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Preface

This module describes the performance outcomes, skills and

knowledge required to communicate in the workplace. It includes
gathering, conveying and receiving information together with completing
routine written correspondence. Apply effective communication
strategies and a range of routine workplace communication tasks using
a limited range of practical skills in conveying ideas through textual, oral.
audio-visual, and/or web-based presentations for various audiences in a
defined context under direct supervision or with limited individual
responsibility.

Specifically, the module will cover the following lessons:

Lesson 1: Communication Processes, Principles, and Ethics

Lesson 2: Types of Communication

Lesson 3: Communication and Technology

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Table of Contents

Page Content
Lesson 1
1 Communication Processes, Principles and
Ethics

Lesson 2
10 Types of Communication

Lesson 3
16 Communication and Technology
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Communication
Lesson 1 Processes, Principles,
and Ethics

Learning Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
 Explain the principles and process of communication and the ethical consideration
in communication;
 Elucidate how communication skills help resolve problems, better understand new
concepts and aid in your profession;
 Discuss the value of communication in enhancing one’s personal and professional
relationships; and
 Recognize the importance of a code of ethics in communication; and
 Frame a slogan about how the knowledge of the communication process aids
people in communicating effectively.

Introduction
Communication is both an art and a science. It often involves acts of speaking and
listening, reading and writing, but it also goes beyond these and incorporates the transmission of
non-verbal language, sign language, codes transmitted electronically (e.g., Morse code), and
physically (touch; hormones; muscles, tendons, nerves), and messages communicated through
music, and by other means.
Although you communicate simply by being in the world, developing good verbal and body
language skills involves learning and consciously using your skills to improve.
This lesson will tackle about communication process, principles, and ethics that will help
you to augment your communication skills and increase your knowledge and awareness of some
of the components involved in effective communication.
To explain all the features required of good communicators, you need to delve into the
nature of verbal communication in its various modes. Basic questions are: How can you put
yourself on a path that would make you into a better communicator? How can you develop skills
to overcome some fears or limitations? It may be useful to know more about what your attitudes
are regarding communicating and your communication skills.
Just relax and enjoy while learning!
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What do I know?
Before we proceed with the lesson, let us try to examine our pre-conceptions about
communication by answering the questions below. Keep your answers in mind and prepare to
share them in our class discussion.

1. Why do people communicate?

2. What might happen to the world if communication does not exist?
3. Why do miscommunications and misunderstandings happen?

What Is Communication?
Many theories have been proposed to describe, predict, and understand the behaviors
and phenomena of which communication consists. When it comes to communicating in business,
we are often less interested in theory than in making sure our communications generate the
desired results. But in order to achieve results, it can be valuable to understand what
communication is and how it works.

Defining Communication

The root of the word “communication” in Latin is communicare, which means to share, or
to make common. Communication is defined as the process of understanding and sharing
meaning.

At the center of our study of communication is the relationship that involves interaction
between participants. This definition serves us well with its emphasis on the process, which we’ll
examine in depth across this text, of coming to understand and share another’s point of view
effectively.

The first key word in this definition is process. A process is a dynamic activity that is hard
to describe because it changes. Imagine you are alone in your kitchen thinking. Someone you
know (say, your mother) enters the kitchen and you talk briefly. What has changed? Now, imagine
that your mother is joined by someone else, someone you haven’t met before—and these stranger
listens intently as you speak, almost as if you were giving a speech. What has changed? Your
perspective might change, and you might watch your words more closely. The feedback or
response from your mother and the stranger (who are, in essence, your audience) may cause
you to reevaluate what you are saying. When we interact, all these factors—and many more—
influence the process of communication.

The second key word is understanding: “To understand is to perceive, to interpret, and
to relate our perception and interpretation to what we already know. If a friend tells you a story
about falling off a bike, what image comes to mind? Now your friend points out the window and
you see a motorcycle lying on the ground. Understanding the words and the concepts or objects
they refer to is an important part of the communication process.

Next comes the word sharing. Sharing means doing something together with one or
more people. You may share a joint activity, as when you share in compiling a report; or you may
benefit jointly from a resource, as when you and several coworkers share a pizza. In
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communication, sharing occurs when you convey thoughts, feelings, ideas, or insights to others.
You can also share with yourself (a process called intrapersonal communication) when you bring
ideas to consciousness, ponder how you feel about something, or figure out the solution to a
problem and have a classic “Aha!” moment when something becomes clear.

Finally, meaning is what we share through communication. The word “bike” represents
both a bicycle and a short name for a motorcycle. By looking at the context the word is used in
and by asking questions, we can discover the shared meaning of the word and understand the
message.

Eight Essential Components of Communication

In order to better understand the communication process, we can break it down into a
series of eight essential components. Each of these eight components serves an integral function
in the overall process. Let’s explore them one by one.

Source

The source imagines, creates, and sends the message. In a public speaking situation, the
source is the person giving the speech. He or she conveys the message by sharing new
information with the audience. The speaker also conveys a message through his or her tone of
voice, body language, and choice of clothing. In the other word, the source may be an author of
the book, a public speaker in a special occasion or even a traffic enforcer.

Message

“The message is the stimulus or meaning produced by the source for the receiver or
audience. It is the reason behind any interaction. When you plan to give a speech or write a
report, your message may seem to be only the words you choose that will convey your meaning.
But that is just the beginning. The words are brought together with grammar and organization.
You may choose to save your most important point for last. The message also consists of the way
you say it—in a speech, with your tone of voice, your body language, and your appearance—and
in a report, with your writing style, punctuation, and the headings and formatting you choose. In
addition, part of the message may be the environment or context you present it in and the noise
that might make your message hard to hear or see.

Channel

“The channel is the way in which a message or messages travel between source and
receiver. For example, think of your television. How many channels do you have on your
television? Each channel takes up some space, even in a digital world, in the cable or in the signal
that brings the message of each channel to your home. Television combines an audio signal you
hear with a visual signal you see. Together they convey the message to the receiver or audience.
Turn off the volume on your television. Can you still understand what is happening? Many times,
you can, because the body language conveys part of the message of the show. Now turn up the
volume but turn around so that you cannot see the television. You can still hear the dialogue and
follow the story line.
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Similarly, when you speak or write, you are using a channel to convey your message.
Spoken channels include face-to-face conversations, speeches, telephone conversations and voice
mail messages, radio, public address systems, and voice over Internet protocol (VoIP). Written
channels include letters, memorandums, purchase orders, invoices, newspaper and magazine
articles, blogs, e-mail, text messages, tweets, and so forth.

Receiver

“The receiver receives the message from the source, analyzing and interpreting the
message in ways both intended and unintended by the source. To better understand this
component, think of a receiver on a football team. The quarterback throws the football (message)
to a receiver, who must see and interpret where to catch the ball. The quarterback may intend
for the receiver to “catch” his message in one way, but the receiver may see things differently
and miss the football (the intended meaning) altogether.

As a receiver you listen, see, touch, smell, and/or taste to receive a message. Your
audience “sizes you up,” much as you might check them out long before you take the stage or
open your mouth. The nonverbal responses of your listeners can serve as clues on how to adjust
your opening. By imagining yourself in their place, you anticipate what you would look for if you
were them. Just as a quarterback plans where the receiver will be in order to place the ball
correctly, you too can recognize the interaction between source and receiver in a business
communication context. All of this happens at the same time, illustrating why and how
communication is always changing.

Feedback

When you respond to the source, intentionally or unintentionally, you are giving
feedback. Feedback is composed of messages the receiver sends back to the source. Verbal or
nonverbal, all these feedback signals allow the source to see how well, how accurately (or how
poorly and inaccurately) the message was received. Feedback also provides an opportunity for
the receiver or audience to ask for clarification, to agree or disagree, or to indicate that the source
could make the message more interesting. As the amount of feedback increases, the accuracy of
communication also increases.

For example, suppose you are a sales manager participating in a conference call with four
sales reps. As the source, you want to tell the reps to take advantage of the fact that it is World
Series season to close sales on baseball-related sports gear. You state your message, but you
hear no replies from your listeners. You might assume that this means they understood and
agreed with you, but later in the month you might be disappointed to find that very few sales
were made. If you followed up your message with a request for feedback (“Does, this make
sense? Do any of you have any questions?”) you might have an opportunity to clarify your
message, and to find out whether any of the sales reps believed your suggestion would not work
with their customers.

Environment

“The environment is the atmosphere, physical and psychological, where you send and
receive messages. The environment can include the tables, chairs, lighting, and sound equipment
that are in the room. The room itself is an example of the environment. The environment can
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also include factors like formal dress that may indicate whether a discussion is open and caring
or more professional and formal. People may be more likely to have an intimate conversation
when they are physically close to each other, and less likely when they can only see each other
from across the room. In that case, they may text each other, itself an intimate form of
communication. The choice to text is influenced by the environment. As a speaker, your
environment will impact and play a role in your speech. It’s always a good idea to go check out
where you’ll be speaking before the day of the actual presentation.

Context

“The context of the communication interaction involves the setting, scene, and
expectations of the individuals involved. A professional communication context may involve
business suits (environmental cues) that directly or indirectly influence expectations of language
and behavior among the participants.

A presentation or discussion does not take place as an isolated event. When you came to
class, you came from somewhere. So did the person seated next to you, as did the instructor.
The degree to which the environment is formal or informal depends on the contextual
expectations for communication held by the participants. The person sitting next to you may be
used to informal communication with instructors, but this particular instructor may be used to
verbal and nonverbal displays of respect in the academic environment. You may be used to formal
interactions with instructors as well, and find your classmate’s question of “Hey Teacher, do we
have homework today?” as rude and inconsiderate when they see it as normal. The nonverbal
response from the instructor will certainly give you a clue about how they perceive the interaction,
both the word choices and how they were said.

Context is all about what people expect from each other, and we often create those
expectations out of environmental cues. Traditional gatherings like weddings or quinceñeras are
often formal events. There is a time for quiet social greetings, a time for silence as the bride walks
down the aisle, or the father may have the first dance with his daughter as she is transformed
from a girl to womanhood in the eyes of her community. In either celebration there may come a
time for rambunctious celebration and dancing. You may be called upon to give a toast and the
wedding context will influence your presentation, timing, and effectiveness.

Interference

Interference, also called noise, can come from any source. “Interference is anything that
blocks or changes the source’s intended meaning of the message. For example, if you drove a
car to work or school, chances are you were surrounded by noise. Car horns, billboards, or
perhaps the radio in your car interrupted your thoughts, or your conversation with a passenger.

Psychological noise is what happens when your thoughts occupy your attention while you
are hearing, or reading, a message. Imagine that it is 4:45 p.m. and your boss, who is at a
meeting in another city, e-mails you asking for last month’s sales figures, an analysis of current
sales projections, and the sales figures from the same month for the past five years. You may
open the e-mail, start to read, and think, “Great—no problem—I have those figures and that
analysis right here in my computer.” You fire off a reply with last month’s sales figures and the
current projections attached. Then, at five o’clock, you turn off your computer and go home. The
next morning, your boss calls on the phone to tell you he was inconvenienced because you
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neglected to include the sales figures from the previous years. What was the problem?
Interference: by thinking about how you wanted to respond to your boss’s message, you
prevented yourself from reading attentively enough to understand the whole message.

Interference can come from other sources, too. Perhaps you are hungry, and your
attention to your current situation interferes with your ability to listen. Maybe the office is hot and
stuffy. If you were a member of an audience listening to an executive speech, how could this
impact your ability to listen and participate?

Noise interferes with normal encoding and decoding of the message carried by the channel
between source and receiver. Not all noise is bad, but noise interferes with the communication
process. For example, your cell phone ringtone may be a welcome noise to you, but it may
interrupt the communication process in class and bother your classmates.

Two Models of Communication

Researchers have observed that when communication takes place, the source and the
receiver may send messages at the same time, often overlapping. You, as the speaker, will often
play both roles, as source and receiver. You’ll focus on the communication and the reception of
your messages to the audience. The audience will respond in the form of feedback that will give
you important clues. While there are many models of communication, here we will focus on two
that offer perspectives and lessons for business communicators.

Rather than looking at the source sending a message and someone receiving it as two
distinct acts, researchers often view communication as a transactional process (Figure 1
"Transactional Model of Communication"), with actions often happening at the same time. The
distinction between source and receiver is blurred in conversational turn-taking, for example,
where both participants play both roles simultaneously.

Figure 1 Transactional Model of Communication

Researchers have also examined the idea that we all construct our own interpretations of
the message. As the State Department quote at the beginning of this chapter indicates, what I
said and what you heard may be different. In the constructivist model (Figure 2 "Constructivist
Model of Communication"), we focus on the negotiated meaning, or common ground, when trying
to describe communication.
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Imagine that you are visiting Atlanta, Georgia, and go to a restaurant for dinner. When
asked if you want a “Coke,” you may reply, “sure.” The waiter may then ask you again, “what
kind?” and you may reply, “Coke is fine.” The waiter then may ask a third time, “what kind of soft
drink would you like?” The misunderstanding in this example is that in Atlanta, the home of the
Coca-Cola Company, most soft drinks are generically referred to as “Coke.” When you order a
soft drink, you need to specify what type, even if you wish to order a beverage that is not a cola
or not even made by the Coca-Cola Company. To someone from other regions of the United
States, the words “pop,” “soda pop,” or “soda” may be the familiar way to refer to a soft drink;
not necessarily the brand “Coke.” In this example, both you and the waiter understand the word
“Coke,” but you each understand it to mean something different. In order to communicate, you
must each realize what the term means to the other person, and establish common ground, in
order to fully understand the request and provide an answer.

Figure 2. Constructivist Model of Communication

Because we carry the multiple meanings of words, gestures, and ideas within us, we can
use a dictionary to guide us, but we will still need to negotiate meaning.

The Nine Principles of Effective Communication

Michael Osborn (2009) claims that communication must meet certain standards for
effective communication to take place.

1. Clarity

Clarity makes speeches understandable. Fuzzy language is absolutely forbidden, as are

jargons, cliché expressions, euphemisms, and double speak language.

2. Concreteness

Concreteness reduces misunderstandings. Messages must be supported by facts such as

research data, statistics or figures. To achieve concreteness, abstract words must be avoided.

3. Courtesy

Courtesy builds goodwill. It involves being polite in terms of approach and manner of
addressing an individual.
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4. Correctness

Glaring mistakes in grammar obscures the meaning of a sentence. Also, the misuse of
language can damage your credibility.

5. Consideration

Messages must be geared towards the audience. The sender of a message must consider
the recipient’s profession, level of education, race, ethnicity, hobbies, interests, passions,
advocacies and age when drafting of delivering a message.

6. Creativity

Creativity in communication means having the ability to craft interesting messages in terms
of sentence structure and word choice.

7. Conciseness

Simplicity and directness help you to be concise. Avoid using lengthy expressions and words
that may confuse the recipient.

8. Cultural Sensitivity

Today, with the increasing emphasis on empowering diverse cultures, lifestyles, and races
and the pursuit for gender equality, cultural sensitivity becomes an important standard for
effective communication.

9. Captivating

You must strive to make messages interesting to command more attention and better
responses.

