LESSON 1

What is Communication?

From the roots:

▪ Derived from Latin terms cum munis (to make common) and communicare (to share)

▪ According to Newman and Summer, “Communication is an exchange of facts, ideas, opinions

or emotions by two or more persons”

▪ According to Leland Brown, “Communication is the transmission and interchange of facts,

ideas, feelings or course of action”

▪ According to Allen Louis, “Communication is the sum of all the things one person does; when
he wants to create understanding in the mind of another. It involves a systematic and
continuous process of telling, listening and understanding”

According to Wood (2004)

▪ Communication is a process in which individuals interact with and through symbols to create
and interpret meanings.

▪ It is a two-way process by which information is exchanged or among individuals through a

common system of symbols behaviors and signs (Martinez, 2003)

▪ Communication is about sending and receiving information or the transmission of information

and meaning from one party to another through using SHARED SYMBOLS.

Nature of Communication

Communication is a PROCESS.

⮚ It is active, creative, continuing condition of life, a process that changes as the

communicators’ environments and needs change.

Learning Enhancement

Exercise: PORTMANTEAU

⮚ Is a word that is formed by combining two different terms to create a new entity. Through
blending the sounds and meanings of two existing words.

Example:

Chill + relax = chillax

Friend + enemy = frenemy

Television + photogenic = telegenic

Brain + maniac = braniac

Web + seminar = webinar

PORTMANTEAU: It’s French for “suitcase,” and combines the words porter, which means “to carry,”
and manteau, which means “cloak.”

2. Communication is SYSTEMIC.

⮚ It involves within systems of interrelated and interacting parts. It occurs between two or
more people. The absence of any one of them can result to ineffective communication.

3. Communication is SYMBOLIC.

⮚ A symbol is something that stands in for or represents something else.

Types of Communication based on Channel

▪ VERBAL – symbols are spoken and written.

▪ NON-VERBAL – are employed and perceived through our body language and voice quality while
speaking.

Nonverbal communication is more powerful than verbal communication. Mehrabian’s research findings
have shown that 93% of our over-all communication comes from nonverbal communication. (with 38%
for voice quality and 55% for body movement) and 7% from verbal communication. (verbal vs.
nonverbal([sic],”2015)

Tips to improve Verbal and Nonverbal Communication

1. listen with your heart and understand what the other person is telling you.

2. watch people’s body language, facial expressions, and so on.

3. Say what you mean, and mean what you say (DON’T SAY IT MEAN!!!!)

Nonverbal communication is a reflection of your personality which is usually unplanned and

unintentional. Without any purpose to hurt someone. If the unintended message affects anyone
negatively, it may be attributed to individual or cultural differences.

4. Communication INVOLVES MEANING.

⮚ Meanings are assigned, given, or invented, NOT RECEIVED.

Communication connects people and the world they live in. It is through communication that people are
able to express their thoughts and ideas or convey information and messages through word of mouth,
gestures and signals, signs, and others.

LESSON 2

Elements of Communication

Communication is a process of sharing and conveying messages or information from one person to
another within and across channels, context, media, and cultures (McCornack, 2014).
Process of Communication

• The speaker generates an idea.

• The speaker encodes an idea or converts the idea into words or actions

• The speaker transmits or sends out a message.

• The receiver gets the message.

• The receiver sends or provides feedback.

Speaker - It is the first element of the communication process.

✔ The source of information or message.

✔ It is the one who chooses his/her purpose, crafts the message accordingly, and decides
how to deliver it.

Message - It consist/s the information, ideas, or thoughts conveyed by the speaker in words or in action.

✔ It is what needs to be delivered or imparted to somebody.

Encoding - The process of converting the message into words, actions, or other forms that the speaker
understands.

MEDIUM - This is the mode, method or the means of communication, such as personal or non-personal,
verbal or nonverbal, in which the encoded message is conveyed.

Channel - Means of transmission

✔ Is concrete and could be a letter, report, book, memo, email, tv, telephone or etc.

Decoding - It is the process of interpreting the encoded message of the speaker by the receiver.

Receiver - The recipient of the message, or someone who decodes the message.
Feedback - The reactions, responses, or information provided by the receiver

Context - is the situation or environment where communication takes place, which includes time, place,
event, as well as the sender’s and receiver’s feelings, perceptions, beliefs, attitudes and relationships
(Padilla, et.al, 2011)

Barrier - The factors that affect the flow of communication.

