Reflective Communication

Topic One: Introduction to Communication

Aims of subject: one of the main aims of this subject is to explore
Communication issues:
Understand communication issues generally and related to social
work
Apply communication ideas generally and to specific practice
contexts and groups
Identify ethical issues in communication
Identify and start to engage with basic micro skills
Consider communication issues at micro and macro levels and
mediated forms of communication
History of communication:
Constantly changing and influenced by context:
Initially symbolic eg paintings on cave walls
Hunter/gatherer societies: few literate, more story telling, verbal
communication
Middle ages: more interest in writing, but economically cost of
inks/vellum means short records/few books
Industrial age: cheap ways to produce written word, expansion of
books, more broadly accessible - changes in power related to more
accessible knowledge.
Mass communication: Now communication through technology,
expansion in forms, amount of communication, scope - from internet
to text messaging.
People have preferences: what are yours?
Influences on communication
Some more individual:
each persons sense of self concept/identity
personality - differences and similarities
Individual expectations and hopes and fears
past experiences
family
education
community
of change
life stages
roles and responsibilities perceived and actual
Influences (cont.)
Some more externally determined:
access to resources
organisational context
the physical context/environment
types of community networks and possible involvement
with other people/community
society/culture
(mainly Adler and Rodman, 2006, 35 38).

Two definitions of communication of course lots

human communication = the process of creating
meaning through symbolic interaction. Adler and
Rodman (2008:2)
A continuous, irreversible, transactive process involving
communicators who occupy different but overlapping
environments and are simultaneously senders and
receivers of messages, any of which are distorted by
physical and psychological noise. (Adler and Rodman,
2006:502).

Characteristics of Communication
Communication is a transactional process
Communication is intentional and unintentional
Communication involves simultaneous sending and receiving
of messages
Communication is fluid not static
Communication is more like a motion picture than a photo
album
Adler and Rodman (2006) pp 14-17

Functions of Communication why do we communicate?

Physical/practical needs

Identity needs

Social needs

Communication is Symbolic
This means we overcome the arbitrary nature of symbols by
linguistic rules and customs ie we work to be clear about what
each other means eg dont be a pork chop

Types of Communication

Intra-personal

Dyadic/interpersonal

Small group

Public

Mass

Common Misunderstandings about Communication

- think about your reactions to these. You might or might
not agree
Communication does not always require complete
understanding
Communication is not always a good thing
No single person or event causes the others reaction
Communication will not solve all problems

Meanings rest in people, not words

Communication is not simple
More communication is not always better
Adler and Rodman (2006) pp. 22-26

Ethics and Communication

Honesty commitment, obligation, congruence
Integrity authority, power and confidentiality, selfdetermination
Inclusivity of difference (gender, race, ethnicity, culture,
values, beliefs)
OConnor, Wilson and Setterlund (1998) p.72
For thinking about before next weeks class
Exercise re noticing communication
During the week, take a time or times to consciously notice
the communication around you on bus, caf, party,etc
What works and what doesnt?
What influences the communication?

 Reflective Communication
Topic: Reflection and Reflective Practice
What does it mean to reflect?
Reflection is a key aspect of learning in social work.
Essentially, reflection is about looking at experiences as a way to
learn from them: past experiences of your own or of others, current
experiences as a student or in practice or anything else.
What is reflective practice?
Seeking to understand practice more deeply:
How you are reacting (what you are thinking, feeling, doing)
Why you are reacting that way
What is influencing you and those you are working with such
as past experience, taken for granted assumptions and values.
Overall developing self awareness and the capacity to change
behaviour for effective practice.
Reflective Practice : Schon
Schon was influential in developing ideas re reflective practice: A
continuous process that involves thoughtfully considering ones own
experiences and applying knowledge to practice This includes:
Differences between:
reflection on action reflection after the event
reflection in action the capacity to reflect during practice
either internally or externally.
Others add reflection before action.
Ideally, Schon suggested practitioners would become able to reflect in
practice, to make conscious what is happening, to draw on knowledge,
recognise assumptions during interactions which takes practice!

Professional reflection on action

Reflection is about standing back from our own experience (as much as we
can) to articulate:
feelings and thoughts,
assumptions and values
and to explore reactions.

 Reflection requires space in the present and the promise of space in the
future
Smith (1994) p.150
Critical Reflection
We will focus on this more in second semester, but essentially the
critical in critical reflection is about noticing the influence of the
context: your family, organizational and particularly the broader
social context.
Critical reflection asks: what assumptions are made in our culture
that we then take for granted?
How does this perpetuate existing differences in relationships, in
power and influence?
Reflective Cycle: Example One
Influences on communication- that we need to reflect on:
To be able to communicate effectively we need to be able to reflect on:
our sense of our selves, our self concept/identity,
including strengths and areas to work on
our own past experiences
life stage
the culture that we live in
how we are perceived by others
Influences (cont.)
roles that we have taken on
personality
the context
expectations and hopes and fears
degree of involvement and type of involvement with
other person
(mainly Adler and Rodman, 2006, 35 38).
Communication influences:
We also need to be able to see how others are influenced by all
these things and how we might then perceive each other different.
The idea of reflexivity suggests that how we see ourselves may not
be how others see us and vice versa.
So what helps with becoming reflective?
Conversations/ discussion with others which is why we spend a lot
of time in workshops doing that
Journalling
Supervision as workers
Stopping and taking time for reflecting/ contemplating.

Using journaling
way of reflecting and of learning
individual and personal
generally private (important for free expression)
can be written/used in way that suits personal style

 written record that can be reviewed over time

way of expressing and often clarifying feelings and
reactions
Why journalling?
helps identify misunderstandings
encourages links eg between knowledge and experience,
theory and practice, past and present
way of focusing thought to analyse practice
intellectual/spiritual/psychological space
can be used in supervision or staff development/peer
group
experiences may be seen differently when written down,
process of writing itself provides focus/way of thinking
things through
safe place to explore links between personal and
professional.
Definition
Bolton: record of happenings, thoughts and feelings
about a particular aspect of life or with a particular
structure collection of expressions of thinking and
explorations. Like a map
Most effective when writers:
take responsibility for their learning
are prepared to look at vulnerable areas
question and analyse own experience, not
only focusing on others