),
   a) you will never be able to communicate effectively with them.
   b) that’s okay! We all communicate in slightly different ways.
   B was the correct answer!

Well done! Now you’ve learnt something new!

End of Activity Text Version

Interactive Activity: Enhancing Team Communication

This interactive activity invites students to read the communication tip on each flip card, before clicking on it, to turn it over and learn more. There are six communication tips to learn about.

1. Use clear and direct language.

Where possible, avoid figures of speech such as “it’s raining cats and dogs” as these can be interpreted literally. Sarcasm is not something everyone can understand.
Also try to avoid ‘hidden agendas’. If you need something from someone, explaining clearly what you need.

2. Understand different types of non-verbal communication.

While the person may not be looking at you, or may appear disinterested, it is important to remember this could be their normal behaviour. There are also different ways we communicate non-verbally, and non-verbal communication may not always mean what we think. Listening to the person’s words is most important.

3. Allow additional time to process information especially during meetings or when asking questions that require comments or answers.

Sometimes people might need more processing time.
Similarly, if someone is talking you, be patient and give them time to share their thoughts.

4. Be specific and clear about any issues or challenges you have with a team member.

Clearly and politely explain the problem and ensure the other person understands what you have said. Even though it may seem obvious to you, the other person may not see the problem. Most people, neurotypical or neurodivergent, can be sensitive to criticisms or corrections.

5. Consider the different learning needs in your team.

Complete reliance on written assessments can be challenging for someone with dyslexia. If someone discloses this in your team, they may feel more comfortable working on a part of the assignment that involves less writing.

Similarly, someone may prefer to take notes by hand instead of a laptop, or vice versa. Be aware of simple accommodations you can make to best support your whole team.

6. Reflect on your own biases and understandings.

Consider whether you have any particular biases about the people you are working with. This could be anything from their gender, their race, their neurotype, or their age. Consider whether this may be affecting (positively or negatively) how you interact with your teammates.

End of Activity Text Version

Interactive Activity: Test Your Understanding

This multiple-choice activity asks the following question:

Which two of the following are not beneficial ways of communicating with a team member?

1. Communicating what you find challenging when working in a team so other members understand why something might be harder for you.
2. Not communicating with someone in your team because they never sound interested in the project.
3. Expecting an immediate answer when you are talking to someone.
4. Considering whether you are being inclusive of all team members, even if they seem ‘different’ to yourself.

The correct answers are 2 and 3. Well done!

End of Activity Text Version