ORAL
COMMUNICATION
LESSON 1:
STRATEGIES TO AVOID COMMUNICATION
BREAKDOWN
BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION
Physical Barriers are the natural or
environmental condition that act as a barrier
in communication in sending the message
from sender to receiver.
Examples: 1. People talking too loud.
2. Noise from a construction
site
3. Loud sound of a karaoke
4. Blaring of jeepney horns
Psychological Barriers are called
as mental barriers. These refer to
social and personal issues of a
speaker towards communicating with
others.
Examples: 1. trauma
2. shyness, lack of
confidence
3. depression
Cultural Barriers pertain to
communication problems encountered by
people regarding their intrinsic values,
beliefs, and traditions in conflict with
others. People’s culture affect the way
they communicate and relate to others
Examples: 1. different beliefs
2. traditions, and
customs
3. manners of dressing
Linguistic Barriers pertain conflicts with
regard to language and word meanings.
Because words carry denotative and
connotative meanings, they can sometimes
cause confusion and misunderstanding.
Meaning of words and symbols also vary
depending on culture.
Examples: 1. difference in language
2. accent and dialect
3. use of jargon and slang
4. speech defects or language
Verderber (1991) gives a similar idea of barrier
when he classifies noise into three kinds: External,
Internal and Semantic noise.
External Noises are the “sight, sound and
other stimuli that draw people’s attention
away from intended meaning.”
Examples: 1. noise from vehicles
2. singing at the neighborhood
3. visual aids in front of the classroom
4. the dog barking
5. the sound of airplane
Internal noises are the “thoughts
and feelings that interfere with
meaning.”
Examples: 1. confrontation with a
friend
2. fear of speaking
in front of the
class.
Semantic noises are the “alternate
meanings aroused by a speaker’s symbols.”
This idea means that a word may have
another meaning in the minds of the students.
This is affected by the language in which they
grew and the culture in which they are
exposed.
Examples: 1. incorrect grammar
2. using excessive technical
jargon
3. using idiomatic expressions
Lesson 2: Various
Strategies to Avoid
Communication
Breakdown
Here is an article entitled 5 Ways to Avoid Communication
Breakdown by Ronnie Peterson
5 Ways to Avoid Communication Breakdown by
Ronnie Peterson
Communication breakdown can cause issues or
problems at home, school, and community. There are
so many barriers to communication like, physiological,
psychological, cultural, and linguistics. Sometimes
some communication barriers are too difficult to solve
and this will lead to slowing the progress and
efficiency. Here are the possible strategies to avoid
communication breakdown:
1. Have Clarity of thought before
speaking
Arrange your thoughts before
verbalizing them this can help you
communicate much more clearly and
succinctly. It's a better idea to say
something like, "I've got a few ideas here.
Let me go through them one at a time. We
can treat each one on its own merit."
2. Learn to Listen
As simple as it sounds, you’ll be
surprised how many people out there
don’t know how to listen well.
Not understanding those who you are
trying to communicate with will lead to a
conversation fraught with
misunderstandings. Don’t be afraid to ask
them to repeat or explain further in polite
manner once you don’t understand the
3. Take Care of your Body Language and
Tone
Keep your emotions in check, try to
maintain eye contact, and adopt a relaxed tone
when conversing with others.
4. Build up your confidence by asking for
feedback and observing others
Focus on improving your skills by practicing
in front of those who you may feel more
comfortable with. You can also ask those whose
advice you value to give you feedback and
critique your communication style after a
5. Communicate Face to Face on the
important issues
Having that face to face dialogue means you can
convey your point more clearly, with your body
language as well as your tone of voice.
It can also help to clear up any misunderstandings
or distortion of the message that could occur through
other mediums. Remember, becoming an effective
communicator takes time and practice. Over time,
using these strategies can lead to better
communication in your personal relationships, and
more productive workplace environments as well.
Strategies to avoid communication breakdown
(Quipper n.d.).
Keep Focused
One way of being focused is to put in mind the
purpose communication. As a speaker identify your
purpose for speaking and as a listener find the
speaker’s purpose thru his/her verbal and non-verbal
cues.
Speak Intelligibly
Speaking intelligibly or clearly means using the
appropriate speaking volume, pitch rate, proper
enunciation, stress, and acceptable pronunciation.
We speak in order to be understood.
Listen with your Ears and Eyes
Pay attention to verbal and non-verbal message.
Effective communication depends on what people say
and how they say it.
Minimize Distractions
Look for a place where you can minimize
distractions or noise like closed area, empty room, or
quiet places. Lessening the cause for confusion means
giving more room to focus and concentrate.
Be Specific
Use simple and concise words as much as possible
in delivering a message. Being specific means being
particular and direct to the point.
Do not Jump to Conclusions
Before you give your comments
and judgement, be sure that you
have listened attentively to the
speaker. Conclusions should be
drawn after a thorough analysis of
point given or information received.
TIPS ON HOW TO AVOID
COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN
Broom, Cutlip and Center (2012) listed the 7Cs
of Effective Communication in their book
Effective Public Relations. These are
Completeness, Conciseness, Consideration,
Concreteness, Courtesy, Clearness, and
Correctness.
Completeness
It is important to whole
communication process. The speaker
should include everything that the
receiver needs to hear, respond, react,
or evaluate properly. S/he should be
able to convey all pertinent details so
listener or audience will be able to
grasp the intended message.
Conciseness
The message should be direct or straight to
the point and should be expressed in the least
possible number of words. Irrelevant information
should not be included.
Consideration
In order to be effective, the speaker should
give high regard and courtesy to audience’s
background information such as his/her culture,
education, religion, status, mood, feelings, and
needs. This will result in building rapport or
Concreteness
Effective communication is backed up by facts, figures,
and real-life examples or situations. This will make the receiver
to understand the message better.
Courtesy
The speaker can show respect to his/her receivers through
understanding their culture, values, and beliefs. The speaker
can show respect to the listeners by demonstrating an
understanding of their beliefs, values, and culture. This implies
good choice of words and language and a consideration of the
audience’s perspectives and feelings on the part of the sender.
Showing courtesy helps create a positive vibe with the
audience. This implies good choice of words and language on
the part of the sender and consideration of audience’s
perspectives.
Clearness
It implies the use of simple and specific
words to express ideas. When the speaker
focuses on specific ideas, it will not confuse
the audience.
Correctness
Avoiding mistakes in grammar helps to
boost the credibility and effectiveness of the
message, and at the same time it eliminates
negative impact on the audience.
References
2018. Businestopia. January 6. Accessed May 30, 2020.
https://www.businesstopia.net/communication/physical-barriers.
Peterson, Ronnie. n.d. The ZandaX Communication Blog. Accessed May 31,
2020. https://www.zandax.com/blog/5-ways-to-avoid-communication-
barriersin-any-environment.
Quipper. Accessed May 30, 2020.
https://link.quipper.com/en/organizations/547fe0e1d11ff00002002002/
curriculum#curriculum.
Sipacio, Philippe John F., and Balgos, Anne Richie G. 2016. Oral
Communication in Context for Senior High School. Quezon City. C & E
Publishing Inc.
