Observing Communication
- Cynthia
- Sep 22, 2021
- 2 min read
Updated: Sep 24, 2021
Observing a child’s behavior, how they learn, react to situations, and interact with other provides teachers with important information on a child’s development and skill level. Observations help teachers identify a child’s strengths, learn about their interest, personalities, temperaments, assess the their progress, understand the their needs, and help teachers reflect on and improve their teaching practices and curriculum. It gives teachers the information to make wise choices on what and how to teach each child.
It is important to have a variety of tools available to help communicate with children. Activity-based communication helps children learn by experiencing their environment. They are learning when they touch, smell, feel, taste, listen and look so it is important to provide manipulatives to enhance their growth. Face expressions and body language, as well as gestures, and other nonverbal interactions, such as movements, stance, and voice sound are all examples of effective communication tools (Segal 2020).High quality education involves consistent, dependable, attentive, sensitive interactions between the adult and the child.
In completing this assignment I was able to observe the teacher and the children in my
classroom. Ms. Shaneka and a small group of children were conducting a weighing
and measuring math and science activity. Small group activities are ideal opportunities to talk with and listen to children (Rainer Dangel & Durden, 2010). I watched the children’s happy facial reactions and body movements of jumping up and down and clapping at the announcement of the activity. The teacher produced measuring instruments and pumpkins of different sizes and weights. She introduced the terminology of the measuring instruments and their use. The children were encouraged to repeat the terminology and its use. I could hear and see the excitement of the children as they received their pumpkin to weigh and explored them.
Ms. Shaneka intentionally planned an activity that encouraged not only conversation but also thinking. She used cognitive language to share the information, asking comparison questions about the size and weight of the pumpkins and what they measuring instruments were used. She set up conditions and activities that gave children concrete experiences that require their participation (Rainer Dangel & Durden, 2010). The “teacher talk” promoted the critical thinking skills, participation, and authentic conversation (Durden & Rainer Dangel 2008 as cited in Rainer Dangel & Durden, 2010). Ms. Shaneka intentionally planned an activity that encouraged not only conversation but also thinking. She used cognitive language to share the information, asking comparison questions about the size and weight of the pumpkins and what they measuring instruments were used. She set up conditions and activities that gave children concrete experiences that require their participation (Rainer Dangel & Durden, 2010). The “teacher talk” promoted the critical thinking skills, participation, and authentic conversation (Durden & Rainer Dangel 2008 as cited in Rainer Dangel & Durden, 2010).
Below is a short video clip from the activity that I observed.
Rainer Dangei, J., & Durden, T. R. (2010). The nature of teacher talk during small group activities. YC: Young Children, 65(1), 74–81.
Segal, J. (2020, December). Nonverbal communication and body language. https://www.helpguide.org/articles/relationships-communication/nonverbal-communication.htm
Hi Cynthia, thank you so much for sharing this demo for how adults communicate with children. I really admired how you incorporated a video into your blog for a visual representation for the scenario you described. This was a great way to see the activity live and in action. I liked the hands on incorporation of real pumpkins for the children to experience while learning about measuring. I also agree with the idea of working with children in small groups to connect with each child and make sure everyone is engaged and in tune with the lesson at hand. Small groups allow for more intimate connections and opportunities for all different types of personalities to engage and connect with others.
Hi Cynthia,
What I noticed from your observation of your co-teacher is that she used some of the functions of teacher language. Such as assessing children's knowledge, promoting children's thinking encouraging participation and managing the class or providing a necessary instruction (Rainer Danagei, J., & Durden, T.R. (2010). I liked how she engaged the children with open-ended questions and how she had pumpkins for all the children and they were going to use the scale to graph and determine the weight of each pumpkin. Thanks for sharing
References
Rainer Dangei, J. & Durden, T.R. (2010). The nature of teacher talk during small group activities, YC: Young Children, 65 (1) 74-81.
Dear Cynthia
Just like Lisa Kolbeck mentioned that children communicate and use their bodies so much that if you're sensitive, you can really pick up cues about how to communicate (Laureate Education Inc, 2011), it was really awesome to see the children show lots of excitement as they gave their contributions. Small group activities is actually the best way to relate personally with children in a setting because that is the only way to listen attentively and respond to their diverse ideas. Every child feels special when related with closely.
Reference
Laureate Education, Inc. (2011). Strategies for working with diverse children: Communicating with young children. Baltimore, MD: Author