Unit 1: Communication and Professional Relationships in Education

This homework assignment focuses on communication and professional relationships within an educational context, specifically for teaching assistants. The assignment includes several activities that explore different forms of communication, emphasizing both verbal and non-verbal methods, and their advantages and disadvantages. It examines the importance of building positive relationships with children, young people, and adults, highlighting the role of a teaching assistant in fostering these connections. The assignment also presents case studies addressing social, professional, and cultural differences, such as managing conflicts during cultural events and preventing professional clashes between staff members. Furthermore, it delves into communication skills, emphasizing the need for clear and effective communication with diverse individuals, including those with special needs or language barriers. The assignment concludes by examining communication differences, exploring the effects of various challenges like ADHD, English as a second language, and speech impairments, and providing strategies for support.

Unit 1 Communication and Professional Relationships with Children,
Young People and Adults
Unit 1: Communication and Professional Relationships with Children,
Young People and Adults

Unit 1 Communication and Professional Relationships with Children,
Young People and Adults
Some activities have been taken from TA College 2010 under licence to Pearson Education Limited
Activity 1: Forms of communication (1.1.1)
People use a variety of forms of verbal and non-verbal communication to express themselves.
Use the table below to briefly record any thoughts you have about the different forms.
Communication
method
Advantages Disadvantages
Singing  Development of language
skills in child.
 Support dynamic social
learning experience
 Support phonemic awareness
Children may find it
difficult to match with the
rhythm of song.
Story telling  Reliable way for language
teaching
 Enhances verbal proficiency
 Ineffective technique may
affect communication

Unit 1 Communication and Professional Relationships with Children,
Young People and Adults
 Develops listening skills
 Fosters creativity and
imagination
Arms folded  Develops tactile and
systematic interaction
 Helps to develop confidence
 More focussed on ideas to be
presented.
 Indication of bored or
discouraged attitude
Smiling  Strengthens the relationship
while learning.
 Plays a vital role in bonding
and attachment
 May create a fuzzy and
imprecise impression
 Difficult to convey the actual
meaning
Braille  Enhances independence in
presenting oneself
 Helps to develop connection of
child’s or young person who is
visually impaired
 It creates additional expense.
 Requires huge training to the
trainers.
Texting  Quick and advance way of
sharing information
 Requires expertise in
language
Hand clapping  Encourages and motivates the
children.
 Helps to add movements to
the words
 Inappropriate timing for hand
clapping may affect the
discipline of communication
Thumbs  Motivates sign learning  May lead in learning wrong
things.
Emailing  Helps to create social
interaction
 Increases awareness and
knowledge to present the skills
and ideas
 Use of slang terms may
degrade the communication
Shaking hands  Develops a mark of care and
understanding
 It shows lack of verbal
communication
Talking  Develops significance of
language learning
 Best way to express the ideas,
 Excessive talking may boost
unhealthy communication

Unit 1 Communication and Professional Relationships with Children,
Young People and Adults
thoughts etc.
Sign language  Increases ability to interact for
small kids
 Limit the use of verbal
communication
Activity 2 building positive relationships (1.1.2)
Building positive relationships with children and young people in school is a key part of a
Teaching Assistant’s role.
Task 1
Consider the reasons why building positive relationships is important.
Record your ideas below to complete the spider diagram that has been started.

Unit 1 Communication and Professional Relationships with Children,
Young People and Adults
Task 2
Consider and record your thoughts for the following two questions:
1 Why is building relationships with adults in school important?
The reasons of building relationship with adults in school are as follows:
 It helps to increase the skills and abilities of communication and interaction among students.
 With effective communication, the students and adults are able to provide help and support to
each other.
 They develop the skills of sharing their responsibilities with each other by carrying out
communication.
 Students learn to develop social skills by interacting in groups with teachers and mentors.
 The communication helps to participate in teamwork where the ability to work with social group
can be 2.
How can a TA support the building of positive relationships with other adults in school?
There are various ways by which TA supports building of positive relationship with other adults in
school. The first method is by organizing various activities in which individual students can interact with
the other. This helps in developing mutual understanding between them. On the other hand, by organizing
an induction session on every week, communication between adults can be increased. In this method,
every student can share the views related to his class mates. This helps in building positive relationship
with other adults in school.
Activity 3 social, professional and cultural differences (1.1.3)
Children feel they belong
Helps children
to make
choices
Why is it important to build positive
relationships with pupils?
Supports in
developing
appropriate
behaviour
Helps the kids in
getting involved with
the school
environment
Developing ability to
communicate with
others
Helps to manage
negative feelings
Helps to solve
problems
Sharing ideas and
thoughts to develop
skills

Unit 1 Communication and Professional Relationships with Children,
Young People and Adults
Read each of the case studies below and answer the questions to consider how each of the
situations can be resolved.
Case study 1: supporting different cultures
It is Chinese New Year and you have asked the children to bring in different food
that a Chinese family may have at home for the celebration. You have also brought
in different utensils and tableware. All the children are excited. A disturbance breaks
out with two children arguing over who should have the chopsticks and a bowl being
knocked on to the floor and breaking. One child comments that it’s silly to try and
eat with sticks and that Chinese food is horrible.
1 How would you deal with the situation in the short term?
According to the given case study, present situation will be handled in the short run by
making both the students sit apart from each other. They will be allotted with different roles so
that celebration can be celebrated merrily. For further betterment of situation, volunteers will be
