Effective Communication is Important Argumentative

Effective communication is extremely important in developing relationships with children, young people and adults. Communication is a two way process. It’s just as important to listen to the child/colleague/parent as it is to communicate verbally with them. Good communication is vital as it can prevent misunderstandings and unnecessary worry. I work in a Year 3 class and have had parents liaise with myself if the class teacher is not available. A recent example of this is when a parent told me her daughter maybe ‘out of sorts’ as she had visited her dad over the weekend and this unsettles her. By the child’s mother communicating this with me/school we were able to deal with any issues, either behaviourally or emotionally sensitively and effectively. It is essential that you build a good rapport with whomever you are speaking or listening to, to implement effective communication. Body language and tone of voice is also extremely important in communication. Eye contact is a must. When I am communicating with a child, not only do I gain eye contact I bend down to their level so they don’t feel intimidated.

Also, it’s important that you give a child a chance to talk, whether in a group or 1:1. Sometimes it takes time for them to process what has been said before they can respond. When I am giving a child an instruction I will ask them to repeat back to me what I said so I can see if they have processed and understood what was being communicated. Some mornings it is too busy for my class teacher and I communicate verbally about the day’s plans or tasks that need doing. We communicate at times through a book. I check it every morning to complete any given tasks. In conclusion, effective communication is vital; whether to a child, colleague or parent. Also, being available and approachable, using language that can be understood. Adults need to lead by example and a show a positive relationship with each other so children can copy this relationship.