Communication is a highly valuable skill in life, whether for work, school, or day-to-day interactions. It helps you connect with people, and is crucial when you want to build up relationships or collaborate with someone.

While being a fluent communicator means one must know how to use a language relatively well, it is not all there is. For example, if you have been attending a Korean class in Singapore, you might be good enough to hold a conversation with a Korean person. But if you are not sensitive to their cultural habits, or speak constantly without listening, that still makes you a poor communicator.

Having good communication skills comes more naturally to others. If you realise that you need some help in brushing up your communication skills, we’re here to help! Here are some tips on becoming a better communicator. Use them to reflect on your current communication style, and see where you can make improvements.

• Be mindful

Many times, we speak without really thinking. We might be speaking just to fill an awkward silence, or talking aimlessly to our friends. While this might be acceptable for casual conversations, it is not the best way to communicate.

Being mindful helps you be more aware of what you are saying and doing during communication. Instead of saying just anything you wish, think about what you are trying to do in the conversation. Are you trying to get to know someone better? Or are you trying to comfort someone who is down? Depending on the situation and your aims, you should try to say things that work.

• Be aware of culture

This is important when communicating to people of different nationalities and ethnicities. Still, we sometimes forget that even between people who seem similar to us, there will be some differences in the way they communicate.

Being sensitive to cultural and individual differences is crucial when communicating, so that people don’t think you are rude. If you know you have to interact with people of another culture, a good way is to read up a little bit about their culture beforehand.

If you are going in cold, making some mistakes at first is normal – but do your best to observe any differences and be sensitive about them.

• Don’t just speak; Listen!

Communication is not all about speaking. Listening is also a huge part of the equation. A good communicator should know when to speak and when to listen.

One mistake that many people make when others are speaking is that they spend the time formulating the next thing they want to say. As a result, they may not be paying full attention to what the other person is really trying to say. Instead, good communicators know that being present and attentive is what makes a good listener.

• Watch your body language

Some communication scientists say that a first impression is formed within 7 seconds of meeting someone. And that impression is largely dependent on body language, rather than what they say!

While your words may form the content of your message, your body language is a clue to your attitude and emotions. Someone who is standing straight up with squared shoulders may be interpreted as more confident, while a person who is slouching and not making eye contact will seem to be disinterested.

So, if you want to improve your communication, take a look at your body language. Are you making enough eye contact? Are you using gestures to your advantage, or are you fidgeting too much? If you are preparing for a speech or interview, it might help to rehearse in the mirror or video-record yourself so you can review your own body language.

As you can see, being a good communicator is more than just knowing how to speak the language. But of course, a good language school ought to also teach students how to communicate well. If you want to pick up a new language, it will be beneficial to choose a language course that focuses on communication. You might be able to find courses specific to conversational communication or business communication that you can select based on your needs.