Successful Interaction Between Teachers and Students – A workshop on Differentiated Communication

Kontext / Contexte

In diverse school environments, as in Luxembourg, verbal and non-verbal communication must be differentiated to create positive, impactful interactions.

Differentiated communication is tailoring your communication style and content to the needs, preferences, and characteristics of the individual you are interacting with so that the message is received and understood with clarity and purpose. It is about acknowledging and understanding that not everyone communicates and processes information similarly, particularly when there are added elements of ethnicity, a/gender, age, physical challenges, and socio-economic factors.

How can teachers make interactions with their diverse students more effective and impactful? This workshop will help them acquire knowledge and skills to do this. The presenter/facilitator will discuss with the participants the pillars of differentiated communication that lead to improved teacher-student relationships, better student academic outcomes, and more teacher satisfaction.

"Call a plant beautiful, and it becomes a flower. Call it ugly, and it becomes a weed". - Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Words Matter! According to BBC, Joshua Sutcliffe was found guilty of unacceptable conduct by the UK Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) for failing to use a pupil's preferred pronoun in class on multiple occasions due to his religious conviction. (Oxford transgender row teacher banned from the profession - BBC News seen on 14/09/23).

Teachers must be updated with information, policies, and legislation about inclusiveness in our complex society of cancel culture and political correctness. They should be trained on how to deal with these crucial issues and developments in our education system. This differentiated communication workshop is a right and needed step.

Zielsetzung / Objectifs

Knowledge
Participants understand:
- the concept and worthiness of differentiated communication in their work as teachers
- the essentials and strategies of differentiated communication and how to apply these
- their non-verbal communication is as vital as their spoken words
- political correctness and inclusiveness
- policies and legislation on inclusiveness.

Skills
Participants will be able to:
- understand their students' interests and cultural (including linguistic) backgrounds
- modify oral and written messages and tone to be more impactful
- be culturally sensitive and avoid language or actions that can be misunderstood, demotivating, or offensive
- make non-verbal communication consistent with their verbal message
- choose a communication channel that is appropriate and preferred by their students: individual or group face-to-face meetings, email, or text messages
- get and give feedback and modify their processes if needed
- empathise with the emotions and feelings of their students, build rapport and trust, and be good listeners.

Attitudes
Participants will:
- have an inclusive and respectful attitude
- be keen to change for better outcomes - There's always room for improvement!
- be more emphatic.

Inhalt / Contenu

- Introduction and presentation of contents and activities
- rationale on the importance of differentiated communication
- theories and approaches to differentiated communication and effective interaction
- situations and case studies on effective and failed interactions, notably involving minority/target groups: ethnicity, a/gender, age, physically challenged, and socio-economic backgrounds
- input from participants
- words matter: If you're not sure, avoid them!
- non-verbal is as important as verbal communication; sometimes, "Action speaks louder than words".

Come with a "half-glass full" mentality and anecdotes related to the subject of the workshop.

Arbeitsformen / Approche méthodologique

Participant-centred:
- presenter's/facilitator's introduction and explanation - Q & A anytime
- roundtable
- real-life school stories and incidents
- role-play
- mock conversation/meeting - classroom situation
- A/V
- handouts will be provided

Referent, Referentin / Formateur, formatrice

Rolade Berthier, (Dr.) English Language Trainer, Sociologist,Writer, www.roladesocietalblog.com