COMMUNICATION 1A: An introduction to interpersonal communication

WEEK 1 3 hour session: INTRODUCTION: COMMUNICATION PROCESS Introduction The three hour sessions designed for this course will include a combination of lecturing, tutorial work and workshop time. This three hour session is an important introductory class which introduces the course as well as key communication theory. This will be a basis for the rest of the course. Key ideas Discussing the different types of communication Exploring how context affects communication Exploring communication theory Using communication models to aid theory

Organisation of this session: Types of communication Cartoon exercise What is theory? What is communication theory? Communication definitions Barriers to communication

Key reading for this week Ellis, J. & Thoreau, M. (2002). Communication plus: Spiral for success [chapter 7]. Auckland: Pearson Education. Reading

package pages 3-14. Key reading for next week Adler, R., & Rodman, G. (2000). Understanding human communication. (7th ed.). [chapter 12]. Fort Worth: Harcourt College Publishers. Reading package pages 17-26.

Lesson plan: 60 mins 1. Introductions Introduce yourself Introduce the paper by going through the course handbook Students to introduce themselves: One possible way to do this is through an exercise called DYADIC INTERVIEWS. i. Students pair off and tell each other about themselves within a two minute time frame. ii. After the two minutes, students find other partners and the process is repeated

iii. The process is repeated a third time but this time the pairs have 5 minutes iv. After this is completed each student introduces this final partner to the class The lecturer might have a better activity to use that is more culturally relevant 30 mins 2. Types of communication On the whiteboard, brainstorm as a class - different types of communication. Ask students to state some key words that describe the different types of communication. Give handout: Human Communication Table 1.1 (from Devito, ORourke, ONeill, 2000, p. 4-5)

Split students into groups of 3-4 and ask them to give examples for each. Students can then feedback examples to the class. 15 mins

3. Cartoon exercise Show class the three different cartoons [slides 1, 2 & 3] and ask what these highlight about communication. Possible ideas that students might discuss: i. ii. iii. iv. v. Messages can have different meanings Barriers to communication Need for clarification Senders and receivers can come from different cultures Etc

This exercise leads into a discussion about what is theory and more specifically, what is communication theory. 5 mins

4. What is theory? Show What is theory? [slide 4] 10 mins 5. What is communication theory? Mini-lecture: [slide 5] i. In the early 1900s, communication theorist Harold Lasswell developed a basic model of communication, called the SENDER-MESSAGE-RECEIVER model (SMR model) ii. A model is a way of explaining a theory though diagram iii. Over time, this model was developed and expanded to include more components. iv. There are SIX important components to any communication model :

o o o o o o Groupwork: i.

Sender Receiver Message Channel Context Noise

20 mins

Place students in groups of SIX.

ii. In each group, students need to create a moving, human model of communication. Each student will represent one of the above components. iii. At this stage, students will not know exactly how these components fit togetherthis will be discussed later. This is an exercise to get them thinking creatively about these components. iv. Present model to the class. 10 mins

Barker & Gaut and DeVito, ORourke & ONeill models i. Show these two models [slides 6 & 7] ii. Discuss 10 mins

6. Communication definitions Direct students to communication jargon on page 4 of their readings package; this gives clear definitions of the components of communication. What is interpersonal communication [slide 8] i. Emphasise the word transactional: The sender and the receiver have transactional roles. They are not playing one role or the other, instead they adopt both roles interchangeably throughout interpersonal communication encounters 7. Barriers to communication Discuss the barriers to ineffective communication (NB: barriers are also called noise and interference) [slide 9-10]

20 mins

In groups of three, discuss life experiences where a barrier to communication has occurred. What kinds of barriers were they? Feedback to the class. Let students know that later in the course we will discuss how to deal with barriers to communication that result in CONFLICT.