Communication is an essential part of teaching. Without proper communication, someone is going to get left behind in the educational process. Understanding listening skills is the first step towards actively using positive listening skills. In the field of Special Education, proper listening skills are more important than ever since communication is the beginning of the process of learning. Although improving listening skills is essential in any area, it is even more so in the field of Special Education, where the students are already facing enormous elements that may hinder their educational progress. Don't let a lack of listening skills lead to a lack of learning in your classroom.
There is much more to listening than hearing or reading the words that are being communicated. For a better understanding of this, think of the Internet. When you are typing back and forth to someone, some inflection gets lost. Chat jargon and emoticons have been developed so that people can better convey their emotions, but something may still be lost in the transition. For those with hearing impairment, they may be dealing with only inflections, without the ability to actually hear what is being said. For this reason, those working with the hearing impaired must pay more attention to the messages they convey without their words. Let's look at some aspects of communication that enhance listening skills.
- Body language: How do you walk in the classroom? Do you walk briskly as if you are in a hurry to start the day? Are your arms swinging as if to hurry your body along? Are they crossed in front of you, giving off signs that you are unapproachable? These are the things that start the day. While you may simply be chilly and crossing your arms to keep warm, remember that your students cannot hear the cheer in your voice as you greet them in the morning. Let them know you want to be there. Lean forward in talking to them as if you are eager to be with them. Stand up straight so that they can see how proud you are to be where you are. Encourage them to do the same as they walk through the halls.
- Facial expression: Did you have a bad start to your morning? It is essential that you leave your personal problems at home. Walking into your classroom scowling leaves the students with a feeling of apprehension. Remember, the one aspect of communication they are lacking is the ability to hear your voice. They cannot hear the relief in your voice as you revel in the fact that you are with them and not at home dealing with whatever happened this morning. You must convey to them by other means that your focus during this time is on them and their education.
These are just a couple of aspects of communication. Show your students your best. Teach them to want to pay attention to what you have to say. This process will help to make them active listeners even though they may not effectively hear or understand what exactly is being said in various articulations of the lesson objectives.
