Oral Communication

in Context
Quarter 1 – Module 1:
Functions, Nature and Process of
Communication
Oral Communication in Context
Alternative Delivery Mode
Quarter 1 – Module 1: Functions, Nature and Process of Communication
First Edition, 2020

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 For the learner:

Welcome to the Oral Communication in Context Grade 11/12 Alternative Delivery

Mode (ADM) Module on Functions, Nature and Process of Communication!

The hand is one of the most symbolized part of the human body. It is often used to
depict skill, action and purpose. Through our hands, we may learn, create and
accomplish. Hence, the hand in this learning resource signifies that you, as a
learner, are capable and empowered to successfully achieve the relevant
competencies and skills at your own pace and time. Your academic success lies in
your own hands!

This module was designed to provide you with fun and meaningful opportunities for
guided and independent learning at your own leap and speed. You will be enabled to
process the contents of the learning resource while being an active learner.

This module has the following parts and corresponding icons:

This will give youWhat

an idea
I Needoftothe skills or competencies you are expected to learn in the
Know
module.
This part includes an activity that aims to check what you already know about the lesson
to take. If you getWhat
all the answers correct (100%), you may decide to skip this module.
I Know
This is a brief drill or review to help you link the current lesson with the previous one.
In this portion, the new lesson will be introduced to you in various ways such through as a
story, a song, a poem, a problem opener, an activity or a situation.
What’s In
This section provides a brief discussion of the lesson. This aims to help you discover and
understand new concepts and skills.
What’s New
What is It for independent practice to solidify your understanding and
This comprises activities
skills of the topic.What’s
You may
Morecheck the answers to the exercises using the Answer Key at the
end of the module.
This includes questions that you need to answer so you can process what you have
learned from the lesson.
What I Have Learned
This section provides
What an activity
I Can Do which will help you transfer your new knowledge or skill
into real life situations or concerns.
This is a task which aims to evaluate your level of mastery in achieving the learning
competency. Assessment
In this portion, another activity will be given to you to enrich your knowledge or skill of
the lesson learned. This also
Additional tends retention of learned concepts.
Activities
This contains answers to all activities in the module.
At the end of this module you will also find:
Answer Key

References This is a list of all sources used in developing

this module.

The following are some reminders in using this module:

1. Use the module with care. Do not put unnecessary mark/s on any part of the
module. Use a separate sheet of paper in answering the exercises.
2. Do not forget to answer What I Know before moving on to the other
activities included in the module.
3. Read the directions carefully before doing each task.
4. Observe honesty and integrity in doing the tasks and in checking your
answers.
5. Finish the task at hand before proceeding to the next.
6. Return this module to your teacher/facilitator once you are through with it.
If you encounter any difficulty in answering the tasks in this module, do not
hesitate to consult your teacher or facilitator. Always bear in mind that you are
not alone.

We hope that through this material, you will experience meaningful learning and
gain deep understanding of the relevant competencies. You can do it!
 What I Need to Know

This module was designed and written with you in mind. It is here to help you
master the nature, process and function of communication. The scope of this
module permits it to be used in many different learning situations. The language
used recognizes the diverse vocabulary level of students. The lessons are arranged to
follow the standard sequence of the course.

This module consists of one lesson, namely:

 The Functions, Nature and Process of Communication

After going through this module, you are expected to:

1. explain the nature and process of communication;
2. understand the relationship of the functions of communication to everyday
life; and
3. illustrate the process of communication.
 Lesson
The Nature and Process of
1 Communication
Communication comes in various forms. From the simple nodding of your
head, stretching of hands, raising your eyebrows up to your daily conversations with
your friends over the phone, constant exchange of text messages, and regular
browsing in social networking sites, these are but some examples of how humans
communicate their thoughts, feelings, ideas, and insights. These only signify that
humans really engage in communication.

What’s In

How will you react to the following picture?

Believe it or not, your coming to your family is a great joy! Your first cry
immediately after birth announced your arrival into this world. Afterwards, your
mother understood that when you cry, you were hungry and gave you milk in
response. Your face also expressed your feelings. As years passed by, you started
pronouncing short words and responded by waving your hands or nodding your
head and most of the times, laughing out loud. Today, you can act out, speak,
and write to tell everyone what you think and feel. These are the ways you
communicate.
 What’s New

When you exchange ideas with someone or you send information to others,
you do it in two ways. You either use words to say what you want to say or you
express yourself through gestures and facial expressions. Since then, people have
the inherent need to communicate. Humans are social beings. They live to interact
regularly with others. In fact, their endurance is due to their ability to express
themselves and connect to one another and the world they live in.