Ethical Considerations in Communication

Ethics is a branch of philosophy that focuses on issues of right and wrong in human affairs.

Ethical communicators:
1. Respect audience.
2. Consider the result of communication.
3. Value truth.
4. Use information correctly.
5. Do not falsify information.

What I Learned so far…

The communication process involves understanding, sharing, and meaning, and

it consists of eight essential elements: source, message, channel, receiver, feedback,
environment, context, and interference. Among the models of communication are the
transactional process, in which actions happen simultaneously, and the constructivist
model, which focuses on shared meaning.
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Activity 1.1 Written Exercises

A. Concretizing
1. List various channels through which personnel of your university connect with you.
Which channel(s) do you find most effective? Why?
2. Through a slogan, state how the knowledge of the communication process aids
people in communicating effectively.
B. Introspecting
In the lesson, I learned that to be an effective and ethnical communicator, I
__________________________________________________________________________.

Mastery Test
A. Answer the following questions
1. Draw what you think communication looks like. Share your drawing with
interpretation.
2. List three environmental cues and indicate how they influence your expectations for
communication.
3. How does context influence your communication?
4. If you could design the perfect date, what activities, places, and/or environmental
cues would you include to set the mood?
5. Observe two people talking. Describe their communication. See if you can find all
eight components and provide an example for each one.
6. What assumptions are present in transactional model of communication? Find an
example of a model of communication in your workplace or classroom and provide
an example for all eight components.
B. Firming up
1. Illustrate the communication process through a diagram.
2. Identify possible communication blocks in the following situations:
a. A written letter of complaint
b. Interaction between a nurse and a patient in pain
c. Songs with figurative language
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Types of
Lesson 2
Communication

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

 Identify the various communication mode and give its advantages and
disadvantages.
 Evaluate the significance of the most commonly used mode of
communication.

Introduction
In this lesson, you will learn the various types of communication. Different contexts
would require different modes of communication. For example, communicating long distance
would entail the use of technology. In the year’s past, we use the telephone. Now, advanced
technologies abound to aid us in connecting with other people across the globe.

In this lesson, you will examine the pros and cons of the different types of
communication to help you decide the most appropriate medium or way to communicate.
Knowing the modes would help you optimize your communication skills.
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Pre-Test:

Directions:

Here is an exercise that would help you practice KWL. Go back to the last selection from the
last chapter. Using the worksheet below, accomplish the columns as you go about your reading.

K W L
What You Know What You Want to Know What Have You Learned

Warming-up
The following images are tools for communication, which image do you think has
contributed much to the purpose of communication? Enumerate its advantages and
disadvantages.

Telephone/audio Twitter/ Facebook

Video conference Face-to-face interaction

How do you think has communication mode changed or improved over time? What modes
are now being utilized and which were not present before? What are the advantages and the
disadvantages of each mode?

Advantages Disadvantages
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Communication Modes and simple conversation blossoms into a

deeper contact.

2. Video is another mode of

communication. Web cameras are used so
that two or more people who cannot interact
face-to-face can communicate. This can be an
effective mode of
communication
especially to
Refers to the channel through which one people separated
expresses his/her communicative intent. It is by distance, if
the medium through which one conveys there is no
his/her thoughts. Views or feelings can be technical glitches encountered. This is when
communicated through face- to- face you engaged in conversation a Skype, where
interaction, video, or audio. The mode will also you could hear clear voices and see up close
be text based. the face of someone from a distant place.
Other application that allow video calls are
1. Face-to-face interaction is the most
Viber, WhatsApp, Apple FaceTime, and
common of all modes. It is an informal or
Facebook Messenger. In formal settings,
casual conversation
people can also engage in video conferencing,
between two or more
now a days, this is the most convenient
people, engaged in
communication mode for people who are in a
social conversation to
distant place, and for those who avoid personal
establish relationships
contact to other people. Hence, a
or a way of gaining
disadvantage is the time zone difference
new acquaintances or
between countries, or the internet
friends. Therefore, speaking is the most
connectivity.
important consideration in building
relationship. 3. The third mode of communication is
Audio, the transmitted sound. Thus, in this
One advantage of a face-to-face
mode of communication only the voice of the
interaction is that aside from directly hearing
speaker is heard. Ordinarily, someone’s voice
the message you can also note visual cues
is heard trhough the telephone or an
through facial expressions, gestures,
answering machine when the other party is not
movements or even objects o realia from the
able to answer the call there would be no
speaker.
communication at all. Another downside of this
Moreover, Dau Voire suggests: “be mode is no being able to see the body
brave enough to stat a conversation that language or cues of the person you are talking
matters”. This simple means that even if the to.
people surrounding you in a social event are
The audio communication mode is
strangers, you need to be confident enough to
quite difficult especially if you are listening to
meet new faces and initiate an interesting
people with different accent. In relation to the
conversation. As Margaret J. Wheatley states
Wold Englishers paradigm, other speakers of
“All social change begins with conversation.”
English apart from those who speak it as a
Indeed, this is so especially if that one single
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native may find it peculiar listening to the interaction. The text-based communication
accent of Filipinos. Some does not originally provide video and audio
benefits, it has a wider reach and can
Filipinos are not able to produce the vowel disseminate information to a bigger audience
sound properly and this would be a cause of
quickly.
communication breakdown.
The last three modes of
4. Text-based communication is done
communication are all virtual in nature. Those
through sending emails, facsimile, text engaged in communication are able to hear
messaging and instant messaging. Social and / see each other in real time simulating the
networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter,
actual physical setting
and Instagram likewise other text-based

Activity 2.1. SWOT Analysis

Directions: Pick out only one mode of communication and evaluate its significance to
communication using the SWOT Analysis, and fill in the graphic organizers with appropriate ideas

Mode of communication: ___________________________

Favorab Unfavorabl
le e

Strengt Weakness
hs es
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Activity 2.2 Video Viewing

Directions: Directions: View a video conference from YouTube “A video conference call in real
life” by Tripp ad Tyler (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMOOG&rWTPg). Answer the following
questions.

1. What was the topic of the video conference?

2. Who were the participants? Where were they from?

3. How was the flow of the video conference?

4. Were there some technical glitches encountered?

5. After viewing the sample video conference, what do you think are some of the constraints of
the communication mode?

Activity 2.3 Advocacy Video

Directions: Create a 3-minute Advocacy Video on the present pandemic. Share research-based
ideas on the spread of the virus and how can you be a help to prevent yourself and others from
being infected.

Activity 2.4 Written Exercises

Directions: Write a two-paragraph reflection with things you have understood and realized from
this topic.
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What I Learned so far…

1. The various modes of communication are face-to-face, video, and text based.
2. Videos are used to connect two or more people who cannot interact face-to-face.
3. The audio mode of communication is limited to hearing the speakers voice only, text-
based communication is limited only to what is being printed. However, the letter has
the wider reach and is able to disseminate information to a larger group of audience.

Mastery Test

Read each question and choose the letter that corresponds to your answer.

1. What does the word ‘mode’ mean in the phrase ‘modes’ of communication?
a. How something is done or experienced?
b. A statistical term which relates to how many times a number occurs in a sequence
c. A new fashion
d. A new type of thing that was taken from something else.
2. What is an example of an Interpersonal communication?
a. giving a speech
b. writing a book for someone on a specific audience
c. reading a favourite author writes
d. reading what a favourite author writes
3. Which of this should not be avoided for effective communication?
a. Noise
b. Planning
c. Semantic problems
d. Wrong assumptions
4. When is the communication process complete?
a. When the sender transmits the message
b. when the message enters the channel
c. when the message leaves the channel
d. when the receiver understands the message
5. What should not be avoided when you are attending a social gatherings?
a. do not dwell on topics with never ending in nature
b. do not discuss politics and religion since they are very sensitive issues
c. start a conversation on how you feel and experience for the moment
d. dont hold a conversation at social event
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Lesson 3 Communication and

Technology

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

 Identify the positive and negative dimensions in the use of communication

technology;
 Demonstrate knowledge about the impact of social media in Asia and the
rest of the world during a crisis; and
 Deliver a message for a variety of audiences using various technology
tools.

Introduction

Modes of communication have evolved in the advancement of technology. In the past, these
modes are limited to messages thru handwritten, typewritten, short telegrams, landline facsimile/
telephone, and audio/video recording (Madrunio and Martin, 2018).

As the demand arises to adopt in the global setting, technology has changed the means of
communication. It has made the world smaller through swift expanse in the internet connectivity.
This advancement in technology thus created borderless, easier and faster forms of communication.
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Look at the clippings below which display the new normal happening around the globe. For
each question, give your response on the space provided.

Question 1: What ideas being portrayed in the use of technology?

Question 2: Do the clippings present positive or negative ideas about technology? How?

Clipping 1 Answer:

Image: Reuters (2020)/David Estrada

Clipping 2 Answer:

Image: Getty

Clipping 3 Answer:

Image: Reuters (2020)/Adnan Abidi

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Activity 3.1 Comprehension Guide

Directions: The article about Communication and Social Media provided relevant information
about the connection between communication and technology through social media in the
preservation of humanity. Sharpen your understanding of the text by answering the following
questions.
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Activity 3.2 Share it!

Imagine that you were left alone in a remote place under Modified General Community
Quarantine. You can roam around a little but not beyond boundaries of your province. You would
like to express your thoughts and feelings about your situation. Share them using the following
forms of communication.

Form 1: A handwritten letter to your parents.

Form 2: An e-mail message to your teacher.
Form 3: A public Facebook post to your friends
Form 4: A text message (SMS) to your loved one (husband, child or
other relatives)

Mastery Test

Read each question and choose the letter that corresponds to your answer.
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Resources
ABS-CBN News (2019). Filipinos still world's top social media user – study. Retrieved from
aspects. International Journal of Computer Applications Technology and Research
Cabalquinto, E.C. (2018). Ambivalent Intimacies: Entangled Pains and Gains Through Facebook Use
in Transnational Family Life. Deakin University, Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-97607-5_15.
Caroy A. et.al, (2018). Purposive Communication-OBE - & PPST – Based. Published by LORIMAR
Publishing INC. copyright 2018.
Dale Carnegie, author of the classic How to Win Friends and Influence People, may have been one
of the greatest communicators of the twentieth-century business world. The Dale Carnegie
Institute focuses on giving people in business the opportunity to sharpen their skills and
improve their performance in order to build positive, steady, and profitable results.
http://www.dalecarnegie.com
Digital 2019: The Philippines. Retrieve from https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2019-
philippines
Explore the Web site of the National Communication Association, the largest U.S. organization
dedicated to communication. http://www.natcom.org
Hootsuite (2019). Social Media Trends Report 2019. Retrieved from
https://hootsuite.com/resources/social-media-trends-report-2019
https://news.abs-cbn.com/focus/01/31/19/filipinos-still-worlds-top-social-media-user-study
Madrunio M. and Martin, I. (2018). Purposive Communication: Using English in Multilingual
Contexts. C & E Publishing, Inc.
Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab (OWL) provides a wealth of resources for writing projects.
http://owl.english.purdue.edu
Read The National Commission on Writing’s findings about the importance of communication skills
in business. http://www.writingcommission.org/pr/writing_for_employ.html
Siddiqui, S. and Singh, T. (2016). Social media its impact with positive and negative
The International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) is a global network of
communication professionals committed to improving organizational effectiveness through
strategic communication. http://www.iabc.com
The National Association of Colleges and Employers offers news about employment prospects for
college graduates. http://www.naceweb.org
To communicate ethically, check your facts. FactCheck is a nonpartisan project of the Annenberg
Center for Public Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. http://www.factcheck.org
To communicate ethically, check your facts. PolitiFact is a nonpartisan project of the St. Petersburg
Times; it won a Pulitzer Prize in 2009. http://www.politifact.com
Volume 5– Issue 2, 71 - 75, 2016, ISSN: - 2319–8656.
Xiao, Y. and Fan, Z. (2019) . 10 Technology Trends to watch in the COVID-19 Pandemic. Digital
Trade, World Economic Forum. Retrieve from https://www.weforum.org/agenda / 2020/04/
10-technology-trends-coronavirus-covid19-pandemic-robotics-telehealth/
 23

About the Authors

Ma. Carissa Molanda is an English instructor in the School of Teacher Education and
School of Criminal Justice Education. Co-author of the Contemporary World and
Technical Writing modules. Had taken Master's Degree in English focused on Teaching
English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) at Silliman University, Dumaguete,
and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics at the University of Santo Tomas, Manila. Research
author of Investigating Students' Perceptions of Teachers' Feedback in an Online
English Class; co-authors of Scaffolding Remote Learning: A Phenomenological Study
of Parents' Experiences in Times of Pandemic, and Evaluation on the Implementation
of Solid Waste Management (SWM) Practices in Selected Areas of Zamboanga del Sur.
Institutionally designated as School of Graduate Studies Secretary and Campus
Secretary.

Jay-Boy M. Tizon graduated from the Master of Arts in Education program, majoring in
English, at J.H. Cerilles State College and a Doctor of Education degree in Educational
Management at Southern Mindanao Colleges. His career began at the Department of
Education, where he served as a dedicated educator at Buburay National High School
from February 2017 to October 2017. He held various positions during his tenure,
including classroom teacher, adviser, and school paper adviser. He is currently an
Instructor I at the School of Teacher Education of J.H. Cerilles State College. In this role,
he imparts his knowledge in English, Professional Education, and General Education
Courses. His commitment to education and his expertise in English instruction makes
him a valuable contributor to module writing.

Febe Keith P. Jumoc is a resident faculty at the School of Teacher Education. She is an
experienced module writer passionate about communication in the workplace. With a
Master's degree in Education, majoring in Administration and Supervision, she is
pursuing a Ph.D. in Development Management focusing on Educational Administration.
Her expertise lies in educational administration, and specializes in communication,
organizational development, and organizational behavior. Other modules written by her
include Research, Thesis Guide, Teaching Music in Elementary Grades, and Reading
Visual Arts. Her motivation lies in empowering individuals to become adept
communicators in various contexts. She believes effective communication is vital for
personal and professional success.

Ma Donna B. Angwas- Baya was born on May 13, 1969 at Pontevedra, Capiz, and
Panay Island. She graduated with her Bachelor of Secondary Education, majoring in
English at Misamis University Ozamiz City, and obtained her Master of Arts in
Education, majoring in English at Saint Columban College Pagadian City. She also
holds an International License in teaching English, obtained at ATA TESOL, Ho Chi
Minh City, Vietnam. An educator by profession and has been teaching since 1995 until
the present. She believes that making mistakes is a natural part of the language-learning
process. The key is to learn from these mistakes. Learning a language gives you the
chance to be a different person if you want to. Make the most of that chance.
 Preface
This module covers the nuances of intercultural communication. As
the adage goes “no man is an island”, it is natural for people to interact with
others. However, because humans are dispersed in the vast world, the ways
in communicating are diverse. With the advent of globalization, humans are
faced with the challenge of communicating effectively with the people from
a different place in the globe. This module aims to help you understand and
adjust to intercultural communication.

