1.1 Explain The Importance Of Effective Communication In Schools
Cache Level 3 award Learning and supporting in school
1.1 Explain why effective communication is important in developing positive relationships with children, young people and adults?
To create positive relationships within a school effective communication skills must be demonstrated within schools. The way people are approached and the way you respond to them helps build positive relationships. Effective communication and positive relationships do not happen by chance. You should think about the way you relate to others and the messages that this sends out. In situations where communication breaks down, misunderstandings can lead to bad feeling. Examples of how effective communication is important to • Young people Effective …show more content…
communication helps build a good relationship with young children so they can understand you. Some young children who lack in confidence may find it hard to communicate at all so making sure they understand you can help them feel secure. Young children need to feel comfortable in your company. Children learn to communicate through the responses of others: if they do not feel that their contribution is valued, they are less likely to initiate communication themselves. • Children Getting to know their needs and wants and be clear and concise in what you are telling them can help gain respect from teenagers. We are more likely to communicate information to one another if we have positive relationships. Effective communication is very important in building a positive relationship with anyone, whether they are a child, young person or adult. The way in which we communicate with these different groups can be varied, but the basic fundamental principles remain the same. • Adults Helps build a professional environment and makes you work as part of a team. This will create a happy and positive work environment and work colleagues who work in this setting are more likely to give beneficial support if communication is strong and effective – this, in turn, benefits pupils.
1.2. Explain the principles of relationship building with children, young people and adults?
Communication should be open-ended, not closed. For example: "Tell me about how the school trip went" rather than "Did you enjoy the school trip? Reflective listening is also effective communication. Recognise, respect and acknowledge your peoples views and worries. Look for the emotional meaning that often lies behind words, identify the feeling and feed it back. Say something such as: "So you must have felt angry when that happened." You can also reflect back the content of what the child is saying to clarify points: "You mean you wanted me to help you paint that picture?”
It must be a two-way thing.
It's not just about you telling children, young people and adults something or giving advice, but rather listening to their viewpoint and accepting their emotions. All good relationships are built on warmth, caring, mutual respect and a willingness to listen to and accept one another. Relationships with children are especially tender and deserve extra attention and care as children are developing their concepts of the world and their place in it. Children look to the relationships with caring adults in their lives to answer many questions. They want to know, "Do I belong?" "Am I doing all right?" "Do you see who I am?" and "Am I safe with you?" They may not ask these questions with words, but they are looking to their relationships for the answers. It's important that you communicate how much you enjoy having the child or young adult you want to build a relationship with in your life. You can do this simply by setting aside everything else for a moment and giving them your full attention and a warm look. Remain pleased and fully attentive to whatever the child or young person presents. You'll be amazed where things go when we make time for them to unfold. A good sense of humour also helps
build relationships and breaks the ice.
1.3 Explain how different social, professional and cultural contexts may affect relationships and the way people communicate?
When communicating with others, we need to consider the context in which we are working. We need to adapt the way we communicate in different situations. It is likely that people do this automatically – for example, you should use more formal language and behaviour in a meeting. The school will have a range of types of planned communication with other adults – when dealing with other professionals, there will be meetings and discussions as well as more informal communication at different times. However, the spoken word is not the only way in which we communicate – it happens through the way we respond to others, for example, how quickly we respond to an email or phone message, how attentive we are when speaking to someone, how we dress. We may find that the non-spoken forms of communication can be an issue if they are misread by others. We should also remember that different cultures will have their own norms of behaviour which will extend to gestures, body language and eye contact. In some cultures, for example, it is not polite to look another person in the eye when speaking to them.
