Communication Methods in Teaching

This assignment analyzes different communication methods used in education, such as verbal, symbolic, and sign language. It examines their advantages and disadvantages in various classroom situations. The author emphasizes the importance of selecting appropriate communication techniques based on student needs and learning styles. Examples are provided to illustrate how different methods can effectively reach diverse learners, including those with disabilities or limited language proficiency.

Running head: COMMUNICATION
Indigenous Education and Perspective – Task 7
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note

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Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Theories of Communication............................................................................................................2
Piaget’s Theory............................................................................................................................3
Vygotsky’s Theory.......................................................................................................................4
Bernstein’s Theory.......................................................................................................................4
Benefits and limitations of Communication....................................................................................5
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................7
References........................................................................................................................................8

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Introduction
The act of exchanging ideas, facts and opinions is all together referred as communication.
Communication is identified as the mode of understanding the thoughts of individuals or
organizations. It is an integral part and of primary importance in the field of teaching and
learning. It is to minimize the gap that exists between the knowledge giver and receiver
(Chromy, Dvorak and Sedivy 2012). A teacher is as good as their capability of transmitting
knowledge, skills and values to their fellow students. Their responsibilities extend further in
communicating the care for the students to ease the atmosphere in the classroom for relaxing
their learning process. The teacher needs adopt a number of communication tools and techniques
according to the requirements and capabilities of the learners. A various approaches are available
in the market serving different purposes. The significant among them are pedagogical and
communicative approach. The former approach of teaching narrates the importance of
communication in the teaching practice for learners. The later on the other hand prioritizes the
importance and necessities of communication in the classroom from the learning perspective. It
is to transmit the intended and the required message and knowledge to the student. Various
scholars have provided theories for explaining the communication for the teaching practice from
different viewpoints. The following work will be focusing on the theories of important scholars
in the field. The works of the scholars that have been mentioned in the following are Piaget,
Vygotsky and Bernstein. This report further explains the effects of communication on learning
using number of practical examples where the benefits and limitations have been identified.
Theories of Communication
Existing theories of communication are broadly classified into two schools of thoughts.
They are Semiotics schools and Process school. The former school views communication to be

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a mixture of signs, symbols and messages. A successful communications conveys the message
from the sender addressing to the particular audience and expects for particular reaction (Leeds-
Hurwitz 2012). The later view the communication as a process. The process of communication
according to this school is limited to transmitting the message without any expectation of
receiving feedback from the receivers (Stacks and Salwen 2014). The theories mentioned in the
introduction section are discussed below.
Piaget’s Theory
The theory proposed by Piaget attributes human cognition for the language formation,
which is the primary element for communication (Bates 2014). The theory prioritizes the
development of human cognition. Piaget proposes the idea that human cognition develops prior
to the development of language. He further stretched that human cognition helps in language
development. The author supported his thought with the idea of thought. It is not only the
primary element of communication, but also the key element required in the thought process.
The person without language cannot process any though. This can be extended to the persons
with some kind of hearing and speaking disability. They have some kind of language to arrange
their thoughts in order.
Piaget further linked language with the communication process in the classroom settings.
According to the scholar, the teacher takes active part in cognition language development in the
students. Symbols system is another component that is closely related to the language system. As
per Piaget, the symbol system supplements the language formation. It is possible to add the
statement deriving from the theory that the responsibility lies with the teacher to select
appropriate language model and feedback system required by different student in the process of
language and communication build up.

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Vygotsky’s Theory
Vygotsky on the other hand contradicts Piaget’s theory by stating that human cognition,
symbol system and language develops simultaneously by supporting each other. He then related
these with the communication process. The theory proposes that the thought process, language
and symbol system is developing in support with communication. It helps developing the skills
among the students. Proximal development is another perspective the theory focuses on as it is
the interaction process between the young and adults. Vygotsky further connects language with
the culture of the group. He positioned language as an indicator of the cultural belief and value
system of particular groups (Berkenkotter and Huckin 2016).
Both Piaget and Vygotsky prioritized language and human cognition in communication
and prioritized them as the basic elements of communication. However, the process of
development according to the scholars considerably varies from each other. What is more, both
the scholars gave importance to the symbol system and picture tools, which facilitates in the
communication process for both the general and disabled persons.
Bernstein’s Theory
Bernstein on the other hand took different approach in explaining communication. He
connected communication with the sociolinguistic theory, which involves specific codes in the
process of language development. According to Bernstein’s theory, language is comprised of 2
codes that are elaborated and restricted (Young Spring 2017). Restricted code as defined by
Bernstein is the codes that are known to a particular group and the group members alone can
make meaning out of it. Elaborated language code on the other hand is used in the malleable
socializing groups. Bernstein further highlights that the common code used by most of the people
in their personal groups is the restricted. They use this code of communication in some point of

