OUMH 1303 English For Oral Communication

Communicating Effectively In spoken English In Selected Social Contexts

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Introduction Communicare is the root word of communication in Latin , which means to share, or

to make common. According to Scott McLean , the process of understanding and sharing of meaning is what communication is all about. ( Scott McLean) Communication can also be any act by which one person gives to or receives from another person information about that person's needs, desires, perceptions, knowledge, or affective states. Communication may be intentional or unintentional . It may involve conventional or unconventional signals . It may also take linguistic or nonlinguistic forms and may also occur through spoken or other modes. Commonly known , communication is the exchange of thoughts, messages, or information through speech, signals, writing, or behavior since communication allows people to exchange thoughts by one of several methods. There are auditory means, such as speaking or singing, and physical means, such as sign language, touch, or eye contact .

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Oral Communication Though we create shared reality, meaning is never the same for two people within that

shared reality. Which is why communication is symbolic and personal . Everyone has different fields of experience and use different encoding and decoding processes. The sender and the receiver are affected by the situation and context including physical setting , time and social environment . Oral communication is a vital component of the English language arts curriculum and provides the base for growth in reading, writing, and listening abilities. Oracy consists of both verbal and nonverbal communication. Talk enables students to make connections between what they know and what they are learning, and listening helps them to acquire knowledge and explore ideas.

OUMH 1303 English For Oral Communication

2.1

How oral communication works

Oral communication is an exchange of ideas, facts and opinions by which the receiver of the message shares meaning and understanding with another. Communication enables transfer of information from one person to another, one department to another from outside the organization to within. Communication is transactional. The linear model of communication model is simple . It starts with a speaker and some listeners. It involves the source , who sends a message to the receiver. If we add feedback, however, the receiver becomes the sender and the sender becomes the receiver. The model changes from linear to transactional. However , interference can impede the communication process . Situations such as the time and the place can shape the message. From here , it is clear that communication is not static and it is not the mere transmission of messages.

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Theories Of Oral Communication

Figure 1 : The Communication Process

OUMH 1303 English For Oral Communication

Communication process consists of the sender, encoding, the channel, decoding, the receiver, feedback and the context. At each stage, there is the potential for misunderstanding and confusion. Problems with communication can pop-up at every stage of the communication process. The problem could be solved with clear, concise, accurate and well-planned communications following the process below: ( Statement , Monday , August 2 , 2010 )

First , the sender must first establish credibility , displaying knowledge of the subject, the audience and the context in which the message is delivered. You must also know your audience Failure to understand who you are communicating to will result in delivering messages that are misunderstood. From the message , the senders tone, ways of organization, validity of the argument, what is communicated, what being left out and the individual style of communicating affects the written, oral and non-verbal communications. Messages have intellectual and emotional components where intellect allows us to reason and emotions allow us to present motivational appeals, ultimately changing minds and actions.Channels are ways to convey the messages, with verbal including face-to-face meetings, telephone, video conferencing, written messages via letters, emails, memos and reports .Next , messages are delivered to the audience. In order to be a successful communicator, one is to consider the response of the audience and if they understand the message conveyed, acting appropriately before one deliver the message. Feedback is given through verbal and nonverbal reactions to the message conveyed. We should pay close attention here as feedback will let us know if the audience understood the message conveyed. The understanding of the message is delivered in a context which includes the environment around and the cultures.

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Models Of Communication
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OUMH 1303 English For Oral Communication

4.1

Linear Model

The linear model shows communication as a single way process where the speaker speaks, listeners listens. Laswells model (1948) was drawn based on who, what, what channel, to whom and with what Shannon and Weavers (1949) model includes the noise or interference that distorts understanding between the speaker and the listener.

Figure 2: Linear Model of Communication Chandler, D. (1994). The Transmission Model of Communication.Available: http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/short/trans.html. Last accessed 14th July 2011. 4.2 Interactive Model

The main flaw in the linear model is that it depicts communication as a one-way process where speakers only speak and never listen. It also implies that listeners listen and never speak or send messages. With that , Schramm (1955) in Wood (2009) came out with a more interactive model that saw the receiver or listener providing feedback to the sender or speaker. Here , the speaker or sender of the message also listens to the feedback given by the receiver or listener. Both the speaker and

OUMH 1303 English For Oral Communication

the listener take turns to speak and listen to each other. Feedback is given either verbally or nonverbally, or in both ways. This model also indicates that the speaker and listener communicate better if they have common fields of experience, or fields which overlap (please refer to Figure 3 :

Figure 3: An interactive model of communication Source: Windley, C Skinner,M. (2010). Occasion Analysis. Available: http://www.class.uidaho.edu/comm101/chapters/selecting_topic/selecting_topic4.htm. Last accessed 15th July 2011.

