Oral Communication

in Context
Quarter 1 – Module 3:
Strategies to Avoid
Communication Breakdown

iii

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 What I Need to Know

This module was designed and written with you in mind. It is here to help you
identify various strategies that could be used in order to avoid communication
breakdown. It will lead you to understanding how communication works among
people to foster mutual understanding and good relationship. The scope of this
module permits it to be used in many different learning situations. The language
used recognizes the diverse vocabulary level of students. The lessons are arranged
to follow the standard sequence of the course. But the order in which you read
them can be changed to correspond with the textbook you are now using.

This module is divided into two lessons, namely:

• Lesson 1: Communication Breakdown
• Lesson 2: Various Strategies to Avoid Communication Breakdown

After going through this module, you are expected to:

1. define the concept of communication breakdown;
2. identify the different kinds of barriers to effective communication;
3. explain the causes of communication breakdown; and
4. use appropriate strategies to avoid communication breakdown and achieve
the goals of relationship and community building.

What I Know

A. Choose the letter of the best answer. Write your answers on a separate
sheet of paper.

1. It happens when the sender fails to communicate his/her message

properly or when the intended message is not clearly understood by
the receiver.
A. communication
B. communication barrier
C. strategies to avoid communication barriers
D. process of communication

2. It refers to the natural or environmental conditions that hinder a

successful communication transaction.
A. cultural barrier
B. external noise
C. physical barrier
D. psychological barrier

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 3. These are issues like trauma, lack of confidence, fear, anger,
frustration, and depression that may affect the communication
process.
A. external Noise
B. linguistic barrier
C. psychological barrier
D. semantic Noise

4. It refers to the way a person responds in a communication situation

affected by personal norms and traditions.
A. cultural barrier
B. linguistic barrier
C. physical barrier
D. psychological barrier

5. This is an example when linguistic barrier to communication

becomes evident. A. A professor explains his lessons eloquently in
class.
B. Elena is afraid to deliver her opening remarks.
C. People do not understand each other’s language.
D. The transmitter disrupted the speech of Ms. Speaker.

6. This is one of the reasons why cultural diversity can make communication
inefficient. A. Cultural diversity allows people to be unique and original.
B. Different culture interpret words, gestures, and symbols differently.
C. Traditions propagate through the preservation of norms and values.
D. Values of people reflect

7. It is the main cause of semantic noise.

A. jeepneys beeping
B. constructing building
C. using excessive technical jargon
D. people talking too loud

8. Which best defines NOISE in the context of communication? A. It is the sound of

karaoke from your neighbor.
B. It is any sound that occurs during the communication process.
C. It is a sound that blocks or interferes communication situations.
D. It is anything that interferes with the communication.

9. Which of the following is an example of psychological barrier?

A. ability to read minds
B. dissatisfaction to customer service
C. inattentiveness to detail
D. poor listening skills

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10. Which factors are considered cultural barriers to communication?
A. economic status, age, and gender
B. ethics, standards, and grammar
C. politics, administration and government
D. religion, World Meanings, and Philosophy

11. Why does communication breakdown occur?

A. because the information is overloading.
B. because of lack of attention among the audiences or receivers.
C. because the listener or receiver has a very short attention span.
D. All of the above

12. Which does NOT belong to the group?

A. external noise
B. internal noise
C. semantic noise
D. verbal noise

13. “Mrs. Erlinda was invited as a speaker during the National Women’s
Month. She talked about Gender Equality. She delivered her speech for
almost 1 hour with more than 50 slides. The audience appeared uneasy
and seemed uninterested after 20 minutes.”
What barrier of communication is evident in this situation?
A. cultural barrier
B. linguistic barrier
C. physiological Barrier
D. psychological Barrier

14. Which communication situation displays physiological barrier?

A. The General Parents and Teachers Association (GPTA) president felt
nervous when he started to speak in front of all the parents and
guardians.
B. The Municipal Agriculture officer is discussing certain agricultural
crops management procedure in a community that is not very
familiar with the topic.
C. The newly designated general manager of the restaurant was a bit
hesitant to talk with the guests.
D. The research teacher discusses with his students about the problem
when a song was played loudly from the other classroom.

15. Which situation BEST exemplifies communication breakdown?

A. adjusting your language depending on the people you are talking to
B. incorrect labeling of handouts to be used in product distribution
C. listening to your friend’s heartaches and unsuccessful love stories
D. looking for the positive characteristics or strengths of a speaker

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 Lesson
Communication
1 Breakdown
In Module 2, you have learned about the models of communication. You have
realized how the different elements of communication work together to achieve a
successful communication transaction. Now, let us find out if you can still
remember your previous lesson by answering the activity below.