Specifically, the module will cover the following lessons:

Lesson 4: Varieties and Registers of Spoken and Written Language
Lesson 5: Globalization and Communication
Lesson 6: Challenges of Intercultural Communication
Table of Contents

Page Content
Lesson 4
1 Varieties and Registers of Spoken and
Written Language

Lesson 2
10 Types of Communication

Lesson 3
16 Communication and Technology
 1

Varieties and Registers

Lesson 4 of Spoken and Written
Language

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

 Explain the difference between varieties and registers in the spoken

and written language
 Discuss the importance of the varieties and registers in the spoken
and written language.
 Use the appropriate variety and register in writing scripts for the
advocacy campaign.

Introduction

Have you ever communicated with anybody and found it challenging despite using the
same language? This is because language exists in several varieties and can be conveyed
through different registers. In this lesson, you will learn what a language variety a nd register
means. You will also reflect on how a knowledge of language variety and register can make
communications more effective in different situations.

The purpose of this lesson is to help you design your advocacy campaigns utilizing
appropriate communication for a specific audience.
 2

Warming-up

Look at the pictures above. Imagine that you are taking a walk in the park when
someone approached you. It happened to be one of the persons in the pictures.
What do you imagine this person will say to you? How would you respond? Write
your insights in no more than 100 words and submit it through your instructor’s email
or through the designated drop boxes on or before the set deadline.

Language Varieties
In sociolinguistics, language variety – also called lect- is a general term for any
distinctive form of a language or linguistic expression. Linguists commonly use language
variety as a broad term for any of the overlapping subcategories or subgroups found in
the table below.

Category Definition Example

It is the form of language that American I have gotten.
observes all grammatical rules and Standard English
Standard
structures of the language British Standard I have got.
English
This is a specialized form of Medical Jargon IM - Intramuscular
language with vocabulary that is Teaching IM – Instructional
Jargon
associated with a discipline, such as Profession Jargon Material
law or medicine.
This is a word or an expression that Watcha
has been made up or that has Wanna
Slang taken on a new meaning and is I’mma
quite popular within certain social Outta
or age groups. Kinda
This refers to language that is used What?
in ordinary conversations. It is less Cool.
Colloquial formal than the standard language, How dare you?
but not quite as informal as slang Out of here.
expressions. Go bananas.
This refers to the variety of Northern Dialect Pail, press, teeter-
language common to a particular totter
Dialect
region Southern Dialect Bucket, mash,
seesaw
 3

Varieties exist in all languages. But in this lesson, we would dwell more on the varieties
of English. It is important to note that history has a lot to do with the evolution of the English
Language. To this date, English is spoken widely on all five continents. This is a result of the
colonial expansion that happened centuries ago. Essentially, English became a lingua franca. The
term English as a lingua franca (ELF) refers to the teaching, learning, and use of English as a
common means of communication for speakers of different native languages.

The development of a new variety of English can be described as a process of adaptation.

For example, a certain group of speakers take a familiar variety of English and only adapt features
that suit their needs. This gave rise to the concept of World Englishes. It was introduced by
linguist Braj Kachru in 1984 at the Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL).
He proposed the three concentric circles model.

The different circles are:

• The Inner Circle is made up of the
traditional bases of English and its
speakers use English as a native
language (ENL). These places are
where norms originate and from
which they spread to other circles.
• The Outer Circle represents the
places where they speak official
non-native varieties of English
because of colonial history. The
speakers of these places are the
ones who challenge the norms and
develop them and use English as a
second language (ESL).
• The Expanding Circle is made up by
English as a foreign language (EFL)
Figure 1: Braj Kachru's Three Circles Model, circa 1996
speakers where English is seldomly Source: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Braj-Kachrus-
spoken. In this circle, speakers Three-Circles-Model-circa-1996-including-example-countries-
need to follow the rules established chosen-by_fig3_263339998/actions#caption
by the Inner and Outer Circles.

Activity 1.1. American English vs British English

Instruction: Classify the given terms or expressions according to their variety – whether
American English, British English, or both. Write them under the correct column.

1. The class are happy. vs. The class is 9. Elevator vs lift

happy. 10. Chips vs French fries
2. I’d forgotten. vs I’d forgot. 11. Appetizer vs starter
3. I learnt it. vs I learned it. 12. Petrol vs. gasoline
4. Center vs centre 13. Pants vs trousers
5. Analogue vs analog 14. Football vs soccer
6. Enroll vs enrol 15. Undershirt vs vest
7. Apartment vs flat
8. Wardrobe vs closet
 4

American English British English

1. 1.

2. 2.
3. 3.

4. 4.
5. 5.

6. 6.
7. 7.

8. 8.
9. 9.

10. 10.
11. 11.

12. 12.
13. 13.

14. 14.
15. 15.

Activity 1.2. Reflection

Examine your understanding of the concepts discussed earlier by answering

the following questions:
1. What is the difference between the varieties of English as categorized by
Braj Kachru? Cite some examples of these differences.
2. Why is it important to understand the varieties of English? Expound on
how it can help you as a student and as a professional in the future.

The Philippine English

Philippine English is one of the few American-transplanted Englishes. It was

introduced in our country during the American Colonization on 1898. Back then, only a
few Filipinos speak the language. Its use proliferated by leaps and bounds to the point
that it was regarded as one of the two official languages of the Philippines during the
implementation of the 1987 constitution. Essentially, English is widely used in the country
 5

from government to education, social and business functions. Some Filipinos even learn
it as a first language.

Philippine English is presently entering a stage of structural systematization and

is being codified through dictionaries and grammars. Some of the words that have been
recognized and added in the Oxford English Dictionary are listed below:

Ambush interview Bihon Dirty ice cream Trapo

Bagoong Bongga Querida Turon

This only shows that the English language is very dynamic. From the variety of
English used by native speakers, it has evolved into post-colonial varieties. The nuances
brought about by the adaptation should not be mistaken as errors especially if they have
become the standard in the speech community and has already been codified.

Activity 1.3. The Philippine English

Watch Mikey Bustos’ video “Proud of my Accent” at

https://youtu.be/SaV4sFw5mAw and list down at least 10 words or phrases unique to
the Philippine English and their meanings.

Language Registers
Language registers refers to the range of language choices available for use in different
situations. It is the level of formality and informality of the language used. Different situations
and people call for different registers. There are six language registers or styles. Each level has
an appropriate use that is determined by differing situations. It would be awkward and improper
if you would to communicate to your instructor like the way you do to your boyfriend or girlfriend.
Hence, the appropriateness of language register depends on the audience (who), the topic
(what), purpose (why), and location (where). In order to have an enjoyable and successful
encounter, you must control the use of language registers.

The table low summarizes the types of language registers (Sonia Lee et al, 2012).

Types of Intended Content

Linguistic Features Examples
Register Audience Communicated
Strangers or Persons General Use of standard Conversation
in socially formal information; language; complete between
Formal/
situations. carefully screened sentences strangers;
Academic
thoughts and formal
feelings ceremonies
Acquaintances, General Use of standard and Conversation
peers, colleagues information and non-standard between friends.
Casual/
and people who are non-personal features; use of
Informal
not close friends thoughts and slangs, colloquialisms
feelings and ellipsis
 6

Very close Personal thoughts Incomplete sentences Conversation

acquaintances and and feelings and ellipsis; slangs; between
relatives/family coded language like husband and
members endearments; wife.
Intimate
specialized
vocabulary; greater
reliance on non-
verbal elements
Intra-personal: Self Innermost thoughts, Use of standard and Self-talk and
impressions, non-standard musings
Private reflections and features. Use of
feelings to oneself
slangs and ellipsis.
Can be appropriate Can be May possess standard Legal document;
for formal and appropriate for and non-standard The Lord’s
Frozen informal situations general features of language Prayer;
information or Creed
personal thought
Can be appropriate Appropriate for May possess standard Teacher-student
for formal and general and non-standard conversation;
informal discourse in information or features of language. Doctor-patient
Consultative which the listener is personal May involve non- conversation
expected to give information verbal elements.
continuous feedback
to the speaker.

In the examples below, see how the same message is delivered in different
registers.

1. Frozen – “Contraindication: not to be taken in case of allergy in…”

2. Formal – “The use of antibiotics is not recommended”
3. Consultative – “I would not recommend that you take…”
4. Casual/ Informal – “You know, you shouldn’t use this if you are…”
5. Intimate – “Are you nuts? Don’t take that tablet!”
6. Private – “I’ll take this meds even if they say I shouldn’t.”

Activity 1.4. Writing Exercises

1. What is the implication of the varieties and registers of spoken and written
language in your chosen fields? Write your answer in 50-100 words.
2. With your group, write a draft for your advocacy campaign script using the
appropriate registers. Prepare for a read-aloud activity in the next
synchronous session.
 7

Activity 1.5. Categorizing Language Registers

Here are some phrases. Identify the language register used and write them under the correct column.

Communicative Frozen Formal Consultative Casual/ Informal Intimate Private

Situation
Greeting

Complaint

Encouragement

Good Morning! Ladies and Gentlemen. Welcome Excuse me Ms. Cruz. As I understand my task, we This is a complaint for damages and injunctive relief
aboard Korean Air flight 493 bound for Taipei. Please need to focus on improving our delivery times arising out of manipulative activities in the gold market
fasten your seatbelt and refrain from smoking while rather than blaming our suppliers. from 1994 to the present time…
the no smoking sign is on.
Good morning. May I speak to the director please? I offer You all my prayers, works, joys and I hope you don’t mind my stating that the service is
suffering of this day… unsatisfactory. I would like a refund.
Thanks for following-up on the Jones account. Good Oh, Carl. Just a moment! Well, uhm.. what was Thank you for applying this position. We’ll let you know
job! that off-key comment last night? within a week if you have been chosen for an interview.

Hey, Jack. What’s up? Hello, Mr. Smith. How are you this morning? I did a good job there. I deserve a dessert!
Whoa, way to go! Nice catch! You’re so good. I’m crazy about you honey. Why am I such a failure?
I can do this! I’m sick and tired of your crap! How’s my little snuggy wuggy?
 8

Globalization and
Lesson 2
Communication

Intended Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

2.1 Determine the benefits and challenges brought about by globalization

in communication
2.2 Plan a multimodal advertisement for a cause-oriented advocacy using
intercultural communication strategies

Introduction
In the recent past, technology has immensely developed across the globe. This
has made it easier for people to hop from one place to another enabling them to learn
the cultures of places they’ve visited either physically or virtually. Tourists and other
travelers could carry bits and pieces of the indigenous culture including their language.

In this lesson, you will learn what globalization is and how it impacts everything
from business, culture, and communication. You will also learn about intercultural
communication brought about by globalization. The purpose of this lesson is to equip
you with ideas on how to communicate your chosen advocacy in various cultural
contexts.
 9

Warming-up
Watch the video Globalization explained at
https://youtu.be/JJ0nFD19eT8 and answer the
following questions:
1. What things do people do now which
they couldn’t do before globalization?
2. How do you think globalization affects
communication in the 21st century?
3. Would you consider Globalization as a
boon or a bane? Support your answers with concrete examples.

Globalization
Globalization is the process by which people and goods move easily across borders
or the increased interconnectedness and interdependence of peoples and countries. It
includes two inter-related elements: the opening of international borders to increasingly
fast flows of goods, services, finance, people and ideas; and the changes in institutions
and policies at national and international levels that facilitate or promote such flows
(World Health Organization, 2020). This has both positive and negative effects on
communication.

Listed below are some examples of globalization:

 Economic globalization: is the development of trade systems within transnational

actors such as corporations or NGOs;
 Financial globalization: can be linked with the rise of a global financial system with
international financial exchanges and monetary exchanges. Stock markets, for
instance, are a great example of the financially connected global world since when
one stock market has a decline, it affects other markets negatively as well as the
economy.
 Cultural globalization: refers to the interpenetration of cultures which, as a
consequence, means nations adopt principles, beliefs, and costumes of other
nations, losing their unique culture to a unique, globalized supra-culture;
 Political globalization: the development and growing influence of international
organizations such as the UN or WHO means governmental action takes place at
an international level. There are other bodies operating a global level such as
NGOs like Doctors without borders or Oxfam;
 10

 Sociological globalization: information moves almost in real-time, together with

the interconnection and interdependence of events and their consequences.
People move all the time too, mixing and integrating different societies;
 Technological/Informational globalization: the phenomenon by which millions of
people are interconnected thanks to the power of the digital world via platforms
such as Facebook, Instagram, Skype or YouTube. It is an increase in information
flows between geographically remote locations.
 Geographic globalization: is the new organization and hierarchy of different
regions of the world that is constantly changing. Moreover, with transportation
and flying made so easy and affordable, apart from a few countries with
demanding visas, it is possible to travel the world without barely any restrictions;
 Ecological globalization: accounts for the idea of considering planet Earth as a
single global entity – a common good all societies should protect since the weather
affects everyone and we are all protected by the same atmosphere. To this regard,
it is often said that the poorest countries that have been polluting the least will
suffer the most from climate change.

Globalization on Communication and Education

With the advent of technological advances, the world has become bigger and
smaller at the same time. These days, it is so easy to connect with a person from the
other side of the globe as if the world has shrunk. But at the same time, it changed the
contour of social connectedness ushering in new fields of areas for study and
development. In this sense, it has made the world larger.

In education, globalization driven by technology, has made it possible for two

individuals from different countries to take the same course together without leaving
their residences. An example of this is Coursera, MIT, and 51Talk among others. These
students do not only share the subject content but also their cultural perspectives as
well. Globalization essentially gives you access to the world. Now, there’s no longer
restriction in the flow and interchange of information. Indeed, it created a medium where
ideas transcend borders and social strata.

Now, because of globalization, not only have you an access on previously

inaccessible materials (like eBooks and other literatures), but also, you have gained a
new platform catering to a wider audience to share your thoughts. With this, it makes
us see new opportunities to innovate how we communicate our ideas to the world.
 11

Activity 2.1. Concept Map

Oftentimes, globalization is seen as an economic and financial phenomenon. But

in truth, it includes a wider field. Create a Globalization Concept Map outlining the
different examples of economic globalization. Prepare to explain it in class.

Activity 2.2. Reflection

Answer the following questions in no more than 150 words each. Submit them
via email or the designated drop box.
1) Would you consider globalization good or bad? Why?
2) How do you think globalization affects you as a student and an aspiring
professional? What are your strategies to enhance or prevent its effects?

Local and Global Communication in Multicultural Settings

Globalization leads to the challenge for multinational communication. It has been
very common to encounter people with diverse cultural backgrounds nowadays. It is
mandatory to learn how to communicate across cultures. Without knowledge of other
cultures, we tend to make embarrassing mistakes that could lead to miscommunication
and subsequently, conflicts. To avoid this, we must employ effective intercultural
communication strategies in order to convey our messages properly to the intended
audience.

Intercultural Communication

Intercultural communication or cross-cultural communication refers to the

communication between people from two different cultures. (Chen & Starosta, 1998:28).
So, what does it have to do with communicating effectively? First, it is communication
skills that determine how well individuals, organizations, industries, and nations do in
both acquiring and applying knowledge. Second, because of globalization and the
importance of information, there is now what we call knowledge class. It is a class
supported solely by its participation in the new information industries with little to no
 12

reliance upon traditional manufacturing, production, or agriculture. The ability to

effectively negotiate the inherent cultural issues in communication will surely give a
competitive edge in the global world.

