SOUTH EAST ASIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, INC.

National Highway, Crossing Rubber, Tupi, South Cotabato

GENERAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

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LEARNING MODULE
FOR
GE 115: PURPOSIVE COMMUNICATION

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GE 115: Purposive Communication

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 COURSE OUTLINE

COURSE CODE : GE 115

TITLE : Purposive Communication
TARGET POPULATION : ALL First Year Students
INSTRUCTOR : Jolibee M. Hospital,LPT

Overview:
This course introduces the concepts of literacy as a collection of shared cultural practices and
evolving social phenomena. The course will provide a series of field based and interdisciplinary
explorations, which will lead students to characterize a literature person as having wide range of skills,
competencies, abilities and attitude that are transferrable across learning areas. As such learning
opportunities shall focus on examining problematizing and stimulating the age-specific teaching of new
literacies necessary in the 21st century.

Objectives:
1. Demonstrate mastery in elucidating the nature, elements, and functions of verbal and
non-verbal communication in various and multicultural contexts.
2. Respond through written and oral communication to the challenges of diverse and
multicultural communication.
3. Demonstrate mastery in obtaining, providing, and disseminating information.
4. Communicate ideas effectively using the different forms of communication in the work field.
5. Demonstrate mastery of the key concepts to effectively and ethically communicate in the
chosen field.

The following are the topics to be discussed

Lesson 1 LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION: THE NATURE OF
LANGUAGE AND TYPES OF COMMUNICATION
Lesson 2 COMMUNICATION PROCESSES, PRINCIPLES, AND ETHICS
Lesson 3 FORMS OF COMMUNICATION
Lesson 4 COMMUNICATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Lesson 5 INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION

Instruction to the Learners

Each chapter in this module contains lessons involving the nature and elements of purposive
communication. The units are characterized by continuity, and are arranged in such a manner that the
present unit is related to the next unit. For this reason, you are advised to read this module. After each
unit, there are exercises to be given. Submission of task given will be every ______ during your
scheduled class hour.

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 Lesson 1
THE NATURE OF LANGUAGE

What is Language?
Together with the creation of human life is the creation of a wonderful and dynamic human capacity
–language. Linguists agree that a language can only be called a language if it has a system of rules
(also known as grammar), a sound system (phonology), and a vocabulary (lexicon).
When people use language, they can understand each other because they belong to the same
speech community. They can understand each other because in their speech community, people
share the same set of rules in the language system. While growing up, people acquire the languages
used by those in the community. This is the process of language acquisition. The languages
acquired while growing up are known as mother tongues (first language). People discover later on
that other languages are needed for various reasons. These other languages may be referred to as
second languages. People learn these languages by studying formally in school or informally on their
own. This is the process of language learning.
What happens if people visit another speech community that is different from their own? American and
British speak English. However, they spell English words differently. They pronounce words differently.
They have different ways of expressing the same concepts. It can be said that the Americans and
British belong to two speech communities which do not have exactly the same set of rules for their
languages.
Language contact is the result of such contact may be a new form of language. It is possible that in
your attempt to communicate in each other, you will produce a new language form that is
understandable to both of you. Language change is the result of language contact. Your own
language may also change as you constantly interact and communicate with each other.
Language is indeed a complex human capacity. It is therefore, important to be aware of its feature and
behavior to be able to use language more effectively and productively in communicating with other.

Communication
Communication is defined as the exchange of thoughts, ideas, concepts, ad views between or among
two or more people, various contexts come into play. It is inevitable. Our need for self-expression
leads us to communicate not only our thoughts but also our feelings. Communication may be done
verbally or non-verbally. It comes from the Latin communicares, meaning to share or to make ideas
common.

Classification of Communication
A. Types of Communication According to Mode
1. Verbal-Non-Verbal Communication
Effective communication calls for the blending of these two types. One cannot be
separated. Rather than just speaking, it is to use non-verbal code through a
handshake, an approving facial expression, and a kind disposition or character.

