Communicating With Your Students Sarah Wilcoxon and Tim Pressley PIE Associate
Overview Nonverbal Communication Verbal Communication Final Considerations
Nonverbal Communication Teacher immediacy (students’ perception of your physical and psychological distance) affects learning. High teacher immediacy (low perceived distance) is a predictor of teaching effectiveness. Consider your – Physical: Your placement in the classroom – Psychological: tone, facial features, body language
Verbal Communication Purpose – What do I want to accomplish? Channel – What’s the best way to send this and accomplish my purpose? – Sometimes your channel is pre-determined. In that case, are there any particular considerations for your channel? Message – What’s the best way to say this and accomplish my purpose? – How can I increase my immediacy with my message (while still remaining professional)?
Verbal: Purpose – Channel – Message Any nonverbal communication considerations? Office Hours A student is upset about their final grade, and they want to know if they can do extra credit. Extra credit is not an option. But they haven’t taken the final exam yet, which could raise them a letter grade. Classroom A student ed to say they’ll miss class. No other details are given. They want to makeup a quiz. Your policy is to only allow makeup work for University excused absences with documentation. A student is constantly on their phone during class. It is becoming a distraction to you and to other students. You asked students not to use phones in your syllabus, but no specific consequence is outlined.
Final Considerations Reminders: – Increase immediacy(lower perceived distance) with both nonverbal and verbal communication. – Consider your purpose, channel, and message in verbal communication. Keep all communication professional. Check for communication clarity. Did they understand? Follow through – mean what you say, and say what you mean. Legal Communication Considerations – FERPA
For more information about teacher immediacy: ive/immediacy.html