Ashley Meyn
A.R. Mallory
English 250
Research Paper
March 31, 2014
Tools of Communication in the Classroom
There are many different skills needed when teaching in a
classroom. From the soft skills to the subject knowledge, educators need a
variety of abilities in order to successfully complete their job. Perhaps at
the base of all these areas, they need to know how to communicate with their
students. Seeing as each student has a different way of absorbing knowledge,
there are different ways to appeal to each individual student. These areas
include, written, oral, visual, and electronic methods of communication. With
the use of these methods you will be able to minimize the barriers of
communication that can often be a problem in the classroom (Communication.) A balance
of each will ensure that each student gets the chance to learn in a way that
best suits him or her.
Communication is used countless times throughout our
daily lives. Once our communication skills are fully developed we can
communicate with any type or size audience. Teacher’s communication with their
students is the key to the student’s failure or success in their education.
“Clarity of oral communication and well-developed interpersonal skills, when
interacting in a group or one on one, are attributes that make us more
successful students, professionals and all around communicators” (Oral
Communication Homepage). Seeing as every student is different, each student
learns and absorbs information differently. With this in mind, teacher’s
lessons must appeal to every kind of learner. If you gear your lessons only
towards visual learners, students that better obtain written knowledge will be
left behind and will only drift further and further behind. With the proper
integration of the four methods, any teacher can create a lesson plan that will
benefit every student in the class.
The first and most familiar form of communication is oral
communication. This form is person to person communication which requires
verbal communication between the teacher and their students. Students should be
able to listen to their teachers and find the meaning in the texts and in the lessons
(Integrating Oral Communication
Skills into Everyday Learning). Because this form of communication can
often be unsuccessful when used alone due to the short attention spans of
students, it should be paired with one of the other three forms of
communication. With the use of visual aids, handouts, or videos, every student,
no matter the learning style, will understand the lesson that you are
presenting to them orally. Not only will the student better understand the
information but using more than one form of communication will allow you to
have their attention for a longer amount of time. A growing issue in the United
States with teacher and student communication is a language barrier. However, a
teacher that is equipped with great oral communication skills can help to
overcome this barrier. “As a teacher, you need to understand that it might take
the student a longer amount of time to finish a task or to understand the
concepts that are being taught” (Integrating
Oral Communication Skills into Everyday Learning). With patience and
thought out lesson plans, a language barrier can overtime diminish with good
oral communication skills. Oral communication, although basic, is a powerful
tool that can be used to communicate with every kind of student.
One way to better enhance your oral communication is to
support it with written communication. Written communication can be presented
in various forms, such as handouts or written feedback. A written form of
communication is “not a photocopy of a journal article... rather, it is a
document which the teacher writes him/herself” (Communication.). According to
Detlaf R Prozesky’s article Communication,
written forms of communication should emphasize important information from the
lesson, be presented in a logical sequence, and be accurate and up to date
(Communication.). Written forms of communication have many different uses in
classrooms. Students can use handouts to follow along with a lesson. One
benefit of a lesson handout is it can later be used to help the student refer
back to the information and prepare for tests. An additional form of written
communication could be written feedback given to the student. Written feedback
allows the student to see what they did incorrectly and gives them a chance to
correct their own mistakes. The many different types of written communication
give the students a chance to have what they are learning about right in front
of them.
The third category of communication is visual
communication. This category would include visuals such as photographs, videos,
charts, and diagrams that will help visual learners understand the lesson. For
visual learners, having a visual aid in front of them while being taught a
lesson in school helps them to remember the information later. Charts and
graphs will allow the students to visualize the statistics that are being
presented to them in class, while diagrams can make confusing situations easier
to see when they are presented in front of them. Students can often grow tired
of learning from the same type of teaching styles. By showing a video that is
relevant to the lesson plans, students can better enjoy the information they
are being taught with a more pleasurable form of presentation. Lastly, any
presentation can be made more interesting with a few pictures added in to keep
the students attentive and focused. Visual strategies in the classroom help
students manage the learning objectives and lessons and allows them to achieve
their true potential and academic success (What Is Visual Thinking and Visual
Learning?).
