Helping Children Develop their Communication Skills with Distance Learning
Most schools and educational institutions have been starting to utilize various online platforms since distance learning is becoming commonly practiced as a new learning method these days. Teachers and students are forced to shift to this digital method. Thus, they are required to adapt certain teaching and learning processes. It is a difficult adjustment to practice, given that they have to transfer the skills they possess to an online learning environment. This new process also leads to a difficulty in communicating with one another. Communication represents the essential step of both teaching and learning. Therefore, it is considered to be the most important part of the entire learning process. It holds a great impact on the overall success of teaching methods.
But then, given the educational system of distance learning, the parents of the students tend to worry about the lack of communication that students may encounter in this method. Which is why it is crucial for children to develop their communication skills even in this type of learning environment. Learning how to properly communicate will greatly help students to build social relationships. They are also beneficial in terms of certain academic situations, in which the activities involve teamwork and communication between classmates. It is important to practice certain skills for children to display proficiency in social communication. As a child, they may tend to exhibit difficulty in staying on topic while talking with others, tell stories in a disorganized way, and other inappropriate communication skills that can easily be noticed. This makes it the reason for requiring to train them to behave in a way that exhibits good communication skills.
Practice Communication Skills
Having to practice these skills within the distance learning method can give students the opportunity to gain more from the learning process. They are able to ask questions and discuss concerns verbally through online platforms. This can also help students socialize and build friendships within the online classroom, which helps the learning process as well. It will certainly help students get information to gain more understanding. In the usual classroom setting, during in-person classes, students are given the opportunity to use body language and facial expressions as a way to help them communicate. But with online classes, on the other hand, students are limited to using different digital platforms to talk and socialize with others. Being aware of these limitations to communication capabilities in the online realm is considered to be of huge help in determining how to develop skills in a timely and relevant manner.
Encourage Students to Speak Up and Communicate
In distance learning, there are instances that students may face challenges in exhibiting good communication skills. Since they are used to converse through chats and other messaging applications, they may be reluctant to speak out. They may hesitate to share their thoughts and opinions in an online classroom setting, and be too shy to speak in front of their classmates. But then, if they are just encouraged to speak up, and be helped to become confident in voicing out what is on their mind. They can effectively exhibit communication skills. This can further be improved through speaking in class most of the time.
It is essential to also establish certain listening and speaking procedures. As a teacher or a parent, you have to determine procedures as a way of having conversations that include appropriate non-verbal behaviors. This behavior may be crucial in the long run, so it is deemed to be an important measure to practice.
Teach Conversation Skills
Distance learning limits students to converse well with their classmates unlike in in-person classes. But then, it is still effective to teach them conversation skills, particularly on how to have good conversations with others. Activities will not be possible to accomplish if students do not have necessary skills, as simple as speaking with peers. Thus, it is important to model how to have a productive conversation.
Make Communication Personal
Personalizing communications is known to be an effective way to connect and build positive relationships with students, even through distance learning. In this way, students will be able to feel connected and feel at ease in communicating with others. As a parent or a teacher, talking with students in a personalized way, while still instilling respect and value of communications, is effective to develop their social skills. Make a personal connection. Get to know them more while letting them get to know you as well. Also, respond to them in a way that they feel they can find a friend in you. Given these ways, they will feel comfortable in socializing in the class. Thus, it can be applied and developed further in the long run.
Practice the Use of Online Tools to Communicate
With distance learning, students are exposed to different tools online. They can be able to utilize them to communicate with classmates and teachers in the easiest way possible. Practicing the use of these tools can be effective in building communication skills, even in a remote setting. They will be able to collaborate online without having the difficulty to communicate with others. They can also be part of a well-moderated discussion. This will give them an opportunity to share their thoughts and ideas within the class. Online platforms like Google Meet or Zoom sessions, can be utilized to establish effective discussions. Activities conducted in these tools can easily be adapted for distance learning classes.
Social support, even in online platforms, is considered to be an effective way to foster knowledge and collaborative learning. It provides an environment where communication is encouraged. Several synchronous tools have been made available as means to help increase the effectiveness of your communications with students. Thus, using certain tools is a great start in building social relationships with them. And given the opportunity to take advantage of the applications led by technological advancements, students will surely be able to adapt as most of them these days tend to be knowledgeable in various digital devices and applications.
Key Takeaway
Though distance learning is deemed to exhibit difficult means of communication with students, it does not limit the ways where they can be developed. There may be students that are reluctant to speak out and engage in social conversations within the class. But then, with certain measures such as encouraging them to speak up, teaching them the appropriate conversation skills, personalizing communications with them, and practicing how to utilize several online tools available to collaborate, they can improve their means of building social relationships with others. These can help foster a sense of community within the class. It can also help avoid the hesitation and sense of isolation that some online students experience. Exhibiting communication skills will definitely be of huge help, especially as they grow. They will be more exposed to interactions that will require them to behave, socialize, and act a certain way.