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 2. Visual Communication
It is the type of communication that uses visuals to convey information and/or
messages. Some examples are signs, symbols, imagery, maps, graphs, charts,
diagrams, pictograms, photos, drawings, etc.

B. Types of Communication According to Context

1. Intrapersonal Communication
The Latin prefix intra –means within or inside. Intrapersonal communication then
means talking to oneself. Some label it as self or inner talk. Inner monologue, or
inner dialogue. Psychologist call it with other name such as self-verbalization or
self-statement.
2. Interpersonal Communication
The Latin prefix Inter –means between, among, and together. An interactive
exchange takes place as interpersonal communication takes place. A transaction
dos not necessarily take place since it can only be a simple interaction such as
greetings, getting to know a person, or ordinary conversations that happen
between or among the interactants. This may occur in dyads or small groups, also
known as group communication.
3. Extended Communication
Involves the use of electronic media. Unlike before when it only called for the use
of television and radio, nowadays, the description of extended communication may
be expanded as to include tele, audio, or phone conferencing; video-conferencing;
skype calls’ and other technological means.
4. Organizational Communication
The focus is on the role that communication plays in organizational contexts.
Organizations comprise individuals who work for the company. For an organization
to be successful, a system of communication should be put in place. A set of rules
or standards for communication protocol should be made clear so that interaction
patterns are established.
5. Intercultural Communication
It is communication between or among people having different linguistic, religious,
ethnic, social, and professional backgrounds. Even gender difference affects
communication. Individuals having different orientations communicate and
interpret messages differently. This particularly happens with non-verbal
communication. Similarly, linguistic differences are of the essence.
C. Types of Communicating According to Purpose and Style
1. Formal Communication employs formal language delivered orally or in written form.
Lectures, public talks/speeches, research and project proposals, reports, and business
letters, among others are all considered formal situations and writings.
2. Informal Communication certainly does not employ formal language. It involves

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 personal and ordinary conversations with friends, family members, or acquaintances
about anything under the sun.

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 Lesson 2

COMMUNICATION PROCESSES, PRINCIPLES, AND ETHICS

Components of the Communication Process

SOURCE
–SENDER/ENCODER MESSAGE

THE
COMMUNICATION
FEEDBACK PROCESS CHANNEL

CONTEXT
RECEIVER-LISTENER/
DECODER

1. Source. Sender/Encoder is a person who sends the message. A sender makes use of symbols
(words or graphic or visual aids) to convey the message, and produce the required response.
2. Message. Message is a key idea that the sender wants to communicate. It is a sign that elicits
the response of recipient. Communication process begins with deciding about the message to
be conveyed.
3. Channel. Channel is the pathway of the communication process which acts as means used to
exchange/transmit the message. The sender must choose an appropriate medium for
transmitting the message else the message might not be conveyed to the desired recipients.
4. Receiver. Listener/Decoder is a person for whom the message is intended/aimed/targeted.
The degree to which the decoder understands the message is dependent upon various factors
such as knowledge of recipient, their responsiveness to the message, and the reliance of
encoder on decoder.
5. Feedback. Feedback is the main component of communication process as it permits the
sender to analyze the efficacy of the message. It helps the sender on confirming the correct
interpretation of message by the decoder. Feedback may be verbal (through utterances and
words) or non-verbal (facial expressions, gestures, acts, etc.).
6. Environment. The place, the feeling, the mood, the mindset and the condition of both sender
and receiver.
7. Context. It involves the expectations of the sender and the receiver and the common or shared
understanding through the environment signals.
8. Interference. Also known as barrier or block that prevents effective communication to take