Technology is always evolving and becoming more
efficient. “The term “technology” refers to advancements in the methods and
tools we use to solve problems or achieve a goal” (Teaching with Technology). As
teachers, we can use electronic technology as a powerful tool to our advantage
to help better communicate with our students. Technology can keep teachers in
contact with their students and faculty inside and outside of the classroom.
“Teaching with technology can deepen student learning by supporting
instructional objectives” (Teaching with Technology). Keeping up to date with
technology means keeping up with the latest and most beneficial ways to present
your information to your students. For example, a teacher that continues to
only use an overhead projector or a chalkboard will have a more difficult time
teaching and engaging with their students than a teacher that uses a Smart
Board. As technology continues to become more advanced so will the tools that
are available to teachers. Although electronics can be complex and confusing,
when used properly they can make things a lot easier on both the teachers and
the students when it comes to presenting and following along with information.
Using all of these methods of communication will not only
enhance your teaching style but will also give each and every student a chance
to better understand your lessons. Oral communication is a quick and simple way
to present the lesson you have planned for your class. Written communication
allows you to have your students follow along with the lesson of discussion during
class, and also go back and refer to the information they were given. Visual
communication helps you to keep the attention and focus of your students by
enhancing your lesson plan. Lastly, electronic communication allows you to
constantly remain in contact with your students and faculty. Every single form
of communication is necessary and beneficial for the classroom environment.
Whether they are used individually or simultaneously, these forms of
communication benefit for the teacher’s and student’s learning experience.
Course Conducted in 2 Classrooms on 2 Continents Wins ACE National
Award. Digital image. Http://wagner.edu/newsroom/node-1359/.
Wagner College, 3 Feb. 2010. Web. 4 Apr. 2014. <http://wagner.edu/newsroom/node-1359/>.
This image shows a
variety of communication types and thought it would be good at the beginning of
the essay as a peek of what types of communication I will be talking about.
Henderson, Sarah Jane. "Integrating Oral Communication Skills
into Everyday Learning."Language and Literacy Theory and Practice.
N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Apr. 14. <http://languageandliteracytheoryandpractice.wikispaces.com/Integrating+Oral+Communication+Skills+into+Everyday+Learning>.
Integrating Oral
Communication Skills into Everyday Learning outlines the basics when it comes
to oral communication. The website breaks oral communication down to listening,
speaking, and reflecting and the importance of each. It also expands on learning
and communication barriers and how to break them down.
"Oral Communication Homepage." LearnHigher.
Brunel University, n.d. Web. 04 Apr. 2014. <http://www.brunel.ac.uk/learnhigher/oral-com-index.shtml>.
Brunel uses this
database to inform us on oral communication. It explains how to speak in front
of audiences, which is an area of stress for many people. It insures success for
both students and professionals.
Prozesky, Detlef R. "Communication." National
Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 18
Dec. -0001. Web. 03 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1705977/>.
Detlef R Prozesky
outlines how written and oral to oral communication is effective. It expands on
why it is important and how to use it. He takes aim at teachers with the
attempt to better their skills in the classroom.
"Teaching with Technology." Center for Teaching
and Learning. University of Washington, n.d. Web. 3 Apr. 14. <• http://www.washington.edu/teaching/teaching-with-technology-2/>.
The University of
Washington outlines some ways that technology is used in the classroom. It is
helpful because it expands on what each type is and how I can use it.
"What Is Visual Thinking and Visual Learning?" Visual
Learning and Outlining in the Classroom. Information Software, Inc., n.d.
Web. 04 Apr. 2014. <http://www.inspiration.com/visual-learning>.
Inspiration
software covers all sorts of visual learning and why it is useful. They explain
how to organize it and integrate it into presentations. The way that a visual
is used can offer extra clarity to the subject.
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