LESSON 1: WHAT IS - interpreted in many ways by different

people.
COMMUNICATION?
WHAT IS COMMUNICATION? (In the sample image, a teacher explains a
- Webster defines communication as a process by lesson in a class of 20 students. There may
which information is exchanged between also be 20 different understanding of the
individuals through a common system of lesson. That is why there is a need for
symbols, signs, or behavior.
clarification called feedback.)
- Communication is a process of sharing and
conveying messages or information from one
1. Communication is much more of an art
person to another using different means,
- than a science. There is no right or wrong
medium, context, media, and cultures.
way to communicate - no set of absolute
THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS AND TERMS IN WHICH rules to be followed but there are
COMMUNICATION CAN BE MANIFESTED: underlying principles to guide us into
- A group discussion - Face-to-face effective communication.
- A phone conversation - A meeting or
interview 2. Communication has a sender and
- A class recitation - A letter
receiver
correspondence
- Communication occurs between two or
more people acting as the speaker or the
In other words, the basic functions of communication
are to achieve understanding or shared meaning and to
receiver of the message. In other words,
persuade, inform, entertain, and manage relationship. it is a two-way process of reaching
NATURE OF COMMUNICATION mutual understanding, in which
participants do not only exchange
5. Communication is a process (encode-decode) information, news,
- Communication as a process means it is a ideas and feelings but also create and
step-by-step activity and it is essentially a share meaning. In general,
two-way process that involves the active communication is a means of connecting
participation of both the sender and receiver. people or places.
It is the act or process of using words,
sounds, signs, or behaviors to express or 3. Communication is verbal or non-verbal
exchange information or to express your - Communication can be expressed through
ideas, thoughts, feelings, etc., to someone written or spoken words (verbal) or actions
else. Communication is a dynamic process (non-verbal) of both spoken words and
which is influenced by the communicator's nonverbal actions at the same time.
mood and thinking. Communication is not all about sending or
- It is a complex process too. By complex
receiving facts in words. It does involve
process, it means, one message may be ideas and emotions that are expressed
through signs, symbols
-
- and gestures. 6. Communication is irreversible
- This means that what you have said can
(The sample image shows both verbal or spoken never be unsaid. Irreversibility happens
words and non-verbal actions. The man uses the very minute you click the “OK”
both verbal and non-verbal cues when he button for a comment or post on your
winked at the lady and at the same time greeted social media and that it would be too late
her and offered her a drink. On the other hand, to take it back when a lot of people have
the girl's smirk is a gesture of disgust or dislike. already reacted, and commented to it.
Even without the use of words, the lady's The same thing when you perhaps throw
gesture is still understood as a form of a hurting or offensive word to your
communicating her disapproval towards man.) enemy because of your anger. Before
saying them.
5. Communication is inevitable
- inevitable. Inevitability means
communication is taking place even when 7. Communication is unrepeatable
someone does not want or intend to - Unrepeatability means that an act of
communicate. This "does not want to communication can never be duplicated.
communicate" feeling of someone actually We may say the same thing over and
does communicate something. What does over again but the effect of what you said
this mean? It simply means that you cannot the second or third or fourth time will
avoid communicating. Why? The truth is, we not be the same as the first time you said
are communicating constantly because even it.
when you do not want to communicate, you - Even if we intend to say the same thing
are communicating! again which is possible but the ideas here
- is, the outer world has changed by the
- Isn't that ironic? Yes, you are sending a second utterance. The listeners may be
message by the way you smile, or frown, sit different, our mood may be different, or
or move or by the way you walk or dress up our relationship might be in a different
yourself and by your actions. And even when place. You don’t get a second chance to
you are sleeping in class, you are make a first impression.
communicating that you are either bored or
sick or whatever your reasons be! This notion
tells us that communication is everywhere.
"THE NATURAL FLOW OF THE
- Thus, it is impossible to not communicate. COMMUNICATION PROCESS"
The dark clouds, the deep blue sea, the
howling dogs, your empty room or even the
silence of the night, these are all
communicating and telling us something. Try
discovering that yourself.
 Communication Process
The speaker The speaker
What is communication process? 
The speaker transmits or
generates an
encodes an idea or sends out a “Transmission of a message from a sender to a
idea converts the idea message receiver in an understandable manner.”
into words or
actions  • The communication process is a guide toward
realizing effective communication. 
The receiver The receiver decodes The receiver • Effective communication leads to understanding.
gets or interprets the sends or
message based provides
the message feedback
On the context

Communication Models

Communication is classified into two groups:

• Linear • Interactive

Linear Model

 Here information is transmitted from sender to

receiver via a channel without the sender
receiving any feedback.