4.3

Transactional Model

The disadvantage of the interactive model is that it does not shows that communicators can send and receive messages simultaneously. It also fails to show that communication is a process that changes over time. The transactional model shows that the elements in communication are interdependent. Each person is both a speaker and a listener, and can be simultaneously sending and receiving messages.

OUMH 1303 English For Oral Communication

There are three implications in the transactional model:

i.

Transactional means that communication is an ongoing and continuously changing process. You are changing, the people with whom you are communicating are changing and your environment is also continually changing as well.

ii.

Each element exists in relation to all the other elements. There is this interdependence where there can be no source without a receiver and no message without a source.

iii.

Each person in the communication process reacts depending on factors such as their background, prior experiences, attitudes, cultural beliefs and self-esteem.

Figure below shows a transactional model of communication that takes into account noise or interference in communication, not forgetting the time factor. The outer lines of the model shows that communication happens within systems that both communicators share or personal systems. It also takes into account changes that happen in the communicators fields of personal and common experiences.

Figure 4 A transactional model of communication Source: (2005). Communication Models. Available: http://www.nvcc.edu/home/aeldridge/communication/nature/models.htm. Last accessed 15th July 2011
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5.0

Verbal communication

Verbal communication appears to be an effective way of explaining the intangible concepts. It appears to be far more precise than the non-verbal cues. It is most effective when combined with other forms of communication like gestures and body language. Effective verbal communication has more to do with listening than speaking when dealing with an audience. This is because to meet the needs of the audience, one have to listen and it leads to effective communication. Knowing our audience is the basic rule. Hence, listening could be the most important item of effective communicating verbally. The best tool is the ability and willingness to listen to what the people are saying and not saying. Next is to know your topic. It could be unnecessary yet helpful when one is unprepared or poorly prepared for the presentation. 6.0 Non-verbal communication

Nonverbal communication is usually understood as the process of communication through sending and receiving wordless ( Wikipedia ) Basically it is sending and receiving messages in a variety of ways without the use of verbal codes (words). In other words, it includes facial expressions, body movements, and gestures. Nonverbal communication is talking without speaking a word. It is very effective, maybe even more so than speech. Remember the saying, Actions speak louder than words. ( Keegan ) The most common non-verbal communication is the facial expressions. For example rolling the eyes or grinning. However, not all facial expressions are so calculated. Giving an example a smile that comes naturally from one when they are happy, indicating it to someone else. More subtle instances of non-verbal communication are clothing where people use them to transmit a message about themselves. Body language is one type of nonverbal communication which involves the way people walk, how they stand, and their facial features. In other words, any kind of meaning that is shown by a person's body attitude or movements . An example is like when a boy is sad he may droop his

OUMH 1303 English For Oral Communication

head and walk slowly. Or, if a girl is happy, she might run and jump or stand up straight and put her hands in the air. No word is exchange to show how they feel about things . Gestures are communications like facial expressions, hand signals, eye gazing, and body postures. When we consider the amount of nonverbal communication that passes between us and compare it with the mere words we say, it is obvious that the nonverbal part is by far the largest. 7.0 Interpersonal communication

Interpersonal communication is a universal form of communication involving one on one conversations or maybe individuals interacting with many people within a society. It can be formal or informal since exchange of information happens everyday. Interpersonal communication takes place everywhere by means of words, sounds, facial expression, gesture and postures. Face-to-face interactions between two persons involves the process of sending and receiving messages. We get feedback almost immediately. Points can be clarify and emphasized through expressions, gestures and voices where we can influence and persuaded others to accept our point of view. Interpersonal communication to help us understand a situation in a better way and to think and evaluate more effectively. Hence, communication channels either direct or indirect are the medium chosen to convey the message from sender to receiver. Dyadic communication involves two people as in a telephone conversation or even a set of letters sent to and received from a friend or a pen pal. Here , sender can immediately receive and evaluate feedback from the receiver.

