When talking to the children you must get down to the child level to speak to them, have eye contact and get their full attention before doing anything. Your body language needs to be relaxed and welcoming. This will make the child feel comfortable to communicate with.
Example from my placement:
When I welcome the children in the morning I go up to every table. I knee down beside the child, so I am at the same level to make sure that I have good eye contact, I get the child’s attention and say ‘hello…. How are you to day?’ in a happy friendly voice. I always make sure I have a smile on my face, so there is a relaxed atmosphere.
P3:
We can help support children in developing relationships with others. In my placement there are activities what we do to promote developing relationships:
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P.E as they will have to work in team and to do that the will have to work together
- Music time as they have to sit down together and play the instruments. They have to listen to each other.
- Paired reading as they to read, listen and talk to each other.
- Circle time they sit on the floor express their feel so the other children can get to known them.
- New time they all sit down on the floor and discuss what they do at the weekend
- Group work this will make different children work together.
By doing these types of activities the children are getting to know each other, work together, share resources and achiever with confidents. Activities that get children interacting with each other supports relationship skills, such showing interest asking question, taking turns, and taking apart. This will get children to know how to act together and form relationships. Adults can support children learn these skills by activities like story telling and role play that discuss issues in relationships will also support there skills.
P4:
It is very important to be able to communicate well with adult. The adults could be other members of staff (teacher, T/A) and parents. In my placement I have to communicate with the teacher and T/A throughout the day. Gill Squire says, ‘Besides working at the development of your own relationships with the children you work with, you can contribute to their relationships with other adults in the setting’ When I talk to the adult I give them my full attention and listen to their view and respect what they have to say. I change my tone of voice, so they do not think I am patronising them. My posture would change from talking from children. It is important for me to talk to the teacher so that I can learn new ways to help the children and that I can learn new skills to help me for the future. It is also important for me to be reflective when communicating with adults and this will help me to check that I have full understanding on what to do. By communicating with the adults and asking questions about how they would like me to support throughout the daily routine, this will enable me to have discussions with staff members and be able to achieve activities with the children.
M1:
Communicating is very important in developing relationships with children. It is important to have good communication so that the children feel comfortable to talk to you. If you communicate well with children it will boost their self esteem. It is also important for the children to see that they have a good role model, so they see the teacher talking to other adult respectably; this will show the children how to communicate well.
In my placement I find if you show interest in the children this is a good start to developing relationship, it will also boost their self esteem and self worth. It will make them feel that you listen to them and take interest in what they do, this will give them confidence. I also find that if you support the children throughout the daily routine it will help develop relationship with the children.
Example from my placement:
The teacher ask the pupils a question and some children know the answer but have not got the confidents to put their hands up, so I sit on the floor with them and ask the child to whisper in my ear. I give them lots of encouragement to put their hands up. I also give them ideas so they can think about.
Penny Tassoni says ‘The National Literacy Trust suggest that there is a growing realisation that the language and communication skills of young children are deteriorating.’ ‘It is therefore essential for the professional carer to develop the skills of communication and use them effectively.’ By adults being a good role model it gives children self esteem and confidences which will lead to children developing relationship between each other. It will also show them how to communicate well with people.
M2:
There are lots of different methods that are used to support children to develop relationships. In my placement the methods that I have seen being used are:
- Talk partners – they get into their partners and discuss the question. This is supporting them by getting them to talk to their partner. This can also start to build their confidents.
- Asking question – by asking children questions it get them to interact with one another. It also gets them to talk to the teacher and to other pupils.
- Circle time – this gets the children to listen to one another. Every body has a chance to talk about different issue and express themselves. It will also get the children to listen to each other and get to no each other.
- Games – this gets the children to work with one another. It can get different children to work with one another. They might have to work in a team, so they will have to work together.
In my placement the teacher talks to the children to reflect on what happen in playtime, what they should do and what they shouldn’t do. So this get the children to think what they do and put their hand and answer. They discuss this between themselves.
Gill Squire says, ‘Children learn the elements of how to develop relationships through play. They learn to play and work co-operatively, sharing and taking turns. They will also learn to have understanding of how other people feel and help to be considerate and care for others’ By using these methods it will give the children self confidence. It will also help them socially and emotionally, making them feel secure. It will help with their self esteem, and making them part of the setting. So they will feel comfortable to develop relationships.
Example from my placement:
Circle time is a method used in my placement as the children all sit down on the carpet. The children can talk if they have the ‘special’ wand. This is so no one can interrupt and so the child feels that they have their own special time to express them self and talk about what they want to.
M3:
Head teacher
Deputy Head teacher
Office staff
Teacher
T/A
Parent helpers
Student
Play time assistance
Children and parents
It is important to have effective communication with adults. This is because I need to make sure that we understand each other, that I can learn new skills for the future and that I can learn new ways to help the children.
The way to have effective communication is to give the adults my full attention, by giving them eye contact, to listen to what they have to say without interrupting them, listen to their views and respecting what they have to say. When I talk to the adults I change my tone of voice, this because I don’t want to sound patronising. I talk in a steady pace so they can understand me and, so it does not sound like I am trying to rush the conversation, that I am nervous or that I don’t want to talk to them. My posture would change I would stand up straight. I would look confidence, alert and interested.
Through the day of my placement I have to talk to many staff. This will be the time I get there till the time I leave. When I arrive at my placement I say hello to the office staff and sign into the book. I walk through a number of class and say hello to all the teacher and T/A in them. I sometime have to use the photo copier I go to the office and while I am photo copying I talk to office staff. I also talk to them if I need some resources. I talk to the parent when they drop their children off in the morning, I will also direct them when need to the teacher if they have any issue.
Gill Squire says, ‘You need to communicate effectively with adults in your work role because the children need you all to work together in the interests of their well-being. Children pick up very quickly on poor relationships and communication between the important adults in their lives, and will become unsettled and anxious if they sense tension and discord.’
By adults communicating well with everybody this can achieve full understanding of what is happening throughout the daily routine. This will also support a calm, daily procedure and aid good professional practice, which will make an environment that support children’s learning and development.
Bibliography
Editor by Squire G, ‘BTEC National Children’s Care, Learning & Development,’ page 20, 24 & 27.
Editor by Tassoni P, ‘BTEC National Early Years’ page 159