Hence, five reasons are identified for studying intercultural communication:

1. To have a better understanding of your own identity;

2. To enhance your personal and social interactions;
3. To help solve cultural misunderstandings, miscommunication, and mistrusts;
4. To value the ways, it enriches the quality of our civilization; and
5. To become effective citizens of our national communities.

Activity 2.3. Essay

Please select one item and write your answers on the designated answer sheet.
Your write-up must only be 50-150 words.
1) Explain the importance of intercultural communication in your desired career.
2) How does intercultural communication relate to the model (you may pick any
model from Module 1) of communication?

Cultural Identity

In dealing with intercultural communication, you must have a solid idea of your
own cultural identity. Cultural identity, composed of ethnicity, culture, gender, age,
life stage, beliefs, values, and assumptions, is the degree to which you identify with your
culture. It is determined by the values you support. Co-culture on the other hand,
represents specific patterns of behavior that set an individual off from other groups
within a culture. For example, the LGBTQ++, disabilities, gangs, fraternities/sororities,
etc.

3 things to know about cultural identity:

1) It is learned. You learn it as from the community around you.

2) They vary in strength. Some cultures are so strong, you might not notice that you
exhibit it naturally.
3) They vary in content. Not all have the same perspective on being a Filipino.

By understanding your own identity, you will have the awareness and appreciation
of the cultures of other people as well. It enables you to become sensitive to various
cultural heritage. And the broader your outlook, the more tolerant and accommodating
you become.
 13

Activity 2.4. Cultural Self-Assessment Questionnaire

For each of the pairs of statements below, choose either A or B as most
representative of your attitudes. Tick the box of the corresponding letter. Please answer the
online version of this questionnaire.

A Statements B
Although people may speak Beneath the surface, the values and
different languages and dress in assumptions held by diverse cultures
different ways, beneath the may be very different from each
surface everyone is the same. other.
Other people probably have the People in different cultures may well
same basic beliefs and attitudes as not have the same basic beliefs and
I do. attitudes as I do.
I would find it relatively hard to I would find it relatively hard to
identify a range of external identify a range of external
influences on the way in which I influences on the way in which I
think and behave think and behave
It is not usually necessary to know The only way to really know
too much about someone’s someone is to understand
background in order to come to an something about the cultures and
understanding of who they are. social groups to which they belong.
I think that first impressions are I think that first impressions are
usually quite a good way of coming to rarely quite a good way of coming to
a judgement about someone. a judgement about someone.
I think that there is usually one I think that different perspectives
best way of arriving at a decision. can contribute greatly to good
decision-making.
I think that diversity makes it I think that diversity makes a
harder for people to work positive contribution to working
together. together.
I would find it quite hard to I would find it quite easy to describe
describe my basic values and my basic values and beliefs, and the
beliefs, and the things that are things that are most important to me
more important to me as a person. as a person.
I can rarely recognize when I can usually recognize when culture
culture is having an impact on the is having an impact on the
effectiveness of my effectiveness of my communication
communication with people from with people from different
different backgrounds. backgrounds.
I find it easy to recognize when I I find it difficult to recognize when I
am suffering from stress and am suffering from stress and anxiety
anxiety.
Adapted from The Cross-cultural communication trainer’s manual – volume Two: Activities for Cross-
cultural training, John Cutler, Gower: Aldershot, 2005. Activity
 14

Cultural Differences

In understanding intercultural communication, you must understand cultural

differences in order to situate yourself better when communicating to a person with a
different cultural background. Some of these cultural differences are discussed below.

1) Power distance. It is a way of contrasting a group of cultures to another group of

cultures by measuring social inequality in each.

a. High power distance – people from these areas see their leaders or bosses
a benevolent dictator. Hence, they do as they are told. This includes Africa
and Latin America.

b. Low power distance – people from these areas are not afraid of their
leaders. They are known to be unafraid of speaking their minds. This
includes the USA and Great Britain.

2) Individualism vs Collectivism. It is the degree of integration and orientation of

individuals within groups

a. People in individualistic cultures such as USA, Canada, and France value

self-expression, view speaking out to solve problems, and use
confrontational strategies to deal with interpersonal problems.

b. In collectivist cultures such as many Arab, African and Asian countries have
unquestioning loyalty to the group, and when in conflict they use
avoidance, intermediaries, and other face-saving techniques.

3) Femininity vs masculinity. This way of contrasting between groups looks at the

division of rules between men and women.

a. High feminine cultures generally allow cross-gender behavior as they are

more concerned with the quality of life and reveal sympathy for the
unfortunate. It includes Africa and the Nordic countries of Europe.

b. High masculine cultures are more likely to maintain strictly defined gender
roles and have distinct expectations of male and female roles in society as
they are assertive, competitive, tough and value achievements. This
includes Japan, Great Britain and Latin America.
 15

4) High context vs low context contrasts how much information is carried in the
context and how much in the code or message.

a. In high-context cultures, much of the message is left unspecified, to be

understood through context, nonverbal cues, and between-the-lines
interpretation of what is actually said. Countries like Japan, Africa, and
some Asian countries belong to this category.

b. In low-context cultures, messages are explicit and specific.

Activity 2.5. Presentation

Identify a country where your field of specialization is in demand. Evaluate

the country according to the categories of cultural differences discussed in this
lesson. Prepare for a 2-3-minute presentation of your evaluation.
 16

Challenges of
Lesson 3 Intercultural
Communication

Intended Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

3.1 Describe the sources of intercultural miscommunication and cite

effective strategies for addressing it.
3.2 Exhibit understanding of the concepts of intercultural communication in
analyzing various scenarios for case study.

Introduction
Many conflicts arise because of miscommunication. There are people who do not
know about other people’s culture and what’s worse is that some even do not want to
know. Ignorance and naivete are important barriers to intercultural communication. This
is evident especially in the virtual world where everyone is practically free to say anything
and everything.
In this lesson, you will learn some barriers to intercultural communication and
how to deal with them. You will also learn strategies in improving intercultural
communication. Finally, as an output of the whole module, you will be analyzing
scenarios utilizing the concepts you learned so far.
 17

Warming-up
What’s wrong with the picture? Below are some controversial pictures. Analyze
what makes it controversial in light of our lesson in intercultural communication. You
may pick only one photo. Explain it in 50-100 words.

Barriers to Intercultural Communication

There are barriers that causes conflict because notions are constructed around a
judgement made before any communication takes place. These poses challenges to
intercultural communication.
1. High Anxiety. Sometimes your worries prevent you from focusing on the
communication transaction. Instead, it makes you think more of your feelings. Hence,
some thoughts will not be expressed. Example: oral recitation in class.
2. Assuming similarity instead of difference. When you assume similarity between
cultures you can be caught unaware of important differences. Example: it is normal to
park anywhere in rural places but in the city, it is not.
3. Ethnocentrism is that belief that one’s own cultural group’s behaviors, norms, ways of
thinking, and ways of being are superior to all other cultural group.
a. Cultural relativism. We must try to understand other people’s behavior in the
context of their culture before we judge them. This implies that we should
recognize our own cultural behaviors and adjust them viz other people’s culture.
4. Stereotypes are oversimplified or distorted views of another race, another ethnic
group or even another culture. Example, as a child you were told that Mexicans are bad
people and you believed it until you grew up.
5. Prejudice is a negative attitude toward a cultural group based on little or no
experience. Example, because you grew up thinking that Mexicans are bad, you feel
negative towards them.
6. Discrimination is the overt actions one takes to exclude, avoid, or distance oneself
from other groups. Example, because you feel negative towards Mexicans, you refuse
to be partnered with a Mexican in class groupings.
 18

Causes of Miscommunication and Misunderstanding

Aside from the barriers to intercultural communication, there are other sources of
misunderstanding in communication. (Pascal, 2017)

1) Implicit vs explicit communication. Simple message can be stuffed with implicitness.

Example “Enjoy the movie” could be a neutral message. But it could also be delivered
sarcastically. Miscommunication can result from misalignment of explicit and implicit
meaning between the sender and the receiver. Some people are straightforward while
others expect you to read between the lines.
2) Written vs verbal. Verbal channels are better carriers for implicit meaning, while written
channels like email or live chat are better for explicit communication. In written
communication, the interpretation is fully left to the receiver making it more prone to
miscommunication.
3) Competitive conversation forms. In a competitive world, many of the conversations is
intended to merely seek out status. Jordan B. Peterson discusses some forms like:
a. The stronger story – this occurs when one person tries to outdo the other in telling
one’s story.
b. Waiting to make your point – this happens when you don’t intend to listen to the
other person but instead, you’re just thinking about how you can make your own
point.
c. Victory for the point of view – this happens when instead of discussing to learn
something new, people discuss for the purpose of winning over the other person’s
point of view.
4) Negative bias. This is the tendency of the mind to interpret ambiguity as negative.
Example: being called to the Dean’s office felt like punishment is looming.
5) Poor listening skills. Miscommunication these days can be attributed to the receiver’s lack
of focus.
6) Poor speaking skills. Sometimes, some people have difficulty expressing themselves.
They are so incoherent that it’s challenging to follow.
7) Misaligned lingo. Jargons are only effective as long as you use it within your circles. Do
not use them when interacting with outsiders.
8) Mental Models. It is an actual misinterpretation of the explicit/implicit meaning of the
message.

Activity 3.1. Self-Check

Check your understanding of the lessons so far by answering the questions in no
more than 100 words.
1. Cite situations in your student life where you encountered miscommunication.
Identify the source of miscommunication or barriers present in the situation. Finally,
what did you do to overcome it?
2. What other possible causes of miscommunication can you think of that is not listed
above? Input your answers to this lesson on Padlet. A link will be messaged to you.
 19

Approaches to Studying Intercultural Communication

Given the potentiality for conflicts, it is imperative that you should study intercultural
communication. This will give you an understanding of how you can use these different
approaches when developing projects to address global challenges at the local level. In your
case, your advocacy campaign project.

There are three primary approaches to the study of intercultural communication

(Flammia, 2011). These are summarized in the table below.

The Social Science

Approach or Interpretive Critical
Functionalist
Discipline on which Anthropology,
Psychology Sociology Various
approach is founded sociolinguistics
Describe and predict
Research goal Describe human behavior Change behavior
behavior
External and
Assumption of reality Subjective Subjective
describable
Assumption of human Unpredictable and
Predictable Changeable
behavior creative
Method of study Quantitative methods Qualitative methods Textual analysis of media
Relationship of Culture is both created
Communication
culture and and maintained through Culture as power struggles
influenced by culture
communication communication
Recognizes the economic and
Identifies cultural Communication and
political forces in culture and
Contribution of variations and culture and cultural
communication; asserts that
approach differences but doesn’t differences should be
all intercultural interactions
consider studies in context.
are characterized by power

A fourth approach called the Dialectical Approach was developed by Martin,

Nakayama, and Flores (2002) in order to address potential contradictions among the three
approaches. It acknowledges the value of the social science, critical and interpretive
approaches, at the same time, it requires that we do not limit ourselves to the perspective
provided by one of these approaches. The dialectical approach calls for the simultaneous
acceptance of all three perspectives. An acceptance of multiple perspectives expands our
perception of the world and allows us to create new categories and to see the complex
potential of the study of intercultural communication.

Martin, Nakayama and Flores (2000) have identified six dialectic characteristics of
intercultural communication (listed below) which all relate to four building blocks of
intercultural communication: culture, communication, context, and power.

1. Cultural-individual. It refers to the fact that communication is both cultural and

individual. All people share some communication patterns with members of groups to
which they belong. At the same time, all people also have unique individual
communication patterns that are idiosyncratic.
 20

2. Personal-contextual. This dialectic has to do with the relationship between the

social roles that we play and how they interact with our communication patterns on
the personal level. Social contexts often shape the behaviors of individuals. Roles
related to our social position and our professional standing may influence our
communication behavior. Some social roles require that we behave in a very formal
manner. The way a lawyer in a courtroom or a scientist in a laboratory communicates
will be a result of the context in which he/she is operating.

3. Differences-similarities. This dialectic recognizes the fact that people are

simultaneously both similar to and different from one another in many ways. These
similarities and differences exist both within and across cultures. There are real
differences between the ways members of various cultures communicate; members
of Arab cultures communicate more differently than members of Asian cultures.
However, when we focus on differences among cultures we run the risk of
stereotyping others.

4. Static-dynamic. This dialectic examines the fact that culture and communication
patterns are both static and dynamic. Some cultural and communication patterns are
relatively stable, while at the same time, cultures are evolving and changing. While
cultures are influenced by the proliferation of new technologies, they will adapt these
technologies to their cultural patterns and values. For example, a study by Lee (2000)
found that email use in Korea was influenced by the Confucian dynamism cultural
value dimension which emphasizes respect for elders and a strict adherence to social
order. Most employees working in a virtual office environment in Korea did not use
email to communicate with their superiors, because they felt it did not convey the
appropriate level of respect to one’s boss (Lee, 2000).

5. History/past-present/future. This dialectic refers to the need to be aware of both

present conditions and historical influences as they affect intercultural
communication. For example, it is not enough to understand the current situation of
North African Muslims in France, which has the highest percentage of Muslims of any
European nation. The unassimilated French Muslims are a major source of recruitment
for Al-Qadea, which always searches for supporters among the alienated and poor
Muslim communities around the world. To fully appreciate the current situation of the
European Muslims (especially those in France), we must also have an understanding
of how North African Muslim communities have developed in Europe and the factors
that have shaped the interactions among these groups and their host countries.

6. Privilege-disadvantage. This dialectic addresses the contradiction that individuals

may be simultaneously privileged and disadvantaged. Individuals may have power
because of their social, economic or political status, and may be privileged because
of their position, just as others may be disadvantaged because of their lack of social,
economic or political power.
 21

However, an individual may have a privileged status in some contexts but may
also be disadvantaged in others. In some situations, an individual may simultaneously
be privileged and disadvantaged. An international student in England may be
privileged and disadvantaged at the same time. He/she may be privileged to have the
opportunity to study abroad, but he/she may be simultaneously disadvantaged if
he/she faces prejudice within the UK.

Improving Intercultural Communication

Do you find the topics a bit heavy or the challenge of communicating daunting? Fret
not, here are some tips for you to improve your intercultural communication competence:

1. Engage in Mindfulness. Mindfulness means paying attention to what is going on in

the present moment without judgement. Here are the steps to achieve this:
a. Trust your direct and immediate experience.
b. Be patient. Be willing to observe and describe what is happening without bias.
c. Accept things as is

2. Pay attention to your words and actions. It is through thoughtful communication

with others that you become aware of your own thinking patterns, assumptions,
perceptions, prejudices, and biases.

3. Control your assumptions.

4. Engage in transpection. Instead of assuming, take a moment to relax and reflect.

Transpection is the process of empathizing across cultures. It can only by achieved by
practice and requires structured experience and self-reflection.

