Life Skills Development/Module Three/Unit 1: The Approach to Communication/Process

Topic 1:

Process of Communication
Communication is interactive. The understanding of the message depends on the context in which ideas and feelings are shared.

Concepts of Communication
There are four main skills in the communication process:

1.Listening   -     an active process involving selecting, attending to, creating meaning from, remembering and responding to verbal and non-verbal messages.

There are four levels of listening a) Non-listening  -  making no effort to listen

b) Marginal listening -  is easily distracted

c) Evaluative listening -  focuses on content but disregards the speakers feeling

d) Active listening -  pays close attention and gives verbal and non-verbal feedback.

2.Questioning -  check facts, gain further information and build rapport to explore opinions or attitudes.

3.Clarifying - the process of simplifying, explaining, spelling out, shedding light on or making clear the message received.

4.Responding - an appropriate reaction to the message received.

Communication can help you recognize and realize your potential. Hence great importance has been placed on the process and its use.

Why then is the process of communication so important?

The process of communication is important as human beings need to make sense of their environment and share that sense with others by creating meaning through the use of verbal and non-verbal messages. Communication touches every aspect of our lives. It is vital for our well being and is necessary to develop quality interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships. Learning how to understand and improve communication will improve relationships with family, friends, colleagues and loved ones that will ultimately enhance physical and emotional health and well being.

Viewing Communication channel
The image below depicts the communication process



The image illustrates the following:
 * Sender - person who is sending the message to another person
 * Receiver - person who recieves the message from the sender
 * Encode - is a technique by which the senders uses to send the message into language, symbols or signals
 * Message - is the idea or information that the sender wants to pass on to the reciever
 * Channel- is the means by which the message is sent through either verbal or non-verbal
 * Decode - the reciever interprates and translate the senders message
 * Responding- is the way in which the sender or reciever reacts to the message
 * Feedback - is the reciever's reaction to the message recieved, this may be verbal or non verbal

Peer assessment
Presentations, discussions and dramatizations

Use role play to familiarize your peers with your understanding and experiences in the communication process.

Discuss with your peers how they feel about how you communicate with them.

Present scenarios of your experiences and share your approach to problem solving.

Support Materials

 * 1) Handouts
 * 2) Videos
 * 3) Skits
 * 4) Power point presentation
 * 5) Comics
 * 6) Animations