Oral Communication – Strategies to Avoid Communication Breakdown & 7 C’s Comprehensive Notes

Oral Communication in Context (Senior High School, DepEd Region IV-A – CALABARZON)
- Focus: development of listening and speaking skills & strategies for effective communication in various situations.
- Ultimate goal: enable learners to navigate academic, professional, and social interactions without miscommunication.

$\text{Linear Model}$
- One–way flow; no feedback loop.
- Example: reciting a poem in front of class; broadcasting.
- Keyword cues from pre-activity: “a one-way communication process”, “focusing on the message sent”.
$\text{Interactive Model}$
- Two-way process where feedback is given after message is sent.
- Adds fields of experience & feedback channel.
$\text{Transactional Model}$ (often drawn as a continuous circle)
- Simultaneous sending/receiving; participants are sender & receiver at the same time.
- “Shows circular process between sender and receiver.”
Shannon–Weaver Model (1949)
- Classic linear diagram; introduces the concept of “noise”.
- Foundation for modern barrier analysis.

General idea: any factor that obstructs understanding leads to “communication breakdown”.
Four macro-categories emphasized in the module:
- Physical Barriers
- Natural or environmental: people talking loudly, construction noise, karaoke, jeepney horns, poor lighting.
- Psychological Barriers (mental)
- Trauma, shyness, lack of confidence, depression, fear, stage fright.
- Cultural Barriers
- Conflicting values, beliefs, traditions, customs, manner of dressing/speaking; racial or ethnic differences.
- Linguistic Barriers
- Language conflict, accent/dialect gap, jargon & slang, speech defects or impairments.
Quick visual diagnostic from activities (examples):
- Job interview (interactive, potential psychological & cultural barriers).
- Presiding a meeting (transactional; requires minimizing linguistic & physical distractions).

External Noise – sights/sounds that divert attention.
- Cars, neighborhood singing, over-busy visual aids.
Internal Noise – thoughts & feelings inside a participant.
- Fear of speaking, ongoing personal conflict, racial prejudice.
Semantic Noise – alternate meanings from symbols/words.
- Idiomatic expressions, incorrect grammar, technical jargon.

Occurs when the intended meaning ≠ interpreted meaning.
$\text{Breakdown} \rightarrow \text{Barriers} \cup \text{Noise} \neq \emptyset$
Key takeaway: as soon as one element in the model (sender, message, channel, receiver, feedback, context) fails, misunderstanding surfaces.

Interview table template: gather real-life cases, identify persons, setting, time, barriers, outcomes.
Activities 1 & 2: practice classification of barriers, recognise influence of environment, mental state, senses, semantics, gender, technology.
Multiple True/False items reinforce:
1. Inability to understand ⇒ failure.
2. Emotional problems colour interpretation.
3. Culture shapes meaning.
MDL Letter Task: reflect how lessons apply at home, school, community— underscores metacognitive value.

Have clarity of thought before speaking.
- Mentally organise points to speak coherently.
Learn to listen.
- Request repetition or elaboration politely when needed.
Mind body language & tone.
- Maintain eye contact; regulate emotions.
Build confidence via feedback & modelling.
- Rehearse with trusted peers.
Communicate face-to-face for crucial issues.
- Combines verbal + non-verbal cues.

Keep Focused
- Always recall the purpose of the conversation—both speaker & listener.
Speak Intelligibly
- Proper volume, pitch, rate, stress, pronunciation.
Listen with Ears and Eyes
- Decode verbal and non-verbal signals simultaneously.
Minimize Distractions
- Choose quiet / closed spaces; reduce external noise.
Be Specific
- Use simple, concise, direct words; avoid vagueness.
Do Not Jump to Conclusions
- Analyse fully before judging; ask clarifying questions first.

Gaining time to think: “Really…”, “Uhmm…”, “Uh-huh…”, “Anyway…”, “Tell me more…”.
Giving positive feedback: “Sounds good!”, “I see what you mean.”
Asking for repetition: “Can you please repeat what you said?”, “What did you say again?”, “What did you mean when you said…”.
Checking understanding: “So, are you saying that…?”, “What is your understanding of this?”

$7C = {\text{Completeness}, \text{Conciseness}, \text{Consideration}, \text{Concreteness}, \text{Courtesy}, \text{Clearness}, \text{Correctness}}$
Completeness – provide every necessary detail for correct response.
Conciseness – least number of words; remove irrelevance.
Consideration – respect audience background (culture, education, mood, needs).
Concreteness – back points with facts, figures, real-life examples.
Courtesy – show respect through word choice & sensitivity to receiver’s beliefs.
Clearness – use simple, specific language to avoid confusion.
Correctness – observe grammar accuracy to bolster credibility & avoid negative impact.

Statement about “straight to the point” → Conciseness.
Credibility via error-free grammar → Correctness.
“Backed up by facts” → Concreteness.
“Good choice of words” considering feelings → Courtesy.
Complete details for grasping message → Completeness.
General truths reaffirmed:
- Concreteness creates positive impact (True).
- Clearness eliminates confusion (True).
- Grammar mistakes affect transfer (True).
- Rapport needs consideration of receiver background (True).

Equity & Inclusion: Recognising cultural and linguistic barriers fosters respectful intercultural dialogue.
Mental Health Sensitivity: Psychological barriers remind communicators to be empathetic toward anxiety, trauma, depression.
Professionalism: Clarity, correctness and courtesy directly influence academic/workplace credibility.
Civic Engagement: Avoiding breakdown enhances community decision-making and conflict resolution.

Probability of successful communication ↑ when barrier set ↓.
- $P(\text{Success}) = 1 - P(\text{Barrier Interference})$
Applying 7 C’s functions as a barrier-reduction operator $B' = B - f_{7C}(B)$ where $B$ is set of potential barriers.

Job interview: importance of intelligible speech, confident body language, courtesy.
Classroom debate: cultural sensitivity, concrete evidence, not jumping to conclusions.
Community meeting about local ordinance: face-to-face discussion, minimised semantic noise via plain language.

Memorise four main barriers + Verderber’s three noises (4 + 3 framework).
Practise crafting messages applying all 7 C’s—self-check list before delivering a speech.
Simulate noisy environments and rehearse strategies (e.g., asking for repetition, minimising distraction).
Keep a reflection journal on personal communication breakdowns; map each to barrier category and applied strategy.