Use effective classroom communication
A teacher is required to be an effective communicator in order to be able to simply and clearly explain concepts, thoughts and ideas in an open, non-threatening way. Based on Maslow's Hierarchy of Human Needs, students need to feel safe in their environment before they are able to achieve learning and higher thought processes. Effective communication includes tone of voice, body language, written language, the setting in which communication occurs and also the use of technology.
Good Communication
Here is an excerpt from a journal entry I wrote as part of my university topic Family and Professional Partnerships about communication:
The traits of a poor communicator are easily recognised by their audience and can be quickly discouraging for other people to want to be open and share their ideas with them. A good communicator carries the traits of a good listener, speaks with clarity, and aims for collaboration and understanding.
In a school, it is important that messages are clearly conveyed to students, including to their families and the wider school community. I demonstrate good communication in giving students eye contact and time to collect their thoughts. I listen to student ideas and use their ideas to construct a deeper understanding of the concepts that are being taught.
Placement at Rose Park Primary School
During my placement at Rose Park Primary School, an effective communication technique I used was with the musical instrument the triangle to gain the attention of the Year 1-2 students. I explained to the students that when they hear the triangle that they are to turn to face me and show me with their body language that they were listening. This method of communication was effective in gaining the attention of the class without straining my voice - an invaluable tool for teachers. I used positive reinforcement in my classroom by thanking the students who had shown me that they were listening and I found that this strengthened the students' willingness to respond. |
In my final report at Rose Park Primary School, my mentor Angela Klenke wrote the following comments about my interactions with students.
Angela's comments reflect my earlier comment that effective communicators are trusted by their communication partners and therefore feel more comfortable discussing their needs with them. I understand that particularly in low socio-economic areas, students may have different educational needs compared to students in high socio-economic areas. Due to this, I feel that it is important to be kind, considerate and open with all students and their families in order to build the relationships that are necessary for students to be able to learn.
Visual Aids
Effective communication also involves displaying information in multi-modal formats to ensure that information is accessible to all students. The image below demonstrates a 'to do' list for a Maths activity that I conducted at Rose Park Primary School. By displaying the task visually as well as verbally, students were able to follow the task at their own pace. This method of communication is especially effective for students who have problems with memory or auditory processing.
This image is from a Professional Learning Activity and displays the audience participation in writing and visuals. This displayed effective communication as audience members were able to recognise what they needed to focus on at a certain time.
Good classroom communication can be conveyed in a number of different ways. Effective educators are able to communicate in order to convey messages clearly to their intended audience. In effective communication, the communicator uses much more than verbal communication to engage their listeners. I am an effective communicator who is able to convey messages clearly and thus develop stronger relationships with students; a critical element of the learning environment.