Communication Basics

The Essentials of

Speaking and

Listening

Today’s Objectives: Define communication Look at the processes of communication Learn the difference between conversation

and public speaking Learn what is the ethical responsibility of a

speaker and a listener Discuss how to listen effectively

Communication

Basis of all we do.The communication process

is made up of several elements.

THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS

OPEN YOUR BOOKS TO PAGE 4 TO VIEW THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS MODEL.

Knowing this model is important in understanding communication.

Communication is…

THE PROCESS

OF CREATING SHARED MEANING

The Process (Steps) of Communication

A. Speaker/sender

B. Listener/receiver

C. Message

D. Channel

E. Interferences

F. Situation

G. Feedback

Benefits of a Public Speaking Class

As you organize your speech, your ideas will become more clear and cohesive.

As you work on expressing your ideas accurately, your thinking will become more precise.

As you learn about the role of reasoning and evidence in speeches, you will become better able to assess reasoning and evidence types of situations.

Speaker

• Speech communication begins with the speaker.

• The speaker is the person who presents the message.

• Successful speakers combine technical skill with personal enthusiasm.

Message

Whatever a speaker communicates to someone.

Goal of speaker is to have intended message be the message that is automatically communicated.

Achieving this depends on what the speaker says (the verbal message) and how the speaker says it (the nonverbal message).

Channel

The means by which a message is communicated.

Public speakers may use one or more of several channels – microphone, radio, tv…

In speech class, the channel is the most direct because listeners see and hear the speaker without any media or electronic devices.

Listener

Receives the communicated message. Everything a speaker says is filtered through a listener’s

frame of reference. A listener’s frame of reference is the sum total of his or

her knowledge, experience, goals, values, and attitudes. Because a speaker and listener are different people, the

can never have the exact same frame of reference. Because people have different frames of reference, a

public speaker must take care to adapt the message to the particular audience being addressed.

Feedback

Consists of messages sent from the listener to the speaker.

Most communication situations involve two-way communication, in which the speaker can see how the audience is responding.

Successful public speakers learn to interpret the feedback sent by listeners and to adjust their messages in response to the feedback.

Interference

Anything that impedes the communication process.

External or internal External – comes from outside the audience

(ringing phone, noise of traffic, static in mic) Internal – comes from within the audience (poor

listening skills or lack of concentration) Good speakers work to hold an audience’s

attention despite interference.

Situation

Time and place in which speech communication occurs.

Speech communication always takes place in a particular situation.

Ex: Conversation – candlelight dinner or noisy restaurant

• A public speech may be presented in a small classroom, large auditorium, or outdoor ceremony.

• Successful speakers are alert to the situation and adjust their remarks to it.

Conversation vs. Public Speaking

Share similar goals

1. Inform

2. Persuade

3. Entertain

* Require similar skills – organize thoughts, tailored message to an audience, tell a story for impact, adapt to feedback, etc.

Differences between conversation and public speaking

Public speaking is more highly structured (time limits, listeners don’t interrupt)

Public speaking requires more formal language

Public speaking requires different methods of delivery (conversation has vocalized pauses) (public speaking avoids mannerisms that distract)

Ethical Responsibility of Speaker

Goals should be ethically sound Be honest in what is said: Listeners won’t trust a

speaker who lies. Avoid name-calling or abusive language Should be fully prepared for each speech

– Unprepared speakers waste the time of the audience.– Unprepared speakers may give wrong or faulty information

to listeners.

Ethical Principles in Practice

Plagiarism – giving a speech of someone else’s ideasA. Global – taking an entire speechB. Patchwork – patches a speech together from 2-3 sources.C. Incremental – not giving credit for specific parts borrowed from others. (Do your own work and acknowledge your sources!)

Ethical Obligations of Listeners

Be courteous and attentive Avoid prejudging the speaker Maintain a free and open expression of ideas

TODAY We’ve…

Defined communication Put it into perspective

through the model of communication

Looked at the differences between conversation and public speaking as well as the responsibility of both speakers and listeners..

SOURCE

A Pocket Guide to Public Speaking 2nd ed. By Dan O’Hair, Hannah Rubenstein, and Rob Stewart