When you look back in the history of humankind, you will find that early man
could not speak as you do today. Records show that people have used various
communication techniques such as the use of symbols, gestures, sounds, drawings,
and sign languages (Littlejohn, 2002 as cited in Amudavalli, n.d.). Words and
languages developed much later in human history.

Over the years, communication has progressed tremendously. Language

developed side by side with technology. Now in the 21st century, we realize the
power of communication in building relationships and the community at large.
Hence, we see the importance of communication.

Look at the pictures below. Identify the different ways of communicating with others.
Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper.

1. 2.
3. 4.

5.
 What is It

What is communication and why do we communicate?

NATURE OF COMMUNICATION
Communication is a two-way process of connecting to both living and non-
living things. It is also a means of sharing and exchanging messages, information,
ideas, and feelings for mutual understanding (Gregoriom, J.C., 2015).

Communication connects people and the world they live in. It is through
communication that people are able to express their thoughts and ideas or convey
information and messages through word of mouth, gestures and signals, signs, and
others. People have always communicated with one another in various forms.

Let us further define communication using the two key terms stated above,
“message” and “understand”.
1. Communication is a message understood.
Unless a message is understood, we cannot say that communication has
taken place. Let us send a message to someone and say, “where came first”. The
person who gets this message would wonder what it means, for the arrangement of
the words does not make any sense. The message is sent but the receiver does not
understand it. Therefore, for communication to take place, we have to consider two
conditions. First, there should be a clear message. Second, the message must be
understood by the receiver for whom it is meant.

2. Communication is social interaction through messages.

Think of someone telling, “It is very warm today.” In this case, we are
communicating what ‘we experience’. The weather being warm is what we feel or
experience physically. In this scenario, we are sharing our feeling or experience with
someone else. Thus, we may say that “communication is a sharing of experience.” In
our society, we all interact with messages. Without interactions, a society cannot
survive. Social interaction is always through messages.
 We discuss problems and arrive at solutions. We exchange ideas and interact
with others. We transact, and then we negotiate. In doing all these, we use
communication. Imagine a situation where we are not able to speak and interact
with others or think of a family living in the same house without speaking to each
other or relating any form of message to one another. Such situation can be very
lonely and problematic. Without communication, all forms of human relationships
will vanish and die. Communication is therefore crucial in building and maintaining
relationships.

PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION

There are also times when we fail to communicate effectively which results to
misunderstanding or miscommunication. Why do you think this thing happens?
What are the ways to avoid them?

We are sometimes misunderstood due to the level of speech we use during

conversation - by the volume of our voice or the rate of our speech when we talk with
our friends or acquaintances. Sometimes, we are misunderstood due to the non-
verbal actions that we project or incorporate in our speech during face-to-face
communication. Also, when we send text or chat messages, we are misinterpreted
because those messages are often brief and devoid of emotion.

Let us now try to consider the process of communication. How does

communication take place? Who are involved? What processes are considered? By
understanding the communication process, we can also duly avoid
misunderstandings and / or miscommunication.
 Our everyday transactions with people follow the communication process.

Our everyday transactions with people follow the communication process.

As seen in the illustration, communication begins when the speaker or source

of communication responds to a stimulus and decides to encode or transmit it
in the form of a message (or a “code”) through a particular channel or means of
communication.
The receiver decodes or interprets the message sent and responds
accordingly based on his interpretation of the message. This response comes in the
form of a feedback sent to the original source of communication (sender). As the
communication transaction continues, the sender and receiver may exchange roles
until understanding is achieved. Barriers to communication sometimes block the
transmission of the message thereby creating misunderstanding.
Through this process, we are able to understand that communication is
systematic. In the advent of technology, the exchange of information and messages
in society has advanced and has been a subject of many studies.

FUNCTIONS OF COMMUNICATION

Why do we communicate?

