2. Welcome to Communications Merit Badge
Why is the Communication Marit Badge
Eagle Required?
The ability to communicate clearly and effectively is essential for achieving success in
the ‘real world’. To earn the Eagle-required Communication merit badge, you’ll need to
examine your own communication methods, deliver a speech, conduct an interview,
organize an event, and put into practice active listening.
Communications focuses on how people use messages to generate meanings within
and across various contexts, cultures, channels, and media. The field of
communication promotes the effective and ethical practice of human communication. -
U.S. Department of Education
3. Communication - (from Latin communicare, meaning "to share")is the act of conveying meanings from
one entity or group to another through the use of mutually understood signs, symbols,
and semiotic rules.
The main steps inherent to all communication are:
1. The formation of communicative motivation or reason.
2. Message composition (further internal or technical elaboration on what exactly to express).
3. Message encoding (for example, into digital data, written text, speech, pictures, gestures and so on).
4. Transmission of the encoded message as a sequence of signals using a specific channel or medium.
5. Noise sources such as natural forces and in some cases human activity (both intentional and
accidental) begin influencing the quality of signals propagating from the sender to one or more
receivers.
6. Reception of signals and reassembling of the encoded message from a sequence of received signals.
7. Decoding of the reassembled encoded message.
8. Interpretation and making sense of the presumed original message.
4.
5. Barriers to Communication
Barriers to effective communication can retard or distort the message or intention of the
message being conveyed.
• Physical barriers – Physical barriers are often due to the nature of the environment. An example of this is the
natural barrier which exists when workers are located in different buildings or on different sites. Likewise, poor or
outdated equipment, particularly the failure of management to introduce new technology, may also cause
problems. Staff shortages are another factor which frequently causes communication difficulties for an
organization.
• System design – System design faults refer to problems with the structures or systems in place in an
organization. Examples might include an organizational structure which is unclear and therefore makes it
confusing to know whom to communicate with. Other examples could be inefficient or inappropriate information
systems, a lack of supervision or training, and a lack of clarity in roles and responsibilities which can lead to staff
being uncertain about what is expected of them.
• Attitudinal barriers– Attitudinal barriers come about as a result of problems with staff in an organization. These
may be brought about, for example, by such factors as poor management, lack of consultation with employees,
personality conflicts which can result in people delaying or refusing to communicate, the personal attitudes of
individual employees which may be due to lack of motivation or dissatisfaction at work, brought about by
insufficient training to enable them to carry out particular tasks, or simply resistance to change due to entrenched
attitudes and ideas.
6. Barriers to Communication (Cont.)
• Ambiguity of words/phrases – Words sounding the same but having different meaning can convey a different
meaning altogether. Hence the communicator must ensure that the receiver receives the same meaning. It is
better if such words are avoided by using alternatives whenever possible.
• Individual linguistic ability – The use of jargon, difficult or inappropriate words in communication can prevent
the recipients from understanding the message. Poorly explained or misunderstood messages can also result in
confusion. However, research in communication has shown that confusion can lend legitimacy to research when
persuasion fails.
• Physiological barriers – These may result from individuals' personal discomfort, caused—for example—by ill
health, poor eyesight or hearing difficulties.
• Bypassing – This happens when the communicators (the sender and the receiver) do not attach the same
symbolic meanings to their words. It is when the sender is expressing a thought or a word but the receiver gives
it a different meaning. For example- ASAP, Rest room
7. Barriers to Communication (Cont.)
• Technological multi-tasking and absorbency – With a rapid increase in technologically-driven communication
in the past several decades, individuals are increasingly faced with condensed communication in the form of e-
mail, text, and social updates. This has, in turn, led to a notable change in the way younger generations
communicate and perceive their own self-efficacy to communicate and connect with others. With the ever-
constant presence of another "world" in one's pocket, individuals are multi-tasking both physically and
cognitively as constant reminders of something else happening somewhere else bombard them. Though perhaps
too new an advancement to yet see long-term effects, this is a notion currently explored by such figures as
Sherry Turkle.
• Fear of being criticized – This is a major factor that prevents good communication. If we exercise simple
practices to improve our communication skill, we can become effective communicators. For example, read an
article from the newspaper or collect some news from the television and present it in front of the mirror. This will
not only boost your confidence but also improve your language and vocabulary.
• Gender barriers – Most communicators whether aware or not, often have a set agenda. This is very notable
among the different genders. For example, many women are found to be more critical when addressing conflict.
It's also been noted that men are more likely than women to withdraw from conflict.