Linear Model Example: Talking to a person and that

person is ignoring you
Interactive Model The Elements of the Communication

 Here there is feedback; it allows the sender to know Communication is an important aspect of human
that the message was received. behavior and symbolizes the ability to convey opinions,
feelings, information, body language, signs and ideas
Interactive Model Example: Having a conversation with
though words which may be written or spoken,
someone
1. Sender

The sender is also known as the source of the message

or information. The sender is responsible for making
putting meaning into his/her message. A sender is also
known as the speaker or encoder.

2. Message

The message is the information, ideas, or thoughts

conveyed by the speaker in words or in actions. As in the
illustration above, the message is all about
communication which is lesson of the day. The message
Message by the way is an important element that is being shared
by the sender and the receiver.
 is the information being transmitted from the
sender to the receiver. 3. Encoding

Encoding This is referring to the process of converting the

message into words, actions, or other forms that the
 is putting thought or information into words, signs speaker understands. The sender is also considered as
or symbols. the encoder in the illustration shown because it is her
 This allows the message to be conveyed to the who puts meaning into her message.
receiver.
4. Channel
Decoding
The channel is the medium or the means, such as
 Is when the sender interprets the message and gives personal or non- personal, verbal or nonverbal, wherein
it meaning from his/ her perspective the encoded message is conveyed. In the example, the
channel or the medium of communication or how the
Feedback
message was conveyed is through personal or face-to-
 Is the response given to the sender from the face communication using verbal language. Other
receiver. channels of communication will be discussed in the
 Allows the sender to determine if the message was succeeding modules.
received and how accurately it was received
5. Decoding

Decoding is the process of interpreting the encoded

message of the speaker by the receiver. The receiver
analyzes the message received before giving his/her
response.
6. Receiver 2. Social Interaction
 Social interaction as a function of
The receiver acts as the recipient of the message, or
communication refers to the use of
someone who decodes the message. Again, all those
communication to socialize or interact
present in the class are considered receivers of the message.
with other people.
7. Feedback
Basic Forms of Social Interaction
Feedbacks are the reactions, responses, or information
 Invitation
provided by the receiver. It could come in many forms. It
 Greetings
could be through words, gestures, or actions.
 Appreciations
8. Context  Encouragement
 Marriage Proposal
The context is the environment where communication takes 3. Motivation
place. It is a communication situation.
 Motivation as a function of
9. Barrier communication refers to the use of
language by a person to express
Barriers are also called noise in communication. These are aspirations, desires, needs and wants, like
factors that affect the flow of communication. and dislikes.

Basic Forms of Motivation

The Basic Function of Communication  Expressing one’s ambitions (I dream of…)

 Talking about preferences (This is good
What is function of communication?
over the other)
 Function of communication refer to how humans use  Ordering in a fast food restaurant (I want)
language for different purposes.  Asking for milk (Can I..?)
 The function of communication are to persuade,  Making petitions
inform, and motivate, which help employees make  Expressing a need (I need…)
better decisions and work more efficiently. 
4. Information
There are 5 Basic Functions of Communication  Communication can be also be used to
give and get information. Exchange of
1. Regulation/Control
information is usually done by giving facts
 One function of communication is to control the
and or opinion.
behavior of human beings. Another, it can be
used also to regulate the nature and amount of Basic forms of information
activities humans engage in.
GIVING INFORMATION USING STATEMENTS
Basic Forms Regulation/Control
 I have three sisters
 Doctor’s Prescriptions  For every action, there is a reaction.
 Parent’s Instructions to their children
 Friends giving advice on what course of action to GETTING INFORMATION USING QUESTIONS
take
 Where is Mrs. Ching?
 Employers orders to their employees
 Did it rain last night?
 Customers making orders
 Is it windy outside?
5. Emotional Expression Non- verbal Communication