5. Gain knowledge. The greater you cultural and linguistic knowledge, and the more
your beliefs overlap with those from other cultures, the less likelihood for
misunderstandings.

6. Gain experience. Practice makes perfect.

 22

End of Module Evaluation: Case

To wrap-up your learning for this module, do a case study on intercultural communication.
You may pick only one scenario. The format for the case study can be found in the
appendices of this module. Should you wish to submit a hard copy, please pass it at the
designated drop boxes on or before deadline. Similarly, you may submit a digital copy
through email.

In this assessment, you will be assigned to a group of five. The report should only
be 5-15 pages including the references. Each member of your group will focus on writing
one part of the report. You need to make sure that all the parts fit cohesively. Do not just
copy paste. A group will be randomly picked to present a summary of your report in class.
Hence, all groups must prepare a presentation for the result of your case study. You will
also submit a copy of your presentation.

Case 1: Cultural challenges and potential conflicts arising from a marriage between 2
different religion
Case 2: Clothing styles in an intercultural setting
Case 3: Culture Shock in an Educational Setting or Environment
Case 4: Communication and collaboration in the new normal
Case 5: Having to work with a stranger with an unknown background

To help you with your case study, here are some guide:
I. Narrate your or other people’s encounter or experience of the case you chose.
II. Identify the intercultural challenges in the experience.
III. Enumerate and explain the strategies you used to solve or circumvent the
problem.
IV. What are your learnings or reflections of the encounter and how will you use it
in your everyday life?
Note: As this is an academic paper, you will be given extra points if your statements are
supported by sources. Do not rely heavily on opinion.
 23

REFERENCES
Baxter, B. (2018, July 31). The impact of globalization on communication & education. Retrieved from
Medium: https://medium.com/highvibe-network/the-impact-of-globalization-on-communication-
education-ready-
67524c55cfc2#:~:text=While%20globalization%2C%20or%20communication%20between,and%20le
arn%20in%20fascinating%20ways.&text=Another%20wonderful%20benefit%20of%20
Borlongan, Ariane Macalinga and Lim, JooHyuk. 2012. Distinctive features of Philippine English: A meta-
synthesis of corpus-based studies. Poster presented at the 33rd ICAME Conference, May 30-
June 3, 2012, Louvain, Belgium.
Chen, G. M., & Starosta, W. J. (1998). Foundations of intercultural communication: Boston, MA: Allyn &
Bacon.
Flammia, M. &. (2011). Intrcultural Communication from an Interdisciplinary Perspective. US-China
Education Review, Vol. 8, No.1, 103-109.
Gleaner, J. (2017, January 17). Language Registers and Language Varieties. Retrieved from pressreader:
https://www.pressreader.com/jamaica/jamaica-gleaner/20170117/282750586433943
Hybels, S. &. (2009). Communicating Effectively 9th Edition. McGraw-Hill Education.
Nordquist, R. (2020, January 23). Definition and Examples of Language Varieties. Retrieved from ThoughtCo.:
https://www.thoughtco.com/language-variety-sociolinguistics-1691100
Pascal. (2017, July 13). 8 Causes of Miscommunication and Misunderstanding. Retrieved from Userlike:
https://www.userlike.com/en/blog/causes-of-miscommunication
Wenfang, C. (2011, April). Different Models of English as an International Language and Their
Implications for Teaching Non-English Majors. Chinese Journal of Applied Linguistics , 5-17.
World Health Organization. (2020). Globalization. Retrieved from World Health Organization:
https://www.who.int/topics/globalization/en/
youmatter. (2020, May 20). Globalization: Definition, Benefits, Effects, Examples - What is Globalization.
Retrieved from youmatter: https://youmatter.world/en/definition/definitions-globalization-
definition-benefits-effects-examples/
https://www.edb.gov.hk/attachment/en/edu-system/primary-secondary/applicable-to-
secondary/moi/support-and-resources/personal-social-and-humanities-education-secondary-1-
to-3/s3%20topic%205%20introduction%20to%20globalization.pdf
https://www.boredpanda.com/feminism-gender-equality
comics/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic
http://www.conestogac.on.ca/intercultural-communication/approach
 24

About the Author

Febe Keith P. Jumoc is a resident faculty at the School of Teacher Education. She is an
experienced module writer passionate about educational administration and
communication in the workplace. With a Master's degree in Education, majoring in
Administration and Supervision, she is pursuing a Ph.D. in Development Management
focusing on Educational Administration. Her expertise lies in educational administration,
and specializes in communication, organizational development, and organizational
behavior. Other modules written by her include Research, Thesis Guide, Teaching Music
in Elementary Grades, and Reading Visual Arts. With a solid commitment to helping
students excel in their communication abilities, her motivation lies in empowering
individuals to become adept communicators in various contexts. She believes effective
communication is vital for personal and professional success. She is dedicated to sharing
her knowledge and expertise through her modules.
1
 2

Preface
This module describes the performance outcomes, skills and
knowledge required to communicate in the workplace. It includes gathering,
conveying and receiving information together with completing routine
written correspondence. Apply effective communication strategies and a
range of routine workplace communication tasks using a limited range of
practical skills in conveying ideas through textual, oral. audio-visual, and/or
web-based presentations for various audiences in a defined context under
direct supervision or with limited individual responsibility.

Specifically, the module will cover the following lessons:

Lesson 7: Writing Effectively at the Workplace

Lesson 8: Workplace documents and forms

Lesson 9: The Job Application

 3

Table of Contents

Page Content
Lesson 1
1 Writing Effectively at Work

Lesson 2
12 Workplace Documents and Forms

Lesson 3
21 The Job Application
 1

Writing Effectively at
Lesson 1
Work

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
 present written information and ideas in clear and concise language;
 draft and present correspondence within designated timelines;
 effectively write workplace documentation in a clear, concise and easy to
read format meeting organizational standards of style, format and
accuracy

Introduction

There are many situations at work when you will need to communicate in
writing.
You might need to complete forms, write letters, take notes or send emails. The
better you can express yourself in writing, the more effective you will be.
Good writing is clear, easy to read, easy to understand and tells the reader
exactly what they need to know.
(Communicate in the Workplace, 2012)
 2

To make your writing effective:

 use short sentences, because they are easier to read than long ones
 Use the ‘active voice’, which tells the reader who does what, for example ‘the driver will
unload the bricks’. Using the ‘passive voice’ to write the same thing requires a longer and
more complicated sentence, for example ‘the bricks will be unloaded by the driver’.
 Use as few words as possible; only include the relevant information
 Use simple everyday language and avoid technical terms (jargon) unless you are writing
for a specialist in the field and you know that they will understand.
(Communicate in the Workplace, 2012)

Activity 8.1. Using short sentences

This part of a letter includes very long sentences. Rewrite it by breaking the long
sentences into several shorter ones. Try to include only one idea in each sentence. You
may have to rearrange or change some of the words

Dear Mr. Perez:

We have identified unsatisfactory performance by your company, Perez Janitorial

Services, in the failure to maintain order and disposal of waste within the factory working
area specially during week long manufacturing of rush items for exportation which is a
breach of the cleaning schedule and contract which specifies this will be done as part of
the deep clean that your team does so your company will need to revisit the site to perform
any work necessary to maintain the standard of service required under the terms of the
contract that you agreed to. This must be done before the 15th June and if no action has
been taken by then from your company, we will take action against your company Stella
Cleaning as specified in Clause 27B of your contract.

_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
 3

Activity 8.2. Active voice

This email between workmates uses the ‘passive voice’. Change the email to use the
‘active voice’. You may have to rearrange or change some of the words

Hi James

This morning I was contacted by the Mrs. Santos. Delivery on the week of the 3rd has
now been confirmed by her. The goods will be signed for by the stocks supervisor.
Secure storage of the goods will also be the responsibility of the stocks supervisor.
Thanks,

Lou

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________
 4

Activity 8.3. Make it Simple

This message uses more words than it needs to and includes information that isn’t
required. Rewrite the message including only the relevant details.

Lito phoned this morning, around 12 nn while you were out at the staff lunch. He
is pretty annoyed because the item he ordered was not the one that arrived in his
apartment and he needs the item badly. (Apparently, he ordered navy blue polo shirt but
it was yellow in color. He wants to know: could you please call him back before 2 pm if
possible because he has to use this evening for a reunion party in Margosatubig so he will
be travelling at exactly 3 pm and he cannot wait beyond that time?
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

Activity 8.4. The Simpler the Better

Simplify the following sentences, without losing the meaning. The first one has been done
for you as an example.

Utilise the computer Use the computer

Seek for assistance when transferring

Be aware of the live wire in close proximity

He is very proficient in writing.

In the process of speeding up, use simple

words
 5

Always seal your writing with a KISS

(Keep It Short and Simple)

Using correct and complete information

Correct and complete information should be included. This entails double‑checking things
like getting relevant contact details, reference numbers, addresses, and phone numbers. In
addition, spelling and grammar matters in correctness of the information. As you complete the
information below, correct the spelling and grammar.

Activity 8.4 Complete the Message

Randy:

Liza from Mlave dropped into the offise. She wants you to check delivered supplies for the JC
Advertising and let her no about the turpolin. She thinks they miht not be prscrbe color. Call
her.

_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

Professionalism
Being courteous is a part of professionalism. This means showing respect, being polite and
tactful. This also involves being sensitive with
the feelings of your reader, as this will affect
in taking message being delivered.

Your reader cannot see your facial

expressions, hear the tone of your voice; they
only read your written messages. Thus, less
tact with words will project
unprofessionalism.

newyorkpuzzlecompany.com
 6

Activity 8.5 Being Polite

Rewrite each of these sentences in a way that is more positive, tactful or polite. Be careful
not to lose the meaning of the sentence. The first one has been done for you as an
example.

You are the manager. Take responsibility of As the manager, you are responsible for
your failures to provide reports providing reports.

Pay your bill due now. An invoice was sent to

you last 15th August.

Complete client contact details when

emailing. Be professional and do not make
the same mistake.

SEE ME RIGHT AWAY WHEN YOU ARRIVE IN

THE OFFICE!!!

Our manager is too busy to attend to meet

you right now.

The writing processes

It’s important that anybody who reads information that you write can understand it.
Your writing needs to be clear, concise and logical.

plan before edit and check

draft
you write your work

(Communicate in the Workplace, 2012, p.55)

 7

Activity 8.6 Planning your writing

Scan the following three pieces of writing (an email, a message and a memo). Complete
the table by answering the questions Answer the questions below, which the writer would
have thought about before writing each one. Then complete the table.

Private
message via Source: STE Group Chat, 2020
messenger

Email via
yahoo

Source: Molanda, yahoo mail, 2020

Source: dummies.com
Memo
 8

Activity 8.7 Drafting a Letter

This is a list of points that have been raised by different people in the office. Your
manager has asked you to draft a letter to your workmates based on these points. To start
drafting the letter, first cross out irrelevant or repeated information, then group the points
by subject, then arrange them in a logical order. Using the groups of points that you created,
concentrate on creating logical sentences and paragraphs, remember to include a
beginning, middle and end, and above all, keep in mind the purpose or aim of the letter.

Private message via Email via yahoo Memo

messenger

Why was it
written?

Who was it
written for?

When would
it be required?

Was a template
or form used?

es are not kept up to date.

Dishwasher is never emptied.
Information on forms sometimes missing.
There are a few housekeeping issues to be addressed in the office and lunchroom areas.
Handwritten forms are sometimes illegible.
New information about jobs is left in car or on desk, not placed in job files.
Information on forms is incomplete and details not checked.
Management happy with performance in the year so far, but there are a few simple
things which we could do better.
Forms are not complete.
Accurate and up-to-date job files are vital to providing good service to our clients.
Old food is left in fridge which now smells.
Files are not put away in filing cabinet after use.
Staff are urged to return items to their locations after use.
Sink area is dirty and sink has dirty plates left in it.
 9

Write the groupings of information here.

Write your draft letter on the space provided.

Before making your final letter, EDIT & CHECK your work
 10

Mastery Test

Using the groups of points that you created in Activity 8.7 write the letter in the
space below.
Concentrate on creating courteous, precise, logical sentences and paragraphs,
remember to include a beginning, middle and end, and above all, keep in mind the purpose
or aim of the letter. Use the space provided below.
 11

Self-Check

Editing and checking gives your work a professional finish. Mistakes in written
communication distract the reader and reflect badly on you and the organization. Check that
there are no spelling errors or incorrect words, that nothing is missing, and that the
information flows smoothly when read. No matter what the subject is, think about whether it
is polite and courteous. If necessary, ask someone else to read your work and give feedback.

The following checklist is a useful guide to editing and checking your writing.

Editing Checklist

This piece of writing is: Yes No

Clear
I have used simple everyday language
The words will be familiar to the reader
The sentences are short
I have used the active rather than the passive voice

Concise
The ideas are expressed simply
I have removed all unnecessary words and phrases
All the information is relevant

Courteous
It is courteous
It is positive
I have checked that nothing could offend anyone
I have checked that none of the sentences could be
misinterpreted or ‘taken the wrong way’

Accurate and complete

The spelling, punctuation and grammar are correct
All the information is accurate
No information is missing
I have checked that details, such as dates, times, phone numbers
and spelling of names, are correct
 12

Workplace Documents
Lesson 2
and Forms

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
 illustrate actual effective writing of workplace documents such as emails,
notes, text messages, memorandums, and letters

Introduction

Workplace documents and forms are delivered depending on the nature and purpose. In
this lesson, you will be engaged into actual workplace writing of emails, messages and notes,
text messages, memorandums, and letters with the application of your previous learning from
lesson 8 writing effectively at work.
 13

Workplace documents and forms

There are different types of written communication you may need to use at work and
most types have a specific format. Common workplace documents and forms include:
• emails
• messages and notes
• text messages
• memorandums
• letters

Emails at work

Emails at work are very different to personal emails. Personal emails are usually chatty
and informal, very similar to talking face to face. At work, we need to maintain a professional
approach at all times, including in emails. Remember that email creates a permanent record that
can’t be erased. Your workplace may have formal rules about emails, which you need to locate
and read.
(Communicate in the Workplace, 2012)

Emails should always include the:

Sender’s
sender’sEmail
emailaddress
address

Receiver’s
reciever’sName
name

message
Message

Sender’s
sender’sContact Details
details

Attachments,
attachmentsif ifany
needed
 14

Like any other written communication- emails

need to be planned, drafted and edited.

Activity 9.1 Write an email

Use the following information to write an email to a client.

You work for RJM Construction.

