1.1 What is Communication?

Does the word communication ring a bell? Do you know its origin? It comes from
the Latin term communis, a noun word which means common or sharing and
communicare, a verb which means make something in common. So, we define
communication as an act or process of sharing information for a common understanding.
As an act or process of conveying intended meanings, communication involves two or
more persons using mutually understood words, signs, symbols and gestures to express
one thought’s, feelings, and behaviours. It involves more than just spoken words. The way
you dress, the way you walk and the way you act speak volumes of messages about you.
Even gestures of your body, eye contact or tone of voice invoke meaning. It is more than
the actual words.

In this course, we focus on oral communication which may come through face to
face or via phone and other media such as email, social media including Facebook,
Twitter, Instagram, Messenger, Workplace Chat, etc. Have you ever tried using these
media?

As technology advances, modern types of oral communication go beyond

distances that people can communicate globally anytime and anywhere through video
conferencing or video call using VoIP voice over internet protocol, a technology that
transmits voice over and multimedia content over IP networks. VoIP is used like Skype,
Zoom, Google Hangouts, Viber, WeChat, Messenger in long distance interviews and
conferences to avoid having to fly long distances and incur big expenses. Isn’t it wonderful
to engage in communication with someone even far away from you?

Long before, we wouldn’t have thought that learning for most students will happen
in their homes through remote or distance learning, but because of this pandemic situation
(COVID-19), online learning or eLearning are adapted by many schools using Learning
Management System (LMS). In SPSPS, if you have a stable connectivity, you are enrolled in
Canvas (LMS) where you can access all your subjects anytime, any day, at a pace based on
your preference. For an interactive oral discussion, you also have videoconferencing with
your teacher and classmates using Canvas conference, Zoom, Google Meet, Google
Classroom and other online platforms.
 1.2 The Communication Process Let us understand further how
communication works. As defined,
communication is a continuous and
constantly changing process that involves a
series of actions that lead to a particular
result. You should need to understand that for
communication to be an interactive process,
you will always consider the context or
situation where the communication takes
place, the purpose of communication, the role
and relations of the speakers and the person’s
frame
of reference. You speak differently to your
teachers, friends, parents or siblings.
Communication begins from conceptualizing
of ideas by the sender or
the source who transmits or encodes the
message through a medium or channel. This medium is a means in which the message is
sent. It could be oral or written and maybe transmitted through telephone call,
videoconferencing, memorandum, computer, apps or television. The receiver or listener
decodes the message and tries to understand it in the best possible manner. The response of
the receiver as to the message sent to him/her by the sender is known as the feedback.
Feedback is necessary to ensure that the message has been effectively encoded, sent,
decoded and comprehended. Feedback is the ultimate aspect of communication process.

But sometimes, breakdown occurs in the communication process from time to time.
It happens when a message or feedback is not properly sent or received. These are known
as noise in communication. An example is when you are talking with your friend via cell
phone and suddenly, the battery of your cell phone got drained, as you are about to tell him
of an important detail of your message.
There are four types of noise in communication:

Physical noise is any sort Psychological noise is a

of outside communication mental interference in the
effort by someone or speaker or listener like
something like for example wandering thoughts,
a loud noise that preconceived ideas, sarcasm,
interrupts or distracts you, depression, paranoia and
disturbance in your biases.
hearing due to thunders,
telephone call
disconnection, problems in
television reception,
message not being sent in
chat, etc.
 Sematic noise is an Physiological noise are
interference created when bodily conditions that
the speaker and listener compromise the ability of a
have different meaning person to send or receive
systems for example when messages like hunger,
a speaker uses a foreign stomach ache, fatigue, pains
language, a listener’s and headaches.
limited vocabulary or
differing interpretations of
words.

photos take from canva

1.3 The Communication Models

Now that you know the definition and process of communication, you will understand
communication better by knowing the three models of communication.

Traditionally speaking, there are three standard models of the communication

process which are Linear, Interactive, and Transactional. Each offers a slightly different
perspective on the communication process. The purpose of a “model” is to offer a visual
representation of a concept with the intent of facilitating the understanding of it.

Studying these models and their features will help your understanding of an effective
communication process.

