Children's Communication Skills example essay topic

Communication: An Integral Part of Education Communication is a skill that everyone needs to acquire and learn how to utilize effectively. In any given profession, communication is required regardless of whether or not the field is a creative, professional, or strictly business. Especially in the field of elementary education do the teachers and staff need to possess exemplary communication skills. This is not only with the students but as well as with fellow faculty members and the parents' involved in the community and school. All areas of communication are vital to be an effectual educator but none as important as understanding the culture of the teaching environment, using rhetoric in class lectures and lessons, and becoming a valued and skilled public speaker. With the three above qualities mastered, only then can an educator truly be seen as an effective communicator.

To honestly and successfully understand culture, the educator must know that culture is "a system of ideas, values, beliefs, structures, and practices that is communicated by one generation to the next and that sustains a particular way of life" (Wood, 2002, p. 95). In appreciating and analyzing this, a teacher must then now use this basic understanding of culture and formulate their lesson plans and agendas to encompass the variant cultures in any given school setting. Not only America, but Texas too has become a melting pot of varying cultures from all expanses of the world. This makes educating at this time very fascinating and exciting but potentially frustrating. Language and cultural barriers often create obstacles in the classroom which makes teaching in a normal and systematical approach ineffective.

Cultural barriers can most easily be tackled by teaching other children about the importance of culture and in teaching them "tolerance, in which a person accepts differences, although he or she may not approve of or even understand them" (Wood, 2002,117). Not only in culture but in just plain communication skills, students learn very quickly important ways of communicating effectively and ineffectively. Once thrust into school, children begin for the first time to communicate and express themselves without their parents' around. In a recent study "it was reported that all of the communication skills perceived as important to children ranked as follows 1. Referential skills, ego-support, conflict management, regulative skill, conversational, narrative and persuasive skills" (Aylor, 2003, p. 3).

Studies such as above show that children are effective communicators and are not in a "performance" mode all the time. Maybe adults could really learn something from the blunt manner in which children express their non-sequitur thoughts. Furthermore, educators need to hone their skills of a good rhetorician. This is the mastered way of lecturing in attempt to persuade the listener. Teachers, and those directly involved in the field of childhood education, should realize that their audience is young and easily molded; nonetheless using rhetoric to teach an idea or theory should not be one that is unappreciated. If the educator is not animated and passionately into their subject matter, it makes it difficult for the child to want to learn the information being taught.

Being a good rhetorician is also a model of a good communicator. Children can learn how to communicate effectively solely reliant on watching a good rhetorician. Because "Learning to express with confidence at a young age can help a child forge friendships, do well in school, and down the road, land a job and marry. To be a good communicator simply narrate your life, listen up to what the kids are saying, keep it simple and to the point, connect with the children before you directly shout out in frustration, keep body language in mind, ignore little mistakes, use proper names when communicating and watch out for bad role models (this could be subversive) " (Sears, 2002, pigs. 1-3).

Following the preceding rules, a good rhetorician advertent ly becomes a good communication role model. Finally, to be an embodiment of commendable communication skills, an educator must possess the skills of public speaking. This, however, is not rhetoric. Rhetoric is involved in public speaking, but public speaking is the core and the grass roots behind communication.

Not stumbling over the words trying to be expressed, rather being a calm, cool, and prepared speaker will convey the message of confidence and in turn make the educator a potent force of communication grandeur. When communicating with kids the public speaker needs to understand all the attention should not solely be on them, rather on both parties (the speaker and the active listener). This is because "children's communication skills are strengthened through ongoing, back-and-forth exchanges of words and facial expressions. Reciprocity can help children problem-solve on their own and with others and can teach them to become more logical and rational in their thinking" (Greenspan, 2003, p. 1). Using public speaking this way allows the children to take part in communication and not view it as being lectured by some omnipotent force.

This is how communication is modeled properly and utilized so the future generations can in turn become more effective communicators. In conclusion, one can note that communication is an important skill to hone, yet it must be followed through properly. If it is seen as some domineering perspective, then it can be misleading. Rather, as a clear and successful educator, communication must be a vital and integral part of teaching.

In becoming a lucrative educator, understanding culture, using rhetoric to be advantageous rather than harmful, and polishing public speaking skills will create a certain amount of validity in the chosen field of education. Therefore, to be an elementary education major a rudimentary knowledge of communication and its' importance will make the job easier and more fun for both the student and the teacher.

Bibliography

Aylor, Brooks. (2003).
The Impact of Sex, Gender, and Cognitive Complexity On The Perceived Importance of Teacher Communication Skills. Communication Studies. Vol. 54, Issue 4; Pg. 496. Greenspan, Stanley. (2003).
Reciprocity: a two-way street. Scholastic Early Childhood Today. Vol. 17, Issue 6; Pg 21. Sears, William. (2002).
Cool Communicators. Parenting. Vol. 16, Issue 2; Pg. 68. Wood, Julia. (2002).