2.1 Explain the skills needed to communicate with children and young people? • Find opportunities to speak, making sure pupils are given sufficient time to talk • Give eye contact and actively listen. • Make sure if a pupil is talking I am giving them my full attention. • Use body language and facial expressions, mirror them if they are sitting down you sit down and smile and react in a positive way to what they are saying. • React and comment on what they are saying. Smile and react in a positive way to what they are saying. • Be interested responding and questioning to maintain conversation, this helps children build up and learn about how a conversation works. • We need to demonstrate a number of skills in order to communicate effectively with children and young people. Although it is likely that you will do this every day without thinking, it is worth reflecting on the ways in which you do this – effective communication is a vital part of the role. Children learn to communicate through the responses of others if they do not feel that their contribution is valued, they are less likely to initiate communication themselves.
2.2 Explain how to adapt communication with children and young people for the age of child or young person, the context of communication, communication differences?
Children of all ages will require varying levels of attention, for babies you could use sign language and for young a young person giving them reassurance and more physical contact. As children mature and especially through puberty they may need more help with talking through issues and reflecting on their thoughts adapting vocabulary would help as older children are more self conscious and may be more emotional. When dealing with children in a variety of different situations. We will need to be mindful of this and adapt your verbal communication accordingly. If we are working on a learning activity, it is important that the children are focused and that we deal with any distractions before they interrupt what you we are doing. However, if talking to pupils in more social situations such as in the dining hall, you should use this as an opportunity to develop positive relationships with pupils, although you should always speak to them in the context of a professional to a young person... Pupils may question you about your private life. It is sometimes best to answer these kinds of questions with humour, for example, ‘I don’t think that you would find it very interesting.’ Pupils may even ask for your contact details, such as a mobile phone number or if they can list your name on their social networking page. You should never give these details or become involved in personal communication. We should ensure care and sensitivity with children who have communication differences, as they will need to take their time and feel unpressured when they are speaking. Some children may not have many opportunities to speak, or may be anxious or nervous. You should adapt the way in which you communicate according to their individual needs. If they have a speech disorder, such as a stammer, or conditions which make it difficult for them, they should be allowed to take their time. Try not to fill in words for them or guess what they are going to say, as this may add to their distress. You may need additional training – for example, in sign language – to be able to communicate effectively or know the most effective strategies to use. In some cases where pupils have special educational needs, you may need to have additional equipment in order to communicate with one another.
2.3 Explain the main difference between communicating with adults and communications with children and young people?
There are many similarities between communicating with adults and with children – always maintaining eye contact and interest, responding to what they are saying, and treating them with courtesy and respect. However, when communicating with children, we also need to think about how we maintain the relationship of support worker to the child or young person and what this means in a school context. However well you get on with children, remember that they need, to see you as a carer and that your relationships with them will always need to be formal when in school when communicating with children, we also need to be very clear and unambiguous in what we say. They need us to communicate what is expected of them so that they can learn to communicate well themselves. Sometimes we forget the importance of making sure that children understand what we mean and might ask them, ‘What did I just ask you to do?’ when they cannot answer the question! Make sure that the vocabulary and verbal expressions use we are at the right level for the children. We also need to be aware that physical contact with children should not be encouraged when communicating with them. It can sometimes be hard to avoid this, but we should not offer physical contact with children or be overly physical with them at any time.
2.4 Explain how to adapt communication to meet different communication needs of adults?
It is important that we are sensitive to the needs of other adults, particularly if they have communication difficulties. It is possible that you will adapt the way you communicate with them without realising that you are doing it. We often change the way we react to others, depending on the way in which they react to us. For example, if you are speaking to a parent or carer who is hearing-impaired, you might make sure that you are facing them and giving eye contact so that they can lip-read. However, if you have contact with adults who have other communication difficulties, you may need to reflect and make sure you adapt your means of communication. If you need to communicate with other adults who speak English as an additional language, you may need to have a translator and meet together with the information. Observing sensitivity of parents also as not all adults will be able to read letters open emails etc if the school decides to communicate in this way. you are communicating is complex or difficult to convey.
2.5 Explain how to manage disagreements with people, young people and adults?
Where there are areas of conflict with other adults, you will need to show sensitivity and try to resolve the situation as soon as possible. The longer a problem is allowed to go on, the more difficult it will be to resolve it. You should not be drawn into a disagreement with a child or young person, and you will need to manage this sort of situation carefully and seek advice if necessary.
