General Characteristics of Classroom Communication
A constant dilemma for teachers is how to select teaching strategies which enable pupils to learn well and teachers to ‘cover’ their syllabus. Embedded in that dilemma are a number of questions. How effective is teaching by telling? Can we do it better? How much can pupils learn from speaking to each other? Talking is important, but how do we know if it’s the right kind of talk? It is no accident that all these questions involve communication.
The following activities and checklists are designed to sharpen our awareness of classroom communication and make best use of the time available. The first activity looks at who speaks and how much during a lesson. The next two activities identify patterns in the interactions between teachers and pupils. As communication is a two-way process requiring children and teachers to be competent listeners, this section contains a checklist which categorizes different types of listening situations within classrooms. The section concludes with two activities which consider issues of non-verbal communication
Language and Inclusion
Activities in this section will help you to identify your own responses to varieties of language and to reflect on the possible impact which these responses might have on the pupils you teach. The first activity focuses specifically on responses to language varieties. For pupils and teachers to be able to communicate effectively it is important that they have a shared understanding of what is meant by what is being said. However, as the next two activities reveal, the language used in school may be unclear or ambiguous to some pupils. This section concludes with checklists and an activity which focus on habitually quiet non-participatory behaviour and ways in which pupil participation can be encouraged.
The balance of teacher-pupil initiative
The model which is set out in Figure 12.3 can be used to highlight particular characteristics and qualities of interaction between teachers and learners. Using this type of representation allows teachers to examine and develop beliefs and practices concerning teaching and learning.
The following activities consider the quality of interactions in the classroom. The first focuses on the possible differences between lessons as they are planned and how they are actually taught. The second activity focuses on the way in which teachers use polite phrases and questions to mask what are in reality intended to be direct requests. The section concludes with activities which highlight the ways in which language, tasks and behaviour are coded in schools
Notes for further reading
Research Briefing
Diagrams and Figures
Reflective activites
12. Communication