CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1    Background of the Study

People cannot interact with each other without communication. In the absence of communication, everything would grind to a halt.

Communication between people is the sending and receiving of message, it can involve two or more people. According to Hunt and Marshal (2002), communication is the exchange of ideas or information that involves the decoding of intended message by the sender and receiver. Through communication, needs, feelings, desires and ideas are expressed. Information is given and received through communication and in this way one establishes one’s own identity.

Determining effect of ineffective communication among students on academic performance of was central to this study, as rightly noted by Marschark (2003) classroom communication is one of the most important aspects to consider when discussing the successful teaching and learning.

According to James et’al (2009), communication is a means by which a thought is transferred from one person to another. It is also the process by which the person (group) share and impact information to another or group clearly understand by one person and another.

Velenguela (2002), opines communication as any act by which one person gives to or receives from another person’s information about that person’s needs, desire, perceptions, knowledge or effective states. Communication may be intentional or unintentional, may involve conventional or unconventional signals, may take linguistic or non-linguistic forms and may occur through spoken or other modes.

Wikipedia (2009) defines communication as a process of transferring information from one entity to another. Communication processes are sign mediated interactions between at least two agents which share a repertoire of signs and semiotic rules “Communication is commonly defined as the imparting or interchange of thoughts”, opinions, or information by speech, writing or signs”. Communication can be perceived as a two-way process in which there is an exchange and progression of thoughts, feelings or ideas towards a mutually accepted goal or direction.