2b. Verbal communication

1. About verbal communication or spoken word communication

What we say is often the least reliable way of communicating our feelings; it is easy to say something that we don’t mean or that we do not believe to be true. Body language and tone of voice are much more difficult to control in comparison. 

Positive techniques that can be applied to the spoken word include:

• using positive words

• praising contribution

• reiterating speech

• speaking clearly.

Tone of voice  

Tone of voice and emphasis give meaning and context to the words that we say. For example, try saying ‘don’t be silly’ in a jovial, happy voice and then try it in a serious, aggressive voice. The same words are received in a very different way, and the message changes. Tone of voice can be a great way of guiding a conversation; it indicates how the speaker feels and can be used to prompt students to behave and communicate appropriately. When creating a positive and respectful environment, the most important thing is to keep your tone of voice calm. This creates a neutral space and helps the students to feel calm.

When communicating verbally with students and others we need to consider:

• paralanguage

• vocabulary

• our communication style

• our purpose

2. Vocabulary

The vocabulary you use will be dependent:

•  on the age, ability and interests of the students - generally you will use more simple language with younger students and more complex with older students 

• your purpose - are you giving directions, providing information, building relationships?

• the context - are you chatting in the playground, teaching Maths or having a difficult conversation with a student?

Here are ways to present information to your students to make it more likely that they’ll hear you, and comply:

• Be direct. Make simple statements rather than asking questions: “Please sit down,” as opposed to “Are you ready to get out your homework?”

• Use clear and specific commands. Instead of “Go ahead,” say, “Please start reading.”

• Give age-appropriate instructions. Speak the students at a level they will understand. If the student is younger, keep things simple and use words you know they know: “Please pick up the paper on the floor.” With older students, it’s important to be clear without being patronizing.

• Give instructions one at a time. Especially for students who have attention challenges, try to avoid giving a series of instructions: “Please put on your sneakers, get your lunch off the kitchen counter, and meet me in the front hall.” Give each of these instructions one at a time instead.

• Keep explanations simple. Giving a rationale can increase the likelihood students will listen to a command, but not if the commands gets lost in it. For instance: “Go get your hat on because it’s the school rule and I don’t want you to miss out on play.” Instead, try: “It’s lunchtime and I don’t want you to miss out on play. Make sure you get your hat.”

• Give students time to process. After you give an instruction, wait a few seconds, without repeating what you said.  Students then learn to listen to calm instructions given once, rather than learning that they don’t need to listen because the instructions will be repeated. Watching and waiting communicates trust and expectation.

Activity: Appropriate vocabulary

1. Write a short set of instructions that you will communicate orally (to a small group of 7 year olds) what books etc they need to get out for maths class and where they need to sit for a maths group activity.

2. Write a short set of instructions that you will communicate orally (to a small group of 14 year olds) what books etc they need to get out for maths class and where they need to sit for a maths group activity.

4. Function of language or purpose

4a. Theorists describe between 3 and 8 main functions or purposes of language. We will highlight 6, which are those most used in schools.

1. To inform, including describing the world and ideas, and arguing for particular views

2. To express feelings, thoughts, attitudes of the speaker or to evoke feelings in the listener.

3. To relate / social language, to initiate, maintain and terminate relationships with others, social language

4. Directive language: language used for the purpose of causing (or preventing) action, asking, requesting, commanding, insisting; as a means of control.

5. To persuade or convince others to think in the same way, to learn, to behave in particular ways

6. To have fun or to use language for the sake of using language

4b.  Children using language

Children learn oral language from or before birth but in schools we may need to teach them to use oral/spoken language to satisfy all the functions of language as their repertoire of text types, vocabulary and language uses may not be large. So we will teach them a range of ways to:

• • express their ideas and feelings

  • ask questions, investigate, inquire, inform

  • communicate effectively (social language)

  • have their needs met

  • enjoy playing and using language

Some children need more support than others! Children who are not able to communicate using spoken language need another method of communication such as Auslan, the use of Key Signs, PECs or similar so that they can communicate with others