UNIT 4 GROUP DISCUSSIONS
Structure
4.0 Objectives
4.1 Warm up
4.2 Reading
4.3 Writing Skills
4.4 Listening: How to be Successful in a Group Discussion
4.5 Study Skills
4.6 Language Focus
4.7 Vocabulary
4.8 Speaking
4.9 Grammar: Connectives
4.10 Pronunciation
4.11 Summary
4.12 Suggested Readings
4.13 Answers to Check Your Progress
4.0 OBJECTIVES
Group discussions are part of the admission procedure in many Institutes of Higher
Education. Besides, they also play a major role in the recruiting process for various
administrative and high level posts in Business organizations. The objective of this Unit
is to find answers to questions like:
What is it that makes Group Discussions an important tool of assessment?
• What is a Group Discussion?
• What does Group Discussions assess?
• Methods and procedures in Group Discussions.
• Group Discussion skills.
• Language for Group Discussions.
• Assessment Criteria
4.1 WARM UP
How efficiently and effectively people get
along with one another, respect each
others’ ideas, and resolve their inevitable
professional and linguistic differences is
going to result in success or failure.
To what extent do you agree with the
above statement?
4.2 READING
Check Your Progress 1
Complete the following text on Group Discussions by inserting the appropriate sentences
from the ones given below the passage in jumbled order.
, Skills Needed at the The 21st century has witnessed an increased focus and dependence on technology.
Workplace-I Consequently we spend a lot of time in front of our computers.
1______________________________________________________________________
________Regardless of the use of Information technology, major decisions and sales are
made on the basis of interpersonal communication.
2.______________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________ .
In the world of Sales, it's often said that people don't just buy products; they buy concepts
sold to them through the ideas and feelings of their salesperson.
3.______________________________________________________________________
______________. Some of the most important interpersonal communication skills
necessary to communicate effectively face–to–face include speaking and listening,
establishing rapport, and understanding and accommodating differences when
communicating across personality, gender, and cultural lines.
4.______________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________.
A Group Discussion is a test of the interpersonal
communication skills of a candidate.
5._____________________________________________
______________________________________________. It
assesses the capacity of a person to interact constructively as
member of a group and to make a meaningful contribution to
the discussion. You can do so only if you have a good
knowledge base, the ability to structure your arguments
logically and the skill to communicate your ideas effectively.
A. Plain and simple, people like to do business with people they like.
B. Hence the importance of interpersonal communicative skills cannot be overstated.
C. These precisely are the skills required for Group Discussions.
D. It is often used as a tool for evaluating the effectiveness of a person in a group
activity.
E. If we're not careful, we may lose the ability to communicate effectively face–to–face.
Now check your answers with the Answer key.
Types of Group Discussions
1. A topic is given to the group by the GD Coordinator and the participants are asked to
discuss it for a duration of 15-20 minutes. Sometimes participants are asked to decide
a topic by themselves. They are then given 3 – 5 minutes to think about the topic
before the GD actually starts.
2. A printed case study is given to the group and the candidates are given time to read
the case before they actually begin the discussion. In this method of group discussion
the following procedure is recommended:
Enumerate the facts of the case
Define symptoms
Identify problem
Suggest solution / solutions
Check Your Progress 2
Which one out of the two types of discussions would require more preparation time and
why?
Check your answer with the Answer Key.
Structure
4.0 Objectives
4.1 Warm up
4.2 Reading
4.3 Writing Skills
4.4 Listening: How to be Successful in a Group Discussion
4.5 Study Skills
4.6 Language Focus
4.7 Vocabulary
4.8 Speaking
4.9 Grammar: Connectives
4.10 Pronunciation
4.11 Summary
4.12 Suggested Readings
4.13 Answers to Check Your Progress
4.0 OBJECTIVES
Group discussions are part of the admission procedure in many Institutes of Higher
Education. Besides, they also play a major role in the recruiting process for various
administrative and high level posts in Business organizations. The objective of this Unit
is to find answers to questions like:
What is it that makes Group Discussions an important tool of assessment?
• What is a Group Discussion?
• What does Group Discussions assess?
• Methods and procedures in Group Discussions.
• Group Discussion skills.
• Language for Group Discussions.
• Assessment Criteria
4.1 WARM UP
How efficiently and effectively people get
along with one another, respect each
others’ ideas, and resolve their inevitable
professional and linguistic differences is
going to result in success or failure.
To what extent do you agree with the
above statement?
4.2 READING
Check Your Progress 1
Complete the following text on Group Discussions by inserting the appropriate sentences
from the ones given below the passage in jumbled order.
, Skills Needed at the The 21st century has witnessed an increased focus and dependence on technology.
Workplace-I Consequently we spend a lot of time in front of our computers.
1______________________________________________________________________
________Regardless of the use of Information technology, major decisions and sales are
made on the basis of interpersonal communication.
2.______________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________ .
In the world of Sales, it's often said that people don't just buy products; they buy concepts
sold to them through the ideas and feelings of their salesperson.
3.______________________________________________________________________
______________. Some of the most important interpersonal communication skills
necessary to communicate effectively face–to–face include speaking and listening,
establishing rapport, and understanding and accommodating differences when
communicating across personality, gender, and cultural lines.
4.______________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________.
A Group Discussion is a test of the interpersonal
communication skills of a candidate.
5._____________________________________________
______________________________________________. It
assesses the capacity of a person to interact constructively as
member of a group and to make a meaningful contribution to
the discussion. You can do so only if you have a good
knowledge base, the ability to structure your arguments
logically and the skill to communicate your ideas effectively.
A. Plain and simple, people like to do business with people they like.
B. Hence the importance of interpersonal communicative skills cannot be overstated.
C. These precisely are the skills required for Group Discussions.
D. It is often used as a tool for evaluating the effectiveness of a person in a group
activity.
E. If we're not careful, we may lose the ability to communicate effectively face–to–face.
Now check your answers with the Answer key.
Types of Group Discussions
1. A topic is given to the group by the GD Coordinator and the participants are asked to
discuss it for a duration of 15-20 minutes. Sometimes participants are asked to decide
a topic by themselves. They are then given 3 – 5 minutes to think about the topic
before the GD actually starts.
2. A printed case study is given to the group and the candidates are given time to read
the case before they actually begin the discussion. In this method of group discussion
the following procedure is recommended:
Enumerate the facts of the case
Define symptoms
Identify problem
Suggest solution / solutions
Check Your Progress 2
Which one out of the two types of discussions would require more preparation time and
why?
Check your answer with the Answer Key.
