Observing others is a very powerful tool. It allows you to recognize positive and negative outcomes of situations. This week, I observed a mother and daughter communicating at a park. The daughter appeared to be around 2 years old. The mother asked the child various questions such as, "Do you want to walk over here? Do you want to play on the swing? Are you having fun? Are you too hot?" The child responded by shaking her head either yes or no while running around her mother laughing and playing. She seemed very happy and safe while interacting with her mother. The mother would smile whenever she talked to her and the child smiled back.
What I noticed and learned about their communication was that the child was engaged with the conversation because the adult's body language was positive. One of the connections I made between my observation and the learning resources was that asking young children questions makes for effective communication strategies. However, the communication would have been more effective if the mother had asked questions that require more than one word answers. Questions that promote children's thinking require children to think beyond one word responses to make connections, compare, and hypothesize (Rainer Dangei and Durden, 2010, p. 78). Another connection I noticed is that adults should talk to children directly. A behavior that help you give the baby clear messages include speaking directly to the baby (Kovach and Da Ros-Voseles, 2011).
I believe the communication that I observed influenced the child's self worth a great deal. The child more than likely felt appreciated because of the attention she was receiving. This observation also compares to the way I communicate with children because I often ask children questions to challenge their thinking. I ask questions in a positive manner so that they will feel comfortable answering them. Further, I have learned that my communication with children is fair but it could be better. In one of the readings, I have learned that acknowledging the child's name and talking to them before touching them should be considered (Kovach and Da Ros-Voseles, 2011). I will definitely use these insights to improve my communication with young children.
References
Kovach, B., & Da Ros-Voseles, D. (2011). Communicating with babies. YC: Young Children, 66(2), 48-50.
Rainer Dangei, J., & Durden, T. R. (2010). The nature of teacher talk during small group activities. YC: Young Children, 65(1), 74-81.
Hello Latasha,
ReplyDeleteCommunication remains a powerful tool to educate children and interact with them. For impact and effectiveness, adults need to communicate at the level of the child and with respect and understanding they deserve. When communicating with children, gestures like eye contact, speaking softly and gentle touch in a way that the child feel honored, loved, valued, and respected are important.
Thanks for sharing.
Latasha,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the observations you made. I think this weeks resources have helped us to be more sensitive to communicating better with children. I think we now know the little things to look for and will help us to not only communicate better with children but as help us to understand them better.