J DATOR INSTITUTE

ORAL COMMUNICATION IN CONTEXT

MODULE 3

LESSON 3: EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of the lesson, the students are expected to:
 Identify the reasons for communication breakdown.
 Classify the examples of barriers in communication.
 Practice the strategies to avoid communication breakdown.
 Promote the importance of intercultural communication using a slogan.

BRAIN BUILDER

The ability to communicate effectively is a great skill although, some cannot communicate their ideas
well, because not all people are alike. These differences may cause problems in sending/receiving
messages. Barriers to communication can cause roadblocks in a person's professional or personal life.

Effective communication may be disturbed by different barriers or obstacles that make it difficult to
reach an understanding between a speaker and a listener. Second language learners usually find their
mother tongue as a barrier in learning English. Aside from that, here are some barriers that may cause
breakdown in communication:

 Process barriers shows that one of the elements in the communication process blocks the flow
of messages (verbally/nonverbally).
 Physical barriers include distracting sounds and noise. These make it hard for the listeners to
catch what was said. A speaker and a listener are affected by their surroundings. A very cold or
hot room temperature is also a physical barrier, making the speaker and the listener
uncomfortable. When one is uncomfortable, he or she may not listen or respond well.
 Semantic barriers refer to problems arising from the expression or transmission of meaning.
Meanings for words are filtered through one's frame of reference or the total of his or her
beliefs, knowledge, education, culture, and experience. Thus, misunderstanding or difference in
interpretation may occur since no two people can have exactly the same frame of reference.
 Psychosocial barriers can be one's status and perception. Consciousness of one's status affects
the two-way flow of communication. It gives rise to personal barriers caused by the superior-
subordinate relationship. Likewise, human perceptions - the mental images of the external
world - are stored in their brains and form their viewpoints, experiences, knowledge, feelings,
and emotions.

STRATEGIES TO AVOID COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN

1. Apply positive self-talk and perception. Positivity is the best encouragement. It welcomes good
vibes and pleasant outlook in all communication.
2. Use appropriate language. Tailor the words you will use based on your audience or listener. Keep
it simple and understandable. For example, figurative language (e.g., simile, metaphor) is usually
used in literature and in formal conversations, not in ordinary or casual conversations.
3. Be open. Suspend your own judgment, ideas, and beliefs. Give the speaker time to develop and
express his or her ideas or points before you conclude if the message has any value, little value,
or none at all.

4. Give and accept feedback. Feedback keeps the communication going. Respond to what has been
heard. Keep an open mind and avoid overreacting emotionally to a message or feedback.

Activity 1
GENERAL INSTRUCTION:
 You may submit your output in google classroom code: hcwtmnl
 Write it in 1 piece of clean yellow pad and submit on your next releasing of modules.

INSTRUCTION: Here are some examples of communication barriers. Classify them by naming the
specific barrier on each blank.

_______________ 1. Barking dogs _______________ 6. No boyfriend since birth

_______________ 2. Limited Vocabulary _______________ 7. No audience
_______________ 3. No job experience _______________ 8. Negative comments on Facebook
_______________ 4. Paranoia _______________ 9. Static Microphone
_______________ 5. Sickness _______________ 10. Corrupt political image

INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
Communication is a free flowing of ideas exchanged by the members of a certain group. The
communicators may be coming from all walks of life from different parts of the world. The verbal and
nonverbal communication that they are exchanging involve their background and values.

Culture can be connected to the psychosocial barrier in some communication. Culture has become a part
of some modern words today such as cross culture, multicultural, etc. The compounding of the word
"culture" means one thing; any word can be associated with it. Culture can be bonded to other field of
studies including communication.

