Communication Competencies and Applications

There are five types of communication competencies. The competencies include: informative messages, affective messages, imaginative messages, ritualistic messages, and persuasive messages. 

Informative message:  a message that allows educators to send and receive messages that give or attain information.

Affective message: a message that will express or respond to feelings. With affective messages, educators must be willing to express their feelings, and offer opinions on topics.  Teachers must also demonstrate openness and provide a feeling of warmth to students. 

Imaginative message: a message that will show that the educator can speculate, theorize or fantasize within communication.  Teachers should encourage creativity, and show appreciation for students' imaginations. 

Ritualistic message: sends the message of maintaining social relationships and facilitating interaction among the parents, students, teachers and administrators. A ritualistic message should model appropriate social behaviors and the normal roles in conversations of speaking and listening. 

Persuasive message: a message that seeks to convince or persuade.  In a persuasive message, one must differentiate between facts and opinions.  The teacher and/or student must support their ideas with evidence.

(Simonds & Cooper, 2011)

 

 



•Informative message example:

An email to parents to inform them of an upcoming event that they could attend at the school with clip art included to amplify the information.

•Affective message example:

An email would be applicable to send to all school division employees and personnel regarding an employee’s passing. The message would demonstrate openness, warmth and positive regard for the students, the community and the individual’s family.

•Imaginative message example:

Allowing students to develop their own poster or advertisement that would inspire reading among classmates. This encourages the students’ creativity and shows that I appreciate their use of imagination.

•Ritualistic message example:

An email sent to parents regarding their child’s Great Kids Award is a representation of a ritualistic message because it sends the message of maintaining social relationships and facilitating interaction among the parents, students, teachers and administrators.

•Persuasive message example:

Creating an advertisement for Lego Club that attempts to convince the students to try and attend a club after school that would be enjoyable for them.

Being effective in the five communication competencies within the classroom is essential to enhancing relationships with your students, parents, colleagues and administrators.