Communication in the

Classroom

Jane Patton, Ed. D.

Communication Studies Faculty
Your typical class. . .
 First 5 min.
 ____
 ____
 ____
 Conclusion
Instruction depends upon
communication
 Your communication

 Students’ communication ---

with you & classmates

 Class climate
Help Hurt
Kinds of classroom
communication
 Presentations, lectures

 Group work

 Interpersonal

 Intercultural
 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
 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
 Benefits of visual aids
 Improves memory
 Speeds comprehension
 Decreases presentation time
 Adds to speaker’s credibility
 Decreases nervousness
 Adds interest
C. HAMILTON
 Audience Recall
Verbal 70%
only 10%

Visual 72%
only 20%
Verbal 85%
and
65%
Visual

After 3 hours After 3 days

C. HAMILTON
 Don McMillan

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fus
eaction=vids.individual&videoID=15296
37984

Or google: Life after Death by PowerPoint

 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
 Interpersonal
Communication
 Listen; give attention
 Paraphrase & summarize
 Define terms
 Build rapport; trust
 Show empathy; respect
 Remember messages are verbal, visual,
vocal
 Class Climates (Gibb categories)
DEFENSIVE SUPPORTIVE
1. Evaluation 1. Description
2. Control 2. Problem Orientation
3. Strategy 3. Spontaneity
4. Neutrality 4. Empathy
5. Superiority 5. Equality
6. Certainty 6. Provisionalism
 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.
Self Reflection Activity
Our Challenge:

To model and teach

effective
communication in our
classrooms