IMPORTANCE OF INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION

 Symbolic exchange. Language is a big factor in intercultural communication. Symbols and
signs can be an option to bridge miscommunication brought about by language.
 Irreversible process. It is a permanent procedure in a mutually dependent environment of
intercultural encounter. This means that a communicator may not be changing his/her cultural
communication but he/she can adjust to cultural communication of others.
 Different cultural communities. A cultural community is composed of interacting individuals
with shared beliefs and way of life. Intercultural communication is a convention where a
number of cultural communities share unified cultures.
 Negotiate shared meanings. Agree on general objective of the intercultural communication
encounter.
 Interactive situation. The interactive scene involves the physical setting like seating
arrangement and psychological features such as behavior, cognitive concepts, social skills,
communication encounter.

Activity 2
INSTRUCTION: Demonstrate sensitivity on socio-cultural aspects of communication in a peer
interview. Find a partner who grew up in another region of the country or
perhaps in
another country. Make a short interview of each others' cultural views by completing
the worksheet below with respect and objectivity.

Student’s Cultural Religious

Age Identity Gender Role Social Class
Names Identity Identity
1.

2.

SOCIO-CULTURAL ASPECTS OF COMMUNICATION

Culture and communication have good chemistry. Their elements complement each other therefore they
cannot be separated. It is unavoidable to change one's culture but it can be learned. Communicators must
be mindful of the socio-cultural aspect of the members of the communication who come from different
cultures.

 Cultural identity refers to the membership and acceptance into a larger cultural group that share a
system of tradition, norms and values. It involves the people's standards of appropriate and
inappropriate behavior. The level of one's cultural identity influences his/her emotional significance
in the cultural group that influences his/her behavior as well. Communication should also be
multicultural; be open to the insights of other communicators with different cultures.
 Gender role is not necessarily limited to male and female. In some culture, dresses and skirts are
proudly worn by men. While women, in another culture, are not only seen nursing children at home
but they also run a country or lead a nation. The society and media representations of gender inform
and influence the people's understanding and expectations of the gender roles in the real world. Like
culture, communicators must respect and accept the gender preference of each human being. People
do not have the authority to judge or condemn others' sexual orientation.
 Age identity refers to how people feel and think about themselves as they age. Not all children are
innocent and childish, even adults are not all matured and responsible. Age identity can influence
one's self-image, personality, language use, attitudes and communication with others. Hence,
communicators must be oriented with the age identity of the person they are interacting with so they
can give a meaningful feedback.
 Social class is the rank assigned by the society to its members according to their income, titles,
possessions, etc. Peoples' perception of another's social class affects the way they communicate. The
social class of one culture may not apply to another culture. Generally speaking, the higher classes
enjoy more assigned manual labor. Regardless of one's social class, people should communicate
with privileged roles, and the lower classes are him/her in a manner that he/she finds acceptable.
 Religious identity refers to the active or inactive membership of a person to a certain religious
organization. Some see themselves as members of various religious groups. Either way, their
religious beliefs, values and world views are associated with their way of life. Religion is very
sacred and important to anyone or perhaps to everyone. Hence, religious issues and prejudices
should be handled properly and respectfully.

STRATEGIES IN COMMUNICATING ACROSS CULTURES

 Intercultural communicators must mindfully choose the suitable words and actions that are
culturally acceptable to others. Intercultural communication involves the simultaneous encoding
and decoding of verbal and nonverbal messages in the exchange process.
 Culturally, different communicators oftentimes encounter conflict with the other
communicators. But mindful members of communication must deal with it skillfully and.
tactfully. Many intercultural encounters involve well-meaning clashes.
 Observant intercultural communicators consider the connection among communication
patterns. Be mindful of the context (text or speech) and culture of the communicators to prevent
cultural differences in an unexpected situation.
 Open your minds to dissimilar culture because it can give you fresh options to try a new
approach in life. It always takes place in embedded systems.

ACTIVITY 3
INSTRUCTION: Promote the importance of intercultural communication. Visualize the importance of
intercultural communication by coming up with a slogan (like world peace, stop global warming,
no to terrorism, no smoking, etc.,)

NOTE: You cannot use the given examples.

 You may submit your output in google classroom code: hcwtmnl

 Write it in 1 piece of clean yellow pad and submit on your next releasing of modules.

Prepared by:
Ms. Christian Grace T. Catipay, LPT