VILLAMOR COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ARTS, INC.

SUBJECT CODE Core 1

SUBJECT DESCRIPTION Oral Communication in Context
MODULE DESCRIPTION Module No. 2
OBJECTIVE OF THIS  Define and explain the nature of intercultural
MODULE: communication
 Discuss the functions of communication
 Identify strategies used by each speaker to convey
his/her ideas effectively.

DURATION Two Weeks

Intercultural Communication

Please note that this module is strictly for students officially enrolled in Villamor College of Business and
Arts. Re-printing, re-distribution, or re-selling of the module is strictly prohibited by the institution.
 VILLAMOR COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ARTS, INC.

Our communication styles are vastly influenced by our culture. Culture as a critical
component of the communication process shapes the roles we play as communicators and the
communication rules we follow. As Filipinos, we have our cultural identities and traditions that
reflect our manner of speaking, nonverbal expressions, language style and interpretations of
meanings.

FOCUS ACTIVITY 1
One published online article titled “48 Ways to Know You are Filipino” from
Jeepneygang.com talks about Filipino traits. The article identified the following traits of most
Filipinos like you:
1. You point with your lips.
2. You collect items from hotels or restaurants as “souvenirs”.
3. You scratch your head when you don’t know the answer.
4. You always offer food to your visitor.
5. Your middle name is your mother’s maiden name.
6. You’d rather sleep on the floor than ask your guests to do so.

Would you agree with what the article says about Filipinos? Explain your answer on the space
provided below.

The Nature of Culture

According to Wrench, McCroskey, and Richmond (2008), the term culture refers “to a
relatively specialized lifestyle of a group of people consisting of their values, beliefs, behavior
and ways of communicating. These are passed on from one generation to the next. Included in
culture would be all members of a social group that have produced and developed their
language, modes of thinking, art, laws and religion.” Samovar and Porter (1991) suggest that
culture encompasses what we know, our values and beliefs, attitudes and experiences,

Please note that this module is strictly for students officially enrolled in Villamor College of Business and
Arts. Re-printing, re-distribution, or re-selling of the module is strictly prohibited by the institution.
 VILLAMOR COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ARTS, INC.

meanings, hierarchies, religion, perception of time, roles use of space or proxemics, concepts of
the universe, material objects and possessions that people have acquired over the course of
time. Simply, culture consists of people with similar backgrounds who think, act and
communicate in similar ways (Richmond, McCroskey 2005).

Defining Intercultural Communication

There is an increasing awareness today of the need to accept cultural diversity. With the
advent of new technology, and the opening up of societies, there is a genuine call to be more
tolerant of differences in cultural perspectives. In our everyday lives, we are likely to come in
contact with people who are different from us, having diverse sets of roles, rules and ways of
life. Thus, these challenges pave the need to study intercultural communication.

 It happens when individuals interact, negotiate, and create meanings while bringing in
their varied cultural backgrounds (Ting-Toomy, 1999).
 Pertains to communication among people from different nationalities (Gudykunst, 2003).
 Is a communication that is influenced by different ethnicities, religions and sexual
orientations.

Six stages of Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity

Stage 1. Denial
- The individual does not recognize cultural differences.

Stage 2. Defense
- The individual starts to recognize cultural differences and is intimidated by them,
resulting in either a superior view on own culture or an unjustified high regard for the
new one.

Stage 3. Minimization
- Although individuals see cultural differences, they bank more on the universality of
ideas rather than on cultural differences.

Please note that this module is strictly for students officially enrolled in Villamor College of Business and
Arts. Re-printing, re-distribution, or re-selling of the module is strictly prohibited by the institution.
 VILLAMOR COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ARTS, INC.

Stage 4. Acceptance
- The individual begins to appreciate important cultural differences in behaviors and
eventually in values.

Stage 5. Adaptation
- The individual is very open to world views when accepting new perspectives.

Stage 6. Integration
- Individuals start to go beyond their own cultures and see themselves and their
actions based on multifarious cultural viewpoints.

Note that in addition to culture, other elements such as gender, age, social status, and
religion must also be taken into consideration when communicating with others. Refrain from
showing a bias when talking to someone by following the tips below.

