Types of

Communication

By Mercy Kachhap
Class 9D
 Forms of
communication

Verbal Non-Verbal

Sign Body
Oral Written Language Language

Visual Signs Audio Signs

 Verbal Communication
Verbal communication means sharing of information
with the help of words – spoken or written. It is what
most people use as a method of communication.
Verbal communication is important because if you do
not use the appropriate words where and when
required, you will not be able to communicate what
The important forms of verbal communication are:
you wish to.
 Oral Communication
 Written communication
 Oral Or Spoken Communication
Oral communication is the process in which messages are
communicated between the sender and receiver through spoken
words.
Technology has advanced so much that new forms of oral
communication continue to develop. Video calls and Video
Conferences combine audio and video so that workers in distant
locations can both see and speak with each other. Other modern
forms of oral communication include Podcasts (audio clips that
you can access on the Internet) and Voiceover Internet Protocol
(VoIP), which allows callers to communicate over the Internet and
avoid telephone charges.skills
Oral communication Whatsapp Video
should Chat and
include theSkype are
following
examples of VoIP.
abilities:
 Being an effective negotiator
 Being persuasive to get others involved for the achievement of a goal
 Being able to inculcate team spirits
 Being helpful in resolving disputes
 Being helpful in developing listening skills
 Written Communication
Communication which involves written or typed words is called written
communication. Sometimes written communication is better than oral
communication because it can be edited and revised several times
before it is sent to ensure the content is most effective, whereas oral
communication can be spontaneous and not appropriate at times.
Moreover, writing strictly adheres to certain rules of grammar, but oral
communication is flexible in nature.

Methods of Written Communication:

 E-mails
 Letters
 Notices
 Newspapers
 Notes
 Books
 Non-Verbal Communication
When communication occurs without using words, it is known as non-
verbal communication. It has been noticed that almost 55 percent of our
communication takes place through non-verbal communication. We send
signals and messages to others through expressions, gestures and body
postures.
In our day-to-day life, most communication is done using body
movements like facial expressions, hand movements, etc., and voice
control like tone of speech, pauses after a sentence or a phrase, etc. No
teacher or parent can teach non-verbal communication to a child, it
comes naturally.
Types of Non-Verbal Communication:
 Body Language Method
 Sign Language Method
 Sign Language

Sign Language is divided into two types:

 Auditory Method
 Visual Method

Auditory Method
The method which can be heard is called the auditory method.
Sometimes hearing can be done without the use of words; for example,
the ringing of a bell, a whistle by the conductor of a bus or the siren of
an ambulance. When a bell rings in school, it indicates the start or end
of an event or period. Siren of an ambulance indicate some medical
urgency, the siren/ringing of a fire brigade also indicates an urgency,
etc.
 VISUAL METHODS
 Another important method of communication is visual
communication which involves sending and comprehending
messages only through images or pictures. The main benefit of
visual communication is that you do not need to know any
particular language to understand it. It is simple, easy to
understand and remains the same across different places. When
we communicate through visuals like charts, pictures, graphs
and colors, the message conveyed stays for a long time in the
mind of the receiver. Even colors convey different messages.
 While driving, the red signal means that the vehicle has to stop.
You understand just by looking at the red color that you will have
to stop the vehicle. Nobody asks you to stop the car but still you
stop. Green or red colors on eatables also indicate whether the
ingredients used are vegetarian or non-vegetarian.
 Other examples of visual communication are signs for ladies and
gents toilets, signs showing railway crossings, signs for
flammable substances, signs for slippery surfaces, signs to used
to start/stop/pause a video or audio file in smartphone or
computer, signs which communicate that an area is a no
 BODY LANGUAGE
It plays an important role in oral communication. Roland Barthes defines,
“I can do everything with my language but not with my body. What I hide
by my language, my body utters. I can deliberately mould my message,
not my voice. By my voice, whatever it says, the other will recognize
that something is wrong with me. I am a liar, not an actor. My body is a
stubborn child, my language is a very civilized adult.”

Body language can be divided into the following types:

 Kinesics
 Oculesics
 Touch
 Space
 Appearance
 KINESICS
Kinesics includes certain body movements and gestures that
serve as a form of non-verbal communication. For example, facial
expressions, gestures, postures, handshakes, arms, etc.
 Facial Expressions: The face of a person reflects his/her mood. If
he/she smiles at someone, it means he/she is in a good mood.
Sometimes a person frowns or has a blank expression, suggesting
he/she is not in a good mood or is annoyed. It is easy to recognize
fear, surprise, sadness, hatred on someone’s face without being told.
 Gestures: These are non-verbal cues that have verbal counterpart.
For example, ‘thumps up’ means something wonderful or ‘OK’. In a
way, ‘thumps down’ means failure.
 Postures: The movements of the body also portrays the personality of
an individual. The way a person walks, sits or stands shows the kind
of person he/she is. It shows his/her attitude, confidence and nature.
Sitting in a comfortable way by leaning back shows that the person is
feeling relaxed. In the same way, a person with bent shoulders gives
a negative and poor impression.
 Handshakes: There are many ways of greeting people like
saluting, giving high five, bowing in front of someone, waving
to someone but a handshake is very common in India. When a
person shakes your right hand with his/her right hand and
then covers it with his/her left hand, it is known as the two-
handed handshake. It suggests a friendly and kind nature.
 Arms: The position of arms also reflects your personality and
attitude. They can extend towards the other person either as a
threat or in a friendly manner. Arms crossed behind with
clenched hands show that the person is nervous or mentally
disturbed but the same position of arms with unclenched
hands show his/her confidence.
OCULESICS
Eye contact indicates interest, openness and sometimes even
aggression. Even lack of eye contact conveys a message. It means one
is hiding something or is not confident. It also shows that you are
ignoring the other person. Therefore, when speaking, look at everybody
so that nobody feels ignored at ant moment. It shows trust and
truthfulness. It also shows involvement and attention.
 TOUCH
We communicate much through touch. When a teacher or a parent pats
the shoulder of a student or his/her kids, it shows appreciation. When
you give a warm hug to someone, it also expresses your emotions for
the other person. Always be very careful as a touch can be negative
also. Thus, we communicate a lot by touching in different ways.

Space
Space also speaks. It shows how intimate the other person is with you. It
can be divided into the following kinds:

 Intimate Relations: It ranges from 6 to 18 inches. This zone includes

romantic partners, close friends, etc.
 Personal Relations: It ranges from 18 to 48 inches. We apply this zone
in social gatherings.
 Public Relations: It ranges from 4 to 12 feet. It includes strangers.
 Social Relations: It ranges from more than 12 feet. We remain in the
social zone when addressing a large group of people.
 APPEARANCE
Whatever you carry or wear speaks a lot about your personality,
especially your dressing sense, has the greatest impact with
respect to influencing others. Your spectacles, watch, shoes,
pen, cell phone, everything which you own or carry with you
speaks about you.