8. REQUIREMENT 1
Do ONE of the following:
a) For one day, keep a log in which you describe your communication activities. Keep
track of the time and different ways you spend communicating, such as talking
person-to-person, listening to teachers, listening to the radio or podcasts,, watching
television, using social media, reading books and other print media, and using any
electronic communication device.
b) For three days, keep a journal of your listening experiences.
c) In a small-group setting, meet with other Scouts or with friends. Have them share
personal stories about significant events in their lives that affected them in some way.
Take note of how each Scout participates in the group discussion and how effectively
each Scout communicates their story.
d) List as many ways as you can think of to communicate with others (face-to-face, by
telephone, letter, e-mail, text messages, social media, and so on). For each type of
communication, discuss with your counselor an instance when that method might not
be appropriate or effective.
9. REQUIREMENT 1
Let’s do requirement “D”:
Go to page 5 of 11 in your Communication Merit Badge
Workbook.
You will have 15 minutes to think of and list ways of
communication and when that method might not be approporaits
or effective.
If you have them you may use your Smart Phones, Tablets, or
computer.
10. Way to Communicate When the method might not be Appropriate or effective
Sign / Billboard
Notes
Phone Call
Letter
Email
Talk
Instant Message (IM)
Radio
TV
Morse Code
Two Way Radios (CB)
Advertisement
Body Language
Sign Language
Video Conference
Smoke Signals
11. REQUIREMENT 2
Do ONE of the following:
1. Think of a creative way to describe yourself using, for example, a collage, short story
or autobiography, drawing or series of photographs, or a song or skit. Using the aid
you created, make a presentation to your counselor about yourself.
2. Choose a concept, product, or service in which you have great confidence:
- Build a sales plan passed on its good points.
- Try to persuade the counselor to agree with, use, or buy your concept,
product, or service. After your sales talk, discuss with your counselor
how persuasive you were.
12. REQUIREMENT 3
Write a five-minute speech. Give it at a meeting of a
group.
• You will have 30 minutes to prepare a five-minute speech on an appropriate
subject of your choosing.
• If you have them you may use your Smart Phones, Tablets, or computers.
• Please be respectful if one of the speaker's views are different than your own.
13. Many people take their listening skills for granted. We often assume it’s clear that
we’re listening and that others know they are being heard. But the reality is that we as
Scouts and Leaders often struggle with tasks and roles that directly relate to active
listening.
14. REQUIREMENT 4
Interview someone you know fairly well, like, or respect because of his or her
position, talent, career, or life experiences.
Listen actively to learn as much as you can about the person. Then prepare and
deliver to your counselor an introduction of the person as though this person were
to be a guest speaker, and include reasons why the audience would want to hear
this person speak.
Show how you would call to invite this person to speak.
You can find someone or call someone during your Lunch
break and complete requirement 4 in your Communication
Merit Badge Workbook.
15. REQUIREMENT 5
• Attend a public meeting (city council, school board, debate) approved by your counselor where several
points of view are given on a single issue.
• Practice active listening skills and take careful notes of each point of view.
Prepare an objective report that includes all points of view that were expressed, and share this with your counselor.
16. REQUIREMENT 6
With your counselor's approval, develop a plan to teach a skill or inform someone about
something.
• Prepare teaching aids for your plan.
• Carry out your plan. With your counselor, determine whether the person has
learned what you intended.
17. REQUIREMENT 7
Do ONE of the following:
a) Write to the editor of a magazine or your local newspaper to express your opinion or
share information on any subject you choose.
- Send your Message by Fax, e-mail, or regular mail.
b) Create a web page or blog of special interest to you (for instance, your troop or crew,
a hobby, or a sport). Include at least three articles or entries and one photograph or
illustration and one link to some other Web page or blog that would be helpful to
someone who visits the Web page or blog you have created. It is not necessary to
post your Web page or blog to the Internet, but if you decide to do so, you must first
share it with your parents and counselor and get their permission.
c) Use desktop publishing to produce a newsletter, brochure, flier, or other printed
material for your Scout troop, class at school, or other group. Include at least one
article and one photograph or illustration.
18. REQUIREMENT 9
Find out about three career opportunities in the field of communication.
1.
2.
3.
Pick one and explain how to prepare for such a career.
Discuss with your counselor what education and training are required, and explain
why this profession might interest you.
- Education
- Training
- Why this profession might interest you
19. REQUIREMENT 8** Prerequisite ** ** Prerequisite **
Plan a troop or crew court of honor, campfire program, or interfaith
worship service.
• Have the patrol leaders' council approve it, then write the script and
prepare the program.
• Serve as Master of Ceremonies