You have previously spoken to Liza from Stella’s Kitchen Designs asking her to provide you
with a quote for kitchen cabinets for the Mrs. Ramirez’ job.
The letter and quotation you requested arrived yesterday.
You would like them to go ahead with the cabinets.
You have had some ideas for minor changes and would like to meet with Liza tomorrow to
discuss them.
You are available at 2 pm.
Tomorrow you will be at the city office.
If Liza can’t come then, can she please suggest another time by the end of today?
\ You are only available in the afternoons.
Liza’s email address is [email protected]
Your email address is your name, with the extension @rjmconstruction.com.phil
 15

Activity 9.2 Jot down a message

A client left a message thru a recorded audio in your company Facebook

messenger. Listen to it while jotting down important details in the message form.
Accomplish the form found in the next page.
 16

MESSAGE
To:
Department/Office:
Date: Time:
While you were out…
Caller’s name: Phone number:

Caller’s company:

Returned your call Words to meet with you

Please return call Dropped by
Will call again Urgent
Message:

Taken by: Date:

Text messages at work

Text messages are becoming a more common part of workplace communications. If texting is
a part of your workplace communications, keep them professional.
Some good rules to follow are:
 don’t use emoticons (smileys) – they are too informal
 avoid abbreviations as much as possible
 don’t use internet slang, such as LOL
 punctuate your message
 use correct spelling.

Only use text messaging if you know it is acceptable in your workplace. If you aren’t sure,
check first.

(Communicate in the Workplace, 2012

 17

Activity 9.3 Professional Texting

A client left a message thru a recorded audio in your company Facebook messenger.
Listen to it while jotting down important details in the message form. Accomplish the form
found in the next page.

Enhanced in a
Text Message
professional version
Rcvd ur address details

Frwdd co. profile. Hope 2 hear fr u soon

Pls confirm ur attendance 4 tmrw’s meeting.
No worries. I’ll be der.
Fyi, emailed rquested docs

Sori, I’ll be late in the meeting

Tnx 4 ur advs

Memorandums

A memorandum, or memo for short, is a way of communicating something to a lot of people

within an organization at once. It may be sent as an email or printed out and distributed.
Although memos might be seen by many people and may also be kept on file, they are less
formal than a letter, so they don’t normally include a letterhead, address, salutation or signature.
Your workplace may have a specific memo template. Word-processing programs also have a
standard template that you can use.
Headings that should be included at the top of a memo are:
 18

Letters
Letters are a formal type of written communication. Common types of letters include:
• inquiries
• replies to letters
• responses to sales queries
• orders
• complaints
• job applications.

A letter is a permanent record that will often be kept. It will sometimes be the first
contact that you have with clients and suppliers. Therefore, it’s important that
your letter us well written and communicates your message clearly and
effectively.

Activity 9.4 Circulate a Memo

Make a memo informing the employees in all departments about the general
meeting with the president of the company. Put the relevant information they need to know
answering the what, when, and where. Write the president’s name in ‘From:’

Memorandum

To:
From:
Date:
Subject:
____________________________________________________

In all types of document writing, do the process of planning, drafting,

editing and checking your work.
 19

Mastery Test

Check what you’ve learned about memos, faxes and letters by identifying what
type of workplace document each of the following statements is referring to.

1. A ________________ does not necessarily include include a letterhead,

address, salutation or signature.
2. __________________ a document with an informal way of passing information.
3. One type of letter is a/an _______________________.
4. In writing a ________________________, sender’s details are written at the
bottom.
5. Emoticons are too informal even writing a ___________________.

Self-Check

As you have worked through this module, check your progress. Where you
understand something and think that you can perform it ‘easily’, congratulations. Where
your response is ‘with help’ – revise the material in that section and/or discuss it with your
facilitator Complete workplace forms and documentation in a clear, concise and easy to read
format.

With
Workplace documentation and correspondence Easily
help
Present written information and ideas in clear and concise
language to ensure the intended meaning of correspondence
is understood by recipient

Draft and present correspondence within designated timelines

Ensure presentation of written information meets

organisational standards of style, format and accuracy

Complete workplace forms and documentation in a clear,

concise and easy to read format
 20

Self-Check

Editing and checking gives your work a professional finish. Mistakes in written
communication distract the reader and reflect badly on you and the organization. Check that
there are no spelling errors or incorrect words, that nothing is missing, and that the
information flows smoothly when read. No matter what the subject is, think about whether it
is polite and courteous. If necessary, ask someone else to read your work and give feedback.

The following checklist is a useful guide to editing and checking your writing.

Editing Checklist

This piece of writing is: Yes No

Clear
I have used simple everyday language
The words will be familiar to the reader
The sentences are short
I have used the active rather than the passive voice

Concise
The ideas are expressed simply
I have removed all unnecessary words and phrases
All the information is relevant

Courteous
It is courteous
It is positive
I have checked that nothing could offend anyone
I have checked that none of the sentences could be
misinterpreted or ‘taken the wrong way’

Accurate and complete

The spelling, punctuation and grammar are correct
All the information is accurate
No information is missing
I have checked that details, such as dates, times, phone numbers
and spelling of names, are correct
 21

Lesson 3 The Job Application

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
 Identify the steps in the job application process.
 Exhibit written communication skills in drafting a resume and cover letter
 Demonstrative effective oral communication skills in a mock job interview

Introduction

In this lesson, you will be introduced to the Job Application Process. In general,
there are two phases involved: writing the application papers which consist mainly of a
cover letter and a resume; and sitting for an interview. Your end output for this lesson
is to undergo a mock job application from start to finish. But fret not, you will be guided
and be given tips and tricks to make the process seamless.
 22

The Job Application Process

The end-goal for most students is to secure a job that can sustain our living. You see
many a fresh graduate scramble through the Ads looking for a job. It is then essential that you
develop the necessary skills to ace the job application.

Depending on the company you are applying for, the process can be long or short.
Below is a quick overview of the process which commonly occurs.

Step 1: Step 2: Step 3: Step 4:

Job Search Writing the Job  Document Review Job Interview
Application  Shortlisting of Applicants

Step 6: Step 5:
Job Offer/Contract Battery of Tests
Signing Step 4:
Job Interview
Step 1: Job Search
Job application can be intimidating and exhausting. It would be easier to deal
with all these anxiety and unwanted feelings if you know how the process works. We
will begin with the first step. All job application starts from job search. You may start
with the ads found in the newspapers or the net. You may even try to avail of job
search websites such as Jobstreet, LinkedIn, Government websites and etc. You may
also begin by asking your network of friends, family, and acquaintances.

The first thing that you are going to look at is the job description (JD). It is a
document that “summarizes the essential responsibilities, activities, qualifications, and
skills for a role.” It consists of four main parts: a targeted job title, an overview of the
company, a bulleted list of key responsibilities, and a list of required skills and
qualifications (Indeed, 2020). Job descriptions contain clues about what the
organization is truly looking for. It may also give hints about the organizational culture
and other important details that could influence your decision to apply.
To make an informed decision whether a job is for you, you must assess
yourself with the following six considerations:
1) Passion and interest for the work (does it excite you?)
2) Skill set required (do you have it?)
3) Industry characteristics (does the industry have growth potential?)
4) Stage of development (Does the pace and culture appeal to you?)
 23

5) The commitment level required (does it fit your desired lifestyle?)

6) Your own personal vulnerabilities (does the job and the environment avoid or
trigger your inherent derailment tendencies?) (Cast, 2020)

Activity 3.1 Assessing Oneself

Look up in the net for Job Postings. List at least 3 companies that your interested
in. Using the 6 considerations given previously, come up with a decision whether the job is
for you or not and explain why. You may use the format below as a guide:
Company Position Does it Do I Does the Does Does it fit Does the job Decision
Available excite have the industry the my trigger my (apply
me? skill set have pace lifestyle? inherent or not?)
they growth and negative
require? potential? culture tendencies?
appeal
to me?
1.
2.
3.

Step 2: Writing the Job Application

After you’ve decided on the company where you will apply, the next step is to prepare
the necessary documents for the application. The requirement usually includes an application
letter, a resume or curriculum vitae, school records, and other supporting documents. Some
companies may require portfolios which is primarily a compilation of evidences of what you
have achieved so far and what you can do. In this section, you will be learning more about the
application or cover letter and the resume or the curriculum vitae.

The Cover/Application Letter

The cover letter serves as a personal introduction. It is the document where you can
sell yourself to the employer. It contains the basic parts of a business letter. It has a
beginning, a middle, and an ending. It should tell a good story about yourself.

Your cover letter must cover the essentials like:

1. Your Contact Information

a. Full Name
b. Full Address
c. Contact Number
d. Email Address

2. Prospective Employer’s Contact information

Get your salutation right and address your cover letter to the right person.
Research about the company so that your letter will be precise. Going beyond the general
 24

position title and getting the name specific personalizes your application and can send it
to the top of the pile.

3. First Paragraph
First impressions almost always last. Hence, you have to hook your reader at the first
paragraph. Start the paragraph by identifying the position you’re applying for and state
how you heard about the job. You may mention referrals if it is relevant to the job you
are applying to. Do not forget to pitch yourself early in the letter. Explain why you are fit
for the job. No emoticons please.

4. 2nd-3rd Paragraph
Once you got the reader’s attention, you may expound more on why you should be
chosen. List the highlights of your qualifications and relevant skills and cite instances that
showcase your experience. You may want to state the reason why you want to work for
the company. Avoid mentioning complaints about your previous work or school as it
leaves a negative impression.

5. Final Paragraph
The last paragraph summarizes your letter and seals the deal. You may ask for the
schedule of interview and restate your desire to work for the company.

6. Closing
Keep your final words brief and professional.

Activity 3.2 Write right!

Below are some statements for each segment of the cover letter. Check the box of
the correct way of writing it.

Your Contact Information Your Contact Information

Ms. Febe Febe Keith P. Jumoc

Pagadian City Urro St., Balangasan, Pagadian City
222.123.234 09231234567
febekeith@gmail [email protected]

Prospective Employer’s Contact Prospective Employer’s Contact

Information Information

Jane Doe, Hiring Manager

President The Seven Company
Riverdale University Bance Building
34 Hamilton St., Vancouver, Canada

1st Paragraph 1st Paragraph

 25

I am submitting my application Please hire me for whatever available

documents for consideration for the position at your company. My friends,
Instructor 1 position advertised in who are working in your company,
JobStreet on October 20, 2020. My told me that you are hiring. I am very
three years of experience as a hardworking. You can ask my friends
volunteer teacher make me an ideal about my skills. =)
candidate for this position.
2nd – 3rd Paragraph 2nd – 3rd Paragraph

During my time as a volunteer As a child, I have always dreamed of

teacher, I have made significant being a teacher. I have done a lot of
contribution to the organization modules and I’d like a change.
where I worked in. I was able to help
in making modules which are stillThere’s a lot I can do. I can document
used to this day. I am honored and
and make paperwork, but I would like
proud to be mentored by the best to create videos more. I heard that
teachers in the province. The Seven Company has good
employee benefits and the
I want to work with Riverdale employees are kept happy. No
University because you have been wonder you are one of the Top 100
heralded as one of the Top 100 companies in the county.
Universities in the country.

Final Paragraph Final Paragraph

Attached is my resume, which I believe I have what it takes to do

includes additional leadership and the job you posted. If you want to
related experiences. I believe that my know more about me, please reach
skills and experience are an excellent me on Mondays and Fridays after
fit for the job. I am looking forward to office hours.
the opportunity to meet with you for
an interview.

Closing Closing

Hugs and Kisses, Sincerely,

Miss Febe Febe Keith P. Jumoc

In the next page is the anatomy of a cover letter. There’s a lot of ways in writing it but
the essential parts remain. According to the 2017 Job Seeker Nation Study, 74% of recruiters
don’t read cover letters. But half of the employers prefer candidates who submit a cover letter.
The following are tips to get your cover letter noticed:

Content

 Arrange points in a logical sequence; organize each paragraph around a main point.
 Keep your letter clean by using basic fonts like Arial, Calibri, Georgia, Verdana, and
Times New Roman. Maintain the font size to 10 pts or 12pts for readability.
 26

 Use standard margins having 1” for all sides.

 Include words indicative of positive traits like “results oriented”, “team player”, and
others.
 Avoid Typos and other grammatical errors. This usually indicates sloppiness and
laziness. Make sure to run a grammar check prior to submission.
 Keep it to a single page. The ideal length for a cover letter is on page.
 Show personality. See to it that when prospective employers read your letter, they see
you. Be you. Don’t just copy.
 Focus on training instead of results. As an entry level, it would be best to indicate how
you took proactive steps to build experience rather than faking results.
 Address your letter to an actual person.

Format/Aesthetics

Even before the employer reads the content, your cover letter will be scanned for its
face value. Here are some tips on Cover Letter Format:

 Cover Letter Heading – Aim to include your contact details in this area

Source: https://cultivatedculture.com/cover-letter/
 27

 Font – Your font choice impacts the perception of an author. You better pick a good
one.

Source: https://cultivatedculture.com/cover-letter/

Writing the Resume

The term resume comes from the French and means a “summary”. It is what resume
exactly is. A resume is a summary of your qualifications, skills, and achievements. It showcases
what you have done in the past - the skills and training you acquired, the work experiences,
your educational background, and most importantly your accomplishments. Some of the
functions of a resume are:

1) It communicates your career objectives to your prospective employer.

2) It advertises you to your future employer. It can also be used as a calling card.
3) It prepares you for the interview by organizing details about yourself.
 28

4) It helps assess yourself whether you are fit for the job or not.
5) It can also be used as a calling card. (Rogue Community College, 2020)

When you start thinking of resume other similar terms come to mind. Resume is often
confused with Biodata and Curriculum Vitae or CV. The proceeding illustration shows the
content and purpose for each of the terms.

Resources

Communicate in The Workplace (2012). Government of Western Australia, Department of

Training and Workforce Development, Central Institute of Technology and the Building
and Construction Industry Training Fund. Retrieved from
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0.
 29

About the Authors

An English instructor in the School of Teacher Education and School of Criminal Justice
Education. Co-author of the Contemporary World and Technical Writing modules. Had taken
Master's Degree in English focused on Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
(TESOL) at Silliman University, Dumaguete, and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics at the
University of Santo Tomas, Manila. Research author of Investigating Students' Perceptions
of Teachers' Feedback in an Online English Class; co-authors of Scaffolding Remote
Learning: A Phenomenological Study of Parents' Experiences in Times of Pandemic, and
Evaluation on the Implementation of Solid Waste Management (SWM) Practices in Selected
Areas of Zamboanga del Sur. Institutionally designated as School of Graduate Studies
Secretary and Campus Secretary.

Febe Keith P. Jumoc is a resident faculty at the School of Teacher Education. She is an
experienced module writer passionate about educational administration and
communication in the workplace. With a Master's degree in Education, majoring in
Administration and Supervision, she is pursuing a Ph.D. in Development Management
focusing on Educational Administration. Her expertise lies in educational administration,
and specializes in communication, organizational development, and organizational
behavior. Other modules written by her include Research, Thesis Guide, Teaching Music
in Elementary Grades, and Reading Visual Arts. With a solid commitment to helping
students excel in their communication abilities, her motivation lies in empowering
individuals to become adept communicators in various contexts. She believes effective
communication is vital for personal and professional success. She is dedicated to sharing
her knowledge and expertise through her modules.
1
 2

Preface
This module describes the performance outcomes, skills and
knowledge required to communicate in the workplace. It includes
gathering, conveying and receiving information together with completing
routine written correspondence. Apply effective communication strategies
and a range of routine workplace communication tasks using a limited
range of practical skills in conveying ideas through textual, oral. audio-
visual, and/or web-based presentations for various audiences in a defined
context under direct supervision or with limited individual responsibility.