3.1 Summarise the main points of legislation and procedures covering confidentially, data protection and disclosure of information?
Schools may ask for information regarding the children they care for to help care for them in the correct way. Under the data protection act 1988 only relevant information can be taken such as health or medical information records from previous schools records for children who have special educational needs. This is confidential information and parental consent would need to be given if this information needed to be passed on. Any organisation that holds information of this kind need to be registered with the data protections commission. This is to ensure that data is not passed on to others without the consent of individuals consent. When working as a teaching assistant you must be careful about what information you share with others and what and how u can access this information, it would be in the best interests to ask your line manager about this. Many teaching assistants working in schools are also parents of children at the same school, and other parents may sometimes put pressure on them to disclose information. You should not pass on any information about the school or the children before being certain; also taking photos or videos of children at the school can not be taken without the parents consent. If you pass on information without following the correct channels, you will be abusing your position of professional trust and this can be very damaging.
3.2 Explain the importance of reassuring children, young people, and adults of the confidentiality of shared information and limits of this? As a teaching assistant we may need to gather information but we must make sure we reassure young people, adults and children about the confidentiality of the information. If at a meeting where we are informed about confidential items. Other should know your obligations and if any information is shared about children parental consent should be given, unless a child is at risk from harm or abuse of if there is a legal obligation at the school to provide information. If a child had epilepsy or asthma this information should be accessible to all staff at the school. A system in place helps with this for example photos of these children in dining room and staff room which must be taken down if the school is used at night by others.
3.3 Justify the type of situation where confidentiality protocols must be breached?
If you find yourself in a position where another individual confides in you, it is important to remember that there are some situations in which you will need to tell others. This is particularly true in cases of suspected child abuse or when a child or young person is at risk. You should at all times tell the individual that you will not be able to keep confidentiality if they disclose something to you which you cannot keep to yourself for these reasons.
1.1 Explain why effective communication is important in developing positive relationships with children, young people and adults?
To create positive relationships within a school effective communication skills must be demonstrated within schools. The way people are approached and the way you respond to them helps build positive relationships. Effective communication and positive relationships do not happen by chance. You should think about the way you relate to others and the messages that this sends out. In situations where communication breaks down, misunderstandings can lead to bad feeling. Examples of how effective communication is important to • Young people Effective …show more content…
communication helps build a good relationship with young children so they can understand you. Some young children who lack in confidence may find it hard to communicate at all so making sure they understand you can help them feel secure. Young children need to feel comfortable in your company. Children learn to communicate through the responses of others: if they do not feel that their contribution is valued, they are less likely to initiate communication themselves. • Children Getting to know their needs and wants and be clear and concise in what you are telling them can help gain respect from teenagers. We are more likely to communicate information to one another if we have positive relationships. Effective communication is very important in building a positive relationship with anyone, whether they are a child, young person or adult. The way in which we communicate with these different groups can be varied, but the basic fundamental principles remain the same. • Adults Helps build a professional environment and makes you work as part of a team. This will create a happy and positive work environment and work colleagues who work in this setting are more likely to give beneficial support if communication is strong and effective – this, in turn, benefits pupils.
1.2. Explain the principles of relationship building with children, young people and adults?
Communication should be open-ended, not closed. For example: "Tell me about how the school trip went" rather than "Did you enjoy the school trip? Reflective listening is also effective communication. Recognise, respect and acknowledge your peoples views and worries. Look for the emotional meaning that often lies behind words, identify the feeling and feed it back. Say something such as: "So you must have felt angry when that happened." You can also reflect back the content of what the child is saying to clarify points: "You mean you wanted me to help you paint that picture?”
It must be a two-way thing.
