Kevin,
yes, movement by the instructor & allowing students to move periodically is a great way to keep attention & also to help cement certain concepts.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
alwyn,
the understanding is key & I believe the key to understanding is making sure that the dialogue is open & flowing freely. I, as instructor, must be checking in with the students frequently.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Roaming the room, using hand gestures and demo's, comparing experiences to instruction are the tools I most frequently use to convey the image. I belive that moving around keeps people more attentive and establishes my presence in the room. Hand and body getstures keep their attention and brings a vibrant energy to the room. Demo's as i talk reinforce what I am talking about so they understand and have more types of input to remember with. Comparing life experiences that most can relate to or comming from my experience shows value and helps students to understand more complicated information.
Instructors must be able to communicate to the students in a way that the students understand and the instructor must also be aware of the different learning styles because that helps with the communication. Communication skills that are important in diverse learning environment are multifaceted.
I believe using eye contact and body langauge are critical when trying to reach my students. It's equally important to read theirs to see they're engaged.
Theresa,
these are all definitely important skills for the classroom instructor.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Good speaking/writing skills and listening skills..
Positive Motivation This is one of the important things that a teacher must possess. In a class, students always have different kinds of taste and preferences over subjects. So it is the job of the teacher to create enthusiasm and interest in the minds of the students towards a subject. It is also a teachers role to remove any fear and inhibitions that a student may have towards a subject.
Positive Motivation This is one of the important things that a teacher must possess. In a class, students always have different kinds of taste and preferences over subjects. So it is the job of the teacher to create enthusiasm and interest in the minds of the students towards a subject. It is also a teachers role to remove any fear and inhibitions that a student may have towards a subject.
I always find that the smile is one of the most important skills for communicating, but using the right vocabulary, tone of voice, and emotion in my lectures has served me well in the past. I look constantly for student feedback on how I am doing.
I would have to say speaking loudly, clearly and slowly. I think a lot of students with multiple languages miss out during lecture because they are unable to keep up with lecture if it is spoken too fast. I don't use a lot of slang either. They miss interpret if you use words and gestures that are not taught in an English class. I also like to provide everything that I say in writing so that they can study on their own and at their own pace. I allow them to tape record the lecture also.
Tim,
I agree wholeheartedly. I think some instructors think this means we're becoming entertainers, but when you look at the great speakers of history & read their speeches, they were vibrant in their speaking & illustrations.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Jonathon,
these are all really effective ways to engage all members of your class & help them to learn.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
With todays adult learners, an effective instructor must have many communication skills at his / her disposal. A strong, clear voice when lecturing is vital. Students are easily distracted or bored. Using your voice effectively helps keep them focused. I have also found that being able to illustrate by using whiteboard drawings and / or images from a slideshow helps many students comprehend the point you're trying to make verbally. Moving about the room while you speak also helps remove the barrier between the instructor and student. The instructor becomes more accessable to the student.
Everybody learns differently, be prepared. You can be repared by being able to include everyone in your lecture by moving around the class and have eye contact, and my favorite is to ask them questions to get them thinking and to respond and be a part of the lecture.
Communication skills that are important in diverse learning environment are multifaceted. Instructors must be able to communicate clear and concise directives to students. Asking questions about what was delivered after helps facilitate that students understood what was supposed to be delivered. Students, who present to have a language barrier, should be given as much words applications to improve understanding and overall vocabulary
Diana,
you are right, this is a great communication skill & really goes back to knowing your audience & what will best engage them.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I believe being relatable is a great communication skill. Give examples they can relate to, be vivid with your words The more relatable you are, the more a student will be engaged. Have an engaging personality when giving examples, smile, have a great eye contact and use your voice. No one likes to listen to someone that is monotone.
Dawn,
great point made here. I've stated it before, but we cannot content ourselves with being subject matter experts but need to realize that part of our job as a classroom instructor is to engage the students & be somewhat interesting.
Dr. Ryan Meers
This also helps them learn better, because we are putting all of our skills voice, gestures, facial expression and movming around a little. By doing this we are capturing and retaining their attention which will help them focus and learn.