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 place.
Kinds of Interference
a. Psychological Barrier –thoughts that hamper the message to be interpreted
correctly by the receiver.
b. Physical Barrier –include competing stimulus, weather and climate, health and
ignorance of the medium.
c. Linguistic and Cultural Barrier –pertain to the language and its cultural
environment. Words may mean another in different cultures.
d. Mechanical Barrier –are those raised by the channels employed for
interpersonal, group or mass communication. These include cellphones, laptops
and other gadgets used in communication.
Nine Principles of Effective Communication
1. Clarity –makes speeches understandable. Fuzzy languages are absolutely forbidden, as are
jargons, cliché expressions, euphemisms and doublespeak language.
2. Concreteness –reduces misunderstanding. Messages must be supported by facts such as
research data, statistics or figures. To achieve concreteness, abstract words must be avoided.
3. Courtesy –builds goodwill. It involves being polite in terms of approach and manner of
addressing an individual.
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 be considered the recipient’s profession, level of education, race, ethnicity, hobbies,
interests, passions, advocacies and age when drafting or delivering a message.
6. Creativity –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 –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.
Ethics of Communication
Ethics is a branch of philosophy that focuses on issues of right and wrong in human affairs.
Communication ethics emphasizes that morals influence the behavior of an individual, group, or
organization thereby affecting their communication.
Ethical Communicators:
1. Respect audience.
2. Consider the result of communication.
3. Value truth.

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 4. Use information correctly.
5. Do not falsify information.
Observing a code of ethics is essential as it determines the kind of behavior that is proper and
desirable over one that is proper and desirable over one that is displeasing and offensive. A code
of ethics sets the standards to be observed by a person or a company that will create a good
reputation or a positive image not only for an individual but also for the organization. Success in
decision-making will likewise impact the company’s reputation.
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Lesson 3

FORMS OF COMMUNICATION

Communication Modes
Communication mode refers to the channel through which one expresses his/her communicative
intent. It it’s the medium through which one conveys his/her thoughts. Views or feelings can be
communicated through face-to-face interaction, video, or audio. The mode may also be text-based.

1. Face-to-Face Interaction –the most common of all modes. It is an informal or casual

conversation between two or more people. People engage to communication to establish
relationships or to maintain them. It is one way of gaining new acquaintances or new friends.
How to speak, what to speak, when to speak, and to whom one is speaking are all important
considerations in building relationships.
How then do you initiate conversation?
In facing in social gatherings, you will be able to test the saying: “First impression last.” In this
case, depending on the kind of impression you leave to your audience, you create either positive
or a negative image of yourself. One advantage of face-to-face interaction is that aside from
directly hearing the message being conveyed, you are able to note visual cues through facial
expressions, gestures, movements, or even objects or realia from the person you are
communicating with.
Do not discuss about politics and religion as these are sensitive issues that may impinge on
one’s beliefs and practices. Instead, start a conversation focusing on what you experience at the
moment –ambience or atmosphere of the setting, music, food and social relationships. Note that
one topic may lead to another.

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 2. Video. Web cameras are used so that two or more people who cannot interact face-to-face can
communicate. If there are no technical glitches encountered, this could be a very effective
mode of communication especially for people separated by distance. You may engage in a
conversation via Skype, Viber, WhatsApp, Apple Face Time, and Facebook Messenger, among
others. In more formal settings, people can also engage in video-conferencing.

3. Audio –means transmitted sound. Thus, in this mode of communication, only the voice of the
speaker is heard. Ordinarily, someone’s voice is heard through the telephone or an answering
machine when the other party is not able to answer a call. A voice message or voice mail can be
sent. An obvious downside of this mode is not able to see the body language or cues of the
person you are talking to.

The audio communication mode is quite difficult especially if you are listening to people with
different accent. For instance, in relation to the World English’s paradigm, other speakers of English
apart from those who speak it as a native language may find it peculiar, listening to the Filipino accent.
4. Test-Based Communication. This mode includes e-mail, facsimile, text messaging, and
instant messaging. Social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram likewise
offer test-based interaction. While text-based communication mode does not originally provide
video and audio benefits, it has a wider reach and can disseminate information to a bigger
audience quickly.