LESSON 3: COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN

Barrier - is anything that interferes or affects the communication, hence causing a breakdown.

Communication breakdown results when the intended message of the sender is NOT UNDERSTOOD by
the receiver.

EXAMPLES

❖ A worker who made a mistake on the report because of unclear instructions.

❖ A boss mistreating a worker.

❖ No submission of assignment on time due to internet problem.

BarrierS

● Technical breakdown
 ● Attitude towards sender
● No feedback
● Poor timing
● Use of jargon
● Unclear message
● Tone of voice

NOISE

Anything that interferes or affects the communication. Noise can happen on your side as the speaker. Or
it can happen on the listener’s side. Or it can happen somewhere in between.

Types of noise

1. Physiological NOISE - is created by barriers within the sender or receiver.

Ex. Articulating problems, talking too fast

2. Semantic NOISE
⮚ This is noise caused by the sender. i.e., the encoder. It occurs when the sender of the
message uses a word or a phrase that we don't know the meaning of, or which we use in a
different way from the speakers
Example: EL NIÑO is what we are facing right now. If we do simple things like planting trees,
then we will not experience drought, right? So if we start now, we will achieve LA NIÑA”
3. Syntactic noise
⮚ Mistakes in grammar can disrupt communication, such as abrupt changes in the verb
tense during a sentence.
4. Environmental NOISE
⮚ Environmental noise physically disrupts the communication and is the summary of noise
pollution from outside, caused by transport, industrial and recreational activities.
5. Psychological NOISE
⮚ Or mental barriers
⮚ Communication attitude, either social of personal, a speaker makes. For instance, great
anger, trauma, stage fright that can cause someone to lose focus on the present moment.
Disorders such as Autism is considered psychological noise.
6. Cultural noise
⮚ Pertains to communication problems regarding people’s intrinsic values, beliefs, and
traditions in conflict with other people’s culture.
⮚ Stereotypical assumptions can cause misunderstandings, such as unintentionally
offending a non-Christian person by wishing him/her Merry Christmas.
7. Organizational noise
⮚ noise that occurs when sender/receiver finds it hard to understand directions caused
also by language barrier.
8. Emotional noise
⮚ It is the noise rooted from what a person feels at the moment of communication that
impedes his/her understanding.
Ways to reduce noise:

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 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 a feedback.

LESSON 4: 7 C’S OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

1. COMPLETENESS - The message should be complete i.e. it must include all the relevant
information as required by the intended audience. The complete information gives answers to all
the questions of the receivers and helps in better decision-making by the recipient.

2. CLEAR - The message should be clear and easily understandable to the recipient. The purpose of
the communication should be clear to sender then only the receiver will be sure about it. The
message should emphasize on a single goal at a time and shall not cover several ideas in a single
sentence
3. CORRECT - The message should be correct, i.e. a correct language should be used, and the
sender must ensure that there is no grammatical and spelling mistakes. Also, the message
should be exact and well-timed. The correct messages have a greater impact on the receiver and
at the same time, the morale of the sender increases with the accurate message.
4. CONCRETE - The communication should be concrete, which means the message should be clear
and particularly such that no room for misinterpretation is left. All the facts and figures should
be clearly mentioned in a message so as to substantiate to whatever the sender is saying.
5. CONCISE - The message should be precise and to the point. The sender should avoid the lengthy
sentences and try to convey the subject matter in the least possible words. The short and brief
message is more comprehensive and helps in retaining the receiver’s attention.

6. CONSIDERATION - The sender must take into consideration the receiver’s opinions, knowledge,
mindset, background, etc. in order to have an effective communication. In order to
communicate, the sender must relate to the target recipient and be involved.
7. COURTEOUS - It implies that the sender must take into consideration both the feelings and
viewpoints of the receiver such that the message is positive and focused at the audience. The
message should not be biased and must include the terms that show respect for the recipient.
IN A NUTSHELL:

1. COMPLETENESS – Includes all details that the receiver needs.

2. CONCISENESS- One idea at a time. Eliminate unnecessary words.

3. CONSIDERATION – understand emotions and sentiments of receivers. EMPATHIZE.

4. CLARITY – use of simple/specific words to avoid confusion.

5. CONCRETENESS - It is supported with specific facts and figures.

6. COURTESY – respecting culture, values and beliefs of receivers.

7. CORRECTNESS - use of precise, appropriate and correct language in the message. Error-free
and reliable.