Rabu, 11 Januari 2012
Communication Skills
09.14 |
Have you ever noticed that some people are easier to talk to than others? Maybe your best friend understands everything you say, but other people are never as quick to pick up your meaning. It’s also likely that you speak to your teachers differently than you do to your friends. You communicate diff erently with different people. On any given day, teachers must communicate with four distinct constituencies: students, parents, colleagues, and the community at large. Each of these groups attends to and interprets communication in diff erent ways. To a degree, they speak “diff erent languages,” and without a doubt, the rules for speaking with various constituencies diff er. In all cases, however, it is the teacher’s responsibility
to communicate eff ectively and to determine whether understanding has been achieved.
to communicate eff ectively and to determine whether understanding has been achieved.
Communicating with Students
Most of a teacher’s work involves communicating with students. Interestingly, this type of communication is the most susceptible to long-term misunderstandings.
Several factors are at work here. For one, children oft en feel that they cannot challenge what a teacher says. Th e teacher represents the established authority, and so students integrate what has been presented into their understanding to the greatest degree possible. Since it is unlikely that the teacher will engage every student in a detailed discussion of the topic, misconceptions that develop might never be identifi ed. As a result, it is not uncommon for teachers to assume that children understand what was “taught” and for children to assume that what they learned is what the teacher meant.
Clearly, communication skills between students and teachers have multiple dimensions. An eff ective teacher communicates expectations (Stronge, 2002). It is also the teacher’s responsibility to present information in a manner appropriate to the cognitive level of the students. Th at may involve rephrasing complex ideas
in simpler terms. Or it may involve fi nding several ways to express the same idea.
Consistent and deliberate monitoring of students’ understanding is also the teacher’s responsibility. Th ere is no mistaking the fact that eff ectively communicating with students is a skill that must be acquired and practiced.
Most of a teacher’s work involves communicating with students. Interestingly, this type of communication is the most susceptible to long-term misunderstandings.
Several factors are at work here. For one, children oft en feel that they cannot challenge what a teacher says. Th e teacher represents the established authority, and so students integrate what has been presented into their understanding to the greatest degree possible. Since it is unlikely that the teacher will engage every student in a detailed discussion of the topic, misconceptions that develop might never be identifi ed. As a result, it is not uncommon for teachers to assume that children understand what was “taught” and for children to assume that what they learned is what the teacher meant.
Clearly, communication skills between students and teachers have multiple dimensions. An eff ective teacher communicates expectations (Stronge, 2002). It is also the teacher’s responsibility to present information in a manner appropriate to the cognitive level of the students. Th at may involve rephrasing complex ideas
in simpler terms. Or it may involve fi nding several ways to express the same idea.
Consistent and deliberate monitoring of students’ understanding is also the teacher’s responsibility. Th ere is no mistaking the fact that eff ectively communicating with students is a skill that must be acquired and practiced.
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