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1.0

INTRODUCTION In our daily life, we need to interact with each other in order to express what

we think verbally or non-verbal.

The

interaction

process

is

called

communication.

Generally, communication can be described as a tool to communicate with other people that is very important in human life. Communication is seen to play its role to deliver the message either in spoken form, written form or using sign language. According to Carl Rogers (1952), real communication occurswhen we listen with understanding to see the expressed idea and attitude from the other persons point of view, to sense how it feels to him, to achieve his frame of reference in regard to the things he is talking about. Julia T.Wood (2009) define communication as a systematic process in which people interact with and through symbols to create and interpret meanings. As for Joseph Devito (2009), communication occurs when one person (or more) sends and receives messages that are distorted by noise, occur within a context, have some effect, and provide soe opportunity for feedback. An effective and good communication skills in spoken English provide several advantages especially for both study and work purposes. One of the importance of speaking English is to build our confidence. Having a good English speaking skill will also allow us to pass on the message or thought to audience which uses English language as medium of interaction. We also able to respond to what people say to us in a natural way. On the other hand, English language is widely use in science terms so, the person with good English speaking skill will be benefited. Speaking skill is a complex communication. While speaking, we will produce the speech sound using elements of prosidy and para linguistic. Eventhough, other than moving the speech organ to produce the meaningful speech sound, speaking process also involve a mental process such as understanding, reasoning, comparing, adjusting and responding to certain communication situation. A good speaker will coordinate his / her listening ability and try to obtain the information heard to produce the speech sound and implement the mental process.

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Listening skills involve several skills including accepting, reasoning and processing the information skills. One should listen to accept and understand the idea presented in a conversation, discussion, dialogue and meetingin communication process. While in our daily life, listening activity always exist in social communication ( conversation, discussion and meeting), to gain entertainment ( radio, tv and film), to obtain information (teaching-learning process, news broadcast in radio and television) and also in art appreciation ( drama, acting, dialogue and literary). Listening and speaking skills are the fundamental aspect that are most important in effective communication skill. A good listening skills will enable one to acquire and process the information accurately. The person who has good speaking skill enable them to convey their thought and feelings effectively. This mean, a good speaker and audience will be more potential to master the communication skill because the ability to listen and speak in effective way will help them in reading and writing process. Wood (2009) listed three principles that explain oral communication and how they affect us which are interpretation of symbols create meaning, there are rules communication and punctuation affect meaning. Oral communication has been describes as the process of people using verbal and non verbal messages within and across various contexts, cultures, channels and media. It encompasses various sets of skills including the ability to speak coherently and persuasively, understanding of communication theory and processes, knowledge of verbal and non-verbal cues, audience analysis, listening skills as well as communication ethics. There are seven forms of oral communication including intrapersonal communication, interpersonal communication, small group communication, public communication, mass communication, corporate communication and intercultural communication.

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HOW ORAL COMMUNICATION WORK

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Oral communication is a two way process that requires a speaker and a listener. it has been described as a process of people using verbal and non-verbal messages to generate meanings within and across various contexts, cultures, channels and media. It is most effective when the sender has good speaking skills and the receiver has good listening skills. (Camp and Satterwhite 2002) 2.1 There are many definitions of communication: a) Carl Rogers (1952) defined communication as listening with

understanding to what has been said and interpreting the message accurately as intended by the speaker. b) Elizabeth Tierney (1998) defined it as a process which comprises the following steps you have a message you want to deliver, you send it out, your audience receives the message, react to it and then responds to your message. c) Julia Wood (2009) defined it as a systemic process in which people interact with and through symbols to create and interpret meanings.
d) Devito (2009) said that communication occurs when one person (or more)

sends and receives messages that are distorted by noise, occur within context, have some effect, and provide some opportunities for feedback.

The way we use oral communication skills can either help or hinder our ability to fluence or bond with family and friends, and effect our performance at work. Many corporate organization and professional positions require people who are able to speak well and convincingly. Teachers, professors, doctors, sales people, corporate management personnel, trainers and politicians make use of these skills extensively. Mastery of oral communication skills can play a vital role in helping to achieve success. 2.2 Three models of communication

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2.2.1 Linear Model The linear model of communication views communication as a one way or linear process in which the speaker speaks and the listener listen. 2.2.2 Interactive model The interactive model views communication as a process in which the speaker and listener take turns speaking, listening and giving 2.2.3 Transactional model The transactional model views communication as an ongoing and continuously consideration the person in the changing process which takes into effects of noise, time and systems. Each communication process reacts depending on feedback to each other.

their background, prior experiences, attitudes, cultural beliefs and self-esteem. The communicators can send and receive messages simultaneously.

2.3

Interference in communication Interferences may distract and prevent the receiver from paying full attention to the message. Thus, the message may not be heard and interpreted fully or correctly. The speaker will lose concentration and this lead to incomplete or erroneous communication on the part of the sender. As a result receivers will interpret the message wrongly and not as intended by the speaker.

