ORAL This hand-out will serve as

COMMUNICATIO your copy for the whole

11
N MINDANAO MISSION ACADEMY grading.
of Seventh-day Adventists, Inc. (DO NOT RETURN THIS TO
The School that Offers Something Better YOUR TEACHER)
1st Quarter
(Module 1) Manticao, Misamis Oriental

• • LEARNING MODULE FOR ORAL COMMUNICATION 11 • •

Teacher’s Name: Glenn Dale Love G. Siarot, LPT Facebook Account:
https://www.facebook.com/glenndalelove.siarot/
Degree: BSED-English Gmail Account: siarotglenndalelove@gmail.com
Subjects handled: Oral Communication in Context 11, Contact number: 0997-455-0957 |0992-784-8338
English 8 & 9

Grading System:
Components Percentage
Written Work 25%
Performance Tasks 60%
Quarterly Assessment 25%

STUDENT’S NAME:

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO LEARN?

ICONS DESCRIPTION
When you see this icon, it signals that you are to do a task classified as performance task. This is now a
transfer of the knowledge that you learn from the lessons. This task merits the highest percentage in the
grading system.
This icon gives you an overview of the lesson that you will be learning. It is an introduction of the lesson
and a recall of your prior knowledge regarding the topic.

This icon gives you important lessons, core values integrated in the lessons. These are important
concepts and strategies that will help you in life.

You will find this icon before some chunks of text in the following pages. It tells you to carefully study the
concepts, principles, or processes discussed in the text. It also tells you that there is a question to
answer or an idea to think about it.

✎
This icon gives you important instructions to note and follow. Read every detail of instructions so you
can follow them precisely.

You will find this icon at the end of every topic. It signals a self-test to determine how well you have
achieved the objectives set in the unit. Study the lesson well and you will perform quite well in the self-
test. This will be submitted to your teacher after you answering the self-test. Write legibly and always
follow instructions properly.

☞
This icon directs you to the specific activity which you need to answer and specific lesson for you to
refer to as you answer the activity.

This icon signals process questions that you need to answer as this is also one indicator that you have
learned the lesson very well.

Content Standard:
The learner understands the nature and elements of the oral communication in context.
Performance Standard:
The learner designs and performs effective controlled and uncontrolled oral communication activities based on
context.
Transfer Goal:
Students on their own will be able to perform effective oral communication.

Performance Task: RESEARCH

This Performance Task will be credited to the following subjects for the 1 st Quarter:

1. Oral Communication 2. Practical Research 1 3. Komunikasyon at Pananaliksik sa Wika at Kulturang Pilipino

4. English for Academic and Professional Purposes

Goal: Present research as solution to a problem.

Role: You are the director of the Research department in the establishment you are currently connected with.
 Audience: President/manager of the establishment you are connected, Secretaries of the different departments
connected to your work (DOH, DSWD, DepED, etc.)
Situation: You are the director of the Research department in the company/establishment you are working. With the
different problems that the department encounters, you are to solve the top issue by conducting research.
Product: You are going to design a plan how to gather and organize data, analyze results and findings, and give
conclusions in a research report
Standard: Your research report should be relevant, comprehensive, organized, insightful, and ICT-integrated.
Rubric

