How can we improve our
communication?
Listening
    Attending: Open stance, relaxed, facing speaker
    Cultural etiquette: Not looking directly into eyes
    Responding: Let speaker know they have been heard and understood
    Clarifying: Give feedback, clarify, paraphrase, reflect
Speaking
    Non verbal
           o body language
           o facial expressions
    Verbal
           o Practise communication skills
                      explain clearly, use simulations, pictures, diagrams etc.
           o Show respect and acceptance, build positive relationships and avoid "road
             blocks"
                      Blaming
                      Judging
                      Criticising
                      Preaching
                      Ordering
                      Labelling
                      Threatening
                      Being sarcastic
                      Patronizing
                      Contradicting interactions
           o Be assertive not aggressive.
           o Consider tone
Questioning is a high level skill.
Build confidence with low -> high order questions
                                                        What is a Low Order
                                                        Question?
Types of Questions
1. Convergent (Closed)/Low order
        Confirm understanding
        Start off with yes/no questions -> longer
        Revert for quieter or lower level students
        1 or 2 word answers                                 How can we use our knowledge of
        Early in the lesson                                 different types of questions to
                                                             facilitate student learning?
2. Divergent (Open)/High order
        Develop thoughts, interest and challenge
        Use early (stimulate interest and challenge) or later in lesson (building up)
        Encourages conversation
3. Evaluative                                                                            What sequence of
        Encourages consideration of advantages and disadvantages                        questions best
        Facilitates further concept development                                         enhances student
                                                                                         learning?
Asking Questions
        Ensure you have students' attention before going onto the lesson
        Ask one question at a time
        Pause to give thinking time
        A safe environment is essential
        Add/confirm information
        Be encouraging
        If question is too difficult and met with silence, simplify the question, ask a lower level
         question.
Helping Unsure Responses
Prompt
        Repeat
        Rephrase
        Add information
        Predict answer
        Redirect (to another student, but go back to first student with question they can answer)
        Simplify
Think-pair-share
        When asking for answers, get students to write down their thoughts first.
        Can be used from kindy kids to tertiary students
        Have question/concept, everyone think about this by yourselves individually and write down
         a few points.
        Teacher can go around to check.
      Tell your partner (or person next to you) about what you have.
      Tell the whole class
      Just saying it to one person can build up confidence and foster safe environment.
Questions to avoid!
      "Do you think I'm stupid?"
      "Do I have to wait all day?"
      "Are you prepared to join us now?"
      "Maybe you think you can do this better?"
      "Is this boring you?"
      "Would you keep the noise down?"
Conflict management skills
Interpersonal skills
I-Messages
   1. How it affects you and how you are feeling (worried about it, or worried they're not going to
      learn or make good decisions)
   2. Make a suggestion
"Don't run on concrete!"
"You shouldn't be running on the concrete!"
    "I'm worried when you run on the concrete, because you might slip and hurt yourself. Please
     walk on the concrete"
Positive phrasing:
When to tell students something but do it quickly?
"Get to work!"
    "Your pens aren't working very hard, get them working"
    "What do you think is really important. Write down all your ideas."