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 Lesson 4

COMMUNICATION AND TECHNOLOGY

Communication in Social Media

There are various modes through which we communicate with each other. In the past, these modes
took the form of handwritten messages, typewritten messages, short telegrams, computer-encoded
texts, as well as landline telephone conversations, and audio/video recorder messages. Because each
mode of communication is distinct from the other, the ways we craft our message differ.
Today, with the rapid rise and spread of Internet connectivity, the old forms of communication have
given way to new forms that make communication easier and faster. Read the following news report
about the use of social media in the Philippines.

PINOYS TOP SOCIAL MEDIA USERS, ACCORDING TO STUDY

By Miguel R. Camus (2017)

1. Filipinos spend more time on social media sites than anyone else in the world, going online
roughly four hours and 17 minutes a day, according to a report released on Tuesday.
2. Filipinos spend most of their online time on sites such as Facebook, Snapchat, and Twitter,
said the report, called Digital in 2007, and prepared by social media platform Hootsuite and
United Kingdom-based consultancy We Are Social Ltd.

US AMONG BOTTOM HALF

3. Brazilians and Argentinians followed closely behind spending three hours and 43 minutes
and three hours and 32 minutes on social media, respectively, the report said.
4. The United States, where many of these social media players were found, is among the
bottom half, with Americans spending an average of just two hours and six seconds per day.
The least active were the Japanese, who log on an average of just 40 minutes daily.
5. “It’s probably due to the same cultural dynamics that made us the text messaging capital of
the world,” said Ramon Isberto, spokesperson for telecom giant PLDT and Smart, referring
to mobile phone text messaging in the past decade that is now giving away to internet-based
applications.
6. “Filipinos like to keep in touch,” Isberto said.

SLOWEST IN ASIA-PACIFIC
7. The Philippines’ social media usage was in stark contrast to its internet speed.
Fixed-broadband speed here is among the slowest in Asia-Pacific, while mobile connections
are among the fastest, according to the most recent Akamai report.

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 8. There appeared to be a relationship between poor fixed-broadband speed and time spent
on social media.
9. The Philippines, Brazil and Argentina have an average fixed-line broadband speed of 4.2
megabits per second (mbps), 5.5 mbps, and 5 mbps, respectively.
10. The fastest was South Korea, with 26.3 mbps, and its citizens just spend about 1hour and 11
minutes a day on social media.

INTERNET USE ON THE RISE

11. According to the report, the Philippines’ internet and social media users grew by over 25
percent, up 13 million and 12 million over last year, respectively.
12. Mobile was also a fast-growing platform, accounting for 38 percent of all Web traffic in the
country, up almost a third over 2016.
13. The Philippines, so far, had a social media penetration rate of 58 percent, higher than the
average of 47 percent in Southeast Asia.
14. Around the world, internet users grew 10 percent, or an additional 354 million people, while
active social media users jumped 21 percent, or an additional 482 million.
15. Global active netizens using mobile phones and other devices surged 30 percent, or another
581 million people.

DIGITAL CONNECTIVITY
16. The total internet penetration rate stood at 50 percent, or 3.77 billion people, the report
showed.
17. “Half of the world’s population is now online, which is a testament to the speed with which
digital connectivity is helping to improve people’s lives,” said Simon Kemp, a consultant at
We Are Social.
18. “The increase in internet users in developing economies is particularly encouraging.” Kemp
added.
19. The report compiles data from the world’s largest studies of online behavior, conducted by
organizations including Global Web Index, GSMA Intelligence, Statista, and Akamai in “a
comprehensive state” of social media reference.
20. The 2016 report has been downloaded 70,000 times and read 2.5 million times on
SlideShare so far.

Preparing Multimedia Presentation

A. Characteristics of Multimedia Presentation

1. Multimedia presentations are visually oriented.

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 2. They allow users to use different modalities.
B. Steps in Making Effective Multimedia Presentations
1. Know the purpose of the presentation.
2. Know the audience.
3. Gather information.
4. Use a variety of resources.
5. Do not forget to cite sources.
6. Organize the information.
7.
8. Check technical issues.
9. Be creative.