It's not just about you telling children, young people and adults something or giving advice, but rather listening to their viewpoint and accepting their emotions. All good relationships are built on warmth, caring, mutual respect and a willingness to listen to and accept one another. Relationships with children are especially tender and deserve extra attention and care as children are developing their concepts of the world and their place in it. Children look to the relationships with caring adults in their lives to answer many questions. They want to know, "Do I belong?" "Am I doing all right?" "Do you see who I am?" and "Am I safe with you?" They may not ask these questions with words, but they are looking to their relationships for the answers. It's important that you communicate how much you enjoy having the child or young adult you want to build a relationship with in your life. You can do this simply by setting aside everything else for a moment and giving them your full attention and a warm look. Remain pleased and fully attentive to whatever the child or young person presents. You'll be amazed where things go when we make time for them to unfold. A good sense of humour also helps
build relationships and breaks the ice.
1.3 Explain how different social, professional and cultural contexts may affect relationships and the way people communicate?
When communicating with others, we need to consider the context in which we are working. We need to adapt the way we communicate in different situations. It is likely that people do this automatically – for example, you should use more formal language and behaviour in a meeting. The school will have a range of types of planned communication with other adults – when dealing with other professionals, there will be meetings and discussions as well as more informal communication at different times. However, the spoken word is not the only way in which we communicate – it happens through the way we respond to others, for example, how quickly we respond to an email or phone message, how attentive we are when speaking to someone, how we dress. We may find that the non-spoken forms of communication can be an issue if they are misread by others. We should also remember that different cultures will have their own norms of behaviour which will extend to gestures, body language and eye contact. In some cultures, for example, it is not polite to look another person in the eye when speaking to them.
2.1 Explain the skills needed to communicate with children and young people? • Find opportunities to speak, making sure pupils are given sufficient time to talk • Give eye contact and actively listen. • Make sure if a pupil is talking I am giving them my full attention. • Use body language and facial expressions, mirror them if they are sitting down you sit down and smile and react in a positive way to what they are saying. • React and comment on what they are saying. Smile and react in a positive way to what they are saying. • Be interested responding and questioning to maintain conversation, this helps children build up and learn about how a conversation works. • We need to demonstrate a number of skills in order to communicate effectively with children and young people. Although it is likely that you will do this every day without thinking, it is worth reflecting on the ways in which you do this – effective communication is a vital part of the role. Children learn to communicate through the responses of others if they do not feel that their contribution is valued, they are less likely to initiate communication themselves.
2.2 Explain how to adapt communication with children and young people for the age of child or young person, the context of communication, communication differences?
Children of all ages will require varying levels of attention, for babies you could use sign language and for young a young person giving them reassurance and more physical contact. As children mature and especially through puberty they may need more help with talking through issues and reflecting on their thoughts adapting vocabulary would help as older children are more self conscious and may be more emotional. When dealing with children in a variety of different situations. We will need to be mindful of this and adapt your verbal communication accordingly. If we are working on a learning activity, it is important that the children are focused and that we deal with any distractions before they interrupt what you we are doing. However, if talking to pupils in more social situations such as in the dining hall, you should use this as an opportunity to develop positive relationships with pupils, although you should always speak to them in the context of a professional to a young person... Pupils may question you about your private life. It is sometimes best to answer these kinds of questions with humour, for example, ‘I don’t think that you would find it very interesting.’ Pupils may even ask for your contact details, such as a mobile phone number or if they can list your name on their social networking page. You should never give these details or become involved in personal communication. We should ensure care and sensitivity with children who have communication differences, as they will need to take their time and feel unpressured when they are speaking. Some children may not have many opportunities to speak, or may be anxious or nervous. You should adapt the way in which you communicate according to their individual needs. If they have a speech disorder, such as a stammer, or conditions which make it difficult for them, they should be allowed to take their time. Try not to fill in words for them or guess what they are going to say, as this may add to their distress. You may need additional training – for example, in sign language – to be able to communicate effectively or know the most effective strategies to use. In some cases where pupils have special educational needs, you may need to have additional equipment in order to communicate with one another.
