Humanities and Social Science 11
ORAL COMMUNICATION
Lesson 1
Communication is a process of sharing and
conveying messages or information from one
person to another within and across channels,
contexts, media, and cultures (McCornack,
2014).
There is a wide variety of contexts and
situations in which communication can be
manifested; it can be a face-to-face interaction,
a phone conversation, a group discussion, a
meeting or interview, a letter correspondence,
a class recitation, and many others.
Nature of Communication
1. Communication is a process.
2. Communication occurs between two or
more people (the speaker and the receiver).
3. Communication can be expressed through
written or spoken words, actions (nonverbal),
or both spoken words and nonverbal actions at
the same time.
Elements of Communication
Communication is divided into elements that
help us better understand its mechanics or
process. These elements are the following:
1. Speaker – the source of information or
message.
2. Message – the information, ideas, or
thoughts conveyed by the speaker in
words or in actions.
3. Encoding – the process of converting
the message into words, actions, or
other forms that the speaker
understands.
4. Channel – the medium or the means,
such as personal or non-personal, verbal
or nonverbal, in which the encoded
message is conveyed.
5. Decoding – the process of interpreting
the encoded message of the speaker by
the receiver.
6. Receiver – the recipient of the message,
or someone who decodes the message.
7. Feedback – the reactions, responses, or
information provided by the receiver.
8. Context – the environment where
communication takes place.
9. Barrier – the factors that affect the flow
of communication.
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 decodes or interprets the
message based on the context.
 The receiver sends or provides feedback.
Models of Communication
1. Shannon-Weaver Model - Known as
the mother of all communication
models, the Shannon-Weaver model
(1949) depicts communication as a
linear or one-way process consisting of
five elements: a source (producer of
message); a transmitter (encoder of
message into signals); a channel (signals
adapted for transmission); a receiver
(decoder of message from the signal);
and a destination. This model, however,
has been criticized for missing one
essential element in the communication
process: feedback. Without feedback,
the speaker will not know whether the
receiver understands the message or
not.
2. Transaction
Model
Unlike
the
Shannon-Weaver Model, which is a
one-way process, the Transaction
Model is a two-way process with the
inclusion of feedback as one element.
This model is more interactive. There is
a collaborative exchange of messages
between communicators with the aim of
understanding each other. It also shows
that a barrier, such as noise, may
interfere
with
the
flow
of
communication.
Functions of Communication
Basically, there are five functions of
communication. These are control, social
interaction, motivation, emotional expression,
and information dissemination.
1. Control – Communication functions to
control behavior.
2. Social Interaction – Communication
allows individuals to interact with
others.
3. Motivation
–
Communication
motivates or encourages people to live
better.
4. Emotional
expression
–
Communication facilitates people’s
expression of their feelings and
emotions.
5. Information
dissemination
–
Communication functions to convey
information.
Features of an Effective Communication
In their pioneer book Effective Public
Relations, Professors Broom, Cutlip, and
Center (2012) list the 7 Cs of Effective
Communication. This list is widely used
today, especially in public relations and
advertising.
1. Completeness
Complete
communication is essential to the
quality of the communication process in
general. Hence, communication should
include everything that the receiver
needs to hear for him/her to respond,
react, or evaluate properly.
2. Conciseness - Conciseness does not
mean keeping the message short, but
making it direct or straight to the point.
Insignificant or redundant information
should be eliminated from the
communication that will be sent to the
recipient.
3. Consideration - To be effective, the
speaker should always consider relevant
information about his/her receiver such
as mood, background, race, preference,
education, status, and needs, among
others. By doing so, he/she can easily
build rapport with the audience.
4. Concreteness
Effective
communication happens when the
message is concrete and supported by
facts, figures, and real-life examples and
situations. In this case, the receiver is
more connected to the message
conveyed.
5. Courtesy - The speaker shows courtesy
in communication by respecting the
culture, values, and beliefs of his/her
receivers. Being courteous at all times
creates a positive impact on the
audience.
6. Clearness - Clearness in communication
implies the use of simple and specific
words to express ideas. It is also
achieved when the speaker focuses only
on a single objective in his/her speech
so as not to confuse the audience.
7. Correctness - Correctness in grammar
eliminates a negative impact on the
audience and increases the credibility
and effectiveness of the message.
Barriers to Communication
There are instances when miscommunication
and misunderstanding occur because of
certain barriers. To become an effective
communicator, you should recognize these
barriers that hinder the communication
process. This will enable you to control the
situation, reset conditions, and start anew.
1. Emotional Barriers
2. Use of jargon
3. Lack of confidence
4. Noisy environment
Verbal
Communication
and
Nonverbal
Communication
 Verbal Communication refers to an
interaction in which words are used to
relay a message. For effective and
successful verbal communication, use
words to express ideas that can be easily
understood by the person you are
talking to. Consider appropriateness,
brevity, clarity, ethics, and vividness
when engaging in this type of
communication.
1. Appropriateness - The language
that you use should be
appropriate to the environment or
occasion (i.e., whether formal or
informal).
2. Brevity - Speakers who often use
simple yet precise and powerful
words are found to be more
credible. Try to achieve brevity by
being more direct with your
words.
Avoid
fillers
and
insubstantial expressions which
do not add to the message, such
as “uh,” “you know,” “I guess,”
and others.
3. Clarity - The meanings of words,
feelings, or ideas may be
interpreted differently by a
listener; hence, it is essential for
you to clearly state your message
and express your ideas and
feelings.
4. Ethics Words - should be
carefully chosen in consideration
of the gender, roles, ethnicity,
preferences, and status of the
person or people you are talking
to.
5. Vividness - Words that vividly or
creatively describe things or
feelings usually add color and
spice to communication. Hence,
you are encouraged to find ways
to charm your audience through
the use of vivid words.
 Nonverbal communication refers to an
interaction where behavior is used to
convey and represent meanings. All
kinds of human responses that are not
expressed in words are classified as
nonverbal communication. Examples
of nonverbal communication are stares,
smiles, tone of voice, movements,
manners of walking, standing and
sitting, appearance, style of attire,
attitude towards time and space,
personality, gestures, and others.
Mastery of nonverbal communication is
important for several reasons:
1. It enhances and emphasizes the
message of your speech, thus
making it more meaningful,
truthful, and relevant.
2. It can communicate feelings,
attitudes,
and
perceptions
without you saying a word.
3. It can sustain the attention of
listeners and keep them engaged
in the speech.
4. It gives the audience a preview of
the type of speaker you are.
5. It makes you appear more
dynamic and animated in your
delivery.
6. It serves as a channel to release
tension and nervousness.
7. It helps make your speech more
dramatic.
8. It can build a connection with
listeners.
9. It makes you a credible speaker.
10. It helps you vary your speaking
style and avoid a monotonous
delivery.