How Effective Communication Impacts a Child

How Effective Communication Impacts a Child
Communication is more than words, and it is important for teachers to understand the nonverbal messages that are being sent and received in the classroom (Miller, 2005). The act of communicating is essential to everyone. A teacher being able to send a message and have it received and understood by the child is a skill that is necessary, especially in an early learning setting. It is important to know how the child receiving the message may understand it, knowing this determines how the message is to be sent. Both verbal- by the use of words and non-verbal- using gestures, body language, emotions and actions are effective ways to communicate, and can be used to project positive and negative messages. The ability to be a good listener, give praise, modify your way of speaking and know how to use communication aids are qualities teachers require to become respected educators. Communicating effectively in an early learning setting is essential, as it impacts the way a child views themselves, others and how they respond to the message they have received.

Teacher-child relationships are very similar to parent-child relationships, and seem to serve the same purpose regarding a child’s social and emotional development (Greenberg, Speltz & Deklyen, 1993 as cited by Pianta, 1999). The academic success of a child can depend on the influences received, whether it is positive or negative. A teacher that possesses adequate skills to communicate effectively will have a positive influence on the child. According to studies conducted by Birch and Ladd (1997) close teacher-child relationships are correlated with positive child outcomes, such as great school attendance, liking school, classroom participation, and academic competence, uncongenial teacher-child relationships are linked with unfavourable outcomes, such as negative school attitudes, school avoidance, classroom disengagement, and poor academic performance. Having a close teacher-child relationship depends greatly on the teacher and how the child is perceived. Teachers may judge a child by their gender, race, behaviour or academic achievement and build a relationship according to that perception. Having a poor teacher-child relationship not only affects the child’s schooling, it affects how the child interacts with peers and having the confidence to make friends. It is important for teachers not to judge the children, but to look past what is ‘wrong’ with the child and build a safe and successful learning environment in which the child can develop.
It is said “When kids are interested in what they’re learning, they go faster and farther” (Seal & Stipek, 2003). It has been shown in research that children learn more, comprehend better and remember what has been learnt longer when learning has been enjoyed. Children are also much keener to take on challenging tasks. (Seal & Stipek, 2003). Children thrive off the success in completing a task that may have been found challenging. The feeling of satisfaction and pride inspires children to want to learn more. Encouraging the child once they have overcome the challenge makes the child feel competent. The use of encouragement is much more effective than praise; this is because the child already knows their competence at a certain task. Encouragement offers feedback more specific to their skill development. Praise is very vague and does not provide any information about what the child has learnt. Praising a child leaves less room for a response, thus leaving less room for conversation about what the child has learnt and the challenges they have overcome. This may take away some of that satisfaction and pride the child feels within themselves. Comparing the child’s work to another’s and focusing on tests results puts pressure on the child and takes away the feeling of success. This may lead to a child’s anxiety and need for achievement.
Making an emphasis on test results and not the effort a child has put into learning can be very damaging. What a child has learnt is more important than the results of a test or assessment. Research has found children who focus more on learning rather than getting good grades enjoy school a lot more and have the motivation and drive to succeed (Seal & Stipek, 2003). Children who are constantly being reminded of failure tend to withdraw academically and in some cases socially. Taking the focus off the less than satisfactory test results and offering constructive criticism will help rebuild a child’s confidence. Avoiding negative feedback and suggesting ways a child can improve learning a skill is a much more effective way of dealing with a child’s poor task result. In doing this the teacher is not attacking the child’s self-esteem and pride and the child does not feel the sense of failure. In the long run encouraging children to do well in learning will help the children to achieve higher test results.
The way a child is spoken to depend on the speakers understanding of how the child will comprehend the message being sent. Communication styles and age appropriate behaviour is required to be able to communicate effectively with children. Knowing how children of different ages communicate and what they like to talk about is important to having positive interaction with them. Teachers must communicate in a way that relates to the age, ability to understand and interests of the child or children they are communicating with. (Gable, 2003). Children in an early learning age range find ambiguous instructions difficult to understand what exactly is required. The response to an instruction will be questions to gain specific information on the task. Giving the children informative information allows the child to grasp what has been asked of them, in turn succeed in carrying out the task. Teachers may deliver information with the assistance of a communication aid, such as Makaton, Compic or any other communicator to get a message understood. These sorts of tools are very useful when communicating with children with a disability. Many early learning settings already have visual strategies as it helps not only the child with the disability but all children in the class
In a class setting, it is the role of the teacher to make each and every student feel as part of the class. A child that has a disability is no exception. Depending on the disability the teacher may or may not need to change communication strategies with the child. Knowing how to communicate effectively with a disabled child minimises the frustration the child may feel by not being able to understand the message the teacher is trying to get across. For teachers, being able to give instructions to the child so that he or she understands will make the child feel somewhat ‘normal’ and included in the class. With the use of communication aids such as Makaton (speech and sign), Compic (visual aid) or any other communicator will greatly increase the ability of the child being able to understand the instruction given. A teacher can incorporate the use of visual aids into the delivery of the class. All children can benefit from having visual aids displayed around the classroom; it will not only be beneficial for all the children’s learning, but also help the children to communicate with the child that has the disability, leading to successful interactions creating tolerance and acceptance of the disability (Kilham, 2006). The way words are spoken and what words are used can have different meanings to child who has a disability. For example, telling an autistic child “It is raining cats and dogs” one would expect cats and dogs to fall from the sky, which is not the case at all. As quoted by Kilham (2006), “We should teach the way they think: not expect them to think the way we teach.”
As it has been stated in this essay, children base the views of themselves and the world on their daily experiences. One of the most important experiences teachers can provide for children is to be available to talk with and listen. By paying attention to and communicating regularly with children, you can help children create a view of themselves and the world that is positive and healthy (Gable, 2003). Part of becoming a great teacher is sustaining quality communication skills which are vital to having a positive and successful student.

References
Birch, S. & Ladd, G. (1998). Children 's interpersonal behaviors and the teacher-child relationship. Developmental Psychology. 34(5).934-946
Gable S, (2010) Communicating effectively with children. Retrieved from http://extension.missouri.edu/explorepdf/hesguide/humanrel/gh6123.pdf Kilham, C. (2006). Including children with autism in early childhood settings. Every Child Magazine. 12(3).Retrieved from http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/every_child_magazine/every_child_ind ex/including_children_with_autism_in_early_childhood_settings.html
Miller, P. (2005). Body language in the classroom. Techniques. 80(8).28-30 (Document ID: 931924041).
Pianta R. (2004). Teacher-child relationships and children 's success in the first years of school. School psychology review. 33(3)444-458 (Document ID: 724593961).
Seal K & Stipek D (2003) Raising self-motivated children. Motivated Minds: Raising Children to Love Learning.19-23

References: Birch, S. & Ladd, G. (1998). Children 's interpersonal behaviors and the teacher-child relationship. Developmental Psychology. 34(5).934-946 Gable S, (2010) Communicating effectively with children. Retrieved from http://extension.missouri.edu/explorepdf/hesguide/humanrel/gh6123.pdf Kilham, C. (2006). Including children with autism in early childhood settings. Every Child Magazine. 12(3).Retrieved from http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/every_child_magazine/every_child_ind ex/including_children_with_autism_in_early_childhood_settings.html Miller, P. (2005). Body language in the classroom. Techniques. 80(8).28-30 (Document ID: 931924041). Pianta R. (2004). Teacher-child relationships and children 's success in the first years of school. School psychology review. 33(3)444-458 (Document ID: 724593961). Seal K & Stipek D (2003) Raising self-motivated children. Motivated Minds: Raising Children to Love Learning.19-23