2.3 Explain the main difference between communicating with adults and communications with children and young people?
There are many similarities between communicating with adults and with children – always maintaining eye contact and interest, responding to what they are saying, and treating them with courtesy and respect. However, when communicating with children, we also need to think about how we maintain the relationship of support worker to the child or young person and what this means in a school context. However well you get on with children, remember that they need, to see you as a carer and that your relationships with them will always need to be formal when in school when communicating with children, we also need to be very clear and unambiguous in what we say. They need us to communicate what is expected of them so that they can learn to communicate well themselves. Sometimes we forget the importance of making sure that children understand what we mean and might ask them, ‘What did I just ask you to do?’ when they cannot answer the question! Make sure that the vocabulary and verbal expressions use we are at the right level for the children. We also need to be aware that physical contact with children should not be encouraged when communicating with them. It can sometimes be hard to avoid this, but we should not offer physical contact with children or be overly physical with them at any time.
2.4 Explain how to adapt communication to meet different communication needs of adults?
It is important that we are sensitive to the needs of other adults, particularly if they have communication difficulties. It is possible that you will adapt the way you communicate with them without realising that you are doing it. We often change the way we react to others, depending on the way in which they react to us. For example, if you are speaking to a parent or carer who is hearing-impaired, you might make sure that you are facing them and giving eye contact so that they can lip-read. However, if you have contact with adults who have other communication difficulties, you may need to reflect and make sure you adapt your means of communication. If you need to communicate with other adults who speak English as an additional language, you may need to have a translator and meet together with the information. Observing sensitivity of parents also as not all adults will be able to read letters open emails etc if the school decides to communicate in this way. you are communicating is complex or difficult to convey.
2.5 Explain how to manage disagreements with people, young people and adults?
Where there are areas of conflict with other adults, you will need to show sensitivity and try to resolve the situation as soon as possible. The longer a problem is allowed to go on, the more difficult it will be to resolve it. You should not be drawn into a disagreement with a child or young person, and you will need to manage this sort of situation carefully and seek advice if necessary.
3.1 Summarise the main points of legislation and procedures covering confidentially, data protection and disclosure of information?
Schools may ask for information regarding the children they care for to help care for them in the correct way. Under the data protection act 1988 only relevant information can be taken such as health or medical information records from previous schools records for children who have special educational needs. This is confidential information and parental consent would need to be given if this information needed to be passed on. Any organisation that holds information of this kind need to be registered with the data protections commission. This is to ensure that data is not passed on to others without the consent of individuals consent. When working as a teaching assistant you must be careful about what information you share with others and what and how u can access this information, it would be in the best interests to ask your line manager about this. Many teaching assistants working in schools are also parents of children at the same school, and other parents may sometimes put pressure on them to disclose information. You should not pass on any information about the school or the children before being certain; also taking photos or videos of children at the school can not be taken without the parents consent. If you pass on information without following the correct channels, you will be abusing your position of professional trust and this can be very damaging.
3.2 Explain the importance of reassuring children, young people, and adults of the confidentiality of shared information and limits of this? As a teaching assistant we may need to gather information but we must make sure we reassure young people, adults and children about the confidentiality of the information. If at a meeting where we are informed about confidential items. Other should know your obligations and if any information is shared about children parental consent should be given, unless a child is at risk from harm or abuse of if there is a legal obligation at the school to provide information. If a child had epilepsy or asthma this information should be accessible to all staff at the school. A system in place helps with this for example photos of these children in dining room and staff room which must be taken down if the school is used at night by others.
3.3 Justify the type of situation where confidentiality protocols must be breached?
If you find yourself in a position where another individual confides in you, it is important to remember that there are some situations in which you will need to tell others. This is particularly true in cases of suspected child abuse or when a child or young person is at risk. You should at all times tell the individual that you will not be able to keep confidentiality if they disclose something to you which you cannot keep to yourself for these reasons.