9 / 1 8 / 2 0 1 2

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

FOCUSING QUESTIONS

• What is a primary reason people fail in collaborative

efforts?

• What are key components in sending and receiving

messages?

• How does one establish rapport in order to facilitate

effective communication?

• What are major verbal and nonverbal skills for

communicating effectively?

• What are the primary roadblocks to communication?

• What are some important things to keep in mind when

using electronic communications and social networking?

COMMUNICATING AS COLLABORATORS, CONSULTANTS AND TEAM MEMBERS

• Communication is one of the greatest achievements by humankind.

• It involves talking, listening, managing interpersonal conflict, and addressing concerns together.

• Good communication skills facilitate problem solving and resolution of conflicts.

• Elements of trust, commitment, and effective interaction are critical for conflict-free relationships.

PARTNER SHARE

• With a partner, discuss ways that you

communicate.

• What devices do you use?

• Who do you communicate with?

• What are different forms of communication?

COMMUNICATION FOR EFFECTIVE SCHOOL RELATIONSHIPS

• Teachers manage many kinds

of relationships in their work

with students who have

special needs.

• Communication is the key to

successful relationships.

• Communication has become

simpler and more complex

due to modern technology.

WAYS THAT COMMUNICATION HAS CHANGED

• We e-mail the person in the office

next door.

• We have a list of 15 phone

numbers to reach our family.

• We pull up in our driveway and

use our cell phone to see if

anyone is home to help carry in

the groceries.

• We get up in the morning and go

online before getting our coffee.

FACE-TO-FACE COMMUNICATION

• Computers, cell phones, the internet,

and television have changed

communication in the last decade.

• Face-to-face interactions are still the

standard and the most effective type

of communication for most

collaboration.

• People typically communicate 70%

of their waking moments.

• Lack of effective communication skills

is a major reason for work-related

failure.

COMMUNICATION FOR SPECIAL EDUCATORS

• A supportive, communicative

relationship among special

education teachers, general

classroom teachers, students, and

their families is critical to the

success of children with

exceptional learning needs in

inclusive classrooms.

• Special educators must model

exemplary communication and

interaction skills.

CHALLENGES IN COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY

• Because the development and

use of “people skills” is the most

difficult aspect of collaboration

for many educators, more and

more educators are stressing

the need for specific training in

collaboration and

communication skills if they

expect to help students with

special needs be successful.

DISCUSSION

• Discuss with a partner how special educators need

to communicate and who they need to

communicate with. Think of as many examples as

you can.

VERBAL ASPECTS OF COMMUNICATION

• Body language is important. A

message is 7% verbal, 38% vocal,

and 55% facial.

• Differing values, ambiguous

language, stereotypes, assumptions,

and personal experiences all can

serve as filters of language.

• Miscommunication breeds

misunderstanding.

NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION

• 6 categories: eye contact, gestures,

paralanguage (volume, rate, pitch,

and pronunciation of the verbal

communication), posture, overall

facial expression, clothing, and setting

chosen for the interaction.

• Our facial expressions convey our

thoughts and feelings.

GENDER DIFFERENCES IN COMMUNICATION

• Differences in communication

style between males and

females:

• Amount of time listening versus

talking

• Interrupting

• Physical alignment during

conversation

• Use of indirectness and silence

• Topical cohesion

CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN COMMUNICATION

• Because language and culture are

so inextricably bound together,

communicating with potential

collaborative partners who are from

different cultural and linguistic

backgrounds is a very complex

process.

• Cultural differences can extend to

use of space, touch, appearance,

voice tone, and body language.

BUILDING SKILLS FOR COMMUNICATING

• Effective communicators can do

the following:

• Rapport building

• Responsive listening

• Assertion

• Conflict management

• Collaborative problem solving

Do you have these skills?

RAPPORT-BUILDING SKILLS

• When we take time to build positive

relationships that are based on mutual

respect and trust, others are more

likely to:

• Want to work with us.

• Care about our reactions to them.

• Try to meet our expectations.

• Accept our feedback and coaching

• Imitate our behavior.

RAPPORT BUILDING SKILLS

• We are more likely to:

• Listen to and try to understand their

unique situations.

• Accept them as they are and not

judge them for what they are not.

• Respond appropriately to their

concerns and criticisms

• Advocate for, support, and

encourage them in their efforts to

serve student needs.

RESPONSIVE LISTENING SKILLS

• Successful consultants listen

responsively and empathically in

order to build trust and promote

understanding.

• Responsive, effective listening

makes it possible to gather

information essential to one’s role

in the education of children with

special needs.

3 MAJOR COMPONENTS OF RESPONSIVE LISTENING

• Nonverbal listening-discerning

others’ needs and observing their

nonverbal gestures.

• Encouraging the sending of

messages – encouraging others to

express themselves fully.

• Showing understanding of the

message – reviewing what they

conveyed, or paraphrasing.