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time that is referred as the native language. People require elaborated code while communicating
with the people outside their groups. Even if Bernstein classified the codes according to their
purpose and place of use, he did not classify its importance. According to the scholar, both the
codes are necessary for an individual to communicate in their personal grouping and in the
society outside of their personal grouping (Illia and Balmer 2012).
Benefits and limitations of Communication
Every individual needs to develop in the grounds of culture, cognition and societal. The
above mentioned theories indicate the priority communication in the process of development of
the above mentioned. Family members, especially the mother is considered as the primary and
informal teacher of a child. They provide basic knowledge required for development of a child’s
communication. A child can develop his or her restricted code from the family member.
However, it is the formal teacher who plays active role in the development of elaborated code of
communication within the children. The linguistic knowledge and communication within the
children is developed by the formal teacher in the education institution. As per my understanding
of the theories provided by Piaget and Vygotsky, symbol and language is inseparable. Hence, I
utilize this concept in the teaching process and use various communication processes such as
verbal, non-verbal sign language, gesture techniques. I further found the benefits of picture and
video session in the teaching process. The students, regardless of general or disabled understand
the symbols viewed in pictures and videos much faster than other mode of communication. It
justifies the relation between the symbols system and communication. I further tested these sign
languages in the students with lower IQ. The results reflected incredible development as the
students were able to respond to the signs demonstrated in the pictures and videos. I also find it
beneficial dealing with the disabled students. The students with hear or speaking disability could

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easily adopt and respond to the sign language gesture movement. They also responded to the
picture and video clipping much greater than the verbal communication. However, this mode of
communication does not work in case of blind students. Hence, it shows the limitations of the
sign languages.
The above mentioned communication method helped be in dealing with the students
below IQ level or the students with some type of disabilities apart from visual disability. The
students with visual disability can be death with the verbal communication method. I
experienced from my own carrier that the only mode of communication useful for this particular
segment of students is the verbal communication. Moreover, the verbal and non-verbal
communication shows greater potential in case of general students as it is considered as the basic
elements for the communication development. Communication according to the above
mentioned theories refers to the social and cultural development. It can be incorporated with the
virtual communication like videos. I experimented this in my classroom comprised with fourth
standard students, where I show them audio-visuals and recorded their responses. I
communicated mathematics applying this technique, which showed significant outcome. The
students responded faster to this method. It also has potential in language development. As my
classroom is comprised with students belonging from different cultural backgrounds and
different language, they frequently require assistance in case of verbal communication. Providing
multilingual verbal teaching helped me eradicating this issue in my classroom. It further helped
the bilingual or multilingual students in developing their grip in the languages. They now are
greater confident in communicating with the people using language other than their own.
I can draw another example of the benefits provided by the symbolic communication. I
implemented this method in the health class where the teaching was provided to the students

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using symbols and signs. All the students reflected quick responses to the symbolic
communication regardless of their abilities and disabilities. However, this was ineffective in case
of the students with visual disabilities a evidenced in the earlier examples. Another limitation of
sign language found in case of the general students. Though they can quickly respond to the
teaching delivered to them using the sign language, it slows down their development. They can
perform much better and faster using the verbal communication method. The utilization of verbal
language on the other hand will become barrier for the students with disabilities and for the
aboriginal students who have limited knowledge of the language used.
Conclusion
It is possible to make statement from the above discussion that the various
communication methods that presently exist have their implications in the field of teaching. It
also has a wide range of advantages both in the classroom and for the future life. It has the
capacity to increase the overall classroom efficiency. However, every mode of communication
has its limitation for fulfilling particular purpose in the classroom. No communication technique
is universal in the classroom and varies accordingly to the classroom situation. Hence, it is
important for the teacher to identify the best possible mode of communication applicable in
particular situation to best communicate the teaching. As evidenced in the report, it is ineffective
for a student with hearing ability to understand anything the teacher communicates using verbal
communication method. It will not work, no matter what the verbal language teacher selects for
the process of communication. The proper communication method that can be utilised for this
particular student is the sign language, a mode of communication using different gesture. The
student will then understand what the teacher is talking about.

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References
Bates, E., 2014. The emergence of symbols: Cognition and communication in infancy. Academic
Press.
Berkenkotter, C. and Huckin, T.N., 2016. Genre knowledge in disciplinary communication:
Cognition/culture/power.
Chromy, J., Dvorak, D.O.N.N.A. and Sedivy, J.O.S.E.F., 2012. Business intelligence approach
as comunication tool of tutors and teachers in technical education. WSEAS Advances in data
networks, communications, computers and materials, 11, pp.183-187.
Illia, L. and Balmer, J.M., 2012. Corporate communication and corporate marketing: Their
nature, histories, differences and similarities. Corporate Communications: An International
Journal, 17(4), pp.415-433.
Leeds-Hurwitz, W., 2012. Semiotics and communication: Signs, codes, cultures.
McQuail, D. and Windahl, S., 2015. Communication models for the study of mass
communications.
Stacks, D.W. and Salwen, M.B. eds., 2014. An integrated approach to communication theory
and research.
Young Spring, 2017. Basil Bernstein. [online] Zimmer.csufresno.edu. Available at:
http://zimmer.csufresno.edu/~johnca/spch100/3-3-bernstein.htm [Accessed 26 Oct. 2017].