ORAL COMMUNICATION – Learning Activity Sheet #1 1

OBJECTIVE : Explains the functions, nature, and process of communication

TOPIC : COMMUNICATION: Nature, Process, and Function

Pre-Activity

Direction: Match the word in column B with its definition in column A. Write the letter of your answer.

A B
1. It refers to the idea transmitted by the sender to the receiver. A. Communication
2. It is the response or reaction given by the receiver to the sender of the message. B. Motivation
3. It is when communication is used to encourage people. C. Message
4. It is the exchange of information by speech, signals, or writing. D. Encode
5. It is when communication is used to control behavior. E. Source
6. It means to translate an idea into language. F. Feedback
7. It is a medium used to send messages. G. Regulation
8. It means to translate a language into an idea. H. Decode
9. It refers to the one who develops the message to be communicated to either I. Channel
internal or external parties. J. Noise
10. It hinders the participants of the communication process to understand one
another.

Lesson
Communication is a process of sharing and conveying messages or information from one person to another within and across
channels, contexts, media, and cultures (McCornack, 2014).

Nature of Communication
Communication is a process. It takes place when two or more people exchange ideas either through written or spoken words (verbal)
or actions (nonverbal). Both verbal and nonverbal can be used at the same time.

Functions of Communication
There are five functions of communication. These are regulation or control, social interaction, motivation, information, and emotional
expression.
1. Regulation / Control – Communication functions to control behavior. It can be used to regulate the nature and number of
activities people engage in.
“Take your medicine before you go to bed.” “Finish your work before you go.”
2. Social Interaction – Communication allows people to interact with others to develop bonds or intimacy. It also allows
individuals to express desires, encouragement, needs, and decision or to give and get information.
“Would you like to go to church with me?” “Come on! You can do it!”
3. Motivation – Communication persuades or encourages another person to change his/her opinion, attitude, and behavior.
“You’re on the right track. Keep up the good work.” “My dream is to finish my Senior High School despite this pandemic”.
4. Emotional Expression – Communication facilitates people’s expression of their feelings such as love, fear, anger, joy, hope,
or any other emotion.
“I’m so happy to have you in my life.” “I like you so much.”
5. Information – Communication functions to convey information. It can be used in giving and getting information.
“The Philippine Normal University was founded in 1901.” “You can find the bathroom right next to this door
ORAL COMMUNICATION – Learning Activity Sheet #1 2

The Process of Communication

In order to successfully communicate, it is important to understand the process of communication. The diagram above shows the
basic steps.
1. The speaker develops an idea to be sent.
2. The speaker encodes the idea or converts it to words or actions.
3. The speaker transmits or sends out the idea using a specific medium or channel.
4. The receiver gets the message and decodes or interprets it.
5. The receiver provides or sends feedback.
At any point of the communication process, noise may take place and hinder the flow of communication process.

The Elements in The Process of Communication

• Sender - The sender is the one who initiates the message that needs to be transmitted. He sends the message that may
be in different forms such as pictures, symbols, postures, gestures, or even just a smile. After generating the idea, he sends
it in such a manner that can be understood clearly by the receiver.
• Message - Message refers to the information intended to be communicated by words as in speech, letters, pictures, or
symbols. It can be verbal or non-verbal. It is the content the sender wants to convey to the receiver.
• Encoding - It is the process of expressing the idea into appropriate medium. It may be verbal or non-verbal. The sender
may put the message into a series of symbols, words, pictures or gestures.
• Channel - It refers the medium or passage through which encoded message is passed to the receiver. It may be transmitted
through face-to-face communication, telephone, radio, television, memorandum, or computer.
• Receiver - Receiver refers to whom the message is meant for. He plays a significant role in the communication process like
the sender. He needs to comprehend the message sent. His translation of the message received depends on his/her
knowledge of the subject matter of the message, experience, and relationship with the sender.
• Decoding - It means translating the encoded message into a language that can be understood by the receiver. After
receiving the message, the receiver interprets it and tries to understand it.
• Feedback - It refers to the response of the receiver to the message sent to him/her by the sender. Feedback ensures that
the message has been effectively encoded and decoded.
• Noise - It is a hindrance to communication. This can take place at any step in the entire communication process. There are
various types of noise. Examples of physical noise are loud music, an irritating sound of an engine of a machine, or a
classmate who talks to you while the teacher is giving a lecture. The second type of noise is physiological – when the body
becomes the hindrance to communication such as headache, toothache, or hunger. The third type is psychological noise
that refers to qualities in us that affect how we communicate and interpret others such as prejudice and any feeling can
interfere with communication. Noise is considered as a barrier to effective communication.
ORAL COMMUNICATION – Learning Activity Sheet #1 3

Post Activity

Task #1
Direction: Fill in the blanks with suitable words.
1. Communication is a transmission and _________________ of information and ideas between two or among humans using
words, symbols, and gestures.
2. Communication is more than just a transmission of information; it requires transmitting a ______________.
3. A sender is someone who clearly _____________ and sends a message to a receiver using a particular channel.
4. Communication can be expressed through ___________ or ____________ or both at the same time.
5. The five functions of communication are regulation or control, social interaction, ________________, information, and
emotional expression.
6. Control or Regulation communication functions to _________________.
7. Communication when used to encourage people is called ________________.
8. Emotional expression facilitates one’s expression of his __________________.

Task #2
Direction: Choose the best answer to the following questions.
1. Which is an example of regulation and control?
A. “It’s nice to meet you.” C. “Where can I find the library?”
B. “Clean your room, then you can play D. “Seychelles is one of the world’s smallest
basketball.” countries.”
2. Which of the situations shows social interaction?
A. A parent tells her child to finish answering C. Rachel tells her friend not to lose hope.
the module. D. The teacher introduced Conditional
B. Joy invites Yolly for a coffee. Probability to her class.
3. Which one has different function?
A. “We pray for those who mourn.” C. “Keep quiet.”
B. “Thank you for coming into my life.” D. “I’m so sorry for your loss.”
4. The health secretary is sharing the data on the number of covid cases in the country with the viewers, “There are 500 who
recovered from covid19 as of yesterday.” What function of communication is shown in the situation?
A. control C. social interaction
B. motivation D. information
5. The teacher tells Nocel that he is doing great and keep it up. What function of communication is shown in the situation?
A. control C. social interaction
B. motivation D. information
6. The teacher gives a lecture on Plate Tectonic Theory to her students. Arni can hardly understand the lesson because he is
suffering frommigraine. What is the noise in the communication process?
A. lecture C. students
B. Plate Tectonic Theory D. migraine
7. Which element of communication answers “What was Jhay’s answer to to the question?”
A. barrier C. feedback
B. channel D. decoding
8. What element of communication is shown when Emmanuel wrote an email to Skycable.
A. barrier C. feedback
B. decoding D. medium
9. Girlie told her groupmates that she has already the data for their research. The word groupmates is what element of
communication?
A. message C. encoding
B. sender D. receiver
10. In yesterday’s class with Miss Bullo, Rommel gave a report on Atmospheric Science and Climate. His classmates listened
attentively. Who is the sender in the situation?
A. class C. Miss Bullo
B. Rommel D. classmates
ORAL COMMUNICATION – Learning Activity Sheet #1 4

Group Activity
Prepare a short skit showing all the five functions of communication. Your work will be based on the following rubric.