Lesson Note on Communications: Meaning, Development and Traditional Means for SS 2

Class: Senior Secondary School 2 (SS2 / SSS2)
Term: 1st Term
Week: 1
Age: 16 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: Commerce
Curriculum Theme: Business Environment: Communication
Previous Lesson: .
Topic: COMMUNICATIONS
Subject Matter: Meaning of communications (process of sending and receiving information), development of communication (how communication has changed over time), Nigerian traditional means of communication (gongs, drums)

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

Cognitive Domain:

• Define communication.
• Explain the historical development of communication.
• Identify and describe various Nigerian traditional means of communication.

Affective Domain:

• Appreciate the importance of effective communication in daily life and business.
• Value the historical significance of traditional communication methods.

Psychomotor Domain:

• Illustrate or describe how traditional communication tools like gongs and drums were used.
• Differentiate between traditional and modern communication methods.

Social Domain:

• Discuss how communication helps in community interaction and information sharing.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• Senior Secondary Schools Education Curriculum
• State Unified Scheme of Work
• Essential Commerce for Senior Secondary Schools by O. A. Longe.

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Pictures showing traditional communication methods (e.g., gongs, drums, town criers).
• Charts illustrating the development of communication.
• Posters depicting various communication channels.

Rationale for the Lesson

Understanding communication is important for pupils as it underpins all human interactions, especially in business. This lesson helps pupils grasp how information is exchanged and how communication methods have evolved over time, linking traditional practices to modern systems.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils have a basic understanding of how people share information and have heard about some traditional ways of sending messages in their communities.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

COMMUNICATIONS

Meaning of Communication

Communication is the process of sending and receiving information between two or more parties. It involves the transfer of messages, ideas, or feelings from a sender to a receiver, often with feedback.

Development of Communication

Communication has evolved significantly over time, moving from simple, direct methods to complex, technology-driven systems. This development can be broadly categorized:

• Early Communication: Gestures, facial expressions, body language, and simple sounds.
• Traditional Communication: Use of smoke signals, drums, gongs, town criers, written messages on leaves or stones.
• Modern Communication: Invention of writing, printing press, telegraph, telephone, radio, television, and more recently, the internet, mobile phones, and social media.

Nigerian Traditional Means of Communication

In Nigeria, various traditional methods were used to convey messages before the advent of modern technology. These methods were effective within their communities:

• Gongs (Ogene): Used to call people together, announce important events, or warn of danger. The sound and rhythm conveyed different messages.
• Drums (e.g., Talking Drum – Gangan, Iya-ilu): Drums were used to send coded messages over long distances, call for meetings, announce deaths, births, or festivals. Different beats and tones represented words or phrases.
• Town Criers: Individuals who went from place to place, announcing news, government directives, or community events, usually with a bell or gong to attract attention.
• Smoke Signals: Used in some communities to communicate over long distances, often to signal danger or the presence of strangers.
• Gestures and Symbols: Specific hand gestures, body movements, or visual symbols (e.g., kola nuts, palm fronds) could convey messages in certain contexts.
• Oral Tradition (Folk Tales, Proverbs, Songs): Stories, proverbs, and songs were used to pass down history, moral lessons, and important information from one generation to another.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Lecture, Demonstration, Question and Answer, Visual Aids

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Set Induction
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and reviews their previous lesson to activate prior knowledge. The teacher then introduces the topic “COMMUNICATIONS” by asking pupils how they share information with friends and family.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the greetings and questions, sharing their experiences with information sharing.
Learning Point: Pupils are prepared for the new lesson and connect it to their daily lives.

Step 2: Meaning of Communication

Time: 7 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation/Definition
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains the meaning of communication as the process of sending and receiving information, ideas, or feelings between individuals or groups. The teacher also highlights the key elements: sender, message, receiver, and feedback.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively, take notes, and ask questions for clarification.
Learning Point: Pupils understand the definition and basic elements of communication.

Step 3: Development of Communication

Time: 8 minutes
Teaching Skill: Historical Tracing/Narration
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher traces the development of communication from early, simple methods like gestures and sounds to traditional methods, and then to modern technological advancements such as the internet and mobile phones.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe charts and pictures, listen to the explanation, and note the stages of communication development.
Learning Point: Pupils learn how communication methods have evolved over time.

Step 4: Nigerian Traditional Means of Communication

Time: 10 minutes
Teaching Skill: Discussion/Illustration
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads a discussion on Nigerian traditional means of communication, explaining in detail how gongs, drums, and town criers were used to send messages, call meetings, warn of danger, and announce events. The teacher encourages pupils to give examples from their communities.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils actively participate, give examples of traditional communication methods in their areas, and describe how they worked.
Learning Point: Pupils identify and understand specific Nigerian traditional communication methods.

Step 5: Characteristics and Limitations of Traditional Communication

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Analysis/Comparison
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher discusses the characteristics of traditional communication (e.g., local, often limited range, cultural specific) and its limitations (e.g., slow, prone to misinterpretation, limited audience, lack of privacy).
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, contribute ideas, and note the features and drawbacks of traditional communication.
Learning Point: Pupils understand the advantages and disadvantages of traditional communication.

Step 6: Modern Means of Communication (Brief Mention)

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Overview
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher briefly mentions modern means of communication like telephones, internet, email, and social media, highlighting their speed and global reach in contrast to traditional methods.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and make mental connections between traditional and modern methods.
Learning Point: Pupils get an overview of modern communication for future lessons.

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

1. Define communication in your own words.
2. Mention three stages in the development of communication.
3. List and explain two Nigerian traditional means of communication.
4. What are two limitations of traditional communication methods?

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.
Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.

Step 8: Conclusion

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Summarization/Assignment
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarizes the key points of the lesson, emphasizing the importance of communication in all aspects of life. The teacher then gives pupils homework: “Research and write briefly about how the ‘town crier’ system worked in your local community.”
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the summary and copy the homework assignment.
Learning Point: Pupils consolidate their learning and are encouraged to research further.

Lesson Keywords

• Communication – The process of sending and receiving information.
• Traditional Communication – Old methods of sending messages, often cultural and local.
• Modern Communication – Contemporary methods using advanced technology.
• Gong – A metal percussion instrument used for signaling.
• Drum – A percussion instrument used for rhythmic communication.
• Town Crier – A person employed to make public announcements in the streets.

Differentiation

For pupils who grasp concepts quickly, they can be asked to research the role of communication in specific business contexts. For those who need more support, the teacher will provide simplified definitions and additional visual aids to reinforce understanding of traditional communication methods.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Encourage pupils to share personal stories or family experiences related to traditional communication to make the lesson more engaging and culturally relevant. Ensure a balance between explaining traditional methods and briefly introducing the evolution towards modern systems.