W HAT IS C OMMUNICATION ? Ms. Pierog English IV

T HE C OMMUNICATION P ROCESS Sender— Message— Receiver— Transmits Words, body Intercepts and Message language, and interprets symbols that message; convey an idea transmits feedback Feedback— Words, body language, and symbols that respond to the sender’s message

I MPORTANT V OCABULARY Communication: The process of sending and receiving messages Sender: The one who sends the message Message Receiver: The person who intercepts the message and then decodes, or interprets it Feedback: Includes the reactions that the receiver gives to the message offered by the sender Communication Barrier: Any obstacle that gets in the way of effective communication such as attitude, social, educational, cultural, or environmental factors

I MPORTANT V OCABULARY Written Communication: Any communication that must be read Oral (Verbal) Communication: Any communication that is spoken

S IX A CTION W ORDS TO I MPROVE C OMMUNICATION To the Sender: 1. THINK before you speak (What is the real message that I want to send?) 2. ARTICULUATE your words (Am I enunciating each syllable or am I slurring my words together?) 3. WATCH the receiver of your words to make sure that you are getting the correct nonverbal signals (She/he isn’t responding correctly. I had better say this in a different way)

S IX A CTION W ORDS TO I MPROVE C OMMUNICATION To the Receiver: 1. ASK questions; make polite requests (Could you turn down the heat, please? I can’t concentrate in a hot room.) 2. LEARN more about issues and people. They can both make you smarter (Say to yourself, “I need to listen. It’s good to hear an opinion or voice other than my own.”) 3. RELATE to the background and experiences of those speaking. They’re speaking for a reason. It’s worth your time to listen and try to understand their world. (I should try to understand what they’ve gone through and what message they’re trying to convey.)

N ONVERBAL C OMMUNICATION What do you think nonverbal communication is? Nonverbal messages can be relayed through facial or body movements. Nonverbal communication expresses your attitudes or moods about a person, situation, or idea Nonverbal signals can have different meanings to different people Example: thumbs-up

W HAT DO THESE MEAN ?

S YMBOLS People communicate through symbols. A symbol is anything that stands for an idea and is used for communication. Symbols can be both verbal and nonverbal communication. Nonverbal symbols (i.e. peace sign) are powerful because they appeal to people’s imaginations and emotions. Verbal symbols such as words are also powerful. Advertisers use these to make products more desirable. Symbols help to build bonds with others.

W HAT DO THESE REPRESENT ?

T HINKING C RITICALLY Nonverbal communication often refers to the attitude you give off to others. What are five positive nonverbal characteristics? Five negative nonverbal characteristics? Write out your lists.