OUMH 1303 English For Oral Communication

For a better and effective interpersonal communication , we can't ignore a few principles that underlie it. Firstly , Interpersonal communication is inescapable. Trying not to communicate communicates something. Our tone of voice and through gesture, posture, facial expression are our ways oc communicating. Secondly , Interpersonal communication is irreversible. We cant take back something once it has been said. A Russian proverb says, "Once a word goes out of your mouth, you can never swallow it again." Next , interpersonal communication is complicated as no form of communication is simple. When we communicate , we don't actually swap ideas but we swap symbols that stand for ideas. Words or symbols do not have inherent meaning. As such ,no two people use the same word exactly alike. Generally , interpersonal communication can be conducted using both direct and indirect mediums of communication such as face-to-face interaction, as well as computer-mediatedcommunication. When both the message senders and the message receivers interpret and understand the messages being sent on a level of understood meanings and implications , then interpersonal communication is successful (Wikipedia ) 8.0 Small group communication

A small group usually consists of three and no more than twelve or fifteen members. Since the group is small , the members are able to communicate freely and openly with all of the other members of the group. A small group works together to achieve their goal . The goal brings the group together and holds it together through conflict and tension. Due to the small number , the group has a closer bonding with the members. Students in school tends to meet in small group for project discussion. Office colleagues too would form a group in an office to talk about their job and also to solve some problems arising in their office. Group members are to talk about anything regarded their topic and also can communicate openly to the team members . Group members know what and which direction are you going to in the sense of your goal. They can ask for facts, relevant information, suggestions or ideas through normal group interaction or through brainstorming session

OUMH 1303 English For Oral Communication

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Formal communication Formal communication usually takes place through the formal channels of the

organization structure along the lines of authority established by the management. Such communications are generally in writing and may take any of the forms as in policy, manuals , procedures and rule books , memoranda , official meetings or reports. Proper English or another language is spoken. Formal communications follows a chain of command in the flow of the communication, either upwards to or down . Although formal communication may help in the fixation of responsibility and maintaining of the authority relationship in an organization , nevertheless , it is generally time consuming, cumbersome and leads to a good deal of distortion at times. However , formal communication is more binding and more precise making no room for misunderstanding. In certain situation ,formal communication is used to avoid the or painful. embarrassment of face-to-face contact between the parties when the subject of communication is sensitive

Though formal communications are mostly written, they may now available in formal presentations such as computer disk, video tape or DVDs, MP3 or other similar electronic reproductions of written communications. Newsletters, legal advisories, invitations, companys annual report , awards, and letters of congratulations are some of the other forms of formal communications . Non-written formal communication devices are in-person communications in the forms of departmental meetings, telephone calls, conferences and special interviews. The style and manners of the presenter dictate the formalness of a meeting ,indicating the non-verbal component to formal communication. Other elements of non-verbal formal communication include maintaining a certain distance from others, standing above the crowd, speaking in formal tones and using formal means of address , such as Mister or Doctor .

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Informal communication

Informal communication channels develop outside the formal structure and do not follow the chain of command.It is built around the social relationships of members of the organization. Informal communication does not flow lines of authority as is the case of formal communication
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OUMH 1303 English For Oral Communication

as it arises due to the personal needs of the members of an organization. Due to this matter , it is difficult to fix responsibility about accuracy of information. Such communication is usually oral and may be covered even by simple glance, gesture or smile or silence. Informal communication works easily for small groups and the scope of the conversation may be broader than a formal presentation . Topics are diverse in nature, free flowing and loose but on the other hand informal communication is subject to creating rumors and misinformation due to its loose nature and lack of substantiating evidence. Informal communication is used to help put people at ease. While it is still rule bound by the social norms of the those communicating, there is much more room for the speaker to be free in what he or she says. Informal communication in the workplace satisfies a variety of needs, particularly social and emotional, and are not based on the positions individuals occupy within the organizations. As a result, the communication is not managed or planned in any organized fashion. Its more relaxed, casual and tends to be spread by word-of-mouth quickly throughout a department or organization because its not restricted to approvals and an established path of distribution.

