I believe that both verbal and nonverbal cues are important when it comes to instruction in diverse classrooms. It is important to use verbal inflections to emphasize key points and to use body gestures to reinforce verbal inflections. Eye contact and pleasant expressions are important for conducting positive classroom experiences for my students. A conversational tone is also effective.
Laura ,
excellent point. We have to be careful to be professional, but not so high that the students don't understand.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
From my perspective, speaking at the level of our audience is a critical communication skill when lecturing.
Reece,
excellent point made here. We need to listen to our students out of respect, to see what they are retaining, & to identify any problem areas.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Repetition is key to understanding along with nonverbal communication. These two essential components enhance the students ability to grasp the material. By hearing the key points repeatedly the student becomes better acquainted with the concepts. In Anatomy and Physiology, many of the Latin based terms are like a foreign language to the student. By listening to my usage they can then begin to comprehend it's pronunciation (which is the first barrier) and it's application. Repetition in this course is crucial. Through the use of nonverbal communication the student can be more relaxed and therefore open to learning. Movement and gestures let students know that you care and are engaged in their learning process. An encouraging smile or eye contact with a nod let them know that they matter.
For me both repetition and nonverbal gestures play an important role in my instruction.
My students tend to question the validity of why the classroom is run a certain way. I teach in the clinical component of the dental hygiene program.
I know thru personal experiences that quoting a manual is very dry, and does not compel the class' attention.
I try to relate the issue to a personal experience I had in my practice, and use this as an example of why the school requires us to work and learn in a certain manner.
I then ask who in the class is already a dental assistant ( many are). I ask them to relate any clinical experiences they had that illustrate why we have these practice rules.
Personalizing experiences to what students will encounter after graduation with multiple examples from professors and fellow students brings their future practice into focus, enlivens the classroom, and encourages questions/answers and exchange of vital information.
This enables students to learn from each other and strengthen bonds that will last the lifetime of their professional practice.
Reading through posts i agree with others. I would also like to point out listening. I like to come to a main point of the material and ask the students why? Then I allow maybe 5-10 min of a group discussion where I only interject to steer the comments into the next point or to assist in finalizing the thoughts.
Jerrod,
this is a great comment & well stated. It is much better to ask for clarification & seek to understand rather than to make assumptions.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I believe that openess and listening are two very important skills in a diverse community. I work in a multinational university where my students come from every walk of life. I, myself, and foreign born but can affect an American accent despite my natural Irish brogue. It took me 9 years to get comfortable speaking loudly in a class because the louder I get the more of my accent comes out. Over time I became open with my students about this process and shared how I did it. I have learned to listen intently to them and their accents and understand. The idea is not to be afraid to ask for clarification if there is a slight miscommunication. The ear takes training too.
When I think about this question, there are two answers that come to mind. First of all, your use of voice is important as you can use your voice to gain the attention of the students within the class. If you are monotone or squeaky, it will cause them to lose interest; therefore, you have to practice so that you can use your voice in a manner that it will gain attention and keep it. The second element of communication that is important is body language. You want to make sure that you are not coming across as closed off and distant from the students as this might cause them to react in the same manner.
The most important communication skill for an instructor in a diverse learning environment includes a clearly spoken and concise explanation of the material. The instructor should also be able to freely move about the classroom and engage each student during a presentation. Important points can be emphasized by the use of voice intonation and body language. The instructor should make eye contact with each student to gauge interest, comprehension, and motivation. A variety of teaching methods can also help to focus student attention and increase motivation. Assignments that highlight the material that was covered that day are a good way to emphasize important points that needs to be retained.
John,
great point & these really are key to effective communication in the classroom.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Mastering nonverbal communication is a critical skill in a diverse learning environment.
I feel that the single most important skill is learning to use your voice during a presentation. An authoritative voice backed by a basso profundo tone will keep your students interest and as long as they are listening to you they will learn.
Verbal and positive nonverbal skills are both important. Verbal skills give the students a transfer of knowledge. Positive nonverbal shows your competence in the subject matter
connecting with the students. Understand why they are there and try to relate the material to everyday life if possible. Use the "What's in it for Me?" aspect from a student perspective.
I agree. Eye contact is certainly helpful -- it makes the student feel that they are part of -- evolved in -- the class. Getting them to participate is easier if you have eye contact.
Non verbal communication skills are the most important. Making eye contact (2-3 seconds) shows each student is important. If a certain student does not feel that they are important, they may not want to come to class and learn the material.
Also, moving around the classroom. Students will not want to learn from an instructor who is seated behind a desk the entire time. By moving around, it keeps the students engaged.
Pacing and eye contact. Especially in adult learning and with new technology and texting adult learners are more apt to try to be on their phones and texting or be on the internet during classes. With pacing you are letting them know that you are invested in them and they should respect you and participate in the class while eye contact lets you see their faces and make sure they are paying attention to your class and not doing something else.
Being able to translate our textbooks into plain language and to relate the textbooks to real world examples is always important when lecturing.
