Meet and Talk Online
Basics of Meeting Online
What is video conferencing?
It is communication through the Internet, which lets people at different places come together for a meeting. It can involve just two people getting together from their offices, or many people in many different places connecting.
When and why should you use video conferencing?
From many different places, are working together and building relationships, even when they cannot physically be together. They are meeting, talking, and sharing information by using online conferencing tools.
** We need to spend more time getting ready for English-only meetings.**
- Plan what you will say and practice
- Practice speaking slowly and at a steady volume
- Practice word stress
Once you’ve practiced what you plan to say, think about the people you’ll be meeting with and what they might need. Be prepared for questions that may come up.
During the meeting
- Respect the other participants
- Be sure everyone has a turn to speak
- Remember to turn off your microphone when you’re not talking
- Remain attentive to the meeting
- Look engaged and friendly
What video conferencing sites should you use?
Google Hangouts, Skype for Business, Fuze, WebEx, GoToMeeting, and Meeting Burner
Expressions, Vocabulary, Body Language for Online Discussions
agree
- Yes, I agree.
- It looks good to me.
- I think so, too.
- I definitely agree.
disagree
- I’m afraid, I don’t agree.
- I’m sorry, but I don’t agree.
- That’s interesting, but I’d prefer something different.
- Actually, I disagree.
clarify
- Excuse me, I didn’t hear that. Could you say it again?
- Sorry, I missed what you just said. Could you repeat that please?
- I’m sorry. Could you explain that again?
- Excuse me, could you tell me what that means?
restate
- I understand. We’re going to discuss …
- I see, our first step is …
interrupt
- Excuse me. Can I say something here?
- Could I interrupt you for a minute?
- Sorry to interrupt, but I’d like to say something here.
include
- So what do you think?
- Can you give me your thoughts on this?
- Do you agree?
- What’s your opinion?
Apply Language to Situations
You notice that one of the people at the meeting is very quiet or may have been disconnected. What should you do in this situation?
- If you think they are still online, you can invite them into the conversation by saying, so what do you think?
- Can you give me your thoughts on this?
- What’s your opinion?
- If you think there is a connection issue, you can ask, excuse me, can you still hear us?
- Excuse me, are we still connected?
- Is there a problem with your connection?
The meeting is going very well and is very interesting. But you need to leave all of a sudden. What can you say in this situation?
- I have to leave now for another appointment. I’m sorry.
- I’m very sorry. I’ll have to continue this discussion at a later date.
- Excuse me, something important has just come up, and I have to leave. I’ll be in touch very soon.