Communication in the Classroom

1. Communication in the Classroom Jane Patton, Ed. D. Communication Studies Faculty

2. Your typical class. . . • First 5 min. • ____ • ____ • ____ • Conclusion

3. Instruction depends upon communication • Your communication • Students’ communication ---with you & classmates • Class climate

5. Help Hurt

6. Kinds of classroom communication • Presentations, lectures • Group work • Interpersonal • Intercultural

7. Tips for Effective Presentations • Know your audience • Express ideas clearly & explicitly • Check audience’s listening skills • Gain & keep attention • Be well organized & prepared • Use visual aids effectively • Remember messages are verbal, visual and vocal

8. Effective visual aids • Can be understood in 6 seconds • Anchor listeners to the key concepts • Do not put audience in reading mode • Enhance (aid) your verbal & vocal messages C. Hamilton

9. Benefits of visual aids • Improves memory • Speeds comprehension • Decreases presentation time • Adds to speaker’s credibility • Decreases nervousness • Adds interest C. HAMILTON

10. Audience Recall 70% Verbal only 10% Visual only 72% 20% Verbal and Visual 85% 65% After 3 hours After 3 days C. HAMILTON

11. Don McMillan http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoID=1529637984 Or google: Life after Death by PowerPoint

12. Group Communication Skills(students need to learn them) • Speak clearly & succinctly • Encourage others to speak • Don’t monopolize • Listen well; paraphrase • Stick to topic/task • Human relations skills

13. Interpersonal Communication • Listen; give attention • Paraphrase & summarize • Define terms • Build rapport; trust • Show empathy; respect • Remember messages are verbal, visual, vocal

14. Class Climates (Gibb categories) DEFENSIVE 1. Evaluation 2. Control 3. Strategy 4. Neutrality 5. Superiority 6. Certainty SUPPORTIVE 1. Description 2. Problem Orientation 3. Spontaneity 4. Empathy 5. Equality 6. Provisionalism

15. Intercultural Principles • Successful comm. depends upon shared meanings. • Cultural patterns: the group’s collective beliefs, values, norms • One’s culture & language affects one’s cognition & learning • Native language affects one’s world view, beliefs, etc. • Different cultural practices in education • Differences continuum: minor to major.

16. Self Reflection Activity

17. Our Challenge: To model and teach effective communication in our classrooms