COMMUNICATION

(Merriam’s Webster)
: a process by which information is exchanged between
individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or
behavior
(Business Dictionary)
Two-way process of reaching mutual understanding, in which
participants not only exchange (encode-decode) information,
news, ideas and feelings but also create and share meaning. In
general, communication is a means of connecting people or
places. In business, it is a key function of management--an
organization cannot operate without communication between
levels, departments and employees.
This chapter will introduce several concepts
about communication beginning from the
Ancient Greeks until the twenty-first century. It
will illuminate several perspectives about
communication, the most important one being
that it is necessary and important skill that
should be honed to become better citizens and
to help in building one’s society.
 It will explore the use of English in the world,
as well as its usage in the Philippines. It will also
discuss the perils of language and how we can find
the seeds of racism, sexism and classism in the
language that we use – and what one can do to
ensure that one’s language is as academic and
inclusive as possible.
 LESSON 1 : COMMUNICATION MODELS

In this lesson, students will be exposed to the

different ways of looking at communication. It should give
the students a good understanding of why communication
should be studied at the tertiary level, and the potential of
such a course in helping them transform themselves and
their society. It includes communication models that
students can use in the future, and may explain why
communication tasks in the past have either failed or
succeeded. It is a good introduction to thee different
processes or principles, and dimensions of communication
that students should be aware of , when they start
communicating in the academe and the professional world.
BY THE END OF THIS LESSON, STUDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO:

1. Understand the importance of communication in

society
2. Know the principles and processes of
communication as embodied in the communication
models provided: and
3. Relate the communication models to their
experiences and apply them to their own
communication processes.
INTRODUCTION

It is a mistake to believe that communication is a

simple process. Although people communicate with one
another every day, the real question is whether the ideas
one has expressed are truly understood by another.
Communication breakdowns happen in every part of the
globe, and these have led to plethora of problems.
Effective communication can breach peace, spark
revolutions, and affect change in the government.
However, to communicate properly, one cannot simply
strive to express oneself and leave understanding to fate;
one must also learn how to organize thoughts, control one’s
emotions, use one’s words to articulate concepts and
arguments and express oneself in the best way possible.
 The art of one’s communication reflects the art
of one’s thinking. According to James Berlin, o(1982)
one of the major proponents of the New Rhetoric. “In
teaching writing, we are not simply offering training in
a useful technical skill that is meant as a simple
complement to the more important studies of other
areas. We are teaching a way of experiencing the world
, a way of ordering and making sense of it”
 This is also true when it comes to all the
language skills essential in communication, whether
this is in writing, reading, listening or speaking. They
are tools that help us analyze, critique and negotiate
with the world. To construct ideas and bring people, to
believe in ones vision, it is important to be able to
communicate in an effective, articulate manner. On a
personal level, honing one’s communication skills can
also bring about success to one’s personal and
professional life.
 To lead nations or corporation, communication
skills are essential. To work smoothly as a team,
communication is indispensable. And to create a vision
that people will believe in, one needs to learn how to
communicate purposefully in today’s society.
 COMMUNICATION MODELS

One way of thinking about communication

processes is by looking at the different communication
models available. According to Denis Mcquail and
Sven Windahi (2013), in their book Communication
Models for the Study of Mass Communications, a
model seeks to show the main elements of any
structure or process and the relationship between
these elements….. it helps in explaining by providing
in a simplified way information which would otherwise
be complicated or ambigous.
 Professor Ramona S. Flores (2016), in her book
Oral Communication in Context, discusses four models
of communciation in the chapter, “Explaining the
nature of communication.” She discusses the different
communication models as follows (Aristotle, Shannon-
Weaver, Schraamm, and White, (2016)
 The earliest model comes form Aristotle at around 5 B.C. In this
model, Aristotle explains that speakers should adjust their messages
according to their audience and the occasion to achieve a particular
effect. Let us apply this to a modern example. After the Japanese attacked
the pearl harbor on December 7, 1941, then US president Franklin
Roosevelt delivered a stirring speech to declare war on Japan on
December 8. The speaker in this case, was US president Franklin
Roosvelt and speech was crafted especially for the occasion, filled with
strong words that were crisp and straight to the point.
The occasion was the US President’s response to the
attack on Pearl Harbor; the main audience was the US
congress; and the effect was to persuade members of
Congress to declare war on Japan, which they did with
only one dissenting vote. This components of speaker,
speech, occasion, audience, and effect should be
considered, when communicating one’s message.
 "With confidence in our armed forces— with the
unbounding determination of our people— we will
gain the inevitable triumph— so help us God."
(Franklin D. Roosevelt Library)
SPEAKER SPEECH AUDIENCE EFFECT

OCCASION

ARISTOTLE’S MODEL OF
COMMUNICATION
 SHANNON-WEAVER’S MODEL OF
COMMUNICATION

- Created by Claude Shannon and Warren Weaver

- Also called the “telephone model” since it was
developed because of the technology of the telephone
and the experience of “noise” coming from the
switchboard.
 SHANNON-WEAVER’S MODEL OF
COMMUNICATION

Information
Source
Transmitter Reception Destination

sender Encoder Channel Decoder Receiver

NOISE

FEEDBACK
OSGOOD-SCHRAMM MODEL OF COMMUNICATION
 In this model, pay attention to the role of the interpreter.
Encoding and decoding are not automatic processes both go through the
filter of the interpreter. Therefore, the message may succeed or fail, based
on the interpreters appreciation of the message. There are times when the
sender and reciever may apply different meanings to the same message,
and this is termed as “semantic noise”.
WHITE’S STAGES OF ORAL COMMUNICATION
 9 WORST BODY LANGUAGE
MISTAKES
THAT PROFESSIONALS OR THOSE
WANTING TO APPEAR LIKE ONE
COMMIT, AND THESE SLIP UPS ARE:
EXCESSIVE NODDING

This undermines how focused we are by nodding like a

bobble.
FIDGETING

 This is the so-called “nervous energy”

HANDS BEHIND THE BACK

this communicates unapproachability and close-

mindedness
MISMATCHED EXPRESSIONS

This is not going to translate your words well; when

you are expressing passion with face in deadpan.
SHIFTY EYES

This may suggest that you are lying or you are

uncertain
STARING TOO MUCH

too much of this can be interpreted as aggressive or

worse or creepy.
CHOPPING AND POINTING

This can mean you are cutting or chopping off

connections
BREAKING EYE CONTACT

This expresses discomfort

BAD POSTURE

leaning back can be translated as laziness;

leaning forward may express aggressiveness