ASIA-PACIFIC NAZARENE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
Integrating Communication Principles in the Christian Education
Curriculum of Senior High School
For the submission of Final Project In
CO105 Communication in Education and Ministry
Submitted to:
Dr. Nativity Petallar
Submitted by:
Leah Mae Alquizar
2
Introduction
Communication is part of our being. It is already there even in the moment when
we were conceived in the womb of our mother. Everywhere we look and in the day to
day life, communication is important. How can we move on and continue our lives
without communication? Communication is an essential and basic skill that is innate in us
that should be flourish and develop to be effective communicator in the process.
Communication should be embodied in everything we do and who we are as we embark
our journey of interacting with our-self, others, creation and God. The word of God itself
is a form of communication that taught us about the relationship with our-self, others, the
created world and God. But, wait let us first define what is communication. There are a
lot of communication definition out there that varies from one standpoint of worldview
from others. Communication comes from the Latin word communicare, which means “to
make common” or “to share.” 1 Communication in its broadest sense means the process
of using messages to generate meaning.2 But this paper will focus on human
communication define as the process of making sense out of the world and sharing that
sense with others by creating meaning through the use of verbal and nonverbal
messages.3 Its not easy to define4 because its very dynamic yet its various definition serve
different functions and enable theorist to do different things.5 In 1976, Dance and Larson
reported 126 published definitions of communication and from that definitions, Dance
1
Judy c. Pearson et.al., Human Communication (New York: McGraw Hill Education, 2017), 8
Ibid., 8
3
J. T. Masterson, S. A. Beebe, and N. H. Watson, Invitation to Effective Speech Communication
(Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman, 1989), n.d.
4
Gibson Burrell and Grant Morgan, Sociological Paradigms and Organisational Analysis: Elements of the Sociology of Corporate Life (1979; Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 1998), 5
5
Steven Littlejohn, Karen Foss and John Oetzel, Theories of Human Communication (Long
Grove, IL:Waveland Press Inc, 2017), 5
2
3
identified three variations as to how communication was define.6 He identified
differences of definitions in these categories (1) Level of Observations (2) Intentionality
and (3) Normative Judgment.7 Communication in its very nature is inescapable,
irreversible and complicated. Inescapable in a sense that everywhere we are may we
speak or not, with intention or unintentional we are always sending messages to others or
we interpret messages from others. It is an inescapable journey thus no one is excuse by
this. Its irreversible which means you cannot undo what you have done in communication
yet it continues to be shaped by events, experiences and thoughts of the communication
partners. Lastly, communication indeed is complicated because of many variables and
underlying factors involved. As communication scholar, Dean Barnlund said that when
we communicate with another person at-least six people where really involved.8
Communication as well emphasizes content (what is being said) and relationship (how
something is said) that is governed by rules (what is prohibited).9 It is also important to
note that communication happens in a context-a set of circumstances or a situation which
involves the setting, number of audience, formality and opportunity for feedback.10 This
context includes the following: (1) cognitive context (2) individual differences context
(3) interpersonal context (4) Intercultural context (5) persuasive context (6) group context
(7) organizational context (8) mediated context and lastly mass communication context.11
But where does this make sense to Christian education then? All of the above
6
Marianne Dainton and Elaine Zelley, Applying Communications Theory to Professional Life
(Los Angeles, CA: SAGE), 20
7
Ibid., 20-22
8
Steven Beebe, Susan Beebe and Diana Ivy, Communication: Principles for a Lifetime 6th ed.
(Boston, MA: Pearson), 6-8
9
Ibid. , 8-9
10
Judy c. Pearson et.al., Human Communication (New York: McGraw Hill Education, 2017), 15
11
Marianne Dainton and Elaine Zelley, Applying Communications Theory to Professional Life
(Los Angeles, CA: SAGE), 23-24
4
mentioned principles are very helpful in doing Christian education because in Christian
education we communicate. We communicate not only the word but also the works of
Jesus Christ which is our great and perfect example of demonstrating a perfect
communication to himself, others, the creation and to the father. Christian education
would not be possible without communication but not only that it should be an effective
communication so that we can communicate the things that should be communicated that
would make sense to them. Effective communication is an essential tool for Christian
education to be a success. What if we don’t know how to communicate, how are we
going to share and educate ourselves and others about Jesus Christ, about the Bible and
about the truth? In Christian education, “communication is process of sharing,
participating and interacting in order to evolve meaning.”12 it is an interaction between
the communicator and the receiver or audience of the communication. One of the
challenge that I have observe in doing Christian education is communication. Sometimes
we tend to do one-sided in our communication focusing only the language, the verbal
message, the communicator and forgetting other dimensions necessary for an effective
communicator in christian education. In the study conducted by National Communication
Association on Why Communication is Important: A Rationale for the Centrality of the
Study of Communication identified 5 themes from the 100 articles, commentaries,
publications annotated and collected in the study of the importance of communication in
education in the contemporary society. These five themes includes (1) Communication
education is vital to the development of whole person, (2) communication education is
improves the educational enterprise (3) communication education is vital to being a
12
John Joshuva Raja,Facing the Reality of Communication:Culture, Church and Communication
(Delhi:ISPCK, 2001), 10.
