Mary the Queen College (Pampanga)

We Transform Lives

Senior High School Department

Subject Code: EN11/12OC-Ia Module No./Title: Module 2: The Models of

Communication
Subject Description: The development of Period of Coverage:
listening and speaking skills and strategies for
effective communication in various situations.

Introduction:

Communication is a complex process, and it is difficult to determine where or with whom a

communication encounter starts and ends. It can sometimes be helpful to consider different
communication models.

Objectives: After this lesson, the students should be able to learn the following:
1. Differentiate the various models propose to explain the communication process;
2. Analyze the elements included in each of the communication models;
3. Design and explain their own communication model.

Content:
Traditionally speaking, there are three standard models of the communication process: Linear,
Interactive, and Transactional, and each offers a slightly different perspective on the communication
process.

Linear, Interactive , and Transactional Model

Other rhetoricians and communication specialists such as Kinneavy, Bitzer, Westley and
Maclean, Ruesh and Bateson, and Barlund also came up with their own communication models;
however, their works are quite complicated and difficult to comprehend.

A. Linear Communication Model

This model shows a straight path of relaying information. It is one-directional, which

means that information from senders is conveyed directly to the receiver. Consider a speaker
delivering a speech in front of an audience. The speaker is the sender, and he or she conveys
his/her message directly to the audience, which are the receiver of the message.

The process of communication can be explained through the various models of communication
constructed by experts throughout years.

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 Mass media, especially TV and radio, are good examples of the linear model of
communication. The message, which comes from a broadcast, travels through airwaves in a
straight path going to the receiver, which is the person watching or listening.

B. Interactive Communication Model

This model takes into consideration feedback from the receiver; thus, the message in this model
originates from two sources: the message from the sender and the feedback from the receiver. When
the receiver gives feedback, he or she becomes the sender, and the original sender becomes the receiver
of the feedback.
It is important to note that feedback may come in many forms. Aside from spoken words,
feedback may be as simple as nod of approval, a raised eyebrow, or even falling asleep during a
lecture.
The interactive model shows communication as a give-take-give interaction. You speak and your
partner listens; in turn, your partner speaks and you listen. The path, therefore, is no longer linear but
circular.

C. Transactional model
The transactional model also differs from the first two models in the following ways:

✔ This model provides a better picture of the communication process by showing the interplay of
the different elements like communicators/ participants, messages, environment, and noise.

✔ The transactional communication model illustrates that communicators often send and receive
messages at the same time. While one participant sends, receives, and decodes messages, the other
participant simultaneously does the same thing. In essence this model shows that the roles of speaker

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and listener should not be separated as if a person were doing only one or the other at one time (Roger
& Kincard, 1981).

✔ This model explains that one communication ‘act’, such as a reponse to a message, is
influenced by communication incidents that happen before it.

This model, developed in the 1970s by Dean Barnlund, shows communication as occurring
continuously and simultaneously between or among people. It shows communication as a two-way
process in which participants are constantly sending and receiving messages.

The process of communication can be explained through the various models of communication
constructed by experts throughout years.

1. Aristotle’s Model of Communication (before 300 BC)

Aristotle’s model focuses on the speaker. It describes a one-way interaction and is most
applicable for public speaking (Narula, 2006). According to the model, communication starts when the
speaker develops proof or the argument used for persuasion. The proof will then be organized, written
in the most convincing way, and then presented before an audience.

Eventually, Claude Shannon (a mathematician and electronic engineer) and Warren Weaver (a
scientist and mathematician) introduced an important concept in this model: noise, or barriers to
effective communication. Shannon and Weaver explained that noise makes the sending of the message
difficult.

2.. Shannon and Weaver Model (1949)

This model is specially designed to develop the effective communication between sender and
receiver. Also they find factors which affecting the communication process called “Noise”. At first the

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model was developed to improve the Technical communication. Later it’s widely applied in the field of
Communication.
Shannon and weaver model simply proposes that a message actually originates from the person
who gets the thought or has the information. The sender is also called the Source of information or the
Information Source. The information then gets transmitted from the brain to the mouth and comes out
as a signal which then reaches the recipient after joining hands with several noises and other
disturbances. The recipient then further passes on the message to its final destination or other minds of
other individuals.

