7.5 (7S2C, 7S8C): Ability to employ constructive communication strategies and approaches in working with and responding to students, their families, and school and community personnel.

Introduction

Good communication is essential when working as a member of a team. There are skills that make communication effective and positive. Different people have different communication styles and it is important to understand that not everyone communicates in the same way. Part of communication involves good listening. Another inevitable part of communication is conflict and conflict resolution. All of these aspects of communication are necessary in your role.

Objectives

As you read the objectives for this unit, think about and rate your current knowledge using the following scale.

1. I do not understand this.
2. I do understand this.
3. I understand this well enough to use in my work.
4. I could teach others about it and use it in my work.

In this unit you will:

• Demonstrate awareness of the importance of communication in school.
• Demonstrate knowledge of effective communication and listening strategies with students and staff
• Examine techniques to aid in the communication with students.
• Identify components of effective communication.
• Demonstrate the ability to question and direct student responses.
• Learn basic communication strategies.
• Demonstrate knowledge of ways to appropriately deal with conflicts between you and teachers or administrators.
• Demonstrate the ability to work as a collaborative team with both general and special education teachers.
• Define active listening and why it is important to the relationship between you and the immediate supervisor.

The Para eLink is sponsored by the Minnesota Paraprofessional Consortium, in collaboration with the Minnesota Department of Education, located at the Institute on Community Integration in the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Minnesota.

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