Specifically, the module will cover the following lessons:

Lesson 10: Informative, Persuasive, and Argumentative

Communication
Lesson 11: Preparing and Delivering the Report/Speech/Talk

Lesson 12: Blog/Vlog

 3

Table of Contents

Page Content
Lesson 1
1 Informative, Persuasive, and
Argumentative Communication

Lesson 2
10 Preparing and Delivering the
Report/Speech/Talk

Lesson 3
16 Communication and Technology
 1

Informative,
Persuasive, and
Lesson 10
Argumentative
Communication

Learning Outcomes
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
1. Understand the principles and characteristics of informative,
persuasive, and argumentative communication.
2. Write a script for a campaign pitch of an advocacy of your choice
applying effective strategies for organizing and delivering informative
and persuasive messages.

Introduction

We encounter different types of messages from the time we were born until we die.
As we grow old, we decipher that communicative messages are meant to move us in certain
ways. Some would inform us, some persuades, and some challenges or argues with what we
believe. Regardless of the purpose, there are just some messages that are more effective in
eliciting reactions from us. For example, you can easily distinguish boring lecturers from those
engaging teachers. Similarly, you may have met a persuasive salesperson that ultimately
influenced you to buy their products. As communicators, whether senders or receivers of
messages, it is important that we are able to differentiate between informative, persuasive,
and argumentative messages and know how to create and deliver them.
 2

Informative Communication

By definition, informative communication is the process of imparting

knowledge or conveying information to an audience. It often used in educational
settings, business environments, and public spaces. In the workplace, it is the
sharing of information between people in an unbiased and professional manner. It
can be formal or casual in tone, direct or indirect in structure, and short or long,
depending on the situation or context.

Situations Requiring Informative Communication:

1. Public lecture

2. Status Report

3. The Briefing (telling members of a group about changes in policy or

procedure)

4. The fireside chats (a group leader addressing concerns)

5. The chalk talk (talking with visual aids)

6. Speeches
a. Definitional Speeches – In this type of speech, the speaker informs
the audience about the meaning of concepts, theories, philosophies,
or issues that may be unfamiliar to the audience. They point out a
concept's unique and distinguishing properties or boundaries in a
particular context (Rinehart, 2002).
b. Descriptive Speeches - Descriptive speech is a detailed, vivid word
picture of a person, animal, place, or object. Audiences should clearly
envision the subject (Osborn & Osborn, 1991).
c. Explanatory Speeches - Explanatory speeches focus on reports of
current and historical events, customs, transformations, inventions,
policies, outcomes, and options. It is less concerned with appealing to
the senses than connecting the topic to a series of related other
subjects to enhance a deep understanding (McKerrow, Gronbeck,
Ehninger, & Monroe, 2000).
d. Demonstration Speeches - A demonstration speech shows listeners
how some process is accomplished or how to perform it themselves.
Demonstration speeches can be challenging to write because the
process may involve several objects, a set of tools, materials, or
several related relationships or events (Rinehart, 200beforertheless,
these types of speeches provide the greatest opportunity for audience
members to get involved or apply the information later.
 3

Organizational Patterns for Informative Speeches

1. Chronological Pattern –explaining how something occurred over a period of

time. (Ex. Procedures, life events, etc.)

Topic: Oprah Winfrey (Chronological Pattern)

Thesis: Oprah’s career can be understood by four key, interconnected life

stages.

Preview: First, let’s look at Oprah’s early life. Then, we will look at her early
career, followed by her years during the Oprah Winfrey show. Finally, we will
explore what she is doing now.

I. Oprah’s childhood was spent in rural Mississippi, where she

endured sexual abuse from family members
II. Stints on local radio and television networks in Nashville and
Chicago characterized Oprah’s early career.
III. Oprah’s tenure as host of the Oprah Winfrey Show began in
1986 and lasted until 2011, a period of time marked by much
success.
IV. Oprah’s most recent media venture is OWN: The Oprah Winfrey
Network, which plays host to a variety of television shows
including Oprah’s Next Chapter.

2. Spatial Pattern – describing the physical or directional relationship between

objects. The spatial style is an especially useful organization pattern when
the main point’s importance is derived from its location or directional focus.
Things can be described from top to bottom, inside to outside, left to right,
north to south, and so on.
Topic: The Philippines (Spatial Pattern)

Thesis: The Philippines is composed of three major island groups known as

Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

I. Luzon is the largest and most important of the Philippine

islands. Located on the northern part of the Philippine
archipelago, it is bounded by the Philippine Sea (east), Sibuyan
Sea (south), and the South China Sea (west).
II. Visayan Islands, also called Visayas or Bisayas, island group,
central Philippines. The Visayan group consists of seven large
and several hundred smaller islands. They make up the central
group of the Philippine archipelago
III. Mindanao Island is the second largest (after Luzon) in the
Philippines. It is located in the southern part of the country. The
island is marked by peninsulas and is heavily indented by the
Davao and Moro gulfs in the south and by Iligan Bay in the
north.
 4

3. Topical Pattern – When the main points of your speech center on ideas that
are more distinct from one another, a topical organization pattern may be
used. In a topical speech, main points are developed according to the
different aspects, subtopics, or topics within an overall topic.
Topic: Student Services at College of the Canyons

Thesis and Preview: College of the Canyons has five important student
services, which include the library, TLC, Student Development Office, ASG
Computer Lab, and Financial Aid.

I. The library can be accessed five days a week and online and has
many books, periodicals, and other resources to use.
II. The TLC has subject tutors, computers, and study rooms
available to use six days.
III. The Student Development Office is a place that assists students
with their ID cards, but also provides students with discount
tickets and other student related needs.
IV. The ASG computer lab is open for students to use for several
hours a day, as well as to print up to 15 pages a day for free.
V. Financial Aid is one of the busiest offices on campus, offering
students a multitude of methods by which they can supplement
their personal finances paying for both tuition and books.

4. Causal Pattern – A causal speech informs audience members about causes

and effects that have already happened with respect to some condition,
event, etc.

Topic: Northridge Earthquake

Thesis: The Northridge earthquake was a devastating event that was caused
by an unknown fault and resulted in the loss of life and billions of dollars of
damage.

Option 1: Cause-effect pattern

I. The Northridge earthquake was caused by a fault that was

previously unknown and located nine miles beneath Northridge.
II. The Northridge earthquake resulted in the loss of 57 lives and over
40 billion dollars of damage in Northridge and surrounding
communities.

Option 2: Effect-cause pattern

I. The Northridge earthquake resulted in the loss of 57 lives and over

40 billion dollars of damage in Northridge and surrounding
communities.
II. The Northridge earthquake was caused by a fault that was
previously unknown and located nine miles beneath Northridge.
 5

Organizational patterns help organize thoughts and speech content in such a way that it
makes sense to the audience. In addition, it makes the conceptualization and writing
process easier.

Persuasive Communication

Persuasion is the process of creating, reinforcing, or changing people’s beliefs or

actions. The claim is the statement that will be supported by evidence. The evidence,
also termed as grounds, supports the claim. The warrant is the underlying justification
that connects the claim and the evidence.

Elements of Persuasion (Aristotle)

1. Ethos – the Greek word for “character”. The speaker attempts to persuade
others by using an authoritative and trustworthy course or support of the
message.
2. Pathos – refers to the speaker’s appeal to emotions.
3. Logos – involves using logic to support a speaker’s statements

Differences between Informative and Persuasive Communication:

Informative Communication Persuasive Communication

Presents Options Pushes for a choice among options

Speakers acts as the teacher Speaker acts as an advocate

Uses supporting materials to Uses supporting materials to justify

enlighten audience advice

Asks for little audience commitment Asks for strong audience

commitment

Fewer appeals to emotions Strong appeals to emotions

Categories of Persuasive Speech based on Proposition:

The proposition of the speech is the overall direction of the content and how
it relates to the goal of the communication. There are three categories of persuasive
speech:

1. Propositions of fact – focuses on beliefs and tries to establish that something

“is or isn’t”. Example: Global warming is caused by increased greenhouse
gases related to human activity.
 6

2. Proposition of value – focuses on persuading audience members that

something is “good or bad” or “desirable or undesirable” . Example:
America’s disproportionately large amount of pollution relative to other
countries is wrong.

3. Proposition of policy – advocates that something “should or shouldn’t” be

done. Example: There should be stricter emission restrictions on individual
cars.

Persuasive Speech Thesis Statements by Organizational Pattern Examples

 Problem-solution. Prison overcrowding is a serious problem that we can

solve by finding alternative rehabilitation for nonviolent offenders.

 Problem–failed solution–proposed solution. Prison overcrowding is a

serious problem that shouldn’t be solved by building more prisons; instead,
we should support alternative rehabilitation for nonviolent offenders.

 Cause-effect. Prisons are overcrowded with nonviolent offenders, which

leads to lesser sentences for violent criminals.

 Cause-cause-effect. State budgets are being slashed and prisons are

overcrowded with nonviolent offenders, which leads to lesser sentences for
violent criminals.

 Cause-effect-effect. Prisons are overcrowded with nonviolent offenders,

which leads to increased behavioral problems among inmates and lesser
sentences for violent criminals.

 Cause-effect-solution. Prisons are overcrowded with nonviolent offenders,

which leads to lesser sentences for violent criminals; therefore we need to
find alternative rehabilitation for nonviolent offenders.

Monroe’s Motivated Sequence

It is an organizational pattern designed for persuasive speaking that appeals

to audience members’ needs and motivates them to action. It is a five-step
progressive method of persuasion and is commonly seen in real-life situations such
as infomercials and sales pitches.
 7

• Get the attention of the audience

• Make the topic relevant to the audience.
Attention • Use storytelling, humor, a shocking statistic, or a question.

• Convince the audience that there's a problem.

• You may cite statistics to support your statements. You
Need may also discuss consequences of inaction.

• Offer a solution and persuade the audience that it is

feasible and well-thought out.
• Use exaples, testimonials or statistics to support the
Satisfaction effectiveness of the solution.

• Help the audience visualize the results of implementing

the solution or the negative consequence of not.
Visualization

• Call your audience to action by giving them concrete steps

to follow to engage in a particular action or to change a
thought or behavior.
Action

Fig.1 Monroe’s Motivated Sequence

 8

Argumentative Communication

An argument is a communication process that attempts to resolve an actual

disagreement, confusion, or ignorance about something. Arguments occur all the
time and are a staple ingredient of many communication environments. The end
goal of an argument should be to reach a conclusion which is sufficiently persuasive
to convince someone of a position on a claim.

It is common to see argumentative communication when there is a need to

settle disputes and discover truths. Instructors may assign argumentative writing to
develop a student’s critical thinking skills in evaluating conflicting ideas and judge
evidences in a methodological way.

Aristotle postulated three argumentative appeals:

1. Logical Appeal (logos) – It is the strategic use of logic, claims, and evidence
to convince an audience of a certain point.

2. Ethical Appeal (ethos) – It is used to establish the sender as fair, open-

minded, honest, and knowledgeable about the subject matter.

3. Emotional Appeal (pathos) – It targets the emotions of the receiver. Humans

are highly emotional beings. Hence, pathos can be a very powerful tool in
winning an argument. This appeal is often misused to intentionally mislead or
to hide a weak argument.

Effectiveness and Credibility in Argumentative Communication

We say that an argument is credible when it is logically sound and well-

supported with evidence and reasoning. It is said to be effective when it works in
convincing or persuading audience.

Activity 1.1. Campaign Pitch

Directions: Think about an advocacy topic and develop a script for a speech. Determine
the purpose and the overall content. Which type of communication and organizational
pattern do you think is best suited for it?
 9

Resources
Chapter 15 Types of Informative Speeches. Authored by: Lisa Schreiber, Ph.D.. Provided by:
Millersville University, Millersville, PA. Located at:
http://publicspeakingproject.org/psvirtualtext.html. Project: Public Speaking Project.
License: CC BY-NC-ND: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivativesMoiinvaziri , M. (2014).
Students’ voice: a needs analysis of university. GEMA Online® Journal of Language
Studies 57 Volume 14(1).
Public Speaking by Dr. Layne Goodman; Amber Green, M.A.; and Various is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License,
except where otherwise noted.
Communication in the Real World by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except
where otherwise noted.
 10

Preparing and
Lesson 11 Delivering the
Report/Speech/Talk

Learning Outcomes
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
 prepare for a report/speech/talk;
 undertake researching, outlining and rehearsing prior to delivery of a
report/speech/talk; and
 deliver effectively the basic parts of presentation: introduction, body
and conclusion to create lasting impressions.

Introduction
Academic speaking is identified as most problematic skill among students in the
classroom (Real, Cortez, Lacuesta, and Refugio (2014) while “most needed” skill in their
future profession (Moiinvaziri, 2014). It is a complex process that involves simultaneous
attention to content, vocabulary, discourse, information structuring, morphosyntax, sound
system, prosody (pronunciation), and pragma linguistic features (both verbal and non-verbal
codes) (Hinkel, 2006). Based on the investigation of Molanda (2019) most perceived needed
micro-skill in speaking by both students and teachers is being able to use efficient presenting
techniques in English. Hence, this lesson intends to meet the gap by preparing the students
in delivering effective oral presentations in various purposes.
 11

Preparing the report/speech/talk

Preparation is the key in doing a report speech/talk whether it will take 2 to 5 minutes
or half to 3 hours. Before you think of standing in front of a small or huge crowd, you must
know the 3Ws (the Who, Where and Why):

WHO are
your target
audience

Activity 11.1.
WHERE are Knowing your 3Rs
you going
to present

WHY are you Directions: You are assigned to

presenting report a topic in class for 10 to 15
(purpose)
Figure 1. 3Ws in minutes. Answer the following as
Preparing a Report
Speech/Talk
part of your preparation.

WHO
Target audience:

WHERE
Venue/Facility:

WHY
Purpose

Read a Lot
Upon knowing the 3Ws, you are now
ready to go to the next step, learning the
3Rs: Read a Lot, Rough Ideas and Rough Ideas
Rehearse.

Rehearse
Figure 2. 3Rs in Preparing a Report Speech/Talk
 12

When you deliver your report, speech or talk,

make use of both the verbal and non-verbal
code.
Activity 1.1. Start Reading

Directions: Based on your chosen topic and preliminary preparations, jot down at least five
major/minor ideas and references you gathered. List randomly your major and minor ideas
under one reference. In writing your reference, use APA 7th Edition.

Ideas References
 13

Ideas References

Activity 11.3. Roughing Ideas

Directions: Draft your outline referring to your Activity 11.2. You may use either phrase or
sentence outline. Divide your outline into three parts: introduction, body and conclusion.
The introduction contains three major ideas in one thesis statement. The body part
comprises the three major ideas with five supporting ideas for each. Lastly, your
conclusion ties all the points presented in the body.

