6 Ways to Improve Communication

Educators can model and use positive, specific communications to improve “Educator to Learner” and “Learner to Learner” relationships.

One

Method

• Expressing confidence in ability to help learners
• Goal setting

 

Quote/s to use in Positive Dialogue 

• “Let me tell you the secret that has led to my goal.  My strength lies solely in my tenacity.”  --Louis Pasteur
• “It’s not where you start, it’s where you end up.  You haven’t failed until you’ve stopped trying.”   --Unknown

Suggestions:

“Let’s work together to find a way that works for you.”

Two

Method

• Expressing confidence in learner’s ability
• Positive Daily Messages

Quote/s to use in Positive Dialogue

• “Take the ‘t’ off of can’t and say, “I can!” 
  -- Marva Collins
• “The two things in life you are in total control over are your attitude and your effort.”  --Billy Cox
• “Great effort springs naturally from great attitude.”  --Pat Riley

Suggestions:

• “With good effort, you can do this.”
• “Tell me what the effort will look like to get this done.

Three

Method

• Displaying positive nonverbal communications
• Magic Triad    
• Sign Language

Quote/s to use in Positive Dialogue

“What you do speaks so loud that I cannot hear what you say.”  --Ralph Waldo Emerson  

Suggestions:

Use of Magic Triad, eye-contact, upbeat energy, proximity

Four

Method

• Supplying positive, specific feedback often
• Forms of Feedback
  • 20 ways to provide effective feedback for learning
  • How to Give Effective Feedback to Your Students
  • How to Integrate Effective Feedback in the Classroom 

Quote/s to use in Positive Dialogue

• “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”  --Confucius 
• “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.”  --Robert Collier
• “Words are life.  Positive words create positive life.”  --Lailah Gifty Akita

Suggestions:

• “I noticed you … (say what is right)
• “I see that you…(where effort was used wisely)
• “I appreciate your corrections here… (their attempts to correct their own mistakes

Five

Method

• Praise Vs Encouragement
• Giving individuals input
• Questioning Strategies

Suggestions

•  “Here is our topic.   How would you like to proceed.”
• --What are some ways we can proceed?”

Six

Method

• Expecting individual’s output
• Authentic Assessment - Authentic Tasks and Rubrics
• Types of Authentic Assessment
• Authentic Assessment Tools

Quote/s to use in Positive Dialogue

“All things are difficult before they become easy.” - Thomas Fuller  

Suggestions

• “Learning can be difficult but it is always rewarding.”
• “Share with me what some of the rewards would be when……. Is learned.”