Speech Communication Process

“The words you speak are reflections of your personality.”Anonymous

Man is a social being. Each has to get along with people every day. It is your ability to communicate that makes you different from all other living things. It is instrument for human interaction. It is your means of understanding, your tool for communicating with your fellow human beings.

 You communicate so much. You listen, speak, read and write every day. Of all these activities, it is in speaking where you are engaged more often. At least 60% of your active hours is spent in speaking. (Tan, 1997). You communicate with your parents, brothers, sisters, jeepney drivers, teachers, classmates and friends. For example, you start your day by asking allowance from your parents. In school, you ask your classmates some assistance in mathematics. Inside the classroom, you have to answer the question of your teachers.

Communication, therefore, is indispensible to you. Since communication is very much part of your life, you have to use it effectively.

Functions of Communication

1.        Speech communication connects one person with another.

2.        Speech communication develops high mental processes.

3.        Speech communication regulates speech itself.

4.        Speech communication as an important factor in the preservation of one’s heritage.

Nature of Speech Communication

Latin = communicare- which means to make common

Communication is the process of understanding and sharing meaning. Communication is considered a process because it is an activity, exchange, or set of behavior, not an unchanging static product. It is an activity in which we participate. Communication requires understanding. People involved in communication must understand what they are saying and hearing.

                Communication involves sharing. Sharing is a gift that people exchange. The sharing that occurs in communication is not necessarily a totally positive experience. We must remember that it can also be neutral and even negative. In the process of communication, the object of our understanding and sharing is meaning. The term meaning refers to that which is felt to be significance of something and is a more accurate and useful description of the object of communication.

Characteristics of Speech Communication

1.        Speech is Purposive

2.        Speech Communication involves Interaction

3.        Speech Communication is Transitory

4.        Speech Communication occurs in Specific Settings

5.        Speech Communication is Influenced by the fields of Experience of the Speaker.

6.        Speech Communication does not contain the Usual Cues of Writing.

Types and Level of Communication

1.        Intrapersonal Communication Process

This refers to the communication process that operates within the communicator. This range from simple thinking, meditating, reflecting or talking to oneself.

2.        Interpersonal Communication

This is the transactional process of exchanging a message. This is between people. This usually but not always, occurs face to face.

a.        Dyadic Communication

b.        Small Group Communication

c.        Public Communication

Communication Process and the Key Elements:

A. Sender – The communicator or sender is the person who is sending the message. There are two factors that will determine how effective the communicator will be. The first factor is the communicator’s attitude. It must be positive. The second factor is the communicator’s selection of meaningful symbols, or selecting the right symbols depending on your audience and the right environment.

Question: Name some of the ways we communicate.

B. Message – A communication in writing, in speech, or by signals

C. Receiver – The receiver is simply the person receiving the message,

making sense of it, or understanding and translating it into meaning. Now think about this for a moment: the receiver is also a communicator. How can that be? (When receiver responds, he is then the communicator.) Communication is only successful when the reaction of the receiver is that which the communicator intended. Effective communication takes place with shared meaning and understanding.

D. Feedback – Feedback is that reaction I just mentioned. It can be a verbal or nonverbal reaction or response. It can be external feedback (something we see) or internal feedback (something we can’t see), like self-examination. It’s the feedback that allows the communicator to adjust his message and be more effective.Without feedback, there would be no way of knowing if meaning had been shared or if understanding had taken place. Communicating is not an isolated series of one skill, it involves several skills. For example, speaking involves not only getting your message across but also being able to listen and understand what others are saying (active listening) and observing the verbal and nonverbal clues in order to monitor the effectiveness of your message.

Barriers of Communication

Have you ever been talking to someone and they misunderstand what you were saying? Why do you think that happens? (Give learners the opportunity to share their experiences.) At any point in the communication process a barrier can occur. Barriers keep us from understanding other’s ideas and thoughts. Barriers can appear at any point of the communication  loop.  There are two types of barriers—internal and external. Examples of internal barriers are fatigue, poor listening skills, attitude toward the sender or the information, lack of interest in the message, fear, mistrust, past experiences, negative attitude, problems at home, lack of common experiences, and emotions. Examples of external barriers include noise, distractions, e-mail not working, bad phone connections, time of day, sender used too many technical words for the audience, and environment. Barriers keep the message from getting through. When communicating, watch out for barriers. Monitor the actions of the receiver. Watch her body language; check to make sure the message the receiver received is the one sent—ask questions and listen.

Environmental factors

Communication can be influenced by environmental factors that have nothing to do with the content of the message.  Some of these factors are:

• the nature of the room, how warm it is, smoke, comfort of the chair, etc
• outside distractions, what is going on in the area.
• the reputation/credibility of the speaker/writer.
• the appearance, style or authority of the speaker.
• listener's education, knowledge of the topic, etc.
• the language, page layout, design of the message.

People remember:

• 10% of what they read
• 20% of what they hear
• 30% of what they see
• 40% of what they hear and see