Effective communication for effective teaching is an important aspect of any teaching learning process. Today’s competitive world demands from teachers to teach better, smarter, and effective. The course contents worth nothing if not communicated effectively. To get it across the students a teacher has to be very effective in his communication and presentation skills. An effective communication is always stimulating, inspiring, motivating and adds fuel to the fire if presenter possesses that igniting spark. Unfortunately, many teachers do not realize this aspect. Effective communication is very important for effective teaching. A workshop has been delivered at Directorate of Staff Development (Lahore) to the newly employed school teachers. This workshop coveres various aspects which can help teacher to make their communication stimulating, inspiring, and motivating. The workshop covers following topics
• What is Communication and Why Is It Important?
• What is Persuasion?
• The Rhetorical Approach to Instructional Communication
• Role of Teachers' Credibility
• Role of Clarity
• Role of Humor
• Role of Immediacy
• Factors Facilitate Openness and Acceptance
• Helpful Hints for Effective Communication
• Factors Encouraging Student Responses
• Roadblocks to Communication
• Responses Tend to Communicate Inadequacies and Faults
• Messages Try to Make the Student Feel Better or Deny there is a Problem
• Response Tends to Try to Solve the Problem for the Student
• Messages Tend to Divert the Student or Avoid the Student Altogether
• Active Listening
• Factors of Affecting Listening
3. What is Communication and Why
Is It Important?
Teaching is based on
communication, and a teacher who
communicates effectively with
his/her students is a great teacher.
2/17/2014
Prof. Dr. M. A. Pasha at DSD Lahore
4. What is Communication and Why
Is It Important?
Verbal and non-verbal transmission and
understanding of information, feelings, and emotions
among human being.
Instructional communication is the process by which
teachers and students stimulate meanings in the
minds of each other using verbal and nonverbal
messages.
2/17/2014
Prof. Dr. M. A. Pasha at DSD Lahore
5. What is Communication and Why
Is It Important?
In education, communication is essential for:
understanding roles and assignments,
planning and carrying out learning activities,
coordinating approaches with students,
providing information to teachers on student progress
and behaviors, and
building a positive relationship with students, teachers
and other staff.
2/17/2014
Prof. Dr. M. A. Pasha at DSD Lahore
6. Persuasion
To Aristotle, there are three factors that enhance a
person's ability to persuade: (1) ethos (the personal
character of the speaker), (2) pathos (the use of
emotion), and (3) logos (the logical, rational nature of
the message).
2/17/2014
Prof. Dr. M. A. Pasha at DSD Lahore
7. The Rhetorical Approach to
Instructional Communication
The function of rhetorical communication is to get
others to do what you want or need them to do and/or
think the way you want or need them to think—to
persuade them (McCroskey and Richmond, 1996).
2/17/2014
Prof. Dr. M. A. Pasha at DSD Lahore
8. The Relational Approach to
Instructional Communication
Both teachers and students mutually create and use verbal
and nonverbal messages to establish a relationship with
one other.
Focuses on how teachers and students perceive and
affectively respond to each other, which influences
teachers' motivation to teach and students' motivation to
learn (Mottet, Beebe, Raffeld, & Medlock, 2004;
Ellis, 2000, 2004).
Nonverbal cues such as eye contact, posture, facial
expressions, and gestures stimulate the majority of the
emotional or social meaning in messages
(Burgoon, Buller, & Woodall, 1996; Mehrabian, 1972).
2/17/2014
Prof. Dr. M. A. Pasha at DSD Lahore
9. Role of Teachers' Credibility
Teachers who have higher perceived credibility are also perceived as more effective
teachers.
Students who perceive their teachers as having high credibility are more motivated to
learn than students who perceive their teachers as having low credibility.
Students who perceive their teachers as having high credibility report higher cognitive
learning than students who perceive their teachers as having low credibility.
Students who perceive their teachers as having high credibility report higher affective
learning than students who perceive their teachers as having low credibility.
Students who perceive their teachers as having high credibility are more likely to
recommend the course and instructor to their friends than students who perceive their
teachers as having low credibility.