ASSERTIVENESS

• The basic aspects of assertive

communication are:

• Use an “I” message instead of

a “you” message.

• Say “and” instead of “but.”

• State the behavior objectively.

• Name your own feelings.

• Say what you want to happen.

• Express concern for others.

• Use assertive body language.

THE ART OF APOLOGIZING

• Apologizing demonstrates

understanding, honesty,

confidence, and trust.

• It offers a chance to mend

fences

• Make sure you do not

repeat the behavior or

mistake.

• Allow them to vent, and

then say “I’m sorry” as soon

as possible.

GROUP THINK

• In groups of three or four,

• Please jot down skills that you have learned tonight

for more effective communication.

• Name any other skills you can think of.

ROADBLOCKS TO COMMUNICATION

• Barriers to successful interaction,

halting the development of effective

collaborative relationships.

• These are behaviors that send the

message that

“I’m not listening.” “It doesn’t matter

what you think.”

• Teachers send these signals by being

busy, not concentrating, or using

poor listening skills.

NONVERBAL ROADBLOCKS

• Include facing away when the speaker talks or looking at another person in the room when the speaker says something

• Displaying inappropriate facial expressions

• Distractions such as repetitively tapping a pencil

• Rattling pocket change

• Checking message on the cell phone while “listening.”

VERBAL ROADBLOCKS

• Judging- criticizing, name calling, and diagnosing why a person is behaving a particular way.

• Sending solutions – directing or ordering, warning, moralizing or preaching, advising, and using logical arguments or lecturing.

• Avoiding others’ concerns – implies “no big deal” to the message-receiver. “You’ll feel better tomorrow.”

TERMS, LABELS, AND PHRASES AS ROADBLOCKS

• Do not focus on the disability label.

• Do not portray successful people

with disabilities as superhuman

• Use people-first language – “student

with autism”

• Emphasize abilities and not

limitations

• Do not imply disease by saying

“patient” or “case” when discussing

disabilities.

DISCUSSION

• With a partner, discuss some of the roadblocks

mentioned here.

• Can you think of other roadblocks to

communication?

MANAGING RESISTANCE, NEGATIVITY, ANGER , AND CONFLICT

• Communication is the key to collaboration and

problem solving.

• Without back and forth discussions, there can be no

agreement.

• Problem solving often breaks down because

communications break down first.

RESISTANCE TO CHANGE

• Why do people resist change?

• Have a vested interest in the

status quo

• Have low tolerance for change

• Feel strongly that the change

would be undesirable.

• Be unclear about what the

change would entail or bring

about.

• Fear the unknown.

WHY COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS RESIST: EXAMPLES

• Classroom teachers won’t share how they really feel

about working with exceptional students.

• They act excited about an idea when it is proposed but

never get around to doing it.

• They won’t discuss it with you, but they do so with others

behind your back.

• They take out their frustrations on the students.

• They state that there is not enough time to implement

the strategy

• They are simply silent.

• They make it clear that they just prefer the status quo.

HOW TO DEAL WITH RESISTANCE AND NEGATIVITY

• Negative people sap the energy of

educational consultants. It can block

communication and ruin potentially

productive relationships.

• Do not engage in the negativity.

• Refrain from taking negativity

personally.

• Control your own behavior.

• Curb your own natural reaction to

resistance.

• Keep your eyes on the prize.

WHY PEOPLE GET ANGRY

• Anger is felt when a situation is perceived as unfair

or threatening, and the person angered feels

helpless to rectify that situation.

• Differences of opinions, values, and behaviors

exacerbate these feelings.

• Anger is a secondary feeling that follows frustration,

unmet expectations, los of self-respect, or fear.

HOW TO DEAL WITH ANGER

• Address the problem rather than the person.

• Seek to find a shared goal with the angry person.

• Defer judgment and together explore options.

• When an angry person is loud and belligerent,

speak more softly and calmly.

• Listen intently with responsiveness, not reaction.

WITH A PARTNER

• Discuss ways that you have dealt with negativity

and anger in a professional environment.

• What are some ways for resolving anger conflicts?

WHY CONFLICT OCCURS IN SCHOOL CONTEXTS

• Conflict occurs when there are unreconciled differences among people in terms of needs, values, goals, and personalities.

• Teachers, administrators, and parents face many occasions for conflict when they are involved with educating children who have special needs.

• Parent goals and teacher goals may differ significantly, and support personnel may add even more dimensions to the conflict.

• Do not react hastily and promise something the teacher can’t deliver.

• Values – when people have differing values about children, education or educator roles within the learning context, effective communication is a challenging goal.

HOW TO RESOLVE SCHOOL-RELATED CONFLICTS

• First listen responsively and acknowledge what is being said.

• The listener must concentrate with an open mind and attend to the speaker’s feelings.

• Consultants must put aside preconceived notions about their own expertise and learn from those who often know the student best – family and teachers.

• After listening constructively, consultants need to help establish ground rules for resolving the conflict.