Developing Communication Skills: A Theatrical Approach

Communication is a central and fundamental aspect of all human interactions. It is not just to communicate, but to communicate effectively. Communication takes place irrespective of who, where and when. Even a deliberate refusal to communicate is still termed communication because communication can also take place in silence. The word 'communication' is derived from the Latin words communicare/communis. It involves a direct or indirect sharing of information between two or more people. Communication takes place when information is generated from a source, through a medium to a receiver. This is achieved through the transmission of the common understanding between individuals or groups via the use of a common system of symbols. To lend credence to this, Ayodele & Adeniyi (1999:146) describe communication as requiring a well-developed means, which would not only be known to the communicator but also to the communicatee, who should share a common understanding of such media. It is, therefore, very important that the media of communication be well-developed to achieve effective communication.