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 Lesson 5

INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
Communication and Globalization
Globalization is the communication and assimilation among individuals, ethnicities, races, institutions,
governments of various nations supported by technology and compelled by international trade. Due to
globalization, the more you become exposed to diversity.
Communication has since been increasingly global, blurring national boundaries. The ability to
communicate effectively in a global setting can be a challenge. Hence, to effectively communicate in a
global context, a general understanding of the differences in conducting communication from one
country to another or from culture to another helps avoid miscommunication.
The following are possible cultural barriers to effective communication in global environment.
1. Cultural relativism
2. Lack of knowledge of others’ culture
3. Discrimination and harassment
4. Language differences
To get the desired outcome or response, the above barriers must be properly addressed. It is
the responsibility of the parties involved in the communication process to eliminate the possible
hindrances in their exchange. The goal of effective global communication is to achieve
communication that gets the desired response leading to harmonious connections. Krizan (2014)
suggest these strategies to become an effective global communicator:
1. Review communication principles
2. Analyze the message receiver
3. Be open to an accepting of other cultures
4. Learn about cultures and apply what is learned
5. Consider language needs
Local and Global Communication in Multicultural Settings
Intercultural Communication refers to interaction with people from diverse cultures.
Forms of Intercultural Communication
1. Interracial Communication –communicating with people from different races.
Interethnic Communication –interacting with people of different ethnic origins.
2. International Communication –communicating between representatives from different nations.
3. Intracultural Communication –interacting with members of the same racial or ethnic group or
co-culture.
Communicating Across Cultures
High-Context vs. Low-Context
High-context communication is a tradition-linked communication system which adheres strongly to
being indirect. It leaves mush of the message unspecified, to be understood through context,
nonverbal cues, and between-the-lines interpretation of what usually said Low-context communication
is a system that works on straightforward communication. It expects messages to be explicit and

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specific.
Sequential vs. Synchronic
Sequential cultures business people give full attention to one agenda item after another. In synchronic
cultures the flow of the time is viewed as a sort of circle, with the past, present, and future all
interrelated. This viewpoint influences how organizations in those cultures approach deadlines,
strategic thinking, investments, developing talent from within, and the concept of “long-term” planning.
Affective vs. Neutral
Affective cultures readily showing emotions. Members of neutral cultures do not telegraph their
feelings, but keep them carefully controlled and subdued. This doesn’t mean that people in neutral
cultures are cold or unfeeling, but in the course of normal business activities, neutral cultures are more
careful to monitor the amount of emotion they display.
Varieties and Registers of Spoken and Written Language
Lin (2016) presents the following nature of language variation as prescribed most linguists based on
the ideas of Mahboob (2014)
1. Language varies when communicating with people within (local) and outer (global) our
community.
2. Language varies in speaking and writing.
3. Language varies in everyday and specialized discourse.
Eight (8) different domains
1. Local Everyday Written –may include instances of local everyday written usage found in the
neighborhood posters.
2. Local Everyday Oral –may occur in local communication among neighbors in everyday, informal
and local varieties of language.
3. Local Specialized Written –usage can be found in the publications and websites of local
societies.
4. Local Specialized Oral –involves specialized discourses. For example, in a computer shop in
the neighborhood, specialized local usage can be found.
5. –avoids local colloquialisms to make the text accessible to wider communities of readers. This
can be found in international editions of newspapers and magazines.
6. Global Everyday Oral –may occur in interactions between people coming from different parts of
the world when they talk about everyday casual topics.
7. Global Specialized Written –expands to as many readers internationally, hence the non- Global
Everyday Written usage of local colloquial expressions.
8. Global Specialized Oral –occurs when people from different parts of the world discuss
specialized topics in spoken form.

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