According to the CDC, the volume of conversational speech is around 60 dB. It does not mean the other party automatically understands you because they hear you. Communication is transmitting information from one person, place, or group to another. Scientific meanings apart, it takes more than words to communicate effectively.
Students are no different. You might realise sometime that your child struggles to fit in after starting school. Although new environments take getting used to, the problem might be more profound. Students lacking social and communication skills have issues bonding with peers and communicating effectively with teachers.
When you get your child admitted to a Singaporean school for formal education and overall personality development, make it a point to ask whether there are faculty who focus on this aspect of the child’s growth.
Learn why your child’s communication and social skills are critical and discover what to do to improve these skills for them before paying the Singapore school fees.
What are Social and Communication Skills?
Social skills refer to nonverbal, written, and visual communication skills used to relay messages. On the other hand, communication skills are specific and involve formal or informal written or spoken skills. Students need both skill sets to communicate with teachers and peers and prevent communication gaps or isolation in school.
How do students greet instructors and peers? Does their body language reflect their levels of focus and concentration? All these are excellent for gauging a student’s social and communication skills.
The Benefits of Communication and Social Skills
Good communication and social skills are building blocks that ensure things go on correctly. With mutual understanding, things get smooth in class, making it easier to learn new concepts. Students also need help forming relationships.
Here’s why you should encourage students to have these skills:
1. Better Body Language
The body says a lot before uttering words. A student communicates better by practising positive body language, like eye contact, correct hand gestures, and a confident posture. These show they know what they’re saying and why, prompting the other party to listen.
2. Improved Choice of Communication Medium
Students learn the best way to relay information through social and communication skills. If students want to pass on personal information, they should write instead of saying it aloud. At the same time, addressing issues face to face is important to encourage problem-solving and foster better relationships among students.
3. Increased Confidence
Confidence does not mean cutting others’ views or opinions. On the contrary, confident students are good communicators since they give the other party ample time to speak before taking their turn. Students show confidence by:
- Maintaining eye contact
- Having good body posture
- Not demanding
- Not questioning others’ points of view
4. Respect for Others’ Opinions
Giving regard to what other people are saying is a sign of respect. When students pay attention to what their peer or teacher says, it leads to better, honest, and effective communication. Contrastingly, failing to listen makes other students or teachers feel undermined.
5. Promotes Better Listening
A student talking without listening to the other party creates a communication gap. Besides, good communicators must also be great listeners. Practising active listening skills and paying close attention to peers and teachers clears doubts and uncertainties and allows time to ask questions.
Through listening, students get to sympathise with different points of view instead of fighting them, helping reach amicable conclusions when they dispute opinions.
6. Speaking Less
Although speaking a lot seems like communicating, social and communication skills say otherwise. With these skills, students relay their message in the least words possible. They go straight to the point without confusing or overwhelming the listener.
7. Improved Quality of Relationships
Good social and communication skills improve friendships and interactions between teachers and students. Such interactions encourage students to attend school daily since the environment is conducive to learning and interacting socially. At the same time, teachers relate better with students since both parties feel respected and their opinions valued.
How to Improve Students’ Social and Communication Skills
When enrolling your child at institutions like Cambridge International School, it is essential to encourage them to adopt social and communication skills. Doing so makes interactions at school better. Making new friends and interacting with teachers is easier.
Below are tips to improve your child’s communication skills for a better experience in school:
Practice
Parents and teachers must take time to practice communication with students. Each time they make a mistake, they pinpoint it immediately. Such corrections help students realise the gap in their communication. As a result, they adjust accordingly, shaping their communication and social skills effectively.
Motivate Students to Ask Questions
Asking questions promotes learning and clears doubt. Ultimately, it promotes good communication since both parties are on the same level of understanding. Teachers must ensure the questions are relevant to enable better comprehension.
Promote Speech Brevity
Some students need help in speaking up, especially in new environments. On the other hand, others talk too much, causing uncertainty in communication. By teaching students to speak just enough, teachers promote communication and make room for quieter students.
Teach the Art of Listening Before Speaking (Taking Turns)
When students respond without listening, they give the wrong response or irrelevant opinions. Listening paves the way for communication, enhancing comprehension and ensuring students provide correct replies.
Improve Body Language
Before speaking, the listener looks at a student’s body language. Do they look confident? If they don’t, the person is less likely to pay close attention to the student’s words. Encouraging students to improve their body language is critical for effective communication.
Here’s how students should do it:
- Practicing self-awareness
- Relaxing shoulders
- Smiling
- Uncrossing arms
- Mirroring the other party
Impact of Social and Communication Skills on Studying
Social and communication skills apply to students at all levels of education. With well-developed skills, students are likely to stay caught up. They become withdrawn and emotionally overwhelmed since they feel unseen and misunderstood.
Communication is a solid foundation for academic success. Students can only ask questions or relate with peers and teachers with it. Teachers must ensure students possess oral and written skills to adequately express themselves and their ideas.
If a student has issues with communication, it is best to get them professional help. The only way to find this out is to promote effective communication in school. Ultimately, learners understand how to express themselves, interact with others, and learn.
Social and communication skills are critical for interactions in and outside school. As such, it’s paramount that students adopt these skills for a smooth experience. Relationships with other students and teachers become pleasant as they promote learning and friendly interactions. This recipe is perfect for academic success.