Nature, Process, Elements and Functions of

Week 1-2 Communication

First Semester
A.Y. 2021-2022
Name: ___________________________________ Date: __________________
Grade and Section: ________________________ Teacher: Caroline de Taza

This module is here to help you understand the nature and process of communication.
The content of this module allows it to be used in many different learning situations.
This module has two lessons, namely:
 The Nature of Communication
 Process and Elements of Communication
 Functions of Communication
After going through this lesson, learners are expected to:
1. construe the nature and process of communication;
2. illustrate the process of communication;
3. understand the elements of communication
4. recognize the various functions of communication

The Nature of Communication

Communication is an act of transferring information from one person, place or group to
another. It comes on various forms. It can be nodding, raising/waving of hands, raising your
eyebrows, exchange of text messages, talking to your friends and many more. These are some
example of how humans communicate their thoughts, feelings and ideas. This proves that
humans really engage in communication.

WHAT’S NEW
When you communicate with other people, you send information in two ways. It can be
verbal or non-verbal communication. In verbal communication, you use your voice in sending a
message while in non-verbal communication, you use gestures or facial expression in sending a
message.

WHAT IS IT
 What is communication and why do we communicate?
Communication can be defined as the process of transmitting information and common
understanding from one person to another (Keyton, 2011). The word communication is derived
from the Latin word communis, which means common. The definition underscores the fact that
unless a common understanding results from the exchange of information, there is no
communication.
Let us define communication using the two key terms mentioned above, “message” and
“understand”.
1. Communication is a message understood.
We cannot say that communication has taken place unless a message is understood. For
example, I am talking to my cousin and I say, “where you at”. The person receiving this
message will be astound since the arrangement of words doesn’t make any sense. In this case,
the message is sent but the receiver of the message doesn’t understand it. But when I say,
“Where are you?” that makes sense right? So, communication will take place if will send a
message that will be surely understood by the receiver.
2. Communication is a social interaction through messages.
A social interaction is an exchange of messages between two or more individuals and is
a building block of society. (lumenlearning.com). A society will not survive without
interaction.
Think of someone telling, “I am very happy!” In this case, we are communicating what
“we feel”. We are sharing what we feel with someone else.
We exchange ideas using communication. We communicate when buying something.
We negotiate and we transact. With all of these, we use communication. Can you imagine a
situation where we cannot speak or interact with others? Or simply inside your house. Can you
imagine the situation where you are living in the same house without speaking at each other?
As mentioned above, communication is the building block of society. Without
communication, all forms of relationship will eventually die. That is why we said that
communication is very crucial in building and maintaining relationships.

The Process and Elements of Communication

Every day, your main activities involves communication. In the morning, when you wake
up you tend to look for your mother and ask something, that is communication. You
communicate with your family, friends, at school and in the community.
 Let us now try to consider the communication process. What processes are considered? Who are
involved in the process?

Channel Channel

There are two main elements in communication process. The sender and the receiver.
Sender is the one who initiates the communication and receiver is the individual whom the
message is sent.
The sender encodes the idea by selecting words, symbols, or gestures with which to
compose a message. The message is the outcome of the encoding, which takes the form of
verbal, nonverbal, or written language. The message is sent through a medium or channel, which
is the carrier of the communication. The medium can be a face-to-face conversation, telephone
call, e-mail, or written report. The receiver decodes the received message into meaningful
information. Finally, feedback occurs when the receiver responds to the sender's message and
returns the message to the sender. Feedback allows the sender to determine whether the message
has been received and understood. (Lunenburg, Fred C)

What are the elements of Communication?

Communication is an act of information from one person, group or place to another.

Every communication involves different elements. These elements are the following:
1. Sender is the one who starts the communication. The sender conveys the message to the
receiver.
2. Message is the information or idea that is generated by the sender. This is also intended
to communicate further.
3. Encoding is where the message that is generated by the sender is encoded in the form of
words, pictures, gestures, body language, etc.
4. Channel is where the message travels.
5. Decoding is the process of converting symbols that is encoded by the sender.
6. Receiver is the one who receives the message that is sent by the sender.
 7. Feedback is the response of the receiver. The receiver and sender are ensuring that they
understood each other clearly. This is also the chance of the receiver to ask for
clarification.

Functions of Communication
There are four main functions of communication: Regulation or Control, Social
Interaction, Motivation and Information (Maestro Valle Rey)
1. Regulation and Control
This is used in order to literally regulate or control the behavior of an individual. It is
also utilized to regulate the nature and number of activities that people engage in.
Examples:
“Can you tone done your voice? It’s too loud!”
“Lock the door when you leave”
2. Social Interaction
This function is utilized to make social relationships. This is also used to form bonds,
relations and connection with others.
Examples:
“Let’s go out and have some coffee.”
“I really appreciate your kindness”
3. Motivation
This is used to power up preferences, needs, wants, decisions, goals and strength of
an individual.
Examples:
“You can do it!”
“We need to be proactive and stop procrastinating”
4. Information
This is used for grabbing and simply sharing information.
Examples:
“You can find the bathroom right next to this door.”
“Where can I get my license?”
WHAT’S MORE
Activity 1
Direction: Write down some situations that happened in your life. Write the situation in the first
column, the result of that communication in that situation and the elements of the communication
that is being used. Give at least three.

SITUATION RESULT OF THE ELEMENTS OF

COMMUNICATION COMMUNICATION
1.

2.

3.

4.
Activity 2
Direction: Cite an example situation where you used the given functions of communication.
Write your answers on the space provided below.

Regulation and Control Social Interaction

Motivation Information
References:
Oral Communication in Context Functions, Nature and Process of Communication First Edition
2020 by Mark Anthony P. Idang; Ethel B. Dasig of the Department of Education.

Oral Communication in Context For Senior High School

Published in 2016 by C & E Publishing, Inc.
Copyright © 2016 by C & E Publishing, Inc., Philippe John Fresnillo Sipacio and Anne Richie
Garcia Balgos

Prepared by: Checked by: Approved by:

CAROLINE V. DE TAZA LAUREANO R. FERANIL LEA S. LONTOC, Ed.D

Adviser School Principal School President/ Director