Criteria Excellent (5) Competent (4) Needs Unacceptable Score

Improvement (3) (2)
Introduction An intriguing A fairly well Introduction is not Lacks a proper
introduction formulated well constructed, introduction.
based on facts introduction with uninteresting, or
leads clearly into some evidence to does not lead into
the research support the topic the research
proposal. leads into the proposal.
research proposal.
Problem Stated the Fairly well posed Statement of the Lacks a proper
Statement research statement of the problem is not statement of the
problem clearly, problem that clearly stated problem.
and provided provides evidence and/or lacks
motivation for but the evidence is quality evidence to Evidence
undertaking the not as strong as it support the presented does
research. could be. problem not support the
thesis or problem
statement.
Research Well stated Fairly well stated Stated hypothesis is Lacks a
Hypothesis research hypothesis based unclear based on hypothesis.
hypothesis based on the purpose of the purpose of the
on the purpose of the study. study.
the study.
Literature Review Comprehensive Comprehensive Superficial review Superficial review
review of the review of the of the literature of the literature
literature using literature using that does not that is poorly
quality evidence quality evidence describe the organized and
and specifically but does not research findings; lacks credibility
analyzes the adequately relies heavily on a based on the
research analyze the few studies and level of evidence
conducted by research findings; uses poor quality and resources
describing the simply reports on resources for presented. Less
individual studies the literature. At information than 2 references
and findings that least of 3 quality gathering Less than included.
support the thesis references 3 quality
and focused included. references
problem. Exceeds included.
to 3 quality
references
included.
Methodology Methodology is Methodology is Methodology is not Methodology is
written in detailed written in detailed. accurate. It is not not satisfying.
and accurate Complete parts explained well.
steps for are evident.
conducting and
parts of
methodology is
evident.
Writing Very well written Well written Fairly written Poorly written
Mechanics proposal with few proposal with few proposal that lacks paper that lacks
grammatical grammatical clarity; has poor organization.
errors. Adheres to errors. Adheres to transition There are multiple
all the proposal most of the sentences. There grammatical
writing format proposal writing are several errors. Fails to
requirements as format grammatical errors. adhere to the
presented in the requirements as Adheres to most of proposal writing
guidelines. presented in the the proposal format
guidelines. writing format requirements as
requirements as presented in the
presented in the guidelines.
guidelines.
Presentation Skill Excellent eye Good eye Inconsistent with Poor eye
contact, no contact, no eye contact,
distracting distracting contact, volume, volume too low
gestures, gestures, and or loud,
appropriate usually has enunciation. poor
volume, clear appropriate Obvious enunciation.
and consistent volume, overall distracting
enunciation. clear mannerism(s).
Creative and enunciation.
charismatic.

ORAL COMMUNICATION IN CONTEXT 11 • GDL SIAROT • STEM |PAGE 2

 The presentation
Visual Aids The presentation The presentation The presentation includes no visual
includes includes includes aids. Or the visual
appropriate and appropriate and appropriate visual aids do not
easily understood easily understood aids, but these are complement the
visual aids, which visual aids, which too few, or are information.
complement and complement and difficult to
enhance the enhance the understand, or the
presented presented presenter does not
information. information. refer to or explain
them.
Presentation Well-informed Informed and The presenter is not Presenter is poorly
content and knowledgeable of sure about some of oriented with the
knowledgeable the research topic the ideas and research topic.
of the research is evident methods of the
topic is very research topic
evident
Overall Excellent use was Good use was Acceptable use The presentation
Presentation made of the made of the was made of the was not timed
Quality student's student's student's appropriate.
presentation time presentation time presentation time Some portions of
(4 minutes). Each (4 minutes). Each (4 minutes). Most the proposal
section of the section of the sections of the were ignored.
written proposal written proposal written proposal English was
was mentioned. was mentioned. were mentioned. difficult to
English quality English quality was English quality was understand. Not
was acceptable. Wears inconsistent. Attire wearing
advanced. Wears appropriate attire. is not acceptable. appropriate
decent, attire.
executive, and
becoming attire.
TOTAL POINTS

Introduction

Communication is what connects us as human beings. Society cannot function without communication, whether it is face-
to-face conversation across a dinner table or video conferencing across international boundaries. But because it is a regular
part of our lives, almost like breathing, communication often thought of, if at all, as something we are just naturally born to
do.

Lesson Title Learning Competency

1 Understanding 1. Explains the functions, nature and process of communication.
Communication 2. Differentiates the various models of communication.
3. Uses various strategies in order to avoid communication breakdown

Lesson 1| Understanding Communication

TIME TO READ AND LEARN

s

Communication is a process of sharing and conveying messages or information from one person to another within and
across channels, contexts, media, and cultures (McCornack, 2014). There is a wide variety of context and situations to
which communication can be manifested; it can be a face-to-face interaction, a phone conversation, a group discussion,
a meeting or interview, a letter correspondence, a class recitation, and many others.

NATURE OF COMMUNICATION
1. Communication is a process.
2. Communication occurs between two or more people (the speaker and the receiver).
3. Communication can be expressed through written or spoken words, actions (nonverbal), or both spoken words and
nonverbal actions at the same time.