Since communication is certain in our lives, it comes naturally and

unknowingly. Communication serves many purposes. The following are some of the
many reasons why we communicate:

Inform Inspire Counsel Sell

Clarify Question Express Promote
Buy Understand Confirm Advise
Teach Learn Persuade Reveal
Accept Affirm Clarify Motivate
Criticize Deny Conceal And many others

From the above table, we realize that communication serves many purposes.
Whether we are at home, in school, at work, or at play, we engage in
communication. We will discuss these functions in detail in Module 4.
 What’s More

Think of communication transactions in your daily life. Enumerate situations where

communication takes place. Then, indicate the result of the communication
transaction and tell whether it is successful or not by writing the elements that made
it so and specify its function on the third column. An example is provided for you.
Use a separate sheet of paper to answer this.
Situation Result of the communication Function of
transaction Communication
When I was 12, my father
Message was clear that I need to
told me that I am in-charge
perform my task. At first the
of cooking rice for lunch
communication was successful. I
everyday whenever I am
thought other family members will
available. One time, I forgot to inform
do my task because I am doing
to cook rice because I got and
other things. My fault there was I
busy on my assignment. As to clarify
failed to communicate to them
a result we did not have
that I am busy doing my
rice to eat. My father
assignment. Should I have
reminded me about the task
communicated this earlier, we
assigned to me.
would have rice to eat.

You may probably have recalled many situations that occurred from the time
you woke up until the time that you are about to sleep at night. This is because
communication transactions happen every time we interact with our own selves
and with others. We cannot help but communicate!
 What I Have Learned

Activity 1: KWLH Chart

Now, based on the above discussions, fill-in the following KWLH Chart to track your
learning status in this module. Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.

K W L H
(What do I (What (What did I (How did I
know before concepts or learn from learn it? Cite
the start of ideas do I this lesson?) samples and
this module?) want to know situations)
more?)

Nature of
Communication

Process of
Communication

Functions of
Communication

Activity 2: Social Media Post

Show what you have learned creatively. Compose a Twitter or Facebook post of your
most important insights about the definition, nature, process and function of
communication. Include hashtags at the end of your post.
 What I Can Do

Activity 1: Comic Strip

Create a comic strip showing how you would communicate to your community the
advantages of following health protocols and guidelines amidst COVID-19 pandemic
in your municipality or province. You may cut-out pictures of people or authorities
to depict your character, but be sure to write your own original scripts and texts.
Activity 2: Reflections

Explain what you have learned and realized in this module and how you will
be able to apply your learnings in your life. Write your reflections using the
following paragraph starters.

Today, I learned ….

I realized …

Therefore, I will…
 Post Test

Directions: Read each item carefully then choose the letter that corresponds to your
answer. Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper.

1. It is the exchange of thoughts, messages, or information as by speech,

signals, writing or behavior.
A. communication C. language
B. feedback D. message

2. These are considered forms of communication.

1. talking clearly 3. sending emails
2. chewing gum 4. looking bored

A. 1234 B. 134 only C. 342 only D. 1 only

3. This body language shows that one is listening.

A. nodding and making eye contact
B. looking out of the window
C. turning away from the speaker
D. whistling while biting nails

4. It is the sender of the message.

A. barrier
B. originator
C. receiver
D. sender

5. It is a good indication that good communication occurs.

A. destructed C. unreceived
B. confused D. shared
 Additional Activities

Picture Talk. Write short conversations using the cut-out pictures from
magazines, brochures, or any other materials. Consider the nature and process of
communication. Be guided by the rubric below in making your output. Use a
separate sheet of paper for this activity.

Choose one topic that might interest you:

1. Fake News
2. ECQ/MECQ/GCQ
3. Use of Technology in Online Communication
4. Gulayan sa Tahanan
5. Essential Needs vs. Non-Essential Needs
6. Others

3 2 1
Content/ The output clearly The output partially The output has no
Elements illustrated the illustrated the clear connection of
concepts of nature concepts of nature the concepts of
and processes of and processes of nature and
communication. communication. processes of
communication.

Coherence The script or The script or There is no

dialogue has clear dialogue partly gives coherence in the
and concise clear message script or dialogue
message. at all.

Relevance The output clearly The output partly The output has no
talks about the talks about the clear discussion of
topic chosen. chosen topic. the chosen topic.
 Answer Key
`

References
Amudadavalli, A. Theories and Models of Communication. Prod. Deparment of
Library and Information Science. May 20, 2020.

Chandlier, Daniel. Transmission Model of Communication. n.d.

Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Kanpur, IIT. Communication
Skills:Lecture No. 1. NPTEL-Communication Skills. n.d.

Gregorio, Joanne C. UP-Open University. n.d.

https://joanneg24.wordpress.com/module-5-overview-and-process-of-
communication/DevCom Journal (accessed 2019).
Littlejohn, S.W. Theories of Human Communication. 7th Edition. Belmont, CA:
Wadsworth, 2002.

Miller, K. Communication Theories: Perspectives, Processes and Contexts.

2nd Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2005.

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