Simplify Classroom Language: The language of the classroom can swirl about a student with receptive language or working memory difficulties .
With the, at times, loud and noisy environment of a classroom children with language impairment can lose their way if the teacher's message is unclear or too complex to understand.
Communication Tips
- A shorter message is easier to understand than a longer message. If you use long sentences, packed with information, it's a fair bet that some of your students won't understand all of the information.
Use simple sentences.
- Oral sentences with a simple structure are much easier to understand than sentences with complex subordinate clause structures. Complex sentences require a lot more processing power than simple sentences, so must be used with caution.
- Repeat key messages. This is self evident. To ensure that your students understand your message it is often important to repeat key sentences and phrases, and to paraphrase your comments.
- Pay attention to your body language. It is something like 70% of communication is non-verbal. Body language is an often overlooked means of effectively communicating verbal messages.