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Effective Communication | Origin: ED209

This is a general discussion forum for the following learning topic:

Students as Customers --> Effective Communication

Post what you've learned about this topic and how you intend to apply it. Feel free to post questions and comments too.

Always a challenge for me to keep my mouth shut and listen.  I too often have cut a student short on a shared thought.  I have improved a great deal through the years, and find it very helpful to be reminded of proper listening skills from time to time.

Active listening and making students concerns feel heard and valued promotes a stronger teacher/student relationship and helps address issues and conflict resolution.

Make sure that your non-verbal listening isn't misguided.  Restate, or paraphrase what was said, so that the student knows you were listening.

Active listening is a vital skill that should utilized as part of being customer-oriented instructors. While students speak, instructors should show interest by giving them your undivided attention, verify what the student said, and ask questions. 

Nonverbal stuff that should be part of good practice:

Things to keep in mind: 

  1. Clear a space on your desk so all attention is focused on the student.
  2. Do not be tempted to look at other things, including documents, a computer screen, or a cell phone.
  3. Arrange chairs in a small circle and/or come out from behind a desk.
  4. Don't stare but make eye contact during the entire conversation. The listener should focus on the speaker about 80 percent of the time.
  5. In most cases, the student should do most of the speaking.
  6. Students will understand that you're giving a valuable commodity, your time 

Listening without hearing or understanding is not effective listening.  Active listening includes understanding the speaker/student by showing through verbal and nonverbal communication that you are listening.  With nonverbal communication, it is important to focus on the student, keep physical barriers like desk from separating you from the speaker, do not stare, and allow the speaker time to talk without interrupting.  Verbal communication allows the listener to show that they understand what is being said to them and encouraging the student to speak.  Smile because you mean it.  

It is imperative to be genuine and sincere when listening to a student's concerns and engage in eye contact 80% of the time during the interaction.

Active listening is the best. Engaging the classroom is effective way to enhance knowledge and concepts that have been taught

Good idea to ponder the question instead of immediately responding show that you were listening and being intentional with your answer.

Apply more passive listening.

I learned about the strategies for active listening using both verbal and nonverbal communication. 

Make sure that the student can tell that you are actively listening and giving them enough time to say what they need to say. 

When a student has a hardtime understanding something; I try to break the information down.  I will listen to their questions and try to pharphase what they are asking.  I like to talk to my student's in a quiet enviroment.  I fell that asking questions, helps me understand what they understand and what they don't understand.

Not everyone will have the same opions but it is important that we all listen.

I have learned active learning is waiting for the other person to finish talking and ensuring you understand what the person said by summarizing the salient point before acting upon what has been said to you. I hope to develop active listening skill so I can improve upon my communication skills.

I will apply a mixture of active and passive listening. 

I think it is important to be mindful of both verbal and non-verbal cues at all times. 

I have learned that good communication depends on the quality of listening and responding  

Being an active listener is very important. I need to be more engaged when students are communicating with me.

I have learned that good communication depends on the quality of listening and responding  

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