Good communication strengthens relationship. It builds trust, 5.

Topic Shifting
suggests individual’s manner, and may also resolve certain
issue. Since we are addressed as “social being” where it is not Topic shifting is a diversionary tactic in which one person in a
easy for us to live without interaction to one another, there are discussion (the shifter) manages to subtly change the
ways on how people may communicate effectively and discussion's topic to another, related but different topic,
meaningfully. without explicitly announcing the change of subject or
reaching any kind of mutual agreement that such a change is
Everyone must know the importance of establishing good appropriate.
communication in order to avoid confusion, misunderstanding
and to gain more others’ ideas, and experiences and to resolve 6. Repair
problems in every situation. Repair refers to how speakers address problems in speaking,
The learners should be able to employ proper communicative listening, and comprehending that they may encounter in a
strategy in different situation. conversation. Repair is self-righting mechanism in any social
interaction. Once a problem in communication is not repaired
right away, surely, it would lead into misunderstanding or
confusion.
Types of Communicative Strategy
7. Termination
Strategies must be used to start and maintain a conversation
(Cohen, 1990). The strategy may vary according to the need, Termination refers to the conversation participants' close-
situation, or speaker. Below are some strategies that people initiating expressions that end a topic in a conversation. Most
use in communication. of the time, the topic initiator takes responsibility to signal the
end of the discussion as well.
1. Nomination

This is a speaker’s strategy in establishing a collaborative

conversation by opening a subject. Commonly, to employ this Topic Nomination- is choosing a topic and opening or starting
strategy without prior conversation, the speaker frequently it for discussion.
asks questions, tell some current news or announcements that
would require his/her listener to respond and have a good start Topic restriction- is confining or limiting the development of
for conversation. the topic and keeping it within bounds. This may be done by
interrupting the one speaking or avoiding the topic altogether.
2. Restriction
Turn-taking--refers to the exchange of turns or instances when
Restriction in communication refers to any limitation you have each speaker talks in aninteraction.
as a speaker (Sipacio and Balgos, 2016). This strategy limits
the speaker’s content of what to say – mostly only those that Topic Control-- is directing and regulating the flow or
are relevant to the topic presented. development of the interaction

If a teacher gives a topic to collaborate, everyone in the group Topic Shifting--means changing the topic or its direction and
are expected to bring out ideas that would only be concerned emphasis.
with the given topic. Speakers are restricted to sideswipe to Repair--- is fixing and correcting anything negative, or
avoid communication breakdown. providing any kind of amends and remedyto something that
3. Turn-taking has gone wrong in the exchange between the two speakers.7.

