Chapter 1: Building Responsibility
Section 1: What is Communication?
Journal Writing:
Which is the most important, speech or
science and technology? Defend your
answer.
What leaders have had a
major impact on the world
primarily through the use of
communication skills?
We need to better get in touch with
each other and master the art of talk
and meaningful communication. There
is a difference between random,
meaningless talk and responsible talk.
Chapter 1: Building
Responsibility—ethics in
communication
Ethics- a person’s sense of
right and wrong.
Ethics + Responsibility=a
good speaker
An ethical communicator
puts a high premium on using his or her
words constructively and promoting what
is right.
Responsibility goes hand in hand with
ethics, but what does it mean to be a
responsible speaker?
Examples?
Non-examples?
The Communication Model
the process of sending and receiving
messages
Sender
Is the one who transmits the message, that
which is sent or said
Receiver
Person who intercepts the message and
then decodes or intercepts
Feedback
Includes the reactions that the receiver gives
to the message offered by the sender
Communication Barrier
(also called noise) any obstacle that gets in
the way of effective communication
Attitudinal (“I don’t like what we’re talking about.”)
Social (“This person is not one of my friends.”)
Educational (“I’m far too smart to listen to this stuff.”)
Cultural (“This person’s heritage isn’t like mine at all.”)
Environmental (“I’m too hot in this room to even
think!” Or “There is too much noise to concentrate!”)
To become a better communicator,
Try to find a common field of experience.
In other words, try to relate in some way to
the speaker.
Advice for Sender:
THINK before you speak (“What is the real message
I want to send?”)
ARTICULATE your words (“Am I enunciating each
syllable, or am I slurring my words together?”)
WATCH the receiver of your words to make sure
that you are getting the correct nonverbal
signals. (“She isn’t responding correctly. I had better
say this a different way.”)
Advice to the receiver
ASK questions: make polite requests.
(“Could the heat be a little lower, please? It is
hampering my ability to concentrate.”)
LEARN more about issues and people.
They can both make you smarter. (Say to yourself, “I
need to listen here. It’s good to hear an opinion or voice
other than my own.”)
continued
RELATE to the background and
experiences of those speaking. They’re
saying what they’re saying for a reason. It’s worth your
time to listen and then to try to understand their world. (“I
should try to understand what they’ve gone through and
what message they’re trying to convey to me.”)
Written and Oral Communication
You work to improve your written
communication skills in English or
language arts class.
You work to improve your oral or verbal
communication skills in speech class.
When you meet someone with a
disability
Visually impaired- never pet or play with a
guide dog. You will distract the animal
from it’s job.
Speech impediment-be patient, listen
attentively, and resist the temptation to
finish his sentences or speak for him.
In a wheelchair- sit down, if possible, so
you chat eye to eye.
continued
Hearing loss-always speak directly to the
person, not to her interpreter or assistant.
If you raise your voice, it becomes
distorted and even more difficult o
understand. Speak clearly and slowly,
facing her. Deaf people depend on facial
expressions and gestures for
communication cues.
Nonverbal Communication
Expresses your attitudes or moods about
a person, situation, or idea.
EX: The person who is cheerful and sitting
up straight communicates through “body
language” one sort of message.
EX: The person who frowns and slouches
communicates another sort.
Nonverbal signals may mean
different things to different people.
Giving someone the thumbs-up sign is a
compliment in America, but is considered
rude and offensive in Australia.
Can you think of other examples?
Symbols
Anything that stands for an idea and is used
for communication. Since symbols
represent something else by association,
they include both nonverbal and verbal
communication. (Words are symbols.)
Can you think of examples of verbal and
nonverbal symbols?
Chapter 1: Building Responsibility
Section 2: Laying the Proper Foundation
Page 11
Responsible Communication
Work to be a good person
Communicate constructively
Care about your audience
Journal Writing:
The nineteenth-century statesman and orator Daniel
Webster said that if all of his talents and abilities were
taken away, he would ask to keep his ability to speak.
“With the ability to speak, I could regain all that I had
lost.”
Why should those who speak work to make
the world a better place? How can we,
ordinary people, use speech to make the
world a better place?
1. Working to be a good Person
Examples
Can you give examples of people who
make the world a better place through
speech?
Can you think of examples of people who
have hurt society with speech?
Examples
Martin Luther King, John F. Kennedy, Billy
Graham, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Princess
Diana
versus
Adolf Hitler, Jim Jones, Governor George
Wallace
Working to be a Good Person:
Intrapersonal Communication
-intra is a prefix signifying inside, within,
interior, during
The ability to assess your thoughts,
feelings, and reactions
Many of our actions begin with these silent
conversations.