Informal communication is also known as the grapevine , includes all the various methods of relaying information or messages between people. Messages are weaved back and forth and around people. Everyone is relaxed and casual, eager to chat about many things, as there is no specific agenda to follow. As such , the grapevine is known as the unofficial communication system of the informal organization, a network of gossip and rumor of what is called employee language. In many cases , the grapevine is faster than formal channels. People rely on it when they are insecure. Employees use the grapevine to acquire the majority of their on-the-job information. And most important is that It is about 75% accurate.

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Communication Through Body Language

Body language is a form of nonverbal communication and it is a vital form of communication. It is one of the most important and complicated parts of non-verbal communication.
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OUMH 1303 English For Oral Communication

Unconsciously, we continuously give and receive countless wordless signals during our interaction. This includes the gestures we make, the way we sit, how fast or how loud we talk, how close we stand, how much eye contact we make. The nonverbal signals you send either produce a sense of interest, trust, and desire for connectionor they generate disinterest, distrust, and confusion. ( Helpguide.org) Body language must be interpreted in the context of a persons lifestyle, cultural background, family, education, physical health, and other factors that may be obscure. One of the most frequently observed is hand movements, as people often gesticulate with their hands while talking.

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Public Communication

Public speaking is actually a process where they want to speak to a group of people in deliberate manners which are intended whether to inform people, to gain their trust or in other word, try to influence them or maybe try to entertain the group individually. The purpose of public speaking can range from simple transmitting information to the listeners; some of them used it for making people to act and also to tell a story to the audience. Different speaker has their own individual specialties which is they have their own way to attract their audience. For example, our politicians have their own way to convey their massage to the people during the election campaign. The audience must understand and agreed with what the speakers had said so that the speakers achieve what he or she want to say and this is called a successful public communication.

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Conclusion The purpose of communication is to get the message across to others clearly and

unambiguously. In fact, communication is only successful when both the sender and the receiver understand the same information as a result of the communication. When your message gets across, you convey your thoughts and ideas effectively. When sending message failed , the thoughts and ideas that you send do not necessarily reflect your own, causing a communications breakdown and creating roadblocks that stand in the way of your goals both personally and professionally.
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OUMH 1303 English For Oral Communication

To create a successful communication skill, you have to understand first about what is communication all about. Basic thing that we know about communication is the interaction between two persons has occurred and they must be able to encode and decode the information that they have with them. If not, the communication breakdown will occur and it will become difficult to settle this kind of problem. On top of that, we must know the best strategies or method to create a good communication skill between the speaker and the listener.

Reference (n.d) Formal and Informal Communications, Available: http://ualr.edu/dllauferswei/cj3306/formalcomm.html? utm_source=http://ualr.edu/~dllauferswei/cj3306/formalcomm.html&utm_medium=700pxcusto merror404&utm_content=click&utm_campaign=custom404. Last accessed 13th July 2011. (2005). Communication Models. Available: http://www.nvcc.edu/home/aeldridge/communication/nature/models.htm. Last accessed 15th July 2011 (2007). Transactional Models. Available: http://communicationskill.blogspot.com/2007/10/transactional-model.html. Last accessed 14th July 2011. (2009). Understand The Difference Between Formal and Informal Communications. Available: http://basiccollegeaccounting.com/understand-the-difference-between-formal-and-informalcommunication/. Last accessed 15th July 2011. (2011). Formal Communication. Available: http://www.typesofcommunication.org/communication/verbal-communication/formalcommunication/. Last accessed 15th July 2011. (2011). Harold Innis's communications theories. Available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Innis's_communications_theories. Last accessed 15th July 2011. Allyn & Bacon. (1999). Definition of a Small Group. Available: http://www.abacon.com/commstudies/groups/definition.html. Last accessed 13th July 2011.

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Chandler, D. (1994). The Transmission Model of Communication.Available: http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/short/trans.html. Last accessed 14th July 2011. King, D. (2000). Four Principles of Interpersonal Communication.Available: http://www.pstcc.edu/facstaff/dking/interpr.htm. Last accessed 14th July 2011. Windley, C Skinner,M. (2010). Occasion Analysis. Available: http://www.class.uidaho.edu/comm101/chapters/selecting_topic/selecting_topic4.htm. Last accessed 15th July 2011.

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