Specific Topic: _____________________

I. Starting statement
Introduction A. question or statistics (use any of the techniques)
II. Thesis Statement

I. Major Idea 1
A. Supporting Detail 1
1. Further Details
B. Supporting Detail 2
C. Supporting Detail 3
D. Supporting Detail 4
E. Supporting Detail 5
Body
II. Major Idea 2
A. Supporting Details
1. Further Details
B. Supporting Detail 2
C. Supporting Detail 3
D. Supporting Detail 4
E. Supporting Detail 5

Conclusion I. Closing statement

A. illustration (use any of the techniques)
II. Summarize all major points; not repeated thesis statement
III. Challenging statement
 14

Activity 11.4. Rehearsing Your Report

Directions: Complete your outline by writing 500 to 800 words on your chosen topic.
Compose your own title. Indent each paragraph. Use times new roman font, size 12 with
single spacing. Read aloud your presentation and record it in a video as proof of your
rehearsal. You make use visual aids to enhance your presentation. You may use an extra
sheet if necessary, for your written output.

Title
 15

Completion Sentence

Write the word that will complete the thought of each sentence. Choose your answer in
the word box

1. The key in all oral types of presentation is preparation.

2. Purpose determines the direction of your presentation.
3. Part of reading is researching for relevant ideas and references.
4. A thesis statement in an introduction anchors all the major and minor ideas in the
body part of presentation.
5. Conclusion is a summation of all the major points in your presentation

WORD BOX
purpose conclusion preparation

thesis statement researching rehearsing

Resources
Madrunio M. and Martin, I. (2018). Purposive Communication: Using English in Multilingual
Contexts. C & E Publishing, Inc.
Moiinvaziri , M. (2014). Students’ voice: a needs analysis of university. GEMA Online® Journal
of Language Studies 57 Volume 14(1).
Hinkel, E. (2006). Current perspectives on teaching the four skills. TESOL Quarterly, 40(1),
pp.109–131.
Real, D.V., Cortez, B.A., Lacuesta, V.E. and Refugio, C. N. (2014). Perceived English language
needs of Cebuano speaking freshmen and their teachers: Implication to language
teaching. Research Gate. Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/312480901_Perceived_English_Language_N
eeds_of_Cebuano_Speaking_Freshmen_and_their_Teachers_Implication_to_Language
_Teaching/link/5a0c00bd458515e482750c97/download Republic of the
Molanda, C. (2018). Academic language needs and difficulties of first year criminology
students: basis for supplementary materials in purposive communication. Silliman
University, Master’s Thesis.
 16

Lesson 12 Blog/Vlog

Intended Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

a. differentiate between the journal or diary entry and the blog;

b. appreciate the benefits and challenges of writing and making a
blog/vlog;
c. create a blog for at least 500 words on any topic of your choice,
promoting one’s unique culture and traditions; and
d. make a vlog on any topic of your choice.

Introduction

In today’s digital world, blogging/vlogging has become one of the effective ways of informing,
communicating, and networking among the students, professionals, businessmen, public officials, etc.
in other words, blogging/vlogging has become an indispensable medium of communication. In the
same manner, blogging/vlogging can be used effectively for academic purposes. According to
Richardson (2006), the use of blogs/vlogs has been an engaging and affective way to promote writing
skills and speaking skills of primary students, particularly when student peers provide feedback to the
blog/vlog.

Because technology is very rampant now a day, with easy access to computers and the
Internet, people write and make their diaries differently. From handwritten entries on a piece of paper
or a notebook page, diaries in contemporary times come in the form of online journals which are called
blogs. Moreover, in recent years, “vlogging” has spawned a large community on social media,
becoming one of the most popular forms of digital information and entertainment. It is popularly
believed that, alongside being informing and entertaining, vlogs can deliver deep context through
imagery.
 17

Warming-up
1. Have you ever written a blog? What was the subject of your blog?
2. Is blogging the same with essay writing?
3. How should you make your blog interesting to readers?
4. Have you ever made a vlog? What was your vlog all about?
5. What do you think the importance of writing and making a blog/vlog?

What is a blog/vlog?

Plenty of people who have heard the term “blogging” fail to understand what a
“blog” is or how creating or reading one can impact or improve their lives. Whether you have
absolutely no idea what these terms mean or you know the basics but want to learn more,
this guide provides you with a thorough breakdown of the topic.
The following sections also provide details about popular blogging sites and how to
use one or more blogs to generate funds for personal and business goals.

So exactly what is a blog?

A blog is an online diary or journal located on a website. The content of a blog typically
includes text, pictures, videos, animated GIFs and even scans from old physical offline diaries
or journals and other hard copy documents. Since a blog can exist merely for personal use,
sharing information with an exclusive group or to engage the public, a blog owner can set
their blog for private or public access.

When a blog is made publicly accessible, anyone can typically find the blog through
links available on the blog owner’s individual or business website, their social media profiles,
emails and e-newsletters and online keyword search engines. Many blog owners also set up
blogs on websites devoted to the creation, storage and sharing of blogs, such as Blogger,
LiveJournal, Tumblr and WordPress.

Blog content can appear as posts on one continuous streaming page or posts on
individual pages reachable through one or more pages set up in a list-style format as post
title links, excerpts and related tags. All posts or links to posts are typically displayed to
readers in reverse chronological order with the most recent content appearing first.

A shortened form of weblog, blogs are personal journal websites of which a user
can type an entry and add images, videos and links to other websites. Usually, readers of a
blog can post comments.

Similar with essay writing, there are effective ways of introducing a blog. Read Michael
Pollock’s blog at https://www.michaeldpollock.com/open-your-blog-post/

In other hand, “vlogging or video blog” often called vlog is a video that documents
a person’s life. It is a portmanteau of the word ‘video’ and ‘blog’. As the name
 18

suggests, a vlog is a video blog that records a person’s thoughts, opinions, and interests
typically for publication on the internet.

The word vlog has a few definitions, depending on how you use it. Just as you can
use the word “blog” in many ways, you too can use vlog in several ways.

1. The word vlog is a noun, referring to an individual video, for example, “watch my
vlog”.

2. It can be used as a noun that refers to the video channel that a person upload’s
their videos too; for example, “subscribe to my vlog”.

3. Finally, it can be used as a verb that communicates the action of vlogging, for
example, “I’m going to vlog today”.

By creating video blogs, a person is then considered a “vlogger” – a person who creates
vlogs.

What’s the Difference Between A Vlog and A Blog?

The difference between a blog and a vlog is that a blog is a written piece of
communication whereas a vlog is created in a video format. Both can be created for an
audience by an individual who is trying to create a personal connection with an audience.
And often they both share insights into a person’s thoughts, ideas or experiences.

The primary difference between the two is their formats. Since the term blog is an
abbreviation of the word weblog, you could more easily define the blog as a web blog, and
a vlog as a video blog to more clearly understand the difference.

Remember to:

1. Be short and direct.

2. Ask a thought-provoking question.
3. Ask a multiple-choice question.
4. Share a shocking fact or statistic.
5. Share something personal.
6. Withhold a compelling piece of information.
7. Refute conventional wisdom.
8. Lead with a success story.
9. Start with a reader’s question.
10. Share a quote.
 19

Activity 1.1.

1. If you are going to introduce yourself through a blog, how will you make the
beginning appealing to your readers? Write your own examples (at least two) of an
interesting introduction to your blog.
2. Introduce yourself through a vlog, how will you make the beginning appealing to
your viewers? Make your own vlog (at least two minutes video) of an interesting
introduction of yourself as your first vlog.

Activity 1.2.

1. Feature a tradition that is unique in your own community through a blog post and
through a vlog post for at least five minutes video.

Activity 1.3. Short reflection: journal writing through a short blog

Guide Question: how can you use blogging to promote harmonious interpersonal
relationship with people in your own circles (friends, family, church, etc.)?

Activity 1.4. Essay

Your teacher will share with you a blog. Comment on the features of this blog.
Use the following questions as your guide:

1. What message is the blog communicating?

2. How does it communicate this message?
3. What do you think of the visual features of the blog, specially, the image, layout,
colors, graphics, etc.?
4. Does the blogger provide adequate links to other websites?
 20

Exercise 1: Creating Content for your Blog/Vlog

To exercise what you have learned in this lesson, you will be developing a
content to inform the public about your advocacy. The content must have a blog and a
vlog format. The two will be graded separately. Use the step-by-step exercises below as
your guide.

Make a vlog on any topics you want as long as it is popular to the masses for at
least eight (8) minutes video. Rubrics are given for your guide. Submit your draft and your
video via the email or through the drop boxes.

I. Pre-writing
Before you write your blog, fill in the table below.
What is the topic of your blog?
Is this topic interesting to the
general public?
Explain your answer.
What is the purpose of your
blog?

How do you plan to organize

the parts of your blog?

What images or graphics do

you plan to include in your
blog?

What links to other websites

do you plan to include in your
blog?

How do you plan to lay out the

blog?
What color scheme do you
plan to use for the blog?
 21

II. Writing

Write a blog on any topic of your choice. Decide first on your purpose for
creating the blog. You may choose from any of the following reasons for blogging:

 To entertain
 To inform
 To instruct
 To persuade

The blog must be at least 500 words long and three images and three links
to other websites.
Your blog will be marked using the following rubric:
CONTENT
Does the blog have a theme of focus that is of interest to the general
public? Is the purpose of the blog clear? Were you able to communicate 10 points
you messaging well? Did you provide convincing support for your claims
and assertions?
ORGANIZATION
Have you arranged the main points of your blog clearly and logically? Are
there order and logic in the ideas you presented in each paragraph and in 7 points
the entire blog?
BLOGGING CONVENTIONS
Does the blog observe the conventions of blogging? Does it take a personal
and subjective viewpoint? Does it make use of images and graphics well? 5points
Does it provide adequate links to related websites? Is the lay out and color
scheme pleasing to the general public?

LANGUAGE AND MECHANICS

Did you observe proper use of language forms (grammar) and mechanics
(punctuation, capitalization, etc.?)
TOTAL 25 points

Vlogging Rubric

Advanced Proficient Developing Beginning

10 pts 9 pts 7 pts 5 pts
Contribution Participates Participates, but Participates, but Posting is less
beyond the does not post does not meet than 50%
required anything that the minimum complete or
number of encourages others number of posts. posting does
postings, to respond. Few to no not further any
including Participates with discussion or discussions. No
discussion on the required comments with response to
other students' number of others. Some classmate's
posts. postings. comments to posting or
Responds to other or questions.
questions from response to
others when questions.
present.
 22

Advanced Proficient Developing Beginning

10 pts 9 pts 7 pts 5 pts
Content Appropriate, Appropriate and Vlogs and Vlogs not
Quality engaging, respectful to comments done, engaging, are
reflective, and others. Vlogs have but lacks irrelevant, or
respectful to a purpose or main engagement, are difficult to
others. Vlogs topic about analysis or follow in
are in-depth, reading and is substantial meaning.
analytical, reflective. reflection, or
reflective, make may be off topic.
a point and
make
connections
beyond the
text.
Speech & Vlog has Speech is fluent. Vlog may contain Vlog may
Grammar originality and Vlog may contain several errors in contain
flair, one or two errors grammar; errors significant
emphasizing in grammar; errors may impede errors in
important do not impede viwer's grammar;
points; contains viewer's understanding. errors may
no errors in understanding. Speech lack cause
grammar. fluency. confusion for
the viewer.
Speech is
choppy without
complete
sentences or
clear topic.
Video Video is well lit Video is well lit Video is fairly Camera may be
Quality and frames and frames the well lit within jerky, making it
subject subject within the minimal difficult to
appropriately. frame without movement. view, poorly lit,
Editing excessive Subject is usually or subject not
enhances movement. within the frame. clearly in video.
cohesiveness of
vlog.
Sound Sound is clear Vlog is Vlog somewhat Vlog is difficult
Quality and volume is understandable difficult to hear to hear or is
appropriate. and volume is or is occasionally too loud.
appropriate. too loud.
 23

Resources

Caroy A. et.al, (2018). Purposive Communication-OBE - & PPST – Based. Published by

LORIMAR Publishing INC. copyright 2018.

Madrunio, M. & Martin I., (2018). Purposive Communication: Using English in Multilingual
Context. C & E Publishing, Inc. 2018

https://contentcareer.com/blog/what-is-a-vlog-the-real-vlog-meaning-definition/

https://www.rcampus.com/rubricshowc.cfm?sp=yes&code=HXW6823&
 24

About the Authors

An English instructor in the School of Teacher Education and School of Criminal

Justice Education. Co-author of the Contemporary World and Technical Writing
modules. Had taken Master's Degree in English focused on Teaching English to
Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) at Silliman University, Dumaguete, and a
Bachelor of Arts in Economics at the University of Santo Tomas, Manila. Research
author of Investigating Students' Perceptions of Teachers' Feedback in an Online
English Class; co-authors of Scaffolding Remote Learning: A Phenomenological
Study of Parents' Experiences in Times of Pandemic, and Evaluation on the
Implementation of Solid Waste Management (SWM) Practices in Selected Areas of
Zamboanga del Sur. Institutionally designated as School of Graduate Studies
Secretary and Campus Secretary.

Jay-Boy M. Tizon, known by his friends as "Boy," "Jay," or "Jb," is an accomplished

educator and module writer. He completed his elementary education at Binuay
Elementary School in March 2002 and secondary education from Binuay National
High School in March 2006. Driven by his passion for teaching and learning, Jay-
Boy pursued a Bachelor of Secondary Education, majoring in English, at J.H.
Cerilles State College in Mati, San Miguel, Zamboanga del Sur. He obtained his
degree on April 5, 2014. He passed the Licensure Examination for Teachers in
March 2015, solidifying his credentials as an educator. Motivated by a desire for
continuous personal and professional growth, Jay-Boy decided to further his
education by enrolling in the Master of Arts in Education program, majoring in
English, at the School of Graduate Studies, J.H. Cerilles State College. His pursuit
of knowledge and expertise led him to complete his Doctor of Education degree in
Educational Management at Southern Mindanao Colleges in Pagadian City. Jay-Boy's teaching career
commenced at the Department of Education, where he served as a dedicated educator at Buburay National High
School from February 2017 to October 2017. He held various positions during his tenure, including classroom
teacher, adviser, and school paper adviser. He is currently an Instructor I at J.H. Cerilles State College, specifically
within the School of Teacher Education. In this role, he imparts his knowledge in English, Professional Education,
and General Education Courses. His commitment to education and his expertise in English instruction makes him
a valuable contributor to module writing. He aims to empower students and promote practical communication
skills through his modules.

Febe Keith P. Jumoc is a resident faculty at the School of Teacher Education. She
is an experienced module writer passionate about educational administration and
communication in the workplace. With a Master's degree in Education, majoring
in Administration and Supervision, she is pursuing a Ph.D. in Development
Management focusing on Educational Administration. Her expertise lies in
educational administration, and specializes in communication, organizational
development, and organizational behavior. Other modules written by her include
Research, Thesis Guide, Teaching Music in Elementary Grades, and Reading
Visual Arts. With a solid commitment to helping students excel in their
communication abilities, her motivation lies in empowering individuals to become
adept communicators in various contexts. She believes effective communication
is vital for personal and professional success. She is dedicated to sharing her knowledge and expertise through
her modules.