5
responsible citizen of the world both socially and culturally (4) communication education
is vital to career success and business enterprise and lastly the need for communication
education specialist in the field.13 This is how serious and necessary communication is in
Christian education. Specially that in the study conducted in USA majority of the adults
are are fearful in speaking in public and that 20% of the population is apprehensive with
presentational speaking.14 Based on my observation being a teacher, it is very hard for a
young people to speak in front of many or even with small groups. They tend to argue
they don’t have the skill and capability on those things. They even thought that those are
just for smart individuals.
Thus, this is where our role as Christian educator to nurture and work to develop
not only the christian values and faith of an individual but also his whole development
and that includes the communication skill. Our Christian education program in our
church or school is a great avenue to practice and develop the communication skills of
our students not only they learn to communicate but they also communicate to learn. The
Bible as well gave as CE mandate in Deuteronomy 6:1-9 and we can see the decrees and
laws on imparting christian education to every generation. The can raise the question of
WHY? Why are we to educate our children? First, It is commanded by God, therefore
Christian education is a commandment given to us by God in our children, family and to
the community (v.1). Second, To develop the fear of the Lord (v. 2a). The Fear of the
Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding
13
Sherwyn Morreale, MichaelOsbrone and Judy Pearson, “Why Communication is Important: A
Rationale for the Centrality of the Study of Communication.” Journal of the Association fro
Communication Administration 29 (2000):1-4.
14
J. Ayres and T. S. Hopf, “The Long-Term Effect of Visualization in the Classroom: A Brief
Research Report,” Communication Education 39 (1990): 75–78.
6
(Proverbs 9:10). Third, to enjoy long life (v.2b) and Lastly so it may go well with us and
increase greatly, a promise of abundant blessing (v. 2b-3). The passage as well in verses
4-9 gave the process and ways how are we going to educate them? One, Christian
education is to Love God above all with your whole being (v. 4-5). Loving God is the
root of all our intentions and reasons behind why we do what we re doing. As the Lord
Jesus Christ as well commanded as in John 13:34 “…that you love one another: just as I
have loved you, you also are to love one another.” As Lubich said in her Pedagogy of
Unity that “Love is the condition and effect of communication, which leads people to
unite into communities, societies, in the world.”15 Two, CE is also driven by passion
(heart), where does our hearts in tuned that whatever happens up and downs your heart
to CE will always be there (v. 6) and Lastly CE is an integral approach to our holistic
daily lives (v. 7-9). It talked about the different forms of communicative education from
the communication context, to characteristics and even to communication principles. As
Hangen concluded “Communication, after all, lies at the heart of religious experience
and at the soul of media institutions.”16
This paper will focus on integrating the Communication Principles for a Lifetime
by Beebe, Beebe and et.al in the Christian Education curriculum of the Senior High
School Students. This principle, focuses on five foundational principles that is illustrated
in a pentagon diagram which represent areas that are interrelated and connected to have
an effective communication. If one principle is violated will result to poor
communication. The principles can be easily integrated in the different communication
Ch Lubich, “Work of Mary”. General Statutes. (New City Press. New York. 2007): 421-423.
T.J. Hangen, Redeeming the dial: radio, religion and popular culture in America.
(Chapel Hill, NC: The University of North Carolina Press, 2002): 157.
15
16
7
context across the curriculum as well. It is profound and summarizes the basic building
blocks to communicate effectively. We will discuss each principle and its relevance to
christian education as well as its ways and means for integration.
Principle One: Be Aware of your Communication with yourself and others
This principle talked about the consciousness of oneself and others. This is the
first ladder of the pentagon since knowing oneself as to “How well do you know
yourself?”, “Who are You?” and “What’s Your Value?” addresses our self-awareness,
self-concept and self-esteem. As David Johnson reiterated, “Self-awareness is the key to
self-knowledge, self-understanding, and self-disclosure. Being open with another person
begins with being aware of who you are and what you are like. To disclose your feelings
and reactions, you must be aware of them.”17 How you see yourself affects how you
communicate to others. It will always start inside of you and then to outside.18 John
Shotter also suggested that communication is participatory that is it is actively involved
and relationally responsive in our use of communication. He added a participatoryholistic perspective in communication that one cannot understand it when look through
external, abstract and systematic process.19 Thus looking into oneself would help us
understand more the dynamics of our communication. This principle is very relevant to
CE since one of the purpose why we do CE is also to know our condition and identity in
the Lord. Helping the young people discover oneself through introspection will be the
first step to develop the communication skill necessary to communicate with others and
Steven Beebe, Susan Beebe and Diana Ivy, Communication: Principles for a Lifetime 6th ed.