3. David Berlo’s (SMCR) Model

This model is proposed by David Berlo (1960). It suggest five elements in the communication
process, namely the sender or the source of the message; the message, which is the idea sent by the
sender; the channel, which is the medium through which the idea is sent; the receiver, who gets the
message; and the feedback, or the response of the receiver. The figure shows how the elements interact
with each other. If one of these is not properly functioning, it can affect the whole process and can
eventually lead to a failure of communication.

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Let us now study the all the factors in detail:

S - Source

The source in other words also called the sender is the one from whom the thought originates. He is the
one who transfers the information to the receiver after carefully putting his thoughts into words.

How does the source or the sender transfer his information to the recipient ?

It is done with the help of communication skills, Attitude, Knowledge, Social System and Culture.

◆ Communication Skills

An individual must possess excellent communication skills to make his communication effective and
create an impact among the listeners. The speaker must know where to take pauses, where to repeat the
sentences, how to speak a particular sentence, how to pronounce a word and so on. The speaker must
not go on and on. He should also make a point to cross check with the recipients and listen to their
queries as well. An individual must take care of his accent while communicating. A bad accent leads to
a boring conversation.

◆ Attitude

It is rightly said that if one has the right attitude, the whole world is at his feet. There is actually no
stopping for the person if he has the right attitude. A person might be a very good speaker but if he
doesn’t have the right attitude, he would never emerge as a winner. The sender must have the right
attitude to create a long lasting impression on the listeners. An individual must be an MBA from a
reputed institute, but he would be lost in the crowd without the right attitude.

◆ Knowledge

Here knowledge is not related to the educational qualification of the speaker or the number of degrees
he has in his portfolio. Knowledge is actually the clarity of the information which the speaker wants to
convey to the second party. One must be thorough in what he is speaking with complete in-depth
knowledge of the subject. Remember questions can pop up anytime and you have to be ready with your
answers. You need to be totally familiar with what you are speaking. Before delivering any speech,
read as much you can and prepare the subject completely without ignoring even the smallest detail.

◆ Social System

Imagine a politician delivering a speech where he proposes to construct a temple in a Muslim

dominated area. What would be the reaction of the listeners ? They would obviously be not interested.
Was there any problem in the communication skills of the leader or he didn’t have the right attitude ?
The displeasure of the listeners was simply because the speaker ignored the social set up of the place
where he was communicating. He forgot the sentiments, cultural beliefs, religious feelings of the
second party. Had it been a Hindu dominated society, his speech would have been very impressive.

◆ Culture

Culture refers to the cultural background of the community or the listeners where the speaker is
communicating or delivering his speech.

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 M - Message

When an individual converts his thoughts into words, a message is created. The process is also called
as Encoding.

Any message further comprises of the following elements:

◆ Content

One cannot show his grey matter to others to let him know what he is thinking. A thought has to be put
into words and content has to be prepared. Content is actually the matter or the script of the
conversation. It is in simpler words, the backbone of any communication.

Ted to Jenny -“I am really exhausted today, let’s plan for the movie tomorrow evening”.

Whatever Ted has communicated with Jenny is actually the content of the message. It is very important
for the speaker to carefully choose the words and take good care of the content of the speech. The
content has to be sensible, accurate, crisp, related to the thought to hit the listeners bang on and create
an immediate impact.

◆ Element

It has been observed that speech alone cannot bring a difference in the communication. Keep on
constantly speaking and the listeners will definitely lose interest after some time. The speech must be
coupled with lots of hand movements, gestures, postures, facial expressions, body movements to
capture the attention of the listeners and make the speech impressive. Hand movements, gestures,
postures, facial expressions, body movements, gestures all come under the elements of the message.

◆ Treatment

Treatment is actually the way one treats his message and is conveys to the listeners. One must
understand the importance of the message and must know how to handle it. If a boss wants to fire any
of his employees, he has to be authoritative and can’t express his message in a casual way. This is
referred to as the treatment of the message. One must understand how to present his message so that
the message is conveyed in the most accurate form.

◆ Structure

A message cannot be expressed in one go. It has to be properly structured in order to convey the
message in the most desired form.

◆ Code

Enter a wrong code and the locks will never open. Enter a wrong password, you will not be able to
open your email account. In the same way the code has to be correct in the communication. Your body
movements, your language, your expressions, your gestures are actually the codes of the message and
have to be accurate otherwise the message gets distorted and the recipient will never be able to decode
the correct information.