 Emotional expression as a function of  Nonverbal communication is the use of body

communication refers to the use of expressions such language, gestures and facial expressions to
as love, fear, anger, joy, hope, or any other emotion. convey information to others. It can be used both
intentionally and unintentionally. For example,
Basic Examples of emotional Expression
you might smile unintentionally when you hear a
 Yes! pleasing or enjoyable idea or piece of
 Oh no! information. Nonverbal communication is helpful
 Ouch! when trying to understand other’s thoughts and
 Expletives feelings.
 Really? Visual Communication

Purpose of Communication by using different  Visual communication is the act of using

types of talks photographs, art, drawings, sketches, charts and
graphs to convey information. Visual are often
Different Types of Communication used as an aid during presentations to provide
 Communication can be categorized into four basic helpful context alongside written and/or verbal
types: communication. Because people have different
1. Verbal Communication learning styles, visual communication might be
2. Written Communication more helpful for some to consume ideas and
3. Non-verbal Communication information.
4. Visual Communication
Why is visual communication important?
 Visual communication helps people retain
information and creates a stronger connection as
Verbal Communication
opposed to verbal communication. Images are
 Verbal communication is the use of language to remembered by the part of our brain that is
transfer information through speaking or sign responsible for long-term memory.
language. It is one of the most common types, often
used during presentations, video conferences and Written Communication
phone calls, meetings and one-on one conversation.  Written communication is the act of writing,
Verbal communication is important because it is typing or printing symbols like letters and
efficient. It can be helpful to support verbal numbers to convey information. It is helpful
communication with both nonverbal and written because it provides a record of information for
communication. reference. Writing is commonly used to share
information through books, pamphlets, blogs,
Why is verbal communication important? letters, memos and more. Emails and chats are
 It plays a key role in bringing people together, common forms of written communication in the
especially when discussion is focused in areas of workplace.
controversy of conflicts. If we have strong verbal  If you receive a certain pamphlet, email or memo
communication skills, we are more likely to that you find particularly helpful or interesting,
experience success. save it for reference when writing your own
communications. Incorporating methods or styles
you like can help you to improve over time.
 Communication Model Shannon-Weaver Model (1949)

 A communication model is a pictorial (Mother of all Communication Models)

representation of the communication

process, ideas, thoughts, or concepts
through diagrams, etc. They can be
considered to be systematic
representations of the process that
help us understand how
communication can be carried out.

Communication Models
 Linear
 Interactive Interactive
 Transactional
 A process in which participants alternate position
as sender and receiver and generate meaning by
sending messages and receiving feedback within
Linear
physical and psychological contexts.
 A straight line of communication, leading
from the sender directly to the receiver.
In this model, the sender creates a
message, encodes it for the appropriate
channel of delivery, and pushes the
message out to its intended audience.

Transactional

 The continuous exchange of information where

both the sender and receiver are involved in the
process and take turns to communicate
messages. The participants are known as
communicators and can be either human beings
or machines.
Transactional Communication Model Dean C. Barnlund

 In 1970, Dean C. Barnlund created the transactional

model of communication to understand the basic
What us Communication Model? interpersonal communication.
Interactive Communication Model
 A communication Model is a pictorial representation of
the communication process, ideas, thoughts, or  Describes communication as a process in which
concepts through diagrams, etc. participants alternate positions as sender and receiver
Types of communication Model and generate meaning by sending messages and
receiving feedback within physical and psychological
 Linear Model contexts.
 Interactive Model
 Transactional Model
The Transactional Communication Model

 Is a process in which communicators generate social

realities within social, relational, and cultural contexts.
 It illustrates how the sender and receiver take turns in
conveying and receiving messages.
 Transactional model also includes a more complete 
understanding of the context.

