Modes of

Communication

Prepared by ZSAsuncion
Modes of Communication

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 Learning Outcomes
• Identify the various communication modes
and how they help in expressing one’s
communicative intent;
• Show the importance of face-to-face, audio,
virtual, text-based and other forms of
communication particularly in targeting
different types of audiences in local and global
setting;

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• Distinguish the differences between and
among the communication modes; and
• Use these communication modes
appropriately depending on the context of the
communication situation.

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 What is communication mode?

• the channel through which one expresses

his/her communicative intent
• What are these channels that one can use in
expressing his/her communicative intent?

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Face-to-face interaction

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Face-to-face interaction
• Informal or casual
conversation
between two or
more people
• Purpose:
• To establish
relationship
• To maintain
relationship

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 Considerations

• What to speak
• When to speak
• To whom one is speaking
• How to speak

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Types of face-to-face communication

Interviews Meetings Conferences

Seminars Workshops
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Class-room lectures
Public lectures

Stage-acting
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 Advantages of face-to-face
communication
https://www.ashtoncollege.ca/the-importance-of-face-to-face-
communication /
• Non-Verbal Cues
• Manifest interest of your listener
• How do you know they are interested in what you are
saying?
• How do you know they are not interested?
• What should you do when you find your listener not
interested anymore?

• adjust the tone of your voice

• use more exciting language to capture their attention

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• Effectiveness
• How does face-to-face communication boost
efficiency?
• Important details can be discussed in one
meeting.
• Effective for those who struggle with written
communication
• Creativity is also developed as the overall energy
will be higher so you can brainstorm and solve a
multitude of problems at one time.

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• A Personal Touch
• Adding the “personal touch” of face-to-face
communication is much more important to
those dealing with outside clients and
stakeholders.
• A sense of community comes with the ability
to interact and socialize.
• This sets the foundation for trust, and
ultimately creates a better working
relationship

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• Immediate feedback/response:
• When people communicate each other in
person, they can get a response immediately
without misunderstanding.
• During the conversation, people can not only
hear a response from others, also see how
they are feeling;
• people can guess what will take place next,
how the conversation is about, which is very
important to have a successful talk.

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• Expression of feelings
• Using face-to-face communication helps
people express their feelings, ideas much
better.
• people can use eye contact and other
nonverbal cues as well as verbal language in
order to show their opinions.

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 Disadvantages
• Difficult to practice in a large-sized
organization:
• Face-to-face communication is extremely
difficult to practice in large-sized
organizations, particularly if their various units
or departments are situated at different
places.

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• Not effective in large gatherings:
• It is very difficult to get a message across to
large gatherings. Even though the speaker is
addressing them face-to-face, the vital
personal touch is missing. In the absence of a
satisfactory feedback, his speech lapse into a
monologue.

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• Ineffective if the listener is not attentive
• A limitation which the face-to-face
communication shares with oral
communication is that its effectiveness is
closely linked with the listener’s attentiveness.
• Since human beings can listen to grasp the
message faster than the speed at which they
are delivered, they will easily get delivered
thus making communication ineffective.

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 Elements of conversation
• Topic initiation
• Topic maintenance
• Topic change or shift
• Topic closure

• What should you do in each of these

elements?

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Diana Wheatley
“Meaning is made in conversation,
Reality is created in communication,
And knowledge is generated through social
interaction...
language is the vehicle through which we
create our understanding of the world.”

What does this mean? Explain.

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Video Communication

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 • the transmission of
information via live
video streaming or
through video sharing
• to establish a real-time
Video connection
communication

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Electronic applications used in video
mode

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 Advantages
https://www.eztalks.com/unified-communications/advantages-
and-disadvantages-of-video-communication.html

1. Reduces Travel Cost

• Attendees can join online meetings from
anywhere, which significantly minimizes
travel costs and time required for travelling.
• The technology can accomplish same results
in less time and at the fraction of the cost
business would spend on trips abroad.

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 2. Enhances Teamwork
• Video communication connects teams across
the globe, eliminating the barriers created by
face-to-face or the need to commute to
meetings.
• Teams can come together to discuss projects
and jointly work through documents.

