Communication &

Interaction Strategies

Special Education
Paraprofessional Workbook
Module 5
 Causes of
Communication Breakdowns
• External • Childhood teachings
communication • Failure to see a
barriers person as an
• Internal individual
communication • Interruptions
barriers • Lack of self-
• Lack of interest or confidence
attention • Ignorance of your
• Failure to listen projected image
• Failure to clarify
comments
 Approaches to
Communication
• Aggression
• Passive
• Passive aggressive
• Assertive
 Effective Strategies
• Maintain a • Use a person’s
pleasant tone of name.
voice. • Use the
• Vary your speed. appropriate
• Choose your nonverbal cues.
words carefully. • Ask meaningful
• Use “I” messages questions.
rather than “you” • Choose an
messages. appropriate time
for
communicating.
 Handling
Negative Feelings
• Recognize • Discuss your
responsibility for problem without
personal faults. making
• Discuss your accusations.
negative feelings. • Do not bring up
• Describe the issue already-settled
or behavior issues.
without emotion. • Follow the
• Use “I” messages. guidelines for
effective
communication.
 Skills for
Effective Listening
• Prepare to listen. • Have an open
• Listen to what the mind.
speaker is and is • Judge the content,
not saying. not the delivery.
• Concentrate. • Repeat what you
• Be empathetic. think you heard for
clarification.
• Provide feedback.
 Nonverbal
Communication
 Interacting with
Teachers and Parents
• General strategies
• Interacting with teachers
• Interacting with parents
Interacting with Students
• Treat all equally
• Acknowledge
• Behavior management techniques
• Positive feedback every day
• Student first, not disability
• Address student directly
• Encouraging rather than correcting
 Students with
Traumatic Brain Injuries
• Strategies?
Students with Deafness
or Hearing Impairment
• Strategies?
 Students with
Intellectual Disabilities or Autism

• Strategies?
 Students with
Specific Learning Disability
• Strategies?
 Students with
Orthopedic Impairment
• Strategies?
 Students with
Emotional Disturbance
• Strategies?
 Students with
Speech or Language Impairment

• Strategies?
 Students with
Other Health Impairment
• Strategies?
 Students with
Visual Impairment
(including Blindness)
• Strategies?
 Communication
and Privacy
• School policies about sharing
student information
• FERPA requirements

• Sample scenarios?
Questions?