Communication and Professional Relationships with Children and Young People

Communication is the basis of human relationships and it is especially important to communicate effectively in a school setting where it is the channel of education and knowledge sharing. Furthermore, positive relationships between teachers and pupils make it possible to provide valuable education and a nurturing environment that facilitates personal development for children.

Skills needed to communicate with children and young people

When communicating with children it is essential to be clear, concise, age appropriate and supporting needs and abilities. On the one hand, this involves using words and phrases that the children will understand, and on the other hand, actively listening to the pupils and responding positively to whatever they have to say. Moreover, it is advisable to encourage children to ask questions and check their understanding by follow-up questions.

The teaching assistant needs a range of interpersonal skills to be able to facilitate effective communication with the pupils. The adult has to be available and make time to be able to listen to the children actively. Appropriate non-verbal skills support the success of communication, and they include facing the pupil, leaning slightly towards them, smiling, nodding, etc. Following the rules of turn-taking and being generally polite to the children (no shouting, no talking over people’s heads, etc.) shows them that they are respected by the other person and gives them a positive example to follow when developing inter-personal skills in their own interactions. If the adult is relaxed, confident and articulate during interactions, uses the vocabulary appropriate for the pupils’ age and abilities, and encourages them to respond and take an active part in the communication process, the children will develop a positive attitude towards social interactions. (Kamen 2011, p. 61)

How to adapt communication with children and young people

When communicating with children and young people we have to be aware of their age and current level of communication skills. It has to be clear what kind of communication we can expect from a child of a certain age (only words, phrases, or simple sentences following grammatical rules etc.) and what they will comprehend from what we say to them. With younger children it is advisable to use one word instructions or only simple sentences. When they form short sentences without grammatical indicators (e.g. missing plural or tense markers), we can show our comprehension by repeating the sentence in the correct form, which also facilitates their language development. Older children, who can already form sentences using correct grammar, can benefit from the introduction of new vocabulary and more complex sentence structures in conversations with adults. (Kamen 2011, p. 215)

The context of communication can be in connection with learning or just casual social interaction. At the lessons and educational activities, the learning material provides context and topic for communication between the adult and the children. During these activities the pupils have to learn to focus to the topic of the communication and with the help of the teacher try to shut out distractions. Social interactions in the breaks between lessons provide opportunity for the teaching assistant to build positive relationships with the pupils, but stay in a professional manner. These informal conversations, e.g. during meals, are similar to those children have at home with their family during dinner. Therefore they provide an excellent opportunity for the adults to get to know the pupils in a more relaxed way.

Whatever the context and occasion of the conversation, the teaching assistant has to keep it in mind that they are in a caring role; therefore their communications with the children have to formal and professional. Every statement or instruction has to be clear and unambiguous to avoid false accusations of prejudice or favouritism.  Constant checking for understanding ensures that the children receive communication appropriate

 for their age and abilities and they can comprehend the conversations with the adults. Physical contact may help to direct the child attention towards ourselves and show our empathy but we have to minimise its use to occasions when they are really needed and meaningful.

Differences between communicating with adults and children/young people

When communicating with children, we have to make sure we are listening actively to what they say and we are available for conversation whenever they feel the need to share something. Being clear and concise when giving instructions or explaining something to them is essential, as well as using vocabulary and grammatical structures suitable to their age and abilities. General politeness and empathy does not only show our respect but also teaches them mannerly conversation.

When communicating with other adults who are not colleagues in the school, e.g. parents and carers, they have to make sure they use a language that is understandable by everyone. It is not advisable to use jargon and technical language with people who are not experts in this area. Also, a teaching assistant has to be careful not to try and answer questions that are beyond their knowledge and expertise. In these cases the parents’ questions have to be referred to the class teacher or a teacher specialised in the field. Furthermore, parents and carers know their children the best therefore they are invaluable sources of information for the teachers and have to be involved in communication about the pupils’ welfare and development. (Kamen 2011, p. 70)

Communication between members of the teaching staff has to be effective and serve the quality education of the pupils. Confidential information should only be shared with those who are involved in the relevant aspects of the child’s life. Conflicts or disagreements are best to be settled outside the classroom, not in front of the pupils. Even if children do not comprehend every detail of a certain conflict, they are able to pick up on the nervous tones and influenced in a negative way in their social development.

Adapting communication to meet different needs of adults

When communicating with other adults we have to pay attention to any aspects that might cause difficulty for them in expressing themselves or comprehending what is being said. Problems can arise when the family is from a different country and has different social norms regarding conversations, and/or language difficulties. Speaking clearly and also providing opportunities for the parents to speak can help to create a positive and trusting relationship. We have to value all contributions and if they are struggling to express themselves properly, we help can them with the specialised vocabulary they are not necessary familiar with. We have to be attentive and patient towards people with hearing difficulties or speech impairment, who might have a hard time understanding us if we do not speak loud enough or need time and effort in expressing what they want to say. If a teacher is able to use sign language, communication with those with hearing problems can go much smoother. Whatever the problem is, as a teacher or teaching assistant you have to be confident and professional when communicating with other adults.

Managing disagreements between TA’s and children/young people and TA’s and other adults

Whether a disagreement is between teaching assistant and pupils or teaching staff and parents, certain interpersonal and social skills are useful in resolving the conflict. Good perception of the clashing interests and sensitivity to the different points of view can help us to see both sides of the story without agreeing with each. Conflicts often arise because of differing expectations from each side which are not met. When helping to resolve the disagreement, we have to try and find a common ground for both parties, where we can start and create ideas to bring the expectations closer to each other.

During this process we have to remain calm and polite and listen to all points of view. Making personal comments will not help the situation because we have to remember, most of the time the problem is not with the individual but only something they have said or done. If the disagreement cannot be resolved privately between the two parties, it is advisable to seek professional mediation. Supervisors always have to be informed about the issue, even if the conflict is resolved by the two parties.

Reference list

Kamen, Teena, 2011, Teaching Assistant’s Handbook Level 3, Hodder Education