MODULE: Oral Communication in Context

FIRST QUARTER
LESSON 1: Functions, Nature and Process of Communication

Objective:
At the end of this lesson, students should be able to:
1. define communication and differentiate verbal from nonverbal communication.
2. explain the process of communication.
3. identify the elements of communication and their roles in the communication process.

Essential Questions:
1. What is communication?
2. What is the difference between verbal and nonverbal communication?
3. What actions are involved in the process of communication?
4. What are the elements of communication?
5. What roles do they play in the communication process?

Lets learn about it!

Communication
Communication is the transmission of ideas and emotions between or among persons with the use of verbal and
nonverbal cues.

The word communication comes from the Latin word communis, which means "common." To be common means to
come together or to share something in common together. Communication helps people to adapt to or survive in the place they
live in.

Verbal Communication
Verbal communication, also called spoken communication, is the process or act of conveying one's thoughts or ideas
using speech. Sounds and language are used for relaying the message that one needs others to know.

Examples:
telephone conversations
job interviews

Explanation:
Telephone conversations and job interviews entail verbal communication, as the participants would have to speak to
each other in order to get their message across.

Nonverbal Communication
Nonverbal communication refers to the use of wordless cues in order to convey a message. These cues include facial
expressions, hand gestures, body language, and the tone, pitch, and volume of voice. Even when one is using words, there is
also nonverbal communication involved.

Examples:
shaking your head
smiling

Explanation:
Shaking your head gives someone the impression that you disagree with something, while smiling conveys that you are pleased,
happy, or amused about something.
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MODULE: Oral Communication in Context

Tips
 Know what your purpose is so that you can effectively send your message verbally, through gestures, or using a
mix of both.
 Be a good listener because communication is not one-way. In order for you to respond properly to the person you
are communicating with, you should first be able to listen to and understand the person's message.

Human beings communicate in two types of settings. Daily conversations such as chats and friendly greetings
happen in informal settings. On the other hand, formal settings are those in which communication involves a specific
purpose and requires controlled and deliberate effort. Communication done in formal settings includes interviews,
debates, and seminars.

Elements of Communication
Understanding the elements of communication will help you get a better picture of the communication process and how it
works. Below are the different elements of communication.

 Participants
 Context
 Message
 Channel
 Feedback

Participants
The participants are the communicators who can be both senders and receivers. A sender transmits the information to the receiver, and the receiver decodes
the message in order to formulate a response.

Context
Context refers to the interrelated conditions affecting the message. These include physical, social, psychological, and cultural factors.

Physical context refers to the place, time, environment, and distance between communicators. Social context refers to the relationship of the communicators,
whereas psychological context refers to their moods and feelings. Cultural context includes the beliefs and norms of the participants.

Message
The main point of having communication is the message. The message is the idea or information that the sender would like to convey to the receiver. It is thus
important that the message is stated clearly and in a way that is understandable to the receiver.

Channel
The channel is the means of delivering the message. It can be a face-to-face conversation, a letter, a phone call, an e-mail, or the social media.

Feedback
The feedback is the response of the receiver. This helps the sender of the message to determine whether the message was understood by the receiver. If the
participants of the conversation continue giving feedback, the flow of communication continues.

Example:
Situation: Mark is calling Jenny to invite her to a get-together. After three rings, Jenny answers her cellular phone.

Mark: Hi, Jenny! This is Mark.

Jenny: Hi, Mark! How are you?
Mark: I’m fine. Thank you. My birthday is this Saturday, and I'm inviting a few friends over to watch movies at my house. I was wondering if you would like
to join us.

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MODULE: Oral Communication in Context
Jenny: Oh, what time will it be?
Mark: Around two in the afternoon.
Jenny: (There's white noise on Jenny's end, and Mark can barely hear her.)
Mark: Hello? Jenny? Are you still there?
Jenny: Yes, I'm still here. I would love to join you this Saturday.
Mark: Great! See you then!

Explanation:
The participants in the conversation are Mark and Jenny. The initial sender of the message is Mark, and his message is that he is inviting Jenny to a little get-
together at his house.

Jenny's feedback to Mark's question is to ask what time the get-together will be. Mark then gives feedback to Jenny's question. However, Mark cannot hear
Jenny’s reply because of white noise. This is caused by the physical context as well as the channel, as Jenny is using a cellular phone; and the signal
fluctuated during the call. Despite the noise, the conversation continues until Jenny accepts Mark’s invitation.

Tip
Familiarize yourself with the different elements of communication and their roles. Thoroughly understanding each of them and using your knowledge to your
advantage will help you prevent misunderstanding during the communication process.

The Process of Communication

The communication process starts with a stimulus, an idea or a concept that is activated by the sender. The sender
encodes the message into words and expresses his thoughts in proper sequence. The message is then heard and interpreted
or decoded by the receiver. After that, the receiver provides feedback and becomes a sender. The first sender then
receives the feedback and decodes its message to provide feedback.

Example:
Cathy: Good morning! Do you remember our lesson last Friday?
Jane: Oh, I could not remember anything about it. Let us check our notebooks.
Cathy: I see. I have my notebook in my bag.

Explanation:
The stimulus in the conversation is Cathy's intention to ask Jane about the lesson last Friday. Cathy translates this
stimulus into words. She starts with a greeting and asks an open-ended question. Jane receives the message and recognizes
the stimulus of the conversation. Jane remembers the stimulus, understands the ideas, and provides feedback that she does
not remember anything. Then she suggests opening their notebooks. Cathy agrees with Jane regarding her suggestion. If
Jane gives feedback, the conversation will continue.

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MODULE: Oral Communication in Context
Key Points

 The process of communication consists of the sender, receiver, message, and interpretation. Feedback
continues the cycle of the conversation.
 Recognizing the importance of good communication helps in creating better relationships among people.

Let’s check what you learned!

1. In which of the following situation is a verbal communication necessary?

A. Calling someone on the phone
B. Listening to a radio program
C. Hurrying to your classroom
D. Running to a track meet
2. The following are forms of non- verbal communication except.
A. Reciting in class
B. Hugging a friend
C. Frowning
D. Clapping
3. Nana Delia would like to ask Rico about an upcoming event on Monday. In the communication process, Nana Delia is in the
step of _____.
A. Giving feedback
B. Activating the stimulus
C. Decoding the message
D. Ending the conversation
4. Which of the following is not a channel?
A. Phone call
B. Letter
C. E- mail
D. Environment
5. Maria has a habit of ignoring the messages of her classmates. Which of the following elements is usually missing from
interactions with Maria?
A. Channel
B. Context
C. Participation
D. Feedback

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