What’s In

Directions: Put the phrases or statements in the correct column. Write the letter of
your answer on a separate sheet of paper.

Linear Model Interactive Transactional Model

A. Schramm Model of Communication

B. Shannon Weaver Model of Communication
C. a two-way communication process where feedback is given after a
message is sent.
D. shows circular process between the sender and receiver.
E. barriers affect the smooth flow of communication
F. a one-way communication process.
G. having a job interview
H. reciting a poem in front of the class
I. presiding an important meeting
J. focusing on the message sent.

What’s New
Communication is a process of exchanging thoughts, ideas, and
opinions in order to connect with other people. It’s goal is to achieve a clear and

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effective understanding resulting to good relationships in the community.
However, there are times when this goal is not reached due to certain factors.
When this happens, there is communication breakdown.

Directions: Identify the reasons for the communication breakdown in each

picture. Write your answer in a separate sheet of paper similar to the box below.

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 What is It
The elements involved in communication are important in the
success or failure of this process. These very same elements (sender, message,
receiver, feedback, etc) can pose a threat to the efficiency or effectiveness of the
process. Communication breakdown may occur when problems in any of the
elements involved arise. They become barriers to communication.

Simply put, communication breakdown results when the intended message of the
sender is not understood exactly by the receiver. Barriers to communication are
present.

Recognizing the barriers or obstacles to effective communication is important in

order to avoid communication breakdown. Here are some of the barriers that may
cause communication failure.

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
4. fear, stage fright

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

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 4. speaking

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 impairments

Verderber (1991) gives a similar idea of barrier when he classifies noise into three
kinds: External, Internal and Semant ic 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.
3. racial prejudice

Semantic noisesare the “alternate meanings arousedspeaker’s

by a
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 technicalgon
jar
3. using idiomatic expressions

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 What I Know

Choose the letter of the correct answer. Write your answers on a

separate sheet of paper.

1. It takes place when the shared information is mutually understood.

A. barriers to communication C. effective communication B.
communication D. strategies to effective communication

2. It refers to the use of appropriate speaking volume, rate, acceptable

pronunciation, and proper stressing.
A. keep focused C. minimize distractions
B. listen with your ears and eyes D. speak intelligently

3. It helps to pay attention to the verbal message as well as the nonverbal

message.
A. keep focused C. minimize distractions
B. listen with your ears and eyes D. speak intelligently

4. It uses concise and simple words to deliver the message.

A. be specific C. minimize distractions
B. do not jump to conclusions D. speak intelligently

5. It is important for a receiver to analyze first the message of the sender before
he/she accepts or reject them.
A. barriers to communication C. do not jump to conclusions
B. be specific D. effective communication

Fill each blank with the correct word, phrase, or clause to complete the statement.
Choose the letter of the correct answer and write it on a separate sheet of paper.

6. Complete communication is ___________to the quality of the communication

process in general.
A. essential C. part
B. needed D. reliable

7. ___________ is making the message direct and straight to the point.

___________ information should be eliminated from the communication that
will be sent to the recipient.
A. Clarity…significant C. Concreteness…insignificant
B. Conciseness…insignificant D. Courtesy…significant

8. In order to be an effective speaker, you should always ___________ significant

information about your receiver’s mood, race, background, preferences,
education, and others.
A. consider C. rate
B. hold D. think

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 9. Concrete message is supported by facts, figures, and real life examples. This
will make the receiver to ___________________________. A. develop rapport to
the speaker.
B. realize the importance of communication process.
C. respond quickly to the message.
D. understand the message better.

10. As a speaker, you want to deliver a clear message to the audience or receiver.
Therefore, you will __________________ . A.
know their background information
B. include everything in your message
C. respect their culture, values, and beliefs
D. use of simple and specific words to express ideas

Choose the letter of the correct answer. Write your answers on a separate sheet of
paper.

11. Which of the following shows positive feedback or remark?

A. You cooperate consistently with your team members.
B. You display concerned about the other’s job so often but not yours.
C. You show dishonesty in working among with your colleagues.
D. You urge to distract everyone in the office.