To make communication be organized and all ideas are well- Topic Termination---is ending concluding, or closing the
facilitated, people in the circle must be given equal conversation or interaction
opportunities to present their ideas during the conversation. Closing--and saying “goodbye,” for instance, are culture-
4. Topic Control specific. Some cultures have minimal or noclosing
requirements, while others, like American English, have
Topic control is a communicative strategy used to control and elaborate ones.
prevent unnecessary interruptions and topic shifts in a certain
conversation. Topic control is considered a procedural
formality or informality that affects the development of certain Communicative Strategies
topics in particular discussion or conversation.
Directions: Read the text below. Extract the observable
Moreover, topic control works along the concept of turn- communicative strategies from it. Write the statement/s
taking, where everyone can express related ideas to the that represent/s the strategies on a sheet of paper under the
ongoing topic without the need to interrupt others. correct heading/label.
The SK Chairperson called for a meeting. After presenting the classmate. With your teacher, you behaved as an obedient
agenda for the day, he asked the body to raise other concerns student and you were respectful and formal; while with your
to be discussed. They put forward two other matters namely: best friend, you were more relaxed, and your conversational
the upcoming programs for youth development and the tone became more personal and casual. There are times when
construction of the new SK building. During the open forum, we are pressed with inevitable circumstances that make us
the Chair instructed his fellow youth to raise their hand if they react either positively or negatively on matters of
want to say something. The attendees waited for their turns in agreement or controversy.
the process. The meeting progressed and every time the
discussion would get off the track, the Chair would call for There are moments we stand firm on our belief or concede
order and remind the group to stay focused. The discussion when it is necessary. We say something according to what we
flowed smoothly then, and with everyone’s cooperation, the hear and respond based on the turn of events or of the story. As
shift from one topic to the next was done with ease. a cousin to Karl and as the situation calls for, you owned a
Other matters were also clarified. Soon, the chairman asked certain level of authority, yet the language used may be
everybody if they have fully understood all the issues and informal since you are of close affinity. Your voice could be a
concerns discussed. Everybody nodded and said, “Yes!” in little imposing but also respectful as you reminded him about
response. The meeting was adjourned promptly. the surprise gift to be secretly bought for your father. But it
changed the way you talked with your mother who called
you over the phone. Suddenly, your tone became more
endearing as you did not want to displease her.
1. Nomination
_________________________________________________ In just a snap, the loving son that you are, turned into
someone else when your school principal sent you an errand
2. Restriction to Mrs. Caparas, the 60-year old District Supervisor. Your
__________________________________________________ delivery and choice of words apparently varied. In an instant,
_______________________ 3. Turn-taking you spoke cautiously and seriously because you adapted to the
__________________________________________________ fact that apart from age difference, she is a person of high
_______________________ 4. Topic Control authority and that formality of language is deemed necessary.
__________________________________________________
_______________________ 5. Topic Shifting
__________________________________________________
_______________________ 6. Repair
__________________________________________________
_______________________ 7. Termination
__________________

Communicative Competence In order to achieve

communicative competence, we must consider the following:
speech context, speech style, speech act and
The world we live in offers dynamic conditions that drive us communicative strategies.
to modify and adjust our behavior and manner of speech Communicative strategies
with others. In the same way, exposure to various situations
changes the purpose, manner of delivery, words and strategies You are the class president and are the one presiding a
that we apply to the various conversations. meeting. In the middle of the discussion, a heated argument
as to where the class fund goes takes place. What would you
The way you talked with Mr. Reyes, your Oral do? To begin a conversation and keep it going, we should
Communication teacher was way different from how you employ strategies that will help maintain its smooth flow.
exchanged conversation with Diego, your best friend and
 You may consider nomination wherein you as the class
president or your classmates suggest a topic or agenda to
talk about. Nomination starts the conversation process.
You also put restriction or limitation to the topic to be
discussed in order to meet the arranged and allotted time.

Turn-taking is where you employ rules of engagement

regarding the procedure or sequence of each participant’s
turn to talk. This also refers to the alternate turns that
speakers adapt when having a conversation. Making sure that
the discussions remain in the confines of the agenda is
the next consideration.

This may be hard to achieve but topic control is possible

through the cooperation of all the attendees of a group
meeting or of all participants in the discussion. Everybody
should ensure that the conversation will not veer away from
what has been planned.

Topic shifting makes the transition from one topic to

another occur smoothly. This happens when one discussant
manages to move to the next topic subtly. This next topic
may not necessarily be the same as the previous but
definitely, it is related to it.

Before the meeting is adjourned, you may repair or fix all the
problems that arouse in the course of the meeting by
answering all the questions and clarifying the attendees’
understanding of the agenda discussed.

The termination is the last part of the process where the

meeting is successfully ended. These various communicative
strategies may be employed by speakers in order to keep the
conversation moving forward. Different strategies entail
different word choice and language forms.

From our discussions earlier, it is clear that the following

elements are affected by a shift in the communicative
processes:

1. language form which could shift from formal to informal

and vice versa,

2. the duration or the length of communication which could be

shortened or lengthened depending on how the
conversation will be maintained,

3. the relationship of the speaker to the receiver of the message

that could be intimate, frozen, consultative, casual, or
formal; and,

4. the role and responsibility of the speaker, the message and

its delivery which could vary depending on the context and
purpose of communication