JODY,
yes that positive tone & strong eye contact are important features in connecting with our students.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Deepika ,
you are right that these group activities can really help build the unity of the group & aid in their learning.
Dr. Ryan Meers
i believe keeping and positive tone with the class,making eye contact and showing them concrete examples of the lecturing points are all important for learning.
Communication is always important. especially in a diverse classroom. The best thing to do is group activities. So students can share their brilliant knowledge.
Kelsey,
yes, projection is important but you're right that we don't want to be viewed as "yelling" at the class.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Maurice,
you are very right that clarity in our communication is a very important skill.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Speaking in a clear voice at a volume that can be heard through out the class but not perceived as yelling.
I believe the most important communication skill is to speak clearly.
Sandra,
it is definitely very helpful when the students are engaged & interacting with us.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Kurt,
thank you for sharing your experience & this helps demonstrate that communication is much more than the spoken word.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Dr.PAVAN,
yes these are all important areas to "master" to make us as effective as possible.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Your voice, body language, and visuals are excellent; however the student interacting in a group helps even better.
I teach online classes so I have to take advantage of a multitude of communication skills. The foundation is my writing. My classes all have discussion boards where the written word is all we have to work with. It is vital that the written communications in these discussions are clear and concise. In addition, there are written assignments and feedback on assignments that must all be communicated well.
Kurt
Body langauge, eye contact, voice ,movement of hands and pacing around while lecturing
and pausing between sentences along with demonstrations to enable proper understanding of lecture are communication skills
Edward,
I like all of these, especially the concept of questioning students to check for understanding. This really is a key skill that's often overlooked.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Jeff ,
yes we must be sure to apply what we're teaching to real life skills.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Katrina,
you are right & they also communicate an openness & approachability to our students.
Dr. Ryan Meers
I feel there are 3 key skills;
1. Speaking in a clear audible voice while presenting material
2. Questioning students regarding material as it is being presented.
3. Listening to the students for how they are receiving the material while it is being presented.
If you can do all 3 you will be able to present material and determine how well they are receiving it.
The most important comunication skill you can use is the skill of real life application. Unless a student can visualize how they will use the information you are teaching they will not retain it.
Body language and tone of voice are important tools for communicating. Both can display if you are excited about the topic, happy to be in class,or the opposite of these.
