GST 111 Introduction to Communication PDF

COMMUNMICATION IN ENGLISH TOPIC: I (GST 111) INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNICATION MAJOR SUB-HEADINGS What Is Communication? Types of Communication The Communication Process Elements of Communication Strateg...

COMMUNMICATION IN ENGLISH TOPIC: I (GST 111) INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNICATION MAJOR SUB-HEADINGS What Is Communication? Types of Communication The Communication Process Elements of Communication Strategies for Effective Communication Language as a Tool for Effective Communication: Definition/Language Skills: Definition/Types  INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNICATION Introduction Humans are designed in a way that constantly makes them want to relate with one another. The reason why this need exists is deeply rooted in the dependence of humans on one another for information, knowledge, encouragement, guidance, love and a host of many others. In spite of this dire need to relate with one another, of a truth, no human can accurately decipher another human being’s mind if what is within is not expressed. The act of expressing what is within the mind of an individual through verbal and non-verbal means in a manner that it becomes known to another person is what is known as communication.  Communication is ‘’the act of conveying or sharing informative ideas.’’ Oxford English Dictionary. It is also about being able to convey information to people clearly and simply in a manner that they are able to interpret accurately such information or idea/ message being conveyed or passed across. Modes of Communication Modes of communication: There are basically two modes of communication namely: i. spoken ii. Written In exceptional cases, where language users have certain medical challenges like deafness or dumbness, or where language users want to use a coded means to express themselves, then. The third mode known as signing becomes inevitable. Types of Communication There are different types of communication namely: Intra-personal communication: This is the kind of communication where a language user talks to himself or herself. This type of communication is also known in some cases as soliloquy. In this kind of communication, there is only one communicator who sends and receives the same information sent out at the same time. Interpersonal Communication: This is the kind of communication that takes place between two people or a small group of persons. There usually a sender and a receiver of that which is being communicated. In most cases, feedback is immediate because it is more or less, a face –to- face kind of communicative event. Small group communication takes place among a group of persons who may be members of for instance, a committee with a leader in most cases coordinating the group. Public Communication: Public communication refers to the act of dispersing information to a general populace or to a specific group of people either directly or indirectly through the use of various tools or methods such as news bulletins, newspaper, magazine, bulk SMS, mailing etc Mass Communication: This is the process of disseminating information at the same time to a large population that is usually mostly anonymous and heterogenous through television, newspapers, magazines, and radio. Means of Communication There are two means of communication known as the verbal and non-verbal communication: Verbal communication entails writing or speaking where either letters or sounds are utilised to communicate. Non-verbal communication on the other hand entails the use of eyes, ears or other parts of the body to communicate.  The Communication Process Communication is a two-way process which involves two parties; the sender, giver or encoder and the receiver/decoder of the message or information. The process of communication is said to be incomplete until there is a FEEDBACK from the receiver, who confirms receipt and adequate understanding of the intention of the ENCODER. Consequently, communication must have the following elements: Elements of Communication These are constituent units which are required in the communication process. They comprise human and process elements. The Human Elements Are: The Process Elements include the following: i) The message ii) The encoding activity iii) The channel iv) Feedback The Use of Language in Human Communication One of the most outstanding qualities of humans that makes them unique from other animals is their abilities to use language to communicate with one another. What the is Language? Language is a principal tool which humans engage in communication consisting of words used in a structured and conventional way and conveyed in speech, writing or gestures.  Modes of Language Acquisition: There are also two modes of language acquisition namely: the formal mode of language acquisition and the informal mode of acquisition. Whereas the formal mode of language acquisition entails going to school or a formal environment to learn about a language like in the case of the English language for most children in the Nigerian context, the informal mode is a situation whereby language is acquired through a child’s interaction with the immediate environment and not through the formal school setting. Language Skills: Language skills are skills that every user of language (whether a listener or speaker) needs to acquire as the basis for any effective communication to take place. By definition, language skills refer to mental and physical abilities which enable a language user to function effectively and efficiently in any communicative event. Types Skills Generally, there are two major language skills: i) Macro and ii) micro language skills.  Macro Language Skills: Macro language skills refer to the primary, key, main, and largest skills in every language. These skills include: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Macro language skills are further subdivided into primary and secondary skills based on how they were acquired or learnt by the language user. This is also known as the mode/ means of access. Primary Macro Language Skills refer to the natural ability to communicate without being taught. Consequently, when a child reaches the appropriate age, he/she is able to listen and start reacting to sounds and also, to produce or make meaningful sounds in the language of the immediate environment. In other words, a person develops the ability to listen first and also speak naturally without being taught. Primary skills are also known as informal language skills. Thus, the informal macro language skills are those skills which are acquired naturally or unconsciously. They include listening and speaking. Secondary Macro Language Skills on the other hand refer to those abilities which are learnt/taught to enable language users communicate. These skills involve reading and writing. Users of language have to be taught how to for instance read or write in order to perform the acts of reading and writing. These skills are also known as formal skills, Micro Language Skills : These skills refer to those small fragments of language such as phonemes (sounds), letters etc. These language skills are also divided into informal and formal. The informal micro language skills are non-systematic and are unconsciously acquired. They include vocabulary and pronunciation. The formal micro language skills on the other hand are those which are systematic and consciously acquired. They include spelling, grammar, meaning etc.  Language skills can be diagrammatically represented thus: Language Skills Macro lang. skills Micro lang. skills  Informal Informal i. Listening Vocabulary ii. Speaking Pronunciation  Formal Formal i. Reading Spelling ii. Writing Grammar Meaning  Language skills apart from being classified into macro and micro skills can be classified based on whether they are being produced by a speaker/writer or received by a listener/reader hence we the following language skills: i. Receptive Language skills (input): ii. Expressive skills (output) While receptive skills include listening and reading, receptive skills which are also productive skills include speaking and writing. Listening and speaking are primary skills because they are not taught while writing and speaking are secondary language skills because they are taught. This can be diagrammatically be represented thus:  LANGUAGE SKILLS Receptive Skills(input) Expressive Skills(output) Listening Reading speaking writing Primary secondary primary secondary