C - Channel

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Channel - Channel actually refers to the medium how the information flows from the sender to the
receiver.

How does one know what the other person is speaking ? - Through Hearing.

How does one know whether the pasta he has ordered is made in white sauce or not ? -
Through Tasting.

How does one know that there is a diversion ahead or it’s a no parking zone? - Through Seeing.

How will an individual come to know that the food is fresh or stale ? How do we find out the fragrance
of a perfume ? - Through Smelling.

How will you find out whether the milk is hot or not ? - Through Touching.

All the five senses are the channels which help human beings to communicate with each other.

R - Receiver

When the message reaches the receiver, he tries to understand what the listener actually wants to
convey and then responds accordingly. This is also called as decoding.

The receiver should be on the same platform as the speaker for smooth flow of information and better
understanding of the message. He should possess good communication skills to understand what the
speaker is trying to convey. He should have the right attitude to understand the message in a positive
way. His knowledge should also be at par with the listener and must know about the subject. He should
also be from the same social and cultural background just like the speaker.

There are several loopholes in the Berlo’s model of communication. According to the berlo’s
model of communication, the speaker and the listener must be on a common ground for smooth
conversion which is sometimes not practical in the real scenario.
Source:https://www.managementstudyguide.com/berlo-model-of-communication.htm

Source:https://www.managementstudyguide.com/berlo-model-of-communication.htm

4. Schramm’s Model of Communication (1954)

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In 1954, Wibur Schramm, an American scholar, proposed that encoding or the act of transforming a
message into a verbal or non-verbal medium, and decoding the act of interpreting the message, are
simultaneously done by both the speaker and the listener.

Schramm’s diagram shows a cycle of communication between the encoder and the decoder who
shift role as the messages are exchanged. The decoder provides feedback as soon as the message is
understood and a response is formed. In giving feedback, he/she becomes the sender, and the original
sender becomes the receiver. In the model, since the message is being decoded and understood by both
communicators, they are both marked as interpreters.

It is important to note that feedback may come in many forms. Aside from spoken words,
feedback may be as simple as nod of approval, a raised eyebrow, or even falling asleep during a
lecture.
The interactive model shows communication as a give-take-give interaction. You speak and your
partner listens; in turn, your partner speaks, and you listen. The path, therefore, is no longer linear but
circular.

Summary:

Communication models are systematic representations of the process which helps in

understanding how communication works can be done. Models show the process metaphorically and in
symbols. They form general perspectives on communication by breaking communication from
complex to simple and keeps the components in order. Communication models can sometimes
encourage traditional thinking and stereotyping but can also omit some major aspects of human
communication.
Methods and channels of communication to be used and the purpose of communication, must be
considered before choosing a specific communication model. Models are used by business companies
and other firms to foster their communication, explore their options and to evaluate their own
situations. It is also used to understand how the receivers will interpret the message.

Source: businesstopia, "Models of Communication," in Businesstopia, February 4, 2018, https://www.businesstopia.net/communication

Learning Resources:

◆ Textbooks

◆ Powerpoint Presentation

◆ Digital learning resources such as text and image.

◆ Online Platform (NEOlms, Google Classroom, MS Teams, etc.,)

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Evaluation:

Task 2: Group Activity

Consider yourself as one of the famous communication specialists. Come up with your own
models of communication. Make a drawing that shows your models of communication. Include a short
description of the components of your model. Mention any special feature of characteristics of your
model. Then, post your model into your website and let your classmates make comments.

Guide questions and explain.

1. Identify the elements used in the created model.

2. Why do you believe it is effective and applicable?
3. How can you use it in everyday communication?
References:

◆ Fernandez, E. J., Masong, A. S., & Samillano, R. Z. Oral Communication for Senior High School

◆ Retrieved from: https://www.managementstudyguide.com/berlo-model-of-communication.htm

◆ Pena, A. R.(2016). Oral Communication. Quezon City: Vibal Group Inc.

Next Lesson: Elements of Communication

Prepared by: Katelyn T. Albelar, LPT – English Checked by: Kim Kenneth T. Ayroso, LPT,
Teacher MAEd - English Coordinator

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