Students who perceive their teachers as having high credibility are more likely to
participate in class discussions than students who perceive their teachers as having low
credibility.
Students who perceive their teachers as having high credibility are more likely to talk to
their teacher outside of class than students who perceive their teachers as having low
credibility.
Students who perceive their teachers as having high credibility are more likely to take
another class with the teachers than students who perceive their teachers as having low
credibility.
2/17/2014
Prof. Dr. M. A. Pasha at DSD Lahore
10. Role of Clarity
Teachers who are perceived as clear are perceived as
more effective teachers.
Students who perceive their teachers as clear learn
more than from teachers who are perceived as not
clear.
Teachers who are clear reduce students' fear or
apprehension of communicating in the classroom.
Teachers who are perceived as clear are liked more by
their students, and students liked their course content
more than that of teachers who are not perceived as
clear.
2/17/2014
Prof. Dr. M. A. Pasha at DSD Lahore
11. Role of Humor
Teachers who win awards for their teaching use
moderate amounts of humor.
Students do not prefer teachers who use an excessive
amount of humor but do like teachers who use some
humor when teaching.
Students have individual differences and preferences
for the amount and type of humor used by instructors.
High school teachers use the same kinds and types of
humor in the classroom as college teachers but not as
extensively.
2/17/2014
Prof. Dr. M. A. Pasha at DSD Lahore
12. Role of Immediacy
Teachers who use affinity-seeking strategies are perceived to be more
credible—that is more knowledgeable, trustworthy, and dynamic—
than teachers who do not use affinity-seeking strategies.
Teacher use of affinity-seeking strategies is moderately correlated with
student motivation to learn.
Teachers who evoke more positive feelings from students enhance the
learning climate.
Teachers who consciously use affinity-seeking strategies engender
increased affinity with both the teacher and the subject matter.
Teachers who use selected affinity-seeking strategies (e.g., assuming
equality, conversational rule keeping, eliciting others'
disclosure, facilitating enjoyment, and optimism) enhance student
liking toward the teacher.
Teachers of lower grade levels use different affinity-seeking strategies
than teachers of higher grade levels.
2/17/2014
Prof. Dr. M. A. Pasha at DSD Lahore
13. Factors Facilitate Openness and
Acceptance
Posture: Try to make your posture mirror that of the
students. It is helpful to have your shoulders squared
with the student's and on about the same level so you
are face-to-face. It is also helpful to have a slightly
forward lean toward the student.
Eye Contact: Eye contact with students shows that
you are interested in what they have to say.
Facial Expression: What is shown on your face
should match what is on the child's. Smiling when the
child is obviously sad would be an example of an
incongruent facial expression.
2/17/2014
Prof. Dr. M. A. Pasha at DSD Lahore
14. Factors Facilitate Openness and
Acceptance (Cont.)
Distance: Distance from the child shouldn't be too close or
too distant; about 3 to 4 feet is the average. Standing too
close can make the student uncomfortable, while standing
too far away can indicate that you are disinterested in what
the students is saying.
Distracting Behaviors: Distracting behaviors, such as
playing with your hands, staring out the window, or doing
something else while listening should be eliminated when
talking to students or staff members.
Voice Quality: Your tone should match the child's. It
would be inappropriate to be loud if the child is in a quiet
mood.
2/17/2014
Prof. Dr. M. A. Pasha at DSD Lahore
15. Helpful Hints for Effective
Communication
Establish a positive relationship with the students
(respect, courtesy, friendship)
Our job is to encourage students rather than to control.
Be positive in speaking to the students, avoid "putting
them down."
When possible, organize ahead of time and think before
speaking.
Use the student's name.
When giving directions, get the student's attention first.
Speak in a calm manner.
Try to maintain eye contact with the student.
2/17/2014
Prof. Dr. M. A. Pasha at DSD Lahore
16. Helpful Hints for Effective
Communication (Cont.)
Minimize distractions.
Let them know why the topic is important.
Let them know that you are talking to them for their
benefit.
Use questions to involve the student and monitor
understanding.
Include examples from the student's experience.
