What do you do if your struggling students need effective communication?

Communication is a vital skill for students of all ages and abilities, but it can be especially challenging for those who struggle with learning, attention, or social issues. As a teacher, you want to help your students express themselves clearly, confidently, and respectfully, both in and out of the classroom. But how do you do that when your struggling students need effective communication? Here are some tips and strategies to try.

Key takeaways from this article

Identify communication barriers:

Recognize specific obstacles your students face, such as anxiety or linguistic differences. Tailor your teaching methods to address these challenges, fostering a more inclusive environment.### *Utilize multiple modes:Incorporate various communication styles like speaking, writing, and visual aids. This approach caters to different learning preferences, enhancing student engagement and comprehension.

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1 Identify the barriers

To help your students communicate effectively, it's important to understand the potential barriers they may face. These could include a lack of vocabulary or grammar skills, difficulty organizing or sequencing thoughts, anxiety or shyness, low self-esteem or confidence, cultural or linguistic differences, learning disabilities or disorders, and attention or behavioral problems. Once you identify these barriers, you can customize your communication approach and interventions to address them accordingly.

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Meghesh Saini

Integration Mesh: Leading Digital Transformation at scale | Creating Value and Trust | Thankful Individual
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This one is crucial, and the first step. Many a time, students only need a teacher who believes in them. Some students may be angry, fearful, frustrated and have learning issues. A good teacher will teach with examples, a great teacher becomes the example. Let's not reiterate the students that they have problem communicating. make them comfortable to speak and communicate freely. encourage at every moment of progress and stay connect. Do not teach, talk.

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2 Use multiple modes

Different students have different preferences and strengths when it comes to communication, preferring verbal, visual, auditory, or kinesthetic cues. To accommodate these differences, it is beneficial to use multiple modes of communication in teaching. This could include speaking and listening, writing and reading, drawing and illustrating, singing and rhyming, acting and role-playing, gesturing and miming, or using technology and multimedia. Utilizing multiple modes can help to improve student comprehension, engagement, and expression.

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Meghesh Saini

Integration Mesh: Leading Digital Transformation at scale | Creating Value and Trust | Thankful Individual
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There may be some students who like writing to reading. When students do things that they love, they naturally open up and communicate. As a teacher, one should identify the specific needs of a kid.

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3 Model and practice

One of the best ways to help your struggling students improve their communication skills is to model and practice them yourself. Show your students how to communicate effectively by using clear and simple language, speaking slowly and loudly, asking open-ended questions, giving positive feedback and encouragement, paraphrasing and summarizing, using body language and eye contact, and listening actively and empathetically. Then, provide your students with opportunities to apply their communication skills in various settings and situations such as group discussions and debates, presentations and speeches, interviews and surveys, games and simulations, peer tutoring and mentoring, collaborative projects and tasks, and social interactions and events. Through modeling and practicing, you can help reinforce your students' learning as well as boost their confidence.

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4 Differentiate and scaffold

Differentiating and scaffolding your instruction and assessment is an effective way to help your struggling students communicate effectively. You can do this by adapting your expectations and support according to your students' needs and abilities. For example, provide choices and options, vary the difficulty and complexity, adjust the pace and duration, offer hints and prompts, give examples and models, break down the steps and processes, and provide feedback and corrections. By differentiating and scaffolding, you can challenge your students without overwhelming them.

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5 Build rapport and trust

Finally, one of the most important factors for effective communication is rapport and trust. To create an environment where your students feel comfortable and safe to communicate openly and honestly, you should show interest and respect, share personal stories and experiences, express emotions and feelings, use humor and fun, celebrate achievements and successes, acknowledge challenges and difficulties, and resolve conflicts and disagreements. Through these actions, you can foster a positive and supportive communication environment.

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Natalie Kellett

Founder and Teacher
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I like to catch that little light in their eyes that indicates they want to say something or connect. Once you start noticing it, you always know when a student has an idea, and you can call on the shy students at just the right moment. You can also see when they're thinking of sharing something with you. For example, a student taking time-out on a couch gave me a little look that revealed she was ready to chat, and considering rejoining the learning.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Ritu P.

HR & Leadership Specialist | ENFJ | Book Lover
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When struggling students need effective communication, it's essential to employ various strategies tailored to their individual needs. This could involve providing clear instructions, offering additional support through one-on-one discussions or tutoring sessions, and fostering a supportive and inclusive classroom environment where students feel comfortable expressing themselves. Regular feedback and encouragement also play a vital role in helping struggling students improve their communication skills.

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What do you do if your struggling students need effective communication?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Identify the barriers

2 Use multiple modes

3 Model and practice

4 Differentiate and scaffold

5 Build rapport and trust

6 Here’s what else to consider

Teaching

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What do you do if your struggling students need effective communication?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Identify the barriers

2 Use multiple modes

3 Model and practice

4 Differentiate and scaffold

5 Build rapport and trust

6 Here’s what else to consider

Teaching

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