We have all heard the phrase ‘communication is key,’ but what does it mean? Effective communication is an essential part of everyone’s lives, but it holds particular importance in the lives of young children. Learning to communicate is one of the major developmental tasks in early childhood.
Children in their early years are in the process of developing their thoughts and feelings. They need good communication skills to express themselves properly. The best way children learn how to do this is through social interaction, which they engage in by going to school. There, they meet children their age and develop their communication skills by mutually learning.
With the transition to remote learning, parents are worried about how primary school children will develop their communication skills. In a survey, 40% of parents responded that missing group interactions might adversely impact their children. While their concern remains, genuine online learning doesn’t mean that children can’t develop practical communication skills. There are numerous ways for both instructors and parents to ensure that online classes positively contribute to improving communication skills among students.
Discussion boards
Traditional classrooms make face-to-face interaction possible, with ideas bouncing off from here to there. At the same time, the online learning model provides ample opportunities for effective communication. An online discussion board can present itself as an easy alternative.
A virtual learning environment can at times feel lonely, and children feel disconnected from their peers. A discussion board can bring that sense of belongingness back. It has a social presence where students can come and take part in discussions. This, in turn, fosters their communication skills. They interact with other students and share their ideas and thoughts. Through this, they cannot only connect with their classmates, but it is also an excellent way for them to polish their writing skills.
Don’t hesitate to reach out
In traditional classrooms, teachers can understand students’ comprehension levels by looking out for non-verbal cues that may tell them if they are confused or are having trouble keeping up. In online learning, this may become challenging; this is why the responsibility falls on both the students and teachers to make sure they are on the same page.
On the student’s part, it is necessary to speak up and communicate to the teacher if a problem arises. While for teachers, they must remain updated on the progress of each child. To develop practical communication skills in children, teachers should make themselves approachable via chatrooms and group chats. Some of the best primary schools online are developing a short weekly one-on-one interaction of teachers with the individual student to feel comfortable expressing themselves. Teachers, on the other hand, get updated on each student’s progress.
Stay connected with your classmates
Children learn more from each other than they learn from their elders. They are often unable to express themselves with people they can’t relate to and seek a meaningful relationship with their peers. Virtual classrooms bring students the opportunity to connect with people coming from diverse backgrounds. They not only end up connecting with them but learn more from them than they would in a traditional classroom.
Engaging with other students who are going through the same learning process makes them feel that they are not alone. It also offers a lot of improvement to their communication skills. By virtually connecting with their peers through video calls, they step out of their comfort zone and experience new forms of communication. They become comfortable with the idea that they can still feel connected and have a friendly relationship with someone they might not physically meet every day.
Collaborative teamwork
Team-based activities can offer numerous benefits for students. Online learning programs make groupwork a bit challenging, but it offers excellent opportunity to develop necessary social skills needed for better communication. When children work in a collaborative framework, they participate in active listening and speaking. They can also better understand their responsibilities and learn how to articulate their opinions confidently and respectfully.
Professional online language schools explicitly focus on building a collaborative channel among students by putting them in groups and assigning them activities that depend upon mutually discussed ideas and verbal communication.
Create an online study group
Communication is a two-way process, and like any process, it requires time and dedication. Children tend to speak out their minds and go on and on without taking a breath. Sometimes quite literally! Who better to put up with their chatter than the like-minded people their age?
Building a good relationship with fellow students requires keeping in touch with them both inside and outside class. Creating a virtual study group for students to come and interact with their classmates is a good idea for polishing their communication skills. It can also help them achieve academic excellence. Unlike classrooms where time is limited, students can log in to study groups and learn from each other any time they want. It will provide them a chance to know their peers better and will enhance their verbal communication skills.
Times are changing; the internet world has given us so many opportunities to communicate with each other. Similarly, online learning offers some of the best ways for effective communication for children. Online private schools are now designing themselves to cater to such needs efficiently.
At Ideal School, we offer a well-structured program that is based on an integrated module of effective communication. Our bilingual elementary school offers professional online language classes in both English and Spanish. With our highly qualified staff, we cater to the need of every individual child.
Get in touch with us today! And enroll your child in our program.
