Lack of Communication Skills

Teaching Tone of Voice

Tone of voice impacts meaning when we speak, but "tone" comes through in writing, too. Students must understand what tone is to understand how an email or other social interaction could be misunderstood or even offensive.

This blog post provides some sample sentences for teaching spoken tone of voice.

The Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) provides work-based examples of tone in technical writing.

Teaching Email Etiquette

Practice and re-practice how to write an email with an appropriate tone. Provide examples for students first and then--as a class, in small groups, or in pairs--critique student-produced emails.

A teacher's blog post on TeachWriting.org explains how to teach email etiquette.

Christina Smekens provides this 6-minute video and downloadable easy-to-follow list of 8 steps to an effective, respectful email.

Teaching Etiquette for Other Social Situations

Many students have forgotten basic etiquette and need to be retaught. Lapses in etiquette that are unaddressed will be perceived by the student as acceptable. Teachers can model appropriate interactions with peers and adults for various social interactions. For example. model the process for politely and respectfully asking a question of the teacher: "Excuse me, Mrs. Learman. May I use the restroom?" Continually model for students.

Model appropriate tone of voice and language for

• asking directions

• reporting to the attendance office

• reaching past someone in the lunch line

• bumping someone in the hallways

• turning in a late paper

• asking if a paper has been graded

• asking about make-up work