1. Avoid stereotypes, i.e, generalizations about a certain group.

2. Avoid using “he” and “man” to refer to a general group of people. The use of his/her is also
acceptable.
3. Do not talk down to younger people and the elderly.
4. Be sensitive to the religious practices of others.
5. Be polite at all times; do not belittle people you perceive to be on a lower social class than
you.

FOCUS ACTIVITY 2
Discuss the following questions. Write your answer on the space provided.
1. Based on the definition of culture, would you consider a fraternity a culture? Why? or
why not?

2. Based on your personal experience, why is the study of intercultural communication

important?

Please note that this module is strictly for students officially enrolled in Villamor College of Business and
Arts. Re-printing, re-distribution, or re-selling of the module is strictly prohibited by the institution.
 VILLAMOR COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ARTS, INC.

Exploring the Functions of Communication

The previous lesson emphasized the fact that human beings “cannot not communicate”.
Being able to communicate is almost as important as breathing. People do not just
communicate because people love to talk. Human communicate for reasons called the
Functions of Communication. Each function is based on the Speaker’s Purpose for
communicating and will be discussed at length in this unit.
Humans communicate for several reasons: regulation and control, social interaction,
motivation, information and emotional expression. Collectively, these reasons are called the
Functions of Communication.

1. Regulation and Control

 Means being able to use language, gestures and emotions to control or manage
individuals’ behavior.
Examples for regulation and control

 Making an announcement that the community will start segregating their garbage.
 Telling someone to be quiet.
 Encouraging someone to continue discussing the topic.
 Parent telling a child not to misbehave.
 Policeman directing pedestrians not to jaywalk but cross on the pedestrian lane.

2. Social Interaction

 The most familiar and primary reason why people communicate.

 Allows people to be connected and interact with one another.

Examples for social interaction

 Friends get together to interact and enjoy each other’s company.
 Conversation with a family during meal.
 Father and son talking while playing basketball

Please note that this module is strictly for students officially enrolled in Villamor College of Business and
Arts. Re-printing, re-distribution, or re-selling of the module is strictly prohibited by the institution.
 VILLAMOR COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ARTS, INC.

3. Information

 This function is used when the speaker wants to make others aware of certain data,
concepts and processes.

Examples for information

 A Filipino scientist provides information to a low-income community on how to light up

their homes using a bottle filled with water and teaspoon of bleach.
 The school dentist tells a kindergarten class how to brush one’s teeth properly.
 A weather forecaster on TV announcing a low pressure area, which might turn into a
typhoon.

4. Motivation

 The speaker’s purpose is to persuade or try to persuade another person to change

his/her opinion, attitude or behavior.

Examples for motivation

 Convincing friends to go to the mall after school to watch a movie.

 To talk with the teacher to ask him/her for more time to finish a class project.
 A customer convinces a vendor to sell a bigger sized mango for the same price as a
smaller one.

5. Emotional expression

 The speaker appeals to the listener’s feelings and emotions to encourage him/her to act
in a particular direction.

Examples for emotional expression

 A woman donates food and water after receiving messages that include pictures of the
devastation brought about by a typhoon.

Please note that this module is strictly for students officially enrolled in Villamor College of Business and
Arts. Re-printing, re-distribution, or re-selling of the module is strictly prohibited by the institution.
 VILLAMOR COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ARTS, INC.

 A girl cried after seeing a photo of children dying or crying because of hunger.
 A volunteer helps build new houses for the victims of Bagyong Yolanda.

FOCUS ACTIVITY 3
Think of your own examples to illustrate each of the functions of communication. Write your
answers inside the box.

Questions for Review:

1. Why do you need to refrain from showing a bias when talking to someone?

Please note that this module is strictly for students officially enrolled in Villamor College of Business and
Arts. Re-printing, re-distribution, or re-selling of the module is strictly prohibited by the institution.
 VILLAMOR COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ARTS, INC.

2. Which function of communication needs more preparation compared to the others? Why?

ASSESSMENT AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Please take note that our quiz on this module will be on the last meeting of the week.
You will be assessed through an online quiz, and random recitation in our live lecture.

INQUIRY

If you have questions regarding this lesson, you may reach me through my email at
msayaon.vcbaonline@gmail.com. Video call consultations via zoom can be
scheduled (limited in our class hours only). Thank you.

Please note that this module is strictly for students officially enrolled in Villamor College of Business and
Arts. Re-printing, re-distribution, or re-selling of the module is strictly prohibited by the institution.