ENGL 1e: ORAL COMMUNICATION IN CONTEXT

Topic 1: FEATURES OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

7 C’s of Effective Communication

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 negative impact on the audience and increases the credibility and effectiveness of the
message.

Topic 2: 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. The table below presents some barriers to effective
communication with corresponding solutions.
Barrier Example Solution
Emotional Barriers You are having a bad day or you Recognize these kinds of emotions, and politely ask the other person
feel frustrated. to give you a moment so you can relax or calm yourself.
You sit in a meeting or class where Recognize this kind of attitude, reset, and reflect on how you can be
you think the speaker is boring. interested in what the speaker is pointing out.
Use of jargon You are a scientist discussing a Jargon refers to the set of specialized vocabulary in a certain field. To
certain weather phenomenon with avoid communication breakdown due to lack of clarity, adjust your
your neighbor who does not know language; use layman’s terms or simple words.
much about the topic.
Lack of confidence You are asked to share something Develop self-confidence by joining organizations where you can
about your day or weekend, but share and develop your interests. Look for opportunities in your
you are hesitant because you are school or community that will help you find your strengths and
shy. improve your abilities.
 Noisy You are having a conversation with Recognize that noise is a common barrier. Make some adjustments
environment some friends when a song was by asking someone to minimize the volume or by looking for a quiet
played loudly. area where you can resume the conversation.
Note that these are only some of the barriers; many others may arise out of context, language, physical restrictions, and the like.

Topic 3: 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 which 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 to 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.

GROUP ACTIVITIES

Activity 1
Charades

Activity 2
With your group mates, discuss the following:
• Was there a lack of communication or miscommunication within your group when you organized and performed your
tasks? What are these?
• Why do you think this happened?
• What are the barriers to communication that occurred?
• What strategies did you use to avoid the barriers and miscommunication?