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According to Devito (2009), there are several types of noise that might interfere with the communication process:

2.3.1

Physical interference This kind of interference is external and outside the control of both the speaker and the receiver. It affects the physical transmission of the message. The example are noise disturbances like loud music, the sound of traffic from a busy road, static coming from a faulty loudspeaker system or loud drilling from a nearby construction site.

2.3.2

Physiological interference These are barriers to communication due to physiological challenges on the part of the speaker or the receiver. The speaker or receiver may be hearing-impaired, have speech articulation problems or suffer from short-term memory loss. Even ir the speaker delivers his message clearly and loudly, listener who has hearing problems will not be able to understand and receive the message fully. On the other hand, if a sender speaks with a lisp and cannot pronounce the /r/ and /s/ sounds properly, the listener may not be able to understand what has been said.

2.3.3

Psychological interference This type of interference stems from the mental makeup of the receiver or sender and includes biases, prejudices, narrow-mindedness and extreme emotional behavior. For example, if you are emotionally distracted or

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preoccupied, you may find it hard to understand a message. Feelings like anger or hatred may also interfere with how you interpret a message. 2.3.4 Semantic interference These barriers include language, dialectal and cultural differences. When these interference are present, the speaker and listener operate on different meaning systems. What the speaker says can be interpreted differently, thus resulting in misunderstanding. A computer analyst may use the word mouse to refer to the device used to negotiate a computer screen. However, a computer illiterate person may interpret the word mouse to be rodent.

3.0

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION 3.1 Personal and impersonal situations Interpersonal communication is a communication between several people. It is a communication with a person you do nor care about. It may range from the impersonal to the very personal communication. The most personal type of communication occurs when you talk with people are close to you, example your best

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friend, family members and colleague. Such relationships are interdependent, meaning that the actions of one party very often directly affects the other party. Interpersonal communication can teke place face to face as well as through electronic channels like video conferencing, chat rooms, e-mail and Tweeter.

3.2 Appropriate topic of conversation There are some appropriate topic may be more suitable in the conversation such as the personal, ones health, weather, religious, books read, films, hobbies, sports, food and restaurant, the education system and news item. 3.3 Listening and speaking skills and strategies Listening in formal and academic situation requires knowledge of specific skills such as knowing the purposes of listening, listening for ideas in a sequence, listening for language cues to differentiate between fact and opinion, determining meaning from the speakers intonation and enhancing understanding based on complete texts. Speaking is a skill that needs to be developed and practiced independently of the grammar curriculum. Grammar entails not only knowing vocabulary and grammar and pronouncing words and sentences properly, but also the interactive element, namely the management of turn-taking. The basic elements in speaking are pronunciation, articulation, stress and intonation. Words correctly voiced help to get the intended message across.

4.

SMALL GROUP COMMUNICATION

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4.1 4.2

Description of functions How small group is organized Small group communication takes place in a group, usually comprising five to ten people. It allows to interact with others, learn to exchange ideas, solve problems and share experiences. In academic institution, students often for small group which meet regularly for stuy discussions or to work collaboratively on projects. At workplace, small group communication may meet to discuss issues related to work or for problem solving or team building purposes. Sometimes, we start conversations with people we do not know. This can happen at the bust stop, in a queue, at the cafeteria etc.

4.3

Group members role Every member of the group has a role to play. Both speaker and listener are involved in small group communication. The speaker is a sender of the message while the listener is the receiver. They are responsible for ensuring that effective communication takes places. The successful group interaction requires active group participation. Members may be invited to ask and respond to question, express opinions, negotiate and give suggestions. However, there is usually one person who manages the discussion. The other members of the group may require to put forth

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arguments, substantiate them, negotiate and also seek clarification. If the discussion is managed well, it may turn out to be a most fruitful and enjoyable event. 4.3.3 Use interpersonal skills Good interpersonal skills are useful when dealing with people as they help to build goodwill. Here are some technique to develop good interpersonal skills: i. ii. iii. iv. Make you-statements Have a positive attitude Be a good listener Keep things confidential be considerate

4.4

Question and answer strategies In small group communication we are tent to ask for information and we are required to give information. When asking for information, it is important to phrase the question carefully so that we get the information we want to. The response should be relevant, brief and to the point. Avoid giving long-winded answer.

4.5

Example of small group communication in different social context 4.5.1 Asking and giving information

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Man Man

: I need to go to a laundry. Is there one around here? : Where exactly? Maxis sign?

Woman : not along this row. But theres one across the road. Woman : See the telecommunication shop at the end? The one with big Man Man 4.5.2 : Aah yes! The green sign? : Thanks a lot.

Woman : thats right! Thats the one! The shop is next to it.

Making Suggestions Customer : I want to change my lock on my front grille. Can you recommended a good strong lock? Seller Seller : Well, these are from China. They are RM75 each. : Those are locally. There are different sizes with different prices. Customer : which would you suggest? Seller : try this. Its big and strong. It costs only RM25 keys, please. Customer : All right then. Ill take it. Can you also make three duplicate Customer : Anything else?

