HSIE

Society and Culture - Intercultural Communication

Year 11 Society and Culture students have been investigating the nature of everyday communication. They applied Hall’s Encoding and Decoding Theory to improve their understanding of the communication process. They visually represented conversations requiring the explanation of everyday tasks, such as ironing a pair of pants and sending an email to a teacher. Students were able to reflect on the challenges some communication methods pose, especially when using mediums other than face-to-face conversation.

As part of our Intercultural Communication topic, students have been exploring the verbal and non-verbal communication methods utilised during our social interactions. The class has placed a particular emphasis on developing an understanding of the challenges faced by members of the community who experience visual impairment. Students were provided with a blindfolded navigation challenge which tested their ability to communicate verbally, to listen to instructions and to follow them to the best of their ability. The students all reported in their reflection that the experience enhanced their empathetic understanding of the challenges faced by those who are blind or have low vision in our community.

Mr Rod Buik | HSIE KLA Leader