(Boston, MA: Pearson), 30
18 Judy c. Pearson et.al., Human Communication (New York: McGraw Hill Education, 2017) , 12
17
19
Ibid., 12-13.
8
to God. This principle can be integrated by providing, self-assessment or self-reflections
activities in the curriculum and providing a lesson about self.
Not only that we will aware with our self but we need to be aware also with other
people. This principle called us to be “Other-Oriented”20. Other-oriented means “to be
aware of the thoughts, needs, experiences, personality, emotions, motives, desires,
culture, and goals of your communication partners while still maintaining your own
integrity.”21 This means it is a process and a practice of skill to develop interpersonal
communication with other people. CE curriculum for Senior High School is mostly with
engagement and exposure to other people and it’s a great avenue to practice and develop
that skill of being other-oriented. After all we are human beings and as human beings, we
are a relational being. Beebe and Beebe elaborated more on its definition on interpersonal
communication as a distinctive, transactional form of human communication involving
mutual influence, usually for the purpose of managing relationships.This principle can be
integrated in the life of Moses, how Moses from knowing himself to be other-oriented
along the process of his leadership.
Principle Two: Effectively use and interpret Verbal Messages
This principle is evidently visible since we utter this with our mouth and tangibly
hear words. This principles emphasizes the power of words in communication that it
could build up or tear down relationship at any time or your emotions, your actions and
your thoughts. It is also pointed out the ability to choose language or words that is
20
Steven Beebe, Susan Beebe, and Mark V. Redmond. Interpersonal Communication: Relating to
Others. 9th ed. (Boston, MA: Pearson, 2020):3
21
Steven Beebe, Susan Beebe, and Mark V. Redmond. Interpersonal Communication: Relating to
Others. 9th ed. (Boston, MA: Pearson, 2020):2-3
9
effective and appropriate in each communication context.22 Integrating this principle to
CE would help the students be more aware of the words to say as well as the dynamics
and nature of words and its meanings. It is also relevant to discussed on the bias of
language and know the appropriateness of words spoken. There are a lot of bible
passages that this principle would be applicable one example would be in James 3 on
Taming the Tongue or verses from Proverbs.
Principle Three: Effectively use and interpret non-verbal messages
Communication does not only involved verbal messages but non-verbal
messages paves an equal weight to communication. Others even gave more weight to
non-verbal messages. In communication, it isn’t just what you say but it is also involved
how you say it.23 It would be a great activity for students to be able to identify and
interpret meaning of non-verbal messages and to enhance the non-verbal receiving skills
or nonverbal cues. Nonverbal is a communication other than written or spoken language
that creates meaning for someone.24 This principle is needed as we constantly interact
with other people, enhancing to interpret the nonverbal cues would be a great help to
effectively communicate to others. This would be an interactive activity of practicing or
identifying meaning of nonverbal cues such as the appearance, body movement, gesture,
posture, eye contact, facial expressions, touch, voice, physical environment, space and
Steven Beebe, Susan Beebe and Diana Ivy, Communication: Principles for a Lifetime 6th ed.
(Boston, MA: Pearson), 55
23 Marty Brounstein, Communicating Effectively for Dummies, (John Wiley and Sons, 2011), 97
24 Steven Beebe, Susan Beebe and Diana Ivy, Communication: Principles for a Lifetime 6th ed.
(Boston, MA: Pearson), 75
22
10
territory.25 This principle can be integrated by identifying and interpreting nonverbal
message in the passage of story listen or read in the sessions.