Avoid discussing a student's personal problems when you
feel uncomfortable about it.
If frustration, anger, or boredom occurs, stop,.
Reinforce and support students for listening.
2/17/2014
Prof. Dr. M. A. Pasha at DSD Lahore
17. Factors Encouraging Student
Responses
Pause effectively before and after asking a question:
Pausing before you ask a question gives you time to phrase your
question. Pausing after you ask your question allows the student
to think about their response.
Monitor questioning interactions: What types of questions
do you ask? Do you ask closed questions when what you really
wanted was for the student to elaborate on his or her answer?
Meaningful questions: Monitor how many questions you
ask, and the types of questions. Could you make questioning
more effective if you asked less questions, more questions, or
different types of questions?
Check for Understanding: It is important that we monitor
students' understanding. To check if a student understands what
was communicated, ask the student to repeat
directions, questions or summarize what was said.
2/17/2014
Prof. Dr. M. A. Pasha at DSD Lahore
18. Roadblocks to Communication
Ordering, commanding, directing. Example: "Stop
whining and get back to work."
Warning, threatening. Example: "You had better get your
act together if you expect to pass my class."
Moralizing, preaching, giving "shoulds" and "oughts".
Example: "You should leave your personal problems out of
the classroom."
Advising, offering solutions or suggestions. Example: "I
think you need to get a daily planner so you can organize
your time better to get your homework finished."
Teaching, lecturing, giving logical arguments. Example:
"You better remember you only have four days to complete
that project."
2/17/2014
Prof. Dr. M. A. Pasha at DSD Lahore
19. Responses Tend to Communicate
Inadequacies and Faults
Judging, criticizing, disagreeing, blaming. Example:
"You are such a lazy kid. You never do what you say you
will."
Name-calling, stereotyping, labeling. Example: "Act
your age. You are not a kindergartner."
Interpreting, analyzing, diagnosing. Example: "You
are avoiding facing this assignment because you
missed the directions due to talking."
2/17/2014
Prof. Dr. M. A. Pasha at DSD Lahore
20. Messages Try to Make the Student
Feel Better or Deny there is a
Problem
Praising, agreeing, giving positive evaluations.
Example: "You are a smart kid. You can figure out a way
to finish this assignment."
Reassuring, sympathizing, consoling, supporting.
Example: "I know exactly how you are feeling. If you
just begin, it won't seem so bad."
2/17/2014
Prof. Dr. M. A. Pasha at DSD Lahore
21. Response Tends to Try to Solve the
Problem for the Student
Questioning, probing, interrogating, cross-examining.
"Why did you wait so long to ask for assistance? What
was so hard about this worksheet?"
2/17/2014
Prof. Dr. M. A. Pasha at DSD Lahore
22. Messages Tend to Divert the
Student or Avoid the Student
Altogether
Withdrawing, distracting, being
sarcastic, humoring, diverting. "Seems like you got up
on the wrong side of the bed today."
2/17/2014
Prof. Dr. M. A. Pasha at DSD Lahore
23. Active Listening
Listening is an important part of effective
communication. A good teacher must exhibit good
listening behaviors and strategies.
Helps students deal with and "defuse" strong feelings.
Helps students understand their own emotions.
Facilitates problem solving.
Keeps the responsibility with the student.
Makes students more willing to listen to others.
Promotes a closer, more meaningful relationship
between teacher and student.
2/17/2014
Prof. Dr. M. A. Pasha at DSD Lahore
24. Factors of Affecting Listening
Listening can be affected by personal
bias, environmental factors, a short attention
span, rehearsing a response, daydreaming, hot
words, or through the use of filtering.
Using Visual Aids
Talking and Listening
Communicating Positively with Parents
Listening to Parents
Learning Disabled Children
2/17/2014
Prof. Dr. M. A. Pasha at DSD Lahore
25. Factors of Affecting Listening
(Cont.)
Listening can be affected by
personal bias,
environmental factors,
a short attention span,
rehearsing a response,
daydreaming,
hot words, etc.
2/17/2014
Prof. Dr. M. A. Pasha at DSD Lahore