To communicate effectively with children and young people, you need to remember that children learn to communicate through responses and reactions of others. You need to show that you are interested in what they say and that what they are saying is important. This can be done in various ways: Making eye contact and actively listening will show that they have your full attention by stopping what you are doing and looking at them. If possible get down the their level so that you can maintain good eye contact.
In conclusion effective communication with children, young people and adults is fundamental to developing relationships. It should be remembered that whilst it is important for me to communicate effectively with others it is equally important for me to listen to others to further develop the relationships I have.
Unit 3.3.1 – How communication with children and young people differs across different age ranges and stages of development
As child practitioners we must work on our skills in communicating with children because the way we communicate with them is important not only for their communication and language development, but also the development of our relationship with them. Young children often aren't able to express their thoughts and feelings in words, or express them poorly. Because of this, it's important that child practitioners can listen carefully and help children to learn how to express themselves and also provide what they need.
Positive body language and gestures are important too and being on their level allowing them the opportunity to see they have your full attention.
Keep your body language open. Face the person you are talking with, smile, nod and use open-handed gestures. Understand different tones of voice and whether someone is able to maintain eye contact. These signs will help you to understand the person’s attitude and build a relationship with them more effectively.
It is essential to establish respectful and professional relationships with children and young people in the role of Teaching Assistant. There are certain strategies which enable such a valued and trusted relationship be established. A relationship in which a child trusts and respects their TA and feels comfortable in their company, allows the TA to offer a supportive and caring environment in which the child can learn and develop.
Communicate with children and young people in a way that is appropriate to the individual, using both conventional language and body language
• Non-verbal – eye contact, smiling, turning towards them to show you are interested • Symbolic – stickers, smiling faces, merits, house points, stars etc.
Whilst listening make sure that you have eye contact and use different expressive words to show your interest.
When we communicate with people be it children young people or adults we adapt our communication to the appropriate language. We will do this automatically if we are in a meeting with other professionals, we will act and speak in a formal and professional manner, whilst speaking to a infant we will be more animated and speak in a higher voice which we know will keep the babies attention. So when I communicate with children I need to be clear so they can understand what is expected of them.
It is important to adapt communication to include all children. In my class the children are always greeted with a smile, good morning and how are you today. Some of the children have news to tell you. I get down to their level and have eye contact and listen to what they have to say. I always show interest in what they are saying as it boosts their confidence and shows that you care. When talking to the children I use
There are two ways of communicating with children and young people , conventional and body languages , communication may be formal (adult-led activity) or informal (playtime or social situations). In order to communicate appropriately with any child or young people I need to show that I understand them. Using my body language; eye contact to make sure that I am at their level, try not to invade their space, avoid
Effective communication, and respectful relationships are vital when talking with children, young people, and adults as they both allow accurate gathering of information and feelings and the subsequent passing along of any issues that may need to be followed up on.
Effective communication is important in developing positive relationships with children and young adults because it helps the child to be able to communicate effectively with other people as they grow. Children react better to clear, concise communication and this in turn will help to build better relationships between child and adult and enable trust to grow, which is one of the key elements in building a relationship. It is also important to listen to the child and let them say what they want to say. Do not try to pre-empt or interrupt them. Try to keep your language and explanation simple and to the point. Make them feel that what
When communicating with children, it is important to talk at their level while maintaining eye contact and use positive body language. We must give them time to understand and absorb what is being said to them. This will make the children feel respected and develop trust and thus they will feel confident to communicate with us. The child’s learning and development will benefit if the adults in their life can communicate effectively about them.