Effective Communication

Explain the Purpose and Principles of Effective Communication and Relationships in a Diverse School.

Effective communication is important in developing relationships with children, young people and adults because we need to work as a team to ensure the class runs smoothly. Communication is very important in a school.   You need to be considerate and fair. The children need to know what is expected of them, so by varying the way we speak,   everyone will understand. Model correct use of language, by encouraging the child to repeat back an instruction so that they understand what they need to do. Display positive open body language, keep eye contact so the person knows you are talking to them. Use positive facial expressions, smile, nod your head to ensure you are valuing what they are saying. Good communication also builds positive relations between staff, so you need to consider how you approach and respond to each other.

The principles of relationship building with children and adults is to show respect for each other. Set boundaries for people to adhere to. Give feedback and reward with praise. Children and staff whom you work with maybe from different cultures and have different beliefs to you, so you should always listen and respect their opinions and points of view. Learn and use adults names correctly, are they Miss, Ms, Dr? Remember it’s not always about you, find out about other peoples likes and interests. Get to   know the children ,have they got any brothers or sisters? When is their birthday?   Make time to listen to children and staff to learn about their feelings and to identify any concerns. Pay attention to children, show you are interested in what they have to say. If you seem pre-occupied they might decide not to tell you something important. Treat everyone as individuals. Have a sense of humour, sometimes it is good to see a funny side to the situation.

Different social, professional and cultural contexts may affect relationships and the...