Communication Skills

The Discussion will cover:

1) Teaching & Learning

•Student Learning
•Learning Styles and implications for
learning
•Approaches to Learning--Deep and surface
learning and implications for teaching.
2) Effective Communication/Barriers to
Effective Communication

*Using questions as a T & L tool

What is Effective questioning
Types of Questions

*Presentation Skills
What makes a good Presentation
Teaching is not presenting

3) Evaluating teaching

*How do you know you are being an

effective teacher?
 Principles of Learning

•Recency

•Appropriateness

•Motivation

•Primacy

•2 way communication

•Feedback

•Active Learning

•Exercise
Multi – Sense Learning

We Learn

•1% through taste

•1.5% through touch

•3.5% through smell

•11% through hearing

•83% through sight

 We Remember

•10% of what we read

•20% of what we hear
•30% of what we see
•50% of what we see & hear
•80% of what we say
•90% of what we say and do
Learning Styles

Visual / Verbal Learner

Visual / Nonverbal Learner

Tactile / Kinesthetic Learner

Auditory / Verbal Learning Style

Visual Verbal Learner
Learner best when information is presented verbally

Strategies:
•Summarize key points
•Information Organized in diagrams, Sequence of
Steps-how to do each step in point form
•Color Code-highlight / emphasize main points.
•Booklets, brochures, handouts etc.

Visual / Non Verbal Learner

Learn best in a visual, picture or design format

Strategies:
•Big picture Diagram
•Color Code
•Organize / Translate information into pictures,
Charts. Symbols, shapes etc.
•Sequence of Steps-Draw a series of boxes each
containing information in sequence.
Tactile / Kinesthetic Learner
Learns best when physically engaged in a “hands on” activity.

Strategies:

•Make Learning Tangible (Take notes, repeat

points, questioning, interactive activities, practical
labs)

•Using computer to reinforce learning through sense

of touch.

Auditory Verbal Learner

Learners best when information is presented in verbal/oral
form. When trying to remember information you often hear
the way it was told.

Strategies:
•Group Study / “Study Buddy” on an ongoing basis.

•Record Lectures

•Get them to repeat the sequence of steps

 Confucious once said:

“ I hear and I forget,

I see and I remember,

I do and I understand.”
 Approaches to Learning

•Surface Learning
•Deep Learning

Surface Learning Deep Learning

•Intention to pass •Intention to Learn
exam •High Motivation
•Low motivation •Well structured
•Poorly structured Knowledge
knowledge •Longer retention of
•Quickly forgotten knowledge
 Communication Skills

•Effective Communication lays down

the framework for effective teaching
and learning.

•Communication is the process of

sending and receiving information
among people

Feedback

Receiver Sender

Sender Receiver
 Communication Breakdown

Feedback

Sender Receiver

Breakdown

Barriers to Effective Communication

•Language
•Psychological
•Environmental
•Speech
 Most Common Ways of
Communication

•The Spoken Word

•The Written Word
•Visual Images
•Body Language

Rule of Thumb

A Good Teacher MUST be a

good Communicator
 How can we improve our verbal communication
skills as teachers?

PARAPHARASING
Emphasizing by Resting important points.

SUMMARIZING
Summarize main points at the beginning and end

QUESTIONS
Making a class more interactive and challenging

Paraphrasing…

•Paraphrasing is simply restating something again

•Using to emphasize important points e.g.:

•In other words

 Summarize…

•Summarizing puts important ideas,

facts or data together.

•It is critical to summarize information

systematically

•It is useful for emphasizing key points.

Using Effective Questioning

Techniques
“Instructors will perform with excellence if they
employ effective questioning techniques”
Bop Powers (1992)
Characteristics of Good Questions

•Clearly stated
•Common Vocabulary
•Thought Provoking
•Properly directed

? Questioning…
A critical facilitation skill

There are two basic types of questions:

1. Closed questions
one word answers yes/no etc.
2. Open-ended questions
Questions that usually begin with “how”,
“what” and “why are typical.
Practice your questioning skills…
Rephrase the following closed questions
to make them open–ended.

1. Are you feeling tired now?

2. You have completed the project haven’t you\?
3. Was the last activity useful?
4. Is there anything bothering you?
5. So everything is fine, then?

Other questioning techniques include:

 Direct questions

 Leading Questions

 Return Questions

 General Overview questions

 Hypothetical Questions
Other helpful techniques to foster
Communication (both verbal and non-verbal)…

• Eye contact

• Facial expressions

• Gestures

• Posture & body orientation-keep an open body

position

• Proximity

• Paralinguistic

Presentation Skills

 What makes a good Presentation

 Teaching is not presenting
 What makes a good
Presentation

 Knowledge

 Preparation

 Energy

 Eye Contact
Teaching is not Presenting

• The result of teaching is

Learning.

• If learning does not occur,

there has been no
teaching.
 Ask yourself…

• Which of the skills covered in this

workshop were most useful as you
think about conducting a
lecture/lab?

• Which is the easiest to employ?

• Which is the most difficult for you?

 Write down three things
you want to do to improve
your communication
skills…

 Practice them prior to your

next lecture / lab.