Elklan’s Communication Chain

The processes involved in understanding and conveying a message between a listener and a speaker are complex and interlinked. Elklan’s Communication Chain below is a very simplified representation of what’s involved but it highlights some of the key skills required to communicate verbally. This model is used with kind permission of Elklan Training.

“It doesn’t represent how these skills develop. Difficulty in one area can have a knock-on effect and ‘break the chain.’”

Find out more with the ‘The Communication Chain – more about essential skills’ button at the bottom of the page.

Orange = Taking information in
Blue= Talking and responding

Adapted from
McLachlan & Elks, 2012
Language Builders
Published by ELKLAN

Used with kind permission of