5.

PUBLIC COMMUNICATION (PUBLIC SPEAKING) 5.1 Social context where public speeches occur and functions Public speaking is a fantastic communication skill. Whether we like it or not, public speaking is something that is relevant to everyone. Whether it is experienced at school, university, workplace or simply by making a speech at your

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best friends wedding, public speaking it seems, is an inescapable part of the everyday. A speech can be views as an enlarge conversation as the skills are similar to how we use in everyday conversation. The differences in making a speech require more preparation. The speaker needs to speak for a longer period of time. Turn -taking in public speaking is also delayed because the listeners listen for a length to get the feedback. The feedback only provided when the speaker pause or end the speech.

5.2

Making oral presentations Before presenting a paper to an audience, the speaker needs to do some preparations. This includes checking out on the audience attending the presentation, researching the topic to be presented and interacting with the audience. The time setting is the most important to make initial preparations such as analyzing the audience, determining the purpose, gathering materials, organizing n writing main ideas s well s preparing visual aids. As the ultimate purpose of any speech is to communicate message to the audience, there is no use knowing all there if you dont know how to communicate it effectively. As a result the success of the speech very much depends on how well it is delivered.

5.3

Credibility of speaker and related qualities According to Camp & Satterwhite, 2002, here are some responsibilities or both the speaker and the listener in the communication. 4.3.1 Evaluate the Situation The effectiveness of the communication can only take place when the speaker is clear about his own views and interpretation of ideas and

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experiences. Communication with oneself must takes place before you can communicate effectively with others. The speaker needs to evaluate the communication situation and try to:
a)

Avoid miscommunication The ideal situation is when the intended message, actual message and interpreted message are the same. This is what Carl Rogers meant when he defined communication say back in 1952. The speaker needs to choose his words precisely and the receiver should listen with full attention so that the message is understood correctly. There should be no room for miscommunication.

b)

Give and receive feedback Misinterpretation and breakdown in communication can be avoided if the sender gets feedback by observing the signals given out by the listener. Another technique is to ask questions. The speaker can ask the receiver questions to determine whether hi message is getting across accurately. As the communication is a continuous two-way process involving sender and receiver, in turn, ask question to clarify shat is unclear.

c)

Maintain goodwill The effective communication is more easily achieved if the listener accepts and receives the speakers message with an open mind. Do not offend or anger people with what you say or you will make enemies.this will affect how your message is receives and interpreted.

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4.3.2

Understand needs Abraham Maslow categorized human needs into five levels. i. Physical needs The basic needs like food, clothing and shelter must be satisfied before receivers can think of other things. ii. Security Needs These include the desire for a safe and secure environment that is free from physical harm and emotional or mental abuse. iii. Social Needs Everyone wants to have a sense of belonging and be part of a group. iv. Esteem Needs These needs are actualised through feelings of self-worth, selfrespect, prestige, power and recognition. v. Self-Actualisation Needs These are the higher level needs which are met through a sense of achievement and helping other people realize their goal.

5.4

Audience analysis for effective communication Understanding the audience is an essential ingredient to writing a successful speech, as the speaker need to communicate his message to this specific group of

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people. The type of speech that appeals to and is appropriate for one type of audience may not be the case for another. In light of this, understanding the audience will help the speaker to decide the best way to deliver the message. Before begin the writing, it is a good idea to think about whether the audience is:

young or old high or low income educated or uneducated local or foreign?

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CONCLUSION As a conclusion, there is a difference between spoken words appropriate for the ear and formally written words intended for reading. The speaker needs to terminate the presentation with an interesting remark or an appropriate punch line. The good speaker will leave his listeners with a positive impression and a sense of completion.

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References Baran, S., $ David, D. (1995). Mass communication theory: Foundations, ferment and future. Belmont, California, USA: Wadsworth Publishing Co. Camp, S.C., & Satterwhite, M.L. (2002). College English and communication. New York: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill. Cargan, J.F., & Wright, D.W. (1999). Communication in small groups: theory, Process, Skills. Belmont, California, USA: Wadsworth Publishing Co. Cook, V.J. (1997). English topics. London: OUP Daniel, T.D., Spiker, K. A., and Papa, M.J. (1997). Perspectives on organisational communication. Boston, USA: McGraw-Hill. Devito, J.A. (2009). Human communication: The basic course. Boston: Pearson Globeiowska A. (1997). Getting students to talk. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

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Hanreaddy, J., & Whalley, E. (2002). Mosaic 1. Listening and speaking (4 th ed.) Wisconsin: McGrawHill Contemporary. Rogers, C and Roethlisberger, F.J. (1952) Barries and Gateways to Communication. In Harvard Bussiness Rewiew. Nov. 1, 1991. US; Harvard Bussiness Publishing.