The following elements are included in this model of

communication;

ELEMENTS FUNCTIONS

1. SENDER - Sends the massage.

(Transmitter)

The Transactional Model

 Is two way and interactive. 2. ENCODER - Converts the massage into codes
 In the transactional model, both parties are both before sending
sender and receiver. It happens in real time and
generally, they must be both be present, even if its via
technology. 3. DECODER - Gets the encoded massage then
Why is Transactional Model important? converts it into the language
understandable by the receiver.
 It is important because it offers a more complete
understanding of context associated because it gives a
4. - Tries to understand and analyze the
chance to both parties to have a great communication.
INTERPRETER massage. The massage is considered
receiver after the interpretation is done
and massage is understood, interpreter
and receiver are the same.

5. RECEIVER - Gets the massage. Decoding and

interpreting is also part of his/her role.

For example:
6. MASSAGE - Data sent by the sender and
 A telephone call information that the receiver gets.
 A chat session
 A face to face meeting 7. FEEDBACK - Process where in receiver responds to
 A video call the receiver gets.
Features of interactive communication model;

1. It has a never-ending process of communication and

feedback where there is role-switching between the
sender and the receiver as they continue the exchange
of massages.
2. Feedback is seen as an important part of this model to
ensure that communication take place.
3. The field of experience affects the massages being
exchanged.
4. It encourages interaction.

BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION
The four categories of communication barriers

• Physical Barrier
• Psychological Barrier
• Cultural Barrier
• Linguistic Barrier
Physical Barriers

• Natural or environmental conditions that acts barriers to communication

• Poor lighting.
• Background noise.
• Closed doors.
• Broken equipment that is used as a communication tool.
• Uncomfortable temperatures.
• Old equipment used for communication.
• Geographical distances between the sender and receiver of the messages.
Psychological Barriers

• Mental Barriers that refers to the social and personal issues of a speaker towards
communication with other.
May due to
-Trauma
-Shyness
-Lack of Confidence
-Depression
-Anxiety
-Stage Fright
These are the emotions hinder an individual to effective communication.

Cultural Barriers

• Communication problems encountered by people due to their own personal values, beliefs,
and traditions which are in conflict with other.
• They may have different
-Races
-Religion
 -Age
-Gender
• “What is True to you may not be true to me and to others”
- Due to that it may negatively affect the way they communicate and relate to one another.

Linguistic Barriers

• This pertains to conflicts in language and word meanings.

• Words and delivery of statements have different meaning, especially in different places.
They may cause confusion and misunderstanding among communicators.
Differences in language are Linguistic Barriers

• Other factors Considered for Linguistic Barriers

- Jargons
- Slangs
- Accent

- Dialect
- speech defects or Language Impairments

Similar ideas of communication barriers

• Classified into noise in 3 kinds

- External Noise
- Internal Noise
- Semantic Noise
External Noise

• External noises are the

- sights
-sound
- and other stimuli that draw people’s attention away from the intended meaning
• Basically external noises are physical barriers
Internal Noise

• These are thoughts and feelings

interfere with meaning
• Internal Noises on the other hand are
- Psychological and Cultural Barriers
Semantic Noise

• These are what we call double meanings

• The concept of semantic noise is that a word, phrase or statement may have another meaning in
the mind of the receiver
• This may be due to incorrect grammar, use of jargon, or use of idiomatic expressions
• Much like Linguistic Barrier
7CS OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

1.Completeness
  It is very important that receiver gets to hear everything so that proper responses, reactions,,
evaluation or feedback could be done.
2.Conciseness

 To be concise basically means, getting straight to the point. There should be no beating around
the bush. Thus, irrelevant or redundant information should be eliminated within the
communication process.
3. Consideration

 There is a need for the speaker to consider the receiver's mood, status, background, preferences,
needs and the like to build rapport him/her.
4. Concreteness

 When information sent by the sender to the receiver is supported by facts, figures, or real life
examples and situations, effective communication takes place.
5. Courtesy

 Respecting the culture and beliefs of the receiver creates a positive impact in the communication
process.
6. Clearness

 The use of simple, specific word in expressing ideas ensures clarity in communication. This
signifies when the speaker focuses on a single objective to avoid confusing the audience.
7. Correctness

 Credibility and effectiveness of the message can be achieved by eliminating grammatical error in
the communication process. This implies that correctness in grammar creates a positive impact on
the audience.