ELEMENTS OF COMMUNICATION
Communication is divided into elements which help us better understand its mechanics or elements are the
following:
1. Speaker- the source of information or message.
2. Message- the information, ideas, or thoughts conveyed by the speaker in words or in actions.
3. Encoding- the process of converting the message into words, actions, or other forms that the speaker understands.
4. Channel- the medium or the means, such as personal or non-personal, verbal or nonverbal, in which the encoded
message is conveyed.
5. Decoding- the process or interpreting the encoded message of the speaker by the receiver.
6. Reciever- the recipient of the message, or someone who decodes the message.
7. Feedback- the reactions, responses, or information provided by the receiver.
8. Context- the environment where communication takes place.
9. Barrier-the factors that affect the flow of communication

ORAL COMMUNICATION IN CONTEXT 11 • GDL SIAROT • STEM |PAGE 3

PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION
1. The sender generates an idea.
2. The sender encodes an idea or converts the idea
into words or actions.
3. The sender transmits or sends out a message.
4. The receiver gets the message.
5. The receiver decodes or interprets the message
based on the context.
6. The receiver sends or provides feedback.

PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNICATION
1. We cannot not communicate.
2. Communication is irreversible.
3. Communication is unrepeatable.
4. Communication is a process of adjustment.
5. Communication is transactional.
6. Communication is complex.

TYPES OF COMMUNICATION
There are many levels and combinations of communication, especially in the workplace with a myriad of hierarchies that
seem to differ office-by-office and team-by-team. This being said, when broken down to its most basic form, there are 5
modes of communication. Here they are with examples of how you would see them in the workplace:

Listening
Listening is not just hearing. It focuses on the level of engagement and the amount of attention you’re paying to the
speaker. If you don’t listen properly and show a genuine interest in what the talker is saying, they can feel unheard and this
can be disheartening. Not least, it can encourage them to never want to engage with you again. It’s surprisingly easy to
not listening properly. If no eye contact is made, the speaker is interrupted and no follow up questions are asked, this will
indicate that you’ve not given them your full attention.

Verbal
This is also known as the linguistic mode. It is not as simple as just talking, but rather the choice of words used and their
delivery. This means that how a thought, opinion, or action is verbalized is important. If words are mumbled, garbled and
complicated, or don’t carry the proper tone, this could result in a lack of communication.

Nonverbal
This is all the parts of communication that are not spoken, or gestural communication. Nonverbal communication is vital. It
encompasses first impressions. Before a person has even spoken, they’ve already communicated something to you through
their body language, posture, and facial expressions. A person’s nonverbal communication has to match up with the
context and tone of what they’re saying, or the interpreter may become confused and read the social cues wrongly, thus
resulting in a communication breakdown.

Emotional awareness
This type of communication is one that is rarely taught. It is the ability to be mindful of the recipient’s emotions and respond
in the appropriate way. Reading the room and recognizing when there are conflicts will stand you in good stead. As will
empathy, consideration, and building trust.

Written
Due to our reliance on email, Slack, and other messaging services, this form of communication will be the one you use the
most.
If you didn’t pay attention in English class, this may be your communicative downfall in this category, as grammar and
punctuation are expected to be correct when communicating in writing.
It’s hard to show emotion in writing unless the excessive use of smiley faces, exclamation marks, and emojis is acceptable in
your workplace. Clarity in the message and interpretation by the reader are both key here.

Reading the Bible and praying is how we communicate with God. Just like the process of communication, we send
our prayers and God receives it. There may also be barriers and/or noises, but one feature of this kind of
communication which makes it unique from the normal ones we know, is, the receiver already knows what we are
going to say or ask before we even utter it.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ STOP ☞ ( Go to Activity Sheet and answer Activity no. 1 ) ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

MODELS OF THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS

LINEAR MODELS

Berlo’s Models

In 1960, American communication scientist David Berlo wrote a book titled Process of Communication: An Introduction to
Theory and Practice where he discussed his communication model. Berlo's S-M-C-R model of communication is a linear
model. It shows the following elements: source, message, channel, and receiver.