Linear Communication Model

In the Linear Model’s behavior, a

sender encodes a message via a channel
and the message is decoded by the
receiver. It is a straight-line
communication found typically in mass
communication like when you are
watching a segment in your TV, listening
to music over the radio, reading
newspapers, delivering a speech in front
of the audience, etc. According to this
model, there is no means for immediate
feedback. Shannon and Weaver were
the first to present the Linear Model of
Communication in 1949′s The Mathematical Theory of Communication. This concept
tried to highlight an awareness that there is a semantic noise in face to face or verbal
communication and interest of good communication, we need to work to hold
semantic noise to the lowest level for our audience to understand us.
Interactive Communication Model

Simply put, the Interactive Model takes

the Linear Model and multiplies it times
two with a quick flip of the return
message. It now allows for a feedback
element because after a message is
encoded and sent to the decoding
receiver, the roles then reverse and the
receiver encodes and sends a response to
the original sender who has now turned
receiver. It sounds more confusing than
it is. Envision an exchange of text and
vice-versa messages whereby your friend
sends you a message and you respond to it. The same thing happens during a
telephone call, or even an email exchange. A message is sent and received, then, the
roles reverse. But for understanding to take place between the sender and the
speaker, they must have something in common – the fields of experience. This refers
to the cultural background and other frames of reference that an individual may bring
to the interaction. For example, your teacher assigned you to watch a sitcom with
your sibling and talk about it afterwards. For communication to take place, you and
your siblings should decide for the sitcom to watch so you can interact with each
other. The way you talk and the ideas you share reflect your cultural background and
the knowledge and experiences that the two of you possess. This model was
introduced by Wilbur Schramm in 1954.

The Transactional Model

The Transactional Model

becomes more sophisticated yet. This
model depicts face-to-face interaction,
or “trans-action” as a dynamic and
changeable process that is not limited
to simple definition. In the
Transactional Model, receiver and
sender can play the same roles
simultaneously, as messages can be
sent back and forth. It shows
communication as a two-way process
in which participants are constantly
sending and receiving messages. It
appears chaotic and ineffective, but
sometimes communication is just
that. Throw in some noise, and it would be a wonder whether any message is
conveyed successfully in this environment. This model was developed by Dean
Barlund in 1970.
-Published by Gavi Z on August 19, 2013
 1.4 Verbal and Nonverbal Cues

Have you ever felt as if you weren’t in the mood to

talk? Maybe you were tired, upset or just in a quite mood.
Regardless of your reason, you may be have taken a break from
talking to your family or friends. How did they react to your silence or quietness?

It can’t be denied that every action we do has a corresponding meaning that we want to
express, and that expression of our ideas is the message. The message could be verbal (spoken or
written) or nonverbal -body language, physical appearance or vocal tone). According to Bratanic,
2007, in face to face communication, nonverbal cues convey 65% meaning while verbal
communication accounts 35% social meaning.

What is verbal communication? Verbal communication refers to the use of words –

the conversation we have with our friends and classmates at lunch, the morning news we listen
to over the radio or television, the text message we send to our parents are some forms of verbal
communication we usually do.

Much of the communication we do are spoken which involves arrangement of words in

a structured and meaningful manner, and adhering to the rules of grammar.
Here are some points to remember in verbal communication:
 clear to avoid confusion;
 use simple and easy to understand words;
 direct - avoid long complicated sentences and jargon in oral communication;
 appropriate to the audience, situational context, purpose of communication,
and personality of the speaker; and
 use vivid descriptions to help your listeners create mental images and pictures
of what you want to express.
 But words are not enough to convey
meaning. Nonverbal cues are
significant as well, especially when
emphasizing important points. In some
cases, even without words, you can
convey meaning. For example, when
you are crying, laughing or smiling,
people will interpret your nonverbal
cues or when your parents do not speak
with you anymore because you have
done something wrong, your instinct
will tell you to approach them and ask
for an apology. There are several types
of nonverbal communication and you
usually use them to express your thoughts and emotions unknowingly.