Principle Four: Listen and Respond Thoughtfully to Others
Everyday and anytime, we are using our ears to hear but this principles
challenged to beyond just hearing but also to listen. Listening is a complex process of
receiving,
constructing meaning from, and responding to verbal and nonverbal messages, which
involves selecting, attending, understanding, remembering, and responding.26 It is an
“active process of active listening which is listening with a purpose, of empathic listening
which is listening with purpose and attempting to understand other person’s perspective
and critical listening that involves challenges the speaker message by evaluating its
accuracy, meaningfulness and utility.”27 Through this principle students will be able to
develop a deep sense of being sensitive, more aware and develop the listening skill. It
would also beneficial to discuss how we process our listening and identify barriers in
listening. In this principle we can also add practical tips how to enhance listening skills
and engage students to develop the listening skill. We can integrate the listening journal
notebook or making note taking and any relevant activities that make sense to them. Not
only we need to listen but we also need to respond appropriately to others. The gaps on
relationship lies in responding, after listening how would you respond? What is your
respond? Knowing the basic approaches of how we respond would be helpful. It is also
Steven Beebe, Susan Beebe and Diana Ivy, Communication: Principles for a Lifetime 6th ed. (Boston,
MA: Pearson), 83-89
25
26
Ibid., 97
27
Judy c. Pearson et.al., Human Communication (New York: McGraw Hill Education, 2017) , 93
11
one of the goal in this principle to develop empathy for others. Empathy is Listening with
empathy is reflected to the speaker first by the manners you display toward the speaker
(care and respect) and second by the emphasis you place on your listening efforts
(understanding the message from the other person’s perspective).28 As cited by Yacub,
Sutrisno and Putrawan “Empathy means a person's ability to understand and place
oneself in what other people think and feel in certain situations. That when
communicating with a life partner, you must use your heart and not emotions, because
when you hear the voice of the deepest heart, a person can better understand, care and
appreciate what their partner feels, thinks and needs.29
Principle Five: Appropriately Adapt Messages to Others
This principle is the application of all four principles, we need the skill of the
four to appropriately adapt of each others differences. This includes differences in
gender, sexual orientation, age and ethnicity which influence our communication.30 It is
in this principle where we talked about culture differences and how to adapt with
different culture. As we are living in a diverse world and its inevitable to live in a
multicultural and intercultural environments. The challenge of adapting appropriately is a
skill we need to effective communicate despite of our differences. This principle can be
integrated in the topic on missions in CE. It is relevant and impactful as well to have
immersion or exposure to other people of different cultural backgrounds.
28
Marty Brounstein, Communicating Effectively for Dummies, (John Wiley and Sons, 2011), 78
Yusuf Yacub, Sutrisno and Bobby Kurnia Putrawan, “The Ethics of Effective Communication
in Christian Families with A-CORE Principles” International Journal of Social Science Research and
Review 5, no. 4 (Aril 2022): 113
30
Steven Beebe, Susan Beebe and Diana Ivy, Communication: Principles for a Lifetime 6th ed.
(Boston, MA: Pearson), 125
29
12
Christ in the Center of the Pentagon
Lastly, the core principle of the pentagon is Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ being the
ultimate communicator and the perfect example of what is communication. He himself is
the communication that makes sense out of the world, who shared that sense to others
that created meaning both verbal and nonverbal messages. Seeking to be a Christlike
disciples is also seeking to be an effective communicator. He knows himself very well
and an epitome of being other-oriented. He first taught us to love others because he first
loved us. As we seek to be Christlike disciples, we also work to develop our
communication skill and called us to be effective christian communicators wherever we
are and in whatever we do. Integrating the five principles and Jesus Christ being the core
of the pentagon, surely effective communication will happen. A communication that is
relevant, impactful, transformative and restorative.
13
Bibliography
Ayres, J. and T. S. Hopf, “The Long-Term Effect of Visualization in the Classroom: A
Brief Research Report,” Communication Education 39 (1990): 75–78.
Beebe, Steven A., Susan J. Beebe and Diana K. Ivy. 2013. Communication: Principles
for a lifetime. 6th ed. Boston, MA: Pearson.
Beebe, Steven A., Susan J. Beebe and Mark V. Redmond. 2020. Interpersonal
Communication: Relating to Others. 9th ed. Boston, MA: Pearson.
Brounstein, Marty. Communicating Effectively for Dummies, John Wiley and Sons, 2011.
Burrell, Gibson and Grant Morgan. Sociological Paradigms and Organizational
Analysis:
Elements of the Sociology of Corporate Life. Burlington, VT: Ashgate,
1998.
Dainton, Marianne and Elaine D. Zelley. 2019. Applying Communication Theory for
Professional Life: A Practical Introduction. 4th ed. Los Angeles, CA: SAGE.
Hangen, T. J. Redeeming the dial: radio, religion and popular culture in America.
Chapel Hill, NC: The University of North Carolina Press, 2002.
J. T. Masterson, S. A. Beebe, and N. H. Watson, Invitation to Effective Speech
Communication (Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman, 1989)
Littlejohn, Steven W., Karen Foss and John Oetzel. Theories of Communication. Long
Grove, IL: Waveland Press Inc, 2017.
Lubich, Ch. “Work of Mary”. General Statutes. (2000) New City Press. New York.
Morreale, Sherwyn P., Michael M. Osborn and Judy C. Pearson. “Why Communication
is Important: A Rationale for the Centrality of the Study of Communication.”
Journal of the Association for Communication Administration 29 (2000):1-25.
Raja, John Joshuva. Facing the Reality of Communication: Culture, Church and
Communication. Delhi:ISPCK, 2001.
14
Yacub, Yusuf, Sutrisno and Bobby Kurnia Putrawan, “The Ethics of Effective
Communication in Christian Families with A-CORE Principles” International
Journal of Social Science Research and Review 5, no. 4 (Aril 2022): 106-115