ORAL COMMUNICATION IN CONTEXT 11 • GDL SIAROT • STEM |PAGE 4

The communicators or the
source and the receiver are
influenced by their personal
characteristics demonstrated in
their attitudes, communication
skills, and knowledge. A fourth
factor that influences the
communicators is the social
system and culture or the
sociocultural system. The
message is comprised of the
content and the
communicators' treatment and
coding of the content. The five
senses are. the channels of
communication or the means
by which communication is
transmitted. These are seeing,
hearing, touching, smelling,
and tasting. Berlo
acknowledges the complexity
of the communication process
by including the influence of an all-encompassing sociocultural system.
Filipinos are known for their hospitality. It is one of our cultural traits that clearly shows how we treat and how we
communicate with visitors, strangers, and foreigners in our country. The sociocultural system shapes our communication
style.

SHANNON-WEAVER’S MODEL

Mathematician Claude Shannon and scientist Warren Weaver (1949) designed a model originally for telephone
communication. It includes five components—the information source, a transmitter, a receiver, a destination, and noise.
When we apply the Shannon-Weaver's model to a no-telephone communication situation, the information source is the
speaker; the transmitter is the vocal mechanism; and the receiver and destination is the listener. The concept of noise is
added in this model. According to the Shannon and Weaver's model, noise is anything that interferes with or distorts the
intended meaning of communication. Noise can be physical, psychological, physiological, or semantic.
Physical noises are those distractions in the environment such as seatmates talking, sound of the air conditioner or electric
fan, or the traffic heard from outside the room.

Psychological noises are thoughts that run through the communicator's mind during the interaction that takes his/her
attention away from it. For example, psychological noise can be in the form of a student who worries about the exam in the
next class, a manager who thinks how to deal with an erring employee, or a mother planning the next meal.
Physiological noises are disturbances within the communicator's body. When having a headache or feeling hungry, the
communicator may have difficulty in focusing on the conversation. Semantic noises are differences in meaning or
interpretation of words or messages.

As a result, communicators become distracted or confused. Noise in communication transaction must be avoided.

LASSWELL’S MODEL

Harold Lasswell (1948) was a leading. American political scientist and communications theorist who advanced one of the
earliest models of the communication process, Lasswell's model described the communication process as a linear or one
way process in which communication is transmitted from a sender to a receiver. It was a verbal transmission model that
comprised five questions that described one of the earliest views on how communication works.

This model underscores the function of communication in society. According to Lasswell (1948), communication has three
functions:
1. Surveillance of the environment—a function of surveillants such as political leaders and health officers designed to alert
society to the dangers and opportunities it faces.
2. Correlation of components of society—a function mainly carried out by institutions such as community development
workers, educators, and polltakers designed to gather, coordinate, and integrate into a meaningful form of responses of
society toward changes in the environment.

ORAL COMMUNICATION IN CONTEXT 11 • GDL SIAROT • STEM |PAGE 5

3. Cultural transmission between generation— a function carried out by institutions such as the family, church, school, and
community in order to pass down their values, customs, and traditions to the next generation. Lasswell was concerned with
mass communication and propaganda. He believed that communication must perform its key functions to protect, fortify,
and enhance a nation's stability. A country must be responsible for consolidating its strength by controlling the forces that
interfere with efficient communication. The elements or formula of the model are explained as follows:
 Who? — control analysis
 What? — content analysis
 In which channel? — media analysis
 To whom? — audience analysis
 With what effect? — effect analysis

Here is an example to illustrate how the model works. A family serves as the communicator (who) of values (message)
through the practice of family rituals such as family dinners and birthday celebrations (channel) with the children, the next
generation (to whom) who will preserve and pass on the culture to future generations (effect). The communication cycle
continues with the next generation.

INTERACTIVE MODEL

Schramm’s Model

Wilbur Schramm was a scholar authority on mass communication. His first communication model was the interactive model
which shows the concept of process and interaction in communication. The source is the speaker who encodes the
message. The destination is the receiver who decodes the message. Schramm's first model highlights the importance of an
overlap in the communicators' fields of experience in order that communication may occur. The common field of
experience illustrates the shared meanings that communicators possess without which communication is impossible.
Conversely, the size of the common field of experience determines the breadth and depth of communication between
communicators.