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3. Improved Communication
• With video communication meetings, start and
end-times are usually agreed upon before the
video call starts, allowing for a more detailed
discussion.
• Attendees are likely to stay focused on the
agenda of the meeting.
• Rather than frustrating emails from clients where
some meanings are not clearly understood,
attendees can see body language and expressions
from clients, colleagues, and partners, making
communication clearer.

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• Expressions of dissatisfaction or concern can
easily be addressed than through voicemails
and emails, making this communications the
nearest thing to being in the same room with
all the attendees.

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4. More Flexible
• the meeting can still run as scheduled despite
unanticipated situations that stop participants
from attending.
• Employees will no longer have lame excuses
when they fail to attend the meeting.
• Being able to connect with them through
video communication removes a whole pile of
pressure from your day.

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5. Increased Productivity
• Video communication ensures that team
members connect effectively, bonding their
relationships.
• This boosts their morale and keeps
communication flowing smoothly.
• Also, since video communication makes
communication easier, it helps employees attain
the balance they require in order to feel content
and fulfilled in their lives.

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 Disadvantages
1. Can Be Harder to Focus
• It can be harder to engage someone through a
video screen, meaning it can be harder to
focus on what is being discussed in the
meeting.
• Instead of being in the ambiance of the
meeting, you are in your own atmosphere
which may limit how you receive and retain
the information.

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2. Time Delay between Responses
• There may be a small time delay between
responses, which can result in stilted and
boring discussion.
• This is one major problem that most service
providers in the industry continue to face.
• Solution: There should be high-quality audio
and video transmission affect to make sure
that users engage in discussions without
interruption and more participants can be
accommodated.

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3. The Technology Can Fail
• Video communication is dependent on
technology, which might fail in the middle of a
discussion.
• This can be frustrating especially if you are
racing against time to complete an important
project.
• Solution: quality equipment

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4. Audio Quality Is Poor
• It might be difficult to hear the speaker
without the earphones or if the speaker is not
near the microphone.
• This is because the further away one is from
the mic the harder it is to hear them.
• Moreover, you would need quality speakers in
order to hear the entire room.
• Solution: invest in top-notch speakers and
microphones.

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5. Time zone differences between countries
• Scheduling might become a problem most
especially when the conference is done
between or among people from other
countries.

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Audio Communication
• Audio communication
is any form of
transmission that is
based on hearing.
• Only the voice of the
speaker is heard.

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Ways of audio communication

telephone Voice messaging

Voice mail
Answering machine

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 Advantages
https://connectusfund.org/6-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-
audio-conferencing

1. Telephones are widely accessible.

2. Multiple parties can participate in a
discussion.
3. It allows people to participate in
conversation when they can’t physically
make the meeting.

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 Disadvantages
1. The kind of telephone used affects the quality
of the call.
2. Some find it a waste of time.
3. It can cause inconvenience to some parties.
• This is particularly true when it comes to offices
with different locations around the world. When
the time difference is 12 hours or more, this
would mean one party would have to make the
call at night or do it very early in the morning.

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• Advantage:
– Communication can take place;
– Message can be sent via voice mail, voice message
or can be recorded in answering machines.
• Disadvantage
– Body language or cues are discounted.
– The intelligibility of people’s accents can be
problematic

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Text-Based Communication
• Text-based communication
is one of the most popular
mode of communication
nowadays.

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Examples of text-based messaging

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Social networking sites

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 Advantages
• Less time is needed to communicate. Hence it is the
fastest way to reach anyone.
• Communication history is logged automatically to view
old messages.
• Cost effective way for sending information.
• Notifications can be automated.
• Anyone can leave a message to the person even if
he/she is available or not. This helps in providing
message to the recipient, so that once he/she notices
the same, recipient can reply back.
• Wider audience; can disseminate information to a
bigger audience quickly.

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 Disadvantages
• System of communication is unreliable.
• It is not possible to know whether the
recipient has read the message or not.

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