Positive Examples
When you have done something well,
compliment yourself; when there is room
for improvement, note what you can do to
better next time.
Negative or counterproductive
occurs when you cloud your thoughts with
self-doubt.
“I can’t do this. I’m too stupid” or “I’m
not popular enough for anyone to listen to
me!”
INSTEAD- be honest and positive and give
yourself the benefit of the doubt
Positive Intrapersonal helps you
Work to be a Good Person
What you communicate to yourself should
exhibit
Solid work ethic
A sense of integrity
Compassion for others
Personal honesty
2. Communicating Constructively
-inter is a prefix signifying between or
among the parts of, in the midst
Interpersonal communication- one-on-one
communication which can take place any
time messages are transmitted between
two or more people
Honesty in Art
Brainstorm a list of your favorite musicians and
musical groups.
Categorize the music of each as begin
meaningful and honest, or meaningless and
somehow dishonest or untrue. Support your
opinions with lyrics or other evidence.
In the news…what is the difference between
journalism and sensationalism. Which is more
reliable? Why?
Examples of Constructive
Communication
Building good feelings and trust between
and among people
Using the spoken word to build, inspire,
and motivate others NOT belittle or
deceive them
Examples of unethical
communication:
Comedians using words to insult
Politicians using words to distort
Teachers using words to condemn
Business people using words to justify
ruining the environment
Students spreading rumors about others
Oratory or Rhetoric
The art or study of public speaking, using
words effectively
The Roman teacher Quintilian called the
perfect orator “a good person speaking
well.”
Journal Writing:
Is it possible for the average person to
refrain completely from “doing an injustice
to what speech should do”? Do you know
anyone who falls into this category?
Would using your communicating only for
good purposes be a worthy or realistic
goal? Why?
Constructive Communication
You must be willing to build up others if you
wish to become an effective communicator
3. Caring About your Audience
The speaker must respect the members of
an audience and show a genuine concern
for their thoughts and feelings.
Before speaking, consider questions
such as:
Is this material appropriate for this group?
How would I feel if I were asked that
question?
Am I giving my audience new information?
Is my material too difficult or too easy for
my audience?
Pay attention to audience
feedback!
Adapt to audience feedback
If you are flippant in your presentation, you
might nonverbally convey the attitude that
your audience isn’t very important to you.
If you are speaking in a dull monotone,
you might convey the attitude that you are
bored with your audience.
Effective Communication
Occurs when there is reciprocal respect
between the performer and the audience
or the sender and receiver
Aristotle’s Three Appeals
(Aristotle was a Greek scientist and
philosopher.)
Logos
Pathos
Ethos
Logos
Is a logical appeal for which you would use
analysis and factual evidence to prove
your point
Pathos
Is an emotional appeal for which you would
work to “strike a chord” in your audience
and appeal to their sense of patriotism,
family, justice, etc.
Ethos
Is an ethical appeal for which you would
show your audience that you are honest
and believable
Chapter 1: Building Responsibility
Section 3- Building the Proper Motivation
Page 16
Motivation
Something such as a need or a desire, that
causes a person to act.
Two internal forces should be responsible
for motivating words:
1. the desire to treat both people and
situations fairly and to avoid stereotyping
others
2. the desire to set a good example for
others
Stereotyping
Means labeling every person in a group
based on a preconceived idea as to what
that group represents
Every individual must be evaluated on his or
her own merit and every instance must be
evaluated for its won impact
Positive Motivation
Much of your motivation to use the spoken
word correctly must come from a desire to
provide solutions that will make the world
a better place.
Example: John F. Kennedy, Jr.
America mourned the tragic death of John F.
Kennedy, Jr. in the summer of 1999 when
he was killed in a plane crash, along with
his wife and her sister. Kennedy believed
in the word responsibility and he
communicated this by both his speech and
actions.
Continued
Kennedy used his words to initiate Reaching
UP, a program designed to assist health
care workers who work with the mentally
handicapped.
He also formed the Robin Hood Foundation,
which offers help to those in need living in
the inner city. He was a “good person
speaking well.”
Ultimately
When people believe in you, they will
believe what you have to say!
Assignment:
Complete the “Workplace Communications”
exercise on page 21 of your text book.
Aristotle Revisited
Aristotle believed that a person did not
need to have intrapersonal appeal.
Daniel Webster
Stressed that, if he lost all else, he would
like to retain the ability to speak.