Schramm's second model depicts 'the dual roles of communicators where they can be both senders or encoders and
receivers or decoders. They are also the interpreters in the process as they assign meaning to the message. The model also
illustrates the circular sequential process in which one person interacts with another who then sends feedback to the first
person.

Schramm’s first communication model

The major shortcoming of earlier linear models was that they portrayed the communication process as flowing in just one
direction—from the sender to the receiver. The linear model suggests that a communicator is only either a sender or a
receiver and that the receiver passively absorbs the sender's message. However, communication theorists realized that in
the communication process, there is a response from the listeners or receivers. That is why they added the component
feedback to their models. In interactive models such as Schramm's, we find feedback, a response to the message, as one
of the elements of the communication process.

ORAL COMMUNICATION IN CONTEXT 11 • GDL SIAROT • STEM |PAGE 6

 Schramm’s second communication model

TRANSACTIONAL MODELS

Dunn and Goodnight’s Model

In their book Communication: Embracing Difference, Daniel Dunn and Lisa Goodnight (2008) stress the importance of
understanding and celebrating difference as a means to becoming effective communicators. Dunn and Goodnight
present a transactional model of the communication process. They describe communication as an interdependent process
where a speaker and a receiver simultaneously send, receive, and understand messages.

According to this perspective, if any of the components of the communication process is altered, the communication
situation is changed. For example, when the number of participants, the place where communication situation takes place,
or the time when it is to be held is changed, the communication process as a whole is changed.
The communication process is a continuing process. We never stop sending and receiving messages. In fact, we do them
both simultaneously. When, for example, your manager explains your new job assignment he/she is also observing your
reactions to the message. On the other hand, you simultaneously send a message to your manager and receive a message
(with his/her approval through a pleasant smile, for instance). We always send messages, directly or not deliberately,
through the clothes we wear, the way we behave toward others, and through our eye contact. We send information about
ourselves just as we also interpret what we observe about others.

In Dunn and Goodnight's model, the elements of the communication process are people, message, encoding, decoding,
the channel, feedback, context, and noise.

The people involved in Communication are the essential part of the communication process. They play both roles—those of
a source and a receiver. Each person is unique with his/her own ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, gender, socioeconomic
status, age, values, and many other characteristics that make up who each is, how each feel, and how each engages in
communication. The source creates and sends a message to the receiver who also sends messages back to the source. The
entire communication process bounces back and forth.

The message is the thought, feeling, or action that is sent with the use of symbols or code systems such as verbal and
nonverbal and oral and non-oral. The messages can be communicated intentionally or unintentionally. Verbal messages
are composed of words while nonverbal messages are composed of gestures, facial expressions, vocal inflections, touch,
and so on. For example, Marco was disappointed by Lisa's rejection. She said, "I don't like you!" and Marco looked so
downcast.

The encoding process is putting thoughts, ideas, or feelings into meaningful symbols that another person understands. The
decoding process is interpreting or attaching meaning to another person's message. The channel is the vehicle in which the
message is communicated from the source to the receiver. Lisa's encoded message, "I don't like you!" was heard by Marco
t and he decoded it to mean that he is unattractive o or undesirable to Lisa. The feedback is the receiver's response to the
sender's message. Marco's feedback or his response to Lisa's message was a downcast face that expressed his
disappointment.

The context of the interaction refers to the conditions surrounding the communication process. The physical setting is where
the communication occurs and can have a substantial impact on communication. Think about the difference between
discussing how to solve a conflict at work in a busy restaurant, and doing the same in the office's conference room.

The psychological climate of the interaction refers to the attitudes and feelings we have about ourselves and the other
people involved in the communication process. These factors affect how we respond to others. Consider the following
situation:

ORAL COMMUNICATION IN CONTEXT 11 • GDL SIAROT • STEM |PAGE 7

WOOD’S MODEL

Dr. Julia Wood (2014), one of the leading scholars in the field of communication, presents a transactional model that
depicts communication as a continually changing process. Wood observes that communicators may communicate
simultaneously instead of taking turns and that, interactive models do not illustrate how communication changes over time
as a result of what happens to peoples Wood's model shows how people's communication varies over time and in response
to their history of relating to others. How people communicate and what meanings they create are shaped by systems or
contexts, including the shared fields of experience and personal systems of each communicator. The model portrays each
communicator's field of experience and shared fields of experiences as changing over time. As we meet new people,
encounter new experiences, and grow as individuals, we change in the way we interact with others. In this transactional
model, communicators are not labeled as persons who send and receive, but rather as participants who participate
equally and often simultaneously in the communication process.

