COURSEWORK 3 : ARTICLE REVIEW

Title
Source

Improving Collaboration: teaching teachers effective communication skills.

http//www.freirreproject.org/improving-collaboration-teaching-teachers-effective

Date

communication-skills/
11 April 2015

This article serves as a proposal to the Teaching-Family Model and its importance for
teacher to have a good collaboration with the student, the family of the student, as well as
fellow colleagues. Communication skills are important for many professions but are crucial
for teachers. Teachers communicate with students, parents, colleagues and administrators
every day. It is important to establish a good collaboration among these groups of people for
the betterment of everyone for the sake of education.
In the article, teachers who are skilful communicators have a better chance of being
heard by administrators when making a request, such as for a transfer, special leave or
permission for a student event or field trip. Good communicators clearly state the reasons for
their request, anticipate possible counter-arguments and are prepared to refute them. They
control their emotions, don't lose their tempers and always behave in a professional manner,
even in disappointing or frustrating situations. Administrators who recognize such efforts are
more receptive to granting a positive response to teacher requests.
Apart from that, communication skills involve listening as well as speaking. Teachers
who listen attentively to their students' questions and complaints are better equipped to meet
individual needs and adjust lessons where necessary. Students are also more likely to be
receptive when the teacher's body language and tone of voice indicate openness and
encouragement. Appropriate use of audio-visual aids also can enhance presentations and
make them easier for students to follow.
The article proposes the Teaching-Family Model which indicates that teachers should
communicate frequently with parents and not wait for scheduled parent-teacher interviews.
Reporting good news regularly strengthens the teacher-parent relationship and makes it
easier for the parent to hear bad news when necessary. Teachers who are good
communicators can share negative reports about students tactfully and without suggesting
blame and also state their message clearly enough so the parents understand the concern.
Such model works because the writer is an experienced family specialist. Therefore, through
this, skilfully delivered communication can earn respect from the parents and support for
working together toward a positive outcome

Although teachers spend most of their working day surrounded by 20 or more

students, they often become flustered when speaking in front of their colleagues at staff
meetings or conferences. Communication skills improve with practice, and preparing in
advance what to say also helps. Taking a leadership role with other teachers in the school by
chairing or co-chairing a committee provides the opportunity to enhance these skills.
Communicating with colleagues in this way may be very rewarding and personally fulfilling. It
also shows initiative, which can lead to advancement or promotion.
Along with importance as well, the article points out issues about the teacher tine
management, about being too caught up with works and have no tine establishing this model
in their teaching. However, the writer finally convinced that this model works in both formal
and informal situations. Apart from the time constraint , the article also mention about the
teachers doubt towards the model when the research has clearly proven a positive
outcomes in the students learning.
Therefore as a conclusion that I can derived from this article is that a communication
can be said successful only if we are able to convince people for whatever we wanted to
convey. Teaching profession demands good communication skill, along with the knowledge
of the subject. If they are unable to teach what they know, students tend to be less involved
and lose inspiration to learn. They should be motivated to speak up their viewpoints in class
and raise questions, if they are unable to grab certain topic. For this, it is vital for the
teachers to communicate effectively with them.

Resource Article :
Shantz,

T. (2014, April

communication

9).
skills.

Improving

Collaboration:

Retrieved

April

teaching
11,

teachers

effective

2015,

from

http//www.freirreproject.org/improving-collaboration-teaching-teachers-effective
communication-skills/