12. Which of the following display the best question and show politeness in
asking for repetition?
A. Could you be more specific?
B. I don’t understand what you said. Could you say it again?
C. Will you please repeat the instruction?
D. Both A and B

13. Which of the following does NOT show polite expression? A. May I borrow
your pen for a moment?
B. Order me a coffee.
C. Perhaps I’m not making myself clear.
D. Tell me, when you are available.

14. Which is NOT a time-gaining expression?

A. “Anyway”
B. “Sounds good”
C. “Tell me more.”
D. “Uh-huh”

15. Which is the BEST expression for asking for a repetition? A. I’m sorry, would
you mind saying that again.
B. Sorry, I didn’t get your point.
C. Sorry, let me explain.
D. What do you mean by that?

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 Lesson
Various Strategies to Avoid
2 Communication Breakdown

What’s In

In Lesson 1, you have learned the concept of communication breakdown and its
causes. In this lesson, you will find out how this breakdown of communication can
be avoided.

Directions: List down two (2) to three (3) situations based on your What I Can Do
Activity in Lesson 1 in which communication breakdowns were experienced at
home, school, and community. Then, suggest one best strategy to avoid that
communication breakdown.
Example:
Breakdown: The DOST scholar uses technical words in explaining his research to
the barangay officials which resulted to confusion among them.
Strategy: The DOST scholar should uses simple and specific words about his
research to the barangay officials so they would easily understand his message.

Scenarios where Communication Strategies to Avoid Communication

Breakdown occurred Breakdown

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 What’s New
Communication breakdown may at times be inevitable but as a
sensible speaker or sender of the message, we could avoid this.
Understanding the concept of communication breakdown and its
causes, will help us realize that failure in communication may be avoided through
certain strategies that we could adapt.

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 point.

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 discussion.

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 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.

Answer the following questions based on the article above.

1. What are the barriers to communication mentioned in the article?

____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

2. How can communication breakdown be avoided?

____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

3. In your opinion, which strategy is the easiest to do? Which one is the most
difficult to do? Why?

____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

What is It
A smooth and successful communication transaction may result
if we follow the strategies to avoid communication breakdown. Communication
becomes successful if and only if our communication goal is achieved, that is, an
understanding is reached and a relationship is built or maintained.

Here are some 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.

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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
connection with the audience.
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.

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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.

Breakdowns in communication may arise because of several factors. But these

factors may be avoided if we follow strategies put forward by experts in the field.
Communication is a transaction that we do everyday. By following the 7 Cs of
communication espoused by Broom, Cutlip and Center (2012), we may achieve
understanding in communicating with others and avoid confusion and
misinterpretations.

Avoiding communication breakdown helps you to be an effective speaker. Below

are some strategies which you can use to avoid breakdown communication.
(Quipper n.d.)

Helpful Expressions to Avoid Communication Breakdown

Strategies to Avoid Communication Helpful Expressions

Breakdown
Use helpful expressions to gain time to “Really”
think “Uhmm”
“Uh-huh”
“Anyway”
“Tell me more…”
Give positive remarks or comments “”Sounds good”
“I see what you mean”
Ask for repetition “Can you please what you said?”
“What did you say again?”
“What did you mean, when you say
that…”
Check for understanding “So, are you saying that…”
“So, what is your understanding of
this?”

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 What’s More

Activity 1

Directions: Match column A with the best answer in column B. Write your answer
on the separate sheet of paper.
Column A Column B
_____ 1. It refers to the use of simple and precise A. Keep Focused
words.
_____ 2. The speaker should identify his/her purpose B. Be Specific
for speaking.
_____ 3. He/she must pays attention to the verbal C. Do not Jump to
and non-verbal cues. Conclusions
_____ 4. He/she must find closed areas or quiet D. Speak
plays to avoid communication Intelligibly
breakdown.
_____ 5. He/she must have an appropriate E. Listen with
speaking volume, speech rate, and your ears and eyes
acceptable enunciation.
F. Minimize
Distractions

Activity 2

Directions: Identify what 7Cs to Effective Communication is being described. Write

your answers on a separate sheet of paper.

__________________ 1. It helps to increase the credibility of the speaker and

reduce negative impact to the audience.
__________________ 2. It conveys all pertinent details so listener or audience will
be able to grasp the intended message.
__________________ 3. It is expressed in the least possible number of words and
straight to the point.
__________________ 4. It implies good choice of words and language and a
consideration of the audience’s perspectives and
feelings on the part of the sender.
__________________ 5. It is backed up by facts, figures, and real-life examples
or situations.

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