HAMILTON’S MODEL

Cheryl Hamilton (2005), a best-selling author of Communicating for Results: A Guide for Business and the Professions, presents
another transactional model that includes the following elements: person A and person B, stimulation and motivation,
encoding and decoding, frame of reference, code, channel, feedback environment, and noise.

Persons A and B are both senders and receivers simultaneously. The communication process occurs when the sender is
stimulated by an internal or external stimulus that triggers a desire to communicate. A stimulus is reinforced by motivation
that defines the value of communication to the sender. The sender then puts form to the message through the encoding
process and the receiver tries to interpret the exact meaning of the message through the decoding process.

Hamilton's concept of frame of reference, defined as the communicators' background and experiences, influences the
encoding and the decoding processes. The frame of reference includes race, sex, educational background, life
experiences, attitudes, and personality. Hamilton also said that the communicators' frame of reference must be identical for
accurate encoding and decoding. It is a reality that no two frames of references are exactly the same. In these cases,
expect difficulties in communication.

The codes are symbols that carry the message. These are language (verbal code), paralanguage (vocal code), and
nonverbal cues (visual code). Verbal codes are spoken and written words used to communicate thoughts and feelings.
Vocal codes, are vocal elements which include tone of voice, pitch, rate, volume, and emphasis. All other intentional and
unintentional messages by which a person sends a message are called nonverbal cues. These include facial expressions,
eye contact, gestures, appearance, posture, physical arrangements, and time factor.

To communicate effectively, the sender must send the same message using the three codes. For example, after receiving
a disappointing response from your 'teacher regarding your request to extend the deadline of your research paper, you
slam the door of your room, and drop your things on the floor upon getting home. When your mother asks you if you are,
angry, you reply in a loud and irritating voice, "No! I'm not angry!" This is an example of inconsistent codes. You send
conflicting messages. We must remember that effective messages are consistent both verbally and nonverbally.

Channels for communication are selected based on these factors:

1. Importance of the message. Important messages usually require the face-to-face channel.
2. The needs and abilities of the receiver. Some people respond more effectively with face-to-face communication rather
than a telephone conversation or sending of memos.
3. The amount and speed of the feedback required. Messages that are complicated may be best expressed in a face-to-
face interaction wherein all codes are present. E-mail may allow fast feedback, but could be open to misinterpretation.

ORAL COMMUNICATION IN CONTEXT 11 • GDL SIAROT • STEM |PAGE 8

4. The necessity of permanent record. Memos, emails, and- other written instructions can serve as permanent records of
what was said.
5. The cost of the channel. It costs less to send fax (or e-mail than long-distance calls or hold meetings in restaurants.
6. The formality or informality desired. A face-to-face meeting may be formal, but considered less formal than a memo or a
newsletter.

Feedback is defined as the verbal and visual response to a message. Through feedback, communicators learn whether
messages sent are interpreted accurately. 'Feedback can be a self-monitoring response for communicator to modify their
behavior until expectations are met.

The environment is an important aspect to be considered in the overall effectiveness of communication. The environment
'includes the general atmosphere, location, time, and physical and social surroundings. As much as possible,
communicators must plan 'and control the environment. The general atmosphere may speak of the overall attitudes and
mindset of the communicators. The location of the meeting sets the mood of the participants. The time when a
communication situation occurs affects its overall outcome. A student, for example, will determine the best time & consult a
teacher to meet his/her goals. Timing is an important factor in communication. Factors in the physical environment such as
the size of the room, physical arrangement, room temperature, and whether it is arranged in an indoor or outdoor setup
may all affect the outcome of the communication process. The social environment, presence or absence of bosses, and
relationships of people concerned, also affect communication. For example, the student athletes were all excited to plan
their victory party after they won the championship.

