Effective Communication With Children

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When working with children we are all using these skills on a daily basis without even being aware of it however there is no harm in reflecting on the skills and looking at why they are so important. Ultimately effective communication shows that both parties are being courteous and respectful of the others efforts. If this works well in a school setting it shows the children that they are valued thus increasing their confidence and encouraging them to communicate further and engage in full and productive communication interactions in the future. I have broken the skills down into 3 main areas;
A- Body Language and Facial Expressions
Your body language has to compliment your verbal language to be sincere. It doesn’t matter how enthusiastically …show more content…

When communicating with children it is important to make sure you alter your choice of words according to their age. Similarly, your body language needs to be altered too. An example of this is when you are communicating with younger children it is best to get down to their level so that you are communicating face to face rather than standing over them. You will use words which are suitable to their stage of development and that they will understand. In addition the tone or expression of your voice will be different for very young children as they need more enthusiasm and exaggerated tones than older children. On the other hand when communicating with teenagers they don’t need the over the top expressions, they need more subtle but constructive praise. Older children may need more help communicating their views or to work through ideas than the younger ones. With an older child you will most likely be more verbal , less expressive and they won’t require much by way of physical contact. It is important to address these differences as teenagers would feel patronised if you spoke with them in the same way you do small …show more content…

When communicating with pupils in a teaching session your communication needs to be more planned and formal, you need to ensure you are approachable and able to help if required. It is also important to be mindful of distractions that may affect the pupils and be able to head them off before they cause a problem. Alternatively if you are in the playground with the children or in the coach going on a trip your communication is likely to be more relaxed and informal and you can use these opportunities to build good relationships with the children and to help them build their communication skills with their friends. It is important to be aware that in a more relaxed situation children are likely to ask you more personal questions as they feel the boundaries have moved and you need to be on your toes with evasive but satisfactory answers in order to maintain your privacy and

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