Communication and Professional Relationships with Children, Young People and Adults

Communication and professional relationships with children, young people and adults

How to establish respectful and professional relationships with children and young people?

  * To demonstrate positive relationships and promote mutual respect
  * Remain calm   at all times , an assertive behaviour calls for an assertive response
  * Adapt your behaviour and communication to the age of the child or young person
  * Make them   feel secure and valued
  * Be aware of the context, different situations require different methods of communication and tone of voice
  * Understand and respect communication differences and levels of language development
  * Make sure that pupils are given   sufficient   opportunities to talk
  * Give eye contact and actively listen, show them that you are interested trough   acts of body language like nodding or eye contact
  * Use body language and facial expressions
  * Be approachable
  * model effective communication
  * React and comment on what they are saying
  * Be interested, responding and questioning to maintain conversation
  * Encourage them to ask questions and put their ideas forward
  * Ask open question
  *   Let them offer   their own suggestions and ideas so that there is a two-way dialogue between adults and pupils rather than a one-way flow of instructions
  * Be aware of your body posture ( adjusting your height by bending is much friendlier than leaning over a child

1.2- How to behave appropriately for a child or young person’s stage of development?
It is important that when you are communicating with children you take into account their stage of development intellectual, linguistic and emotional, these will help you to adapt your level of communication, body language and gestures to their needs and serving them better.

E.G1) - Pupils in foundation stage and KS1 – ages 4 to 6
These children are still very young and are still developing their communication skills. You need to...