Communication Process: Concept and Elements

The communication process involves several key components that work together to ensure messages are sent, received, and understood effectively. For teachers, understanding each part helps make classroom communication clearer and more impactful.

 

Main Elements of the Communication Process

1. Sender (Source)

• Role: The sender is the originator of the message—the one who initiates communication.
• Responsibility: To conceive, encode, and deliver a clear and purposeful message.
• Teacher Example: The teacher prepares a lesson on fractions and decides how to explain it to the class.

 

2. Encoding

• Role: Encoding is the process of converting thoughts or information into symbols, words, gestures, or images.
• Responsibility: To choose language, tone, and medium appropriate for the audience.
• Teacher Example: The teacher decides to use simple language, visual aids, and real-life examples to explain fractions, making the message easy for all students to grasp.

 

3. Message

• Role: The message is the content or information the sender wants to communicate.
• Responsibility: To ensure the message is accurate, relevant, and tailored to the receiver’s level.
• Teacher Example: The actual explanation of “a fraction is a part of a whole, like half a pizza.”

 

4. Channel (Medium)

• Role: The channel is the means or method through which the message travels from sender to receiver.
• Responsibility: To select the most effective channel based on the context and the audience.
• Teacher Example: The teacher uses spoken words, a whiteboard drawing, and a hands-on activity with paper cut-outs as channels.

 

5. Receiver

• Role: The receiver is the individual or group who gets the message.
• Responsibility: To attend to, interpret, and try to understand the message.
• Teacher Example: The students listen, observe, and participate in the activity on fractions.

 

6. Decoding

• Role: Decoding is the process by which the receiver interprets and makes sense of the message.
• Responsibility: To accurately understand the sender’s intended meaning, based on prior knowledge and context.
• Teacher Example: A student relates the “half a pizza” example to his/her own experience of sharing food.

 

7. Feedback

• Role: Feedback is the receiver’s response to the message, sent back to the sender.
• Responsibility: To let the sender know whether the message was understood, and to seek clarification if needed.
• Teacher Example: Students answer the teacher’s follow-up questions, nod, or ask doubts if something isn’t clear.

 

8. Noise (Barriers)

• Role: Noise refers to anything that disrupts or interferes with the communication process.
• Responsibility: Both sender and receiver should try to minimize noise for effective communication.
• Teacher Example: Physical noise (like construction outside), psychological noise (student’s worries), or semantic noise (complex vocabulary) can all be barriers.

 

Visual Representation (Table Format)

Element	Teacher’s Role	Example in Classroom
Sender	Initiates communication	Teacher prepares lesson on fractions
Encoding	Converts ideas to words/symbols	Uses simple language and drawings
Message	Actual content	Explains "fraction is part of a whole"
Channel	Chooses method	Speaks, writes on board, shows objects
Receiver	Gets message	Students listen and observe
Decoding	Interprets message	Students link fractions to daily life
Feedback	Responds to sender	Students answer questions or ask doubts
Noise	Reduces barriers	Ensures quiet environment; uses clear language

 

Example Scenario: Teaching ‘Photosynthesis’

1. Sender: Teacher wants to teach photosynthesis.
2. Encoding: Selects simple words, draws a diagram, and uses a plant in the classroom.
3. Message: “Photosynthesis is how plants make food using sunlight, water, and air.”
4. Channel: Uses spoken words, blackboard diagrams, and real plant demonstration.
5. Receiver: Students in the class.
6. Decoding: Students listen, watch, and try to understand the process.
7. Feedback: Students ask, “Why do plants need sunlight?” or attempt to draw the process.
8. Noise: The teacher avoids complex words and ensures the class is quiet and attentive.

 

Summary and Tips for Teachers

• Be clear in encoding messages. Use age-appropriate language and examples.
• Choose the best channel—mix verbal, visual, and interactive methods.
• Encourage feedback—ask questions, invite students to paraphrase, check for understanding.
• Minimize noise—ensure good classroom environment and remove misunderstandings quickly.
• Reflect and adapt—use feedback to improve your communication every lesson.

 

Remember:
The effectiveness of teaching depends not just on what is taught, but on how well it is communicated. Understanding and using every step in the communication process helps teachers ensure students truly understand and learn.