CDOE Hosts Three-Day Workshop on Listening and Speaking Skills

Chandigarh, September 29, 2026: The Centre for Distance and Online Education (CDOE), Panjab University (PU), Chandigarh, launched a three-day workshop on Listening and Speaking Skills today, aimed at strengthening students' communication abilities through interactive, practice-oriented sessions. Organised by the Department of English, CDOE, the workshop highlights the growing need for effective oral communication in academic, professional and everyday contexts.
Inaugurating the programme, Director, CDOE, Prof. Geeta Bansal reiterated the institution's commitment to holistic student development. She observed that communication skills are no longer optional adjuncts to education but core competencies that determine employability and confidence. She assured that the Centre would continue to institutionalise such skill-building initiatives, integrating them into its regular academic calendar so that distance learners enjoy parity of opportunity with their on-campus counterparts.
Coordinator, Department of English, CDOE, Dr Ravinder Kaur, is conducting the workshop and serves as a resource person alongside Dr Jashanjot Singh Johal. Their sessions blended conceptual inputs with hands-on practice like active listening drills, pronunciation and articulation exercises, public speaking tasks and group discussions, designed to help participants overcome hesitation and speak with clarity and conviction. Emphasis was laid on the reciprocal nature of communication, showing how attentive listening underpins effective speaking.
Around 300 students participated on the opening day, engaging enthusiastically with the resource persons and one another during activities and interactive segments. The lively exchange of ideas, queries and feedback reflected genuine learner involvement and the practical relevance of the sessions. Participants described the workshop as both empowering and immediately applicable.
The overwhelming response affirms the value of such skill-oriented interventions in distance and online education. By combining expert guidance with participatory learning, the CDOE has reaffirmed its commitment to producing articulate, confident and employable graduates.