Refining Your Communication Skills
Hello,
As an instructor one of the communications skills I would like to improve is talking a little slower when I am nerveous. And to be honest expand my vocabulary. My solution is to go to barns and noble and look for a nice book that will cover these topics. Prepare a little better for certain classes so I wouldn't feel nerveous at times. And mingle around with the students to get to know them more on a one to one bases. If you have any other suggestion please let me know? thank you.
It is the entire package that conveys subject matter effectively. I try to mix in real life examples based upon 20 or so years of business experience...it seems to make for memorable lecture material.
Communications, we have to continue to improve each and everyday since our students are changing all the time. I believe we have to improve on how to communicate with the new students.
Hi Robert!
I definitely think that listening skills are a very key component to communication. Instructors expect students to be good listeners we often forget how really important it is for instructors to hear what studthat students are "really" saying. I have the philosophy that when I listen I learn!
Keep up the good work!
jane Davis
ED106 Facilitator
Listening; it is most important to hear the question effectively in order to be able to address the learning gap that particular student experiences.
We frequently discuss the application of the information in our classes to the real world, obtaining a job/career and real life events.
From a teaching perspective, what communication skills do you believe are the most important to a diverse learning environment? Why?
I believe that being aware of your non-verbal communication is very important. Our students are so diverse and I'm sure the last thing any instructor would want to do is inadvertently offend a student with a gesture that, in his/her culture is obscene or otherwise inappropriate.
Also, nonverbal communication is a great tool for instructors struggling with classroom management or for getting your students engaged in the material. I think it's crucial to have a good grasp on how you "project" (or present) yourself in the classroom.
As an instructor, which communication skills would you personally wish to improve? Why?
I taught a class about interviewing and we were discussing how to turn a negative question into something positive about yourself, when the students turned the tables and asked me the tough question. I told them that my biggest flaw was that I "occasionally" talk too fast. (They laughed, because they all knew it was true.) I turned it around by telling them that my rate of speech is directly tied to how strongly I feel about a particular topic. Essentially I told them that I get really excited about teaching and sharing information/stories with them. They liked the answer, but the truth remains: I talk too fast. I don't hear it like the students do, and when I do slow down, I worry that I might sound condescending. It's definitely something I work on.
From a teaching perspective, the communication skills that I believe are the most important to a diverse learning environment are the skills necessary to effectively reach a wide variety of ages, backgrounds and learning styles. The reason that it is important is because in my class I encounter a wide range of people from high school grads to job changers to retirees.
As an instructor the communications skills that I would personally wish to improve is the effective communication of complex ideas in a way that makes it simple, straight forward and understandable. The reason that I would personally wish to improve this area of communication is because I believe that the better one’s understanding of an idea the simpler and straight forward the delivery of that given information.
Instructors potray the significance and applications of a course. The better the communication, the better the student learns and applies the course content.
From a teaching perspective, what communication skills do you believe are the most important to a diverse learning environment? Why?
As an instructor, which communication skills would you personally wish to improve? Why?
I know the feeling. Silence is "golden" except in a classroom when you are waiting on an answer. People do not like silence, I had a manaager that would do that. You would talk, but he would just sit there and listen. When you stopped you would wait and wait for his reply, which did not come so you would start talking again. He gained more information then what you wanted to tell him by doing this. We as instructors need to wait also, even if it is a long time. Just like you I need to cultivate this skill.
I believe the ability to state the main idea in more than one way is of utmost importance. Some students think in words and others in pictures. A good communicator can tap into both of these. It also goes toward the variety of experiences and backgrounds the students bring with them.
As an instructor the communication skill I personally wish to improve would be the 20 second silence that allows my students time to reflect and react. I tend to feel that silence is a bad thing and therefore rush my students.
Interesting way to cover. I would not have thought about using color tinted glasses to cover my eye movements.
I have trouble with being shy. I find it very hard to make eye contact. For this reason, I wear blue tinted glasses. The students think I'm looking at them. I have passed this on to other shy people, and they really think it works well too.My speaking skills are really impressive, and the blue glasses have really increased my effectiveness as a lecturer.
I seem to do the majority of the talking. I need to ask more questions of my students. And, once they respond to a question I need to engage others into a broader discussion. This will help them to sharpen their critical thinking skills. So, by improving this skill it will help the students in the long run.
I am continuely looking to refine any skills I need to enhance my teaching. I like using both verbal and nonveberal depending on what is going on or being taught in my classroom. Standing and not talking can be an effect tool when the class is talking and I am ready to start class. Explaining that reading directions is very impoortant. I have given a quiz where all they need to do is sign the quiz and turn it over to receive an "A" as per instructions. It does surprize other students when they jump in and starting anwering questions and they then receive an "F" for not following instuctions. In the Billing and Coding area the reading of reports to code is very curcial to the job.
One way that you can combat speaking too quickly is to read a couple of the objectives, then ask them if they understand what each of the objectives mean and/or what is expected of them. You can also place your objectives into a powerpoint presentation and go through the slides at a slower pace than you would normally communicate the information.
Teaching in a diverse learning environment make it difficult to communicate will all students the same way. I have students who run the gambit in age and experience. My biggest challenge is using words and/or ideas that all students will understand, while not insulting the intelligence of the more experienced student.
I need to improve my storytelling. I do not know of anyone who does not like a good story, and using this technique will help the students relate and remember the information being presented.
I believe that body language is very important to a diverse learning environment because words can be inadequate. The combination of body language with spoken words makes communication complete.
Body language works subconsiously and can be used to express feelings. Some groups use specific body language which can be explicit in a means of communication where words may be dangerous. For example: anyone who has a history of prejudice against them from the dominant culture.
As a first year teacher I would really like to work on my talking speed. When I get nervous I tend to read or go over things really quickly, which in turn leaves my students asking me 3 or times to go over it again. What I do is give them time to look over the objectives for the day instead of reading them to them and then give them to opportunity to ask questions if they have them...seems to be working but would like to know other ways that could help slow me down to.