You are more defined by what comes out of your mouth than what goes in it. The way you speak and the things
you say have power. Speech gives us the power to create or destroy.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ STOP ☞ ( Go to Activity Sheet and answer Activity no. 2 ) ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN
A communication breakdown occurs when communication is incomprehensible to one party or entirely absent between
two people. For example, communication breakdown occurs when a couple fights and then refuses to speak to each
other, according to Psychology Today.

Otherwise known as "the silent treatment," refusing to communicate is one of the most common forms of communication
breakdown. It usually occurs when two parties disagree or when someone says something offensive or hurtful. There are
several ways to help fix or avoid communication breakdown. In instances where one party is simply having difficulty
understanding, slowing down verbal communication or attempting to explain problem areas are two ways to ensure
communication breakdown doesn't occur. When one person tends to takeover or control a conversation, communication
breakdown can occur because the second party doesn't actually have the chance to communicate. Be sure to ask the
other person how he is doing, what he has been up to or what's new with him. If someone else is controlling the
conversation, try letting him know that he is dominating the conversation.

BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

Physical Barriers
Research shows that one of the most important factors in building cohesive teams is proximity. As long as people still have a
personal space that they can call their own, being close to others aids communication because it helps people get to
know one another.

Perceptual Barriers
It can be hard to work out how to improve your communication skills. The problem with communicating with others is that
we all see the world differently. If we didn't, we would have no need to communicate: something like extrasensory
perception would take its place.

Emotional Barriers
One of the chief barriers to open and free communications is emotional. The emotional barrier is comprised mainly of fear,
mistrust and suspicion. The roots of our emotional mistrust of others lie in our childhood and infancy when we were taught to
be careful about what we said to others. As a result, many people hold back from communicating their thoughts and
feelings to others. They feel vulnerable. While some caution may be wise, excessive fear of what others might think stunts our
development as effective communicators and our ability to form meaningful relationships.

Cultural Barriers
When we join a group and wish to remain in it, sooner or later we will need to adopt the behavior patterns of the group.
These are the behaviors that the group accept as signs of belonging. The group rewards such behavior through acts of
recognition, approval and inclusion. In groups that are happy to accept you, and where you are happy to conform, there is
a mutuality of interest and a high level of win-win contact.

Language Barriers
Our language may present barriers to others who are not familiar with our expressions, buzz-words and jargon. When we
couch our communication in such language, it excludes others. Understanding this is key to developing good public
speaking skills and report writing skills. In a global marketplace, the greatest compliment we can pay another person is to
talk to them in their own language.

Gender Barriers
There are distinct differences between the speech patterns of men and women. A woman speaks between 22,000 and
25,000 words a day whereas a man speaks between 7,000 and 10,000. In childhood, girls speak earlier than boys and at the

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age of three, have a vocabulary twice that of boys. The reason for this lies in the wiring of a man's and woman's brains.
When a man speaks, he uses the left side of his brain but not a specific area of it. When a woman speaks, she uses both left
and right sides, in two specific locations. This means that men speak in a linear, logical and compartmentalized way,
demonstrating left-brain thinking. Women speak more freely, mixing logic and emotion, using f both sides of the brain. This
also explains why women talk for much longer than men each day.

Your thoughts are like boomerangs. What you pass along to others is what will come back to you .

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ STOP ☞ ( Go to Activity Sheet and answer Activity no. 4 ) ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

REFERENCES AND WEBSITE LINKS USED IN THIS LESSON

s

Garner, E. (n.d.). Impact Factory. Retrieved from https://www.impactfactory.com/:

https://www.impactfactory.com/library/communication-skills-seven-barriers-great-communications
Juneja, P. (2015). Management Study Guide. Retrieved from www.managementstudyguide.com/:
https://www.managementstudyguide.com/effect-of-communication-barriers.htm
Reference. (2020, April 7). Retrieved from https://www.reference.com/: https://www.reference.com/world-
view/communication-breakdown-ff9aa3b28a2dba59
Rodgers, E. (2018, December 7). Perkbox. Retrieved from /www.perkbox.com:
https://www.perkbox.com/uk/resources/blog/solving-a-communication-breakdown-5-steps

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