Types of Nonverbal Communication

Paralanguage- the way in which you say Facial Expressions- the human face is
the words. It includes rate-speed of extremely expressive, able to express so
speaking, pitch-the highness or lowness many emotions without saying a word-
of tone, volume-loudness of vocal they are universal. Think for a moment
mechanisms, tone-emotions behind about how much a person is able to
words, and tempo-the pace of your voice. convey with just a facial expression. A
There are different meanings exhibited smile can indicate approval or happiness.
like for example, you might ask, is my A frown can signal disapproval or
1 mother angry or sad; or is my teacher 2 unhappiness. In some cases, our facial
asking a question or making a statement. expressions may reveal our true feelings
When the volume of your mother’s about a particular situation. While you
speech is quite low, you may think that say that you are feeling fine, the look on
she is sad or when your teacher ends her your face may tell people otherwise. Just
sentence with a raise, pitch, then a few examples of emotions that can be
probably, she is asking a question. This expressed via facial expressions include:
most basic understanding of what’s said happiness, sadness anger, disgust, fear
to you can most often be provided by the excitement, desire or surprise. . The
intonation, pitch, tone or tempo of facial expressions for happiness, sadness
spoken language. anger or surprise are the same across
culture.
Body Movement and Postures –also
called kinesics, which include gestures, Touch or haptics -we communicate a
posture, head, and hand movements or great deal through touch. It is a very
whole body movements. Body powerful means of communication.
movements can be used to reinforce or Touches that can be defined as
 emphasise what a person is saying and communication include handshakes,
also offer information about the holding hands, kissing (cheek, hand), back
3 emotions and attitudes of a person. The
way in which you sit, stand, slump or
4 slap, "high-five", shoulder pat, brushing
arm, etc. Lightly touching a person's hand
slouch provides information about your can convey your concern and affection
sex, status, self-image, attitudes and for them. But as with eye contact,
emotional state. Sitting head up high may the touch has to be appropriate, and
connote superiority or slouching may there are important cultural issues
mean you are not interested. Awareness around touch that need to be
of the meanings of different kinesthetic understood. Meaning of touch can be
movements is important in order to avoid different from every person depending
sending the wrong message. on their cultural background.

Voice-it’s not just what you say but how Gestures- include movement of
you say it. Your voice is also the index of the hands, face, or other parts of the
your personality because it reveals the body. The meaning of gestures can be
kind of person you are. Our tone, pitch, very different across cultures and
quality of articulation and inflection regions, so it is important to be careful to
deliver subtle messages about the kind of avoid misinterpretation. The beauty of
person we are. They convey our mood hand gestures is that you can say so much
and our feelings at a particular time. with one move: unlike a spoken language
Having the capacity to project that requires multiple combinations of
appropriate sounds can make a critical
difference in the way we are perceived 6 vocabulary, grammar and tone, you don’t
have to be an expert to communicate
and treated. When used effectively, our with your hands.
5 voice can work in our favor and enhance
our personal and professional
relationships.

Eye Messages or oculesics -is an Space and Distance- also known as

important type of nonverbal
communication. The old saying that
8 proxemics which is the implications of
space in relationships with others.
“eyes are a reflection of your inner self” 'Territory' refers to how a person feels
holds true in most cases. There are a lot about their home or work space, and
of meanings to eye contact. Looking up, proxemics expands this definition to
down, sideways, glancing, staring blinking include a person's immediate
7 and many other eye movements have environment.
different meanings.
 UNIT SUMMARY

The discussion in this unit has now broaden your understanding of communication, its
elements and processes. You will be ready to grasp more function of communication that will
make for a meaningful exchange of information with the persons you are interacting with.

 Communication is an act or process that allows people to interact with one another
through words, sounds, signs, and behavior.

 It is a powerful tool that we use to meet our needs, accomplish goals, and get results.

 The elements of communication include the following: sender, message, channel,

receiver, noise, feedback, and context.

 A message is never communicated unless it is understood by the receiver.

 Breakdown in communication is caused by noise such as physical, psychological,

physiological, and semantic in nature.

 There are several models of communication including linear, transactional and

interactive.

 Even if you don’t talk to anyone around you, you still are communicating. Your facial
expressions, body language, and even the way you use distance and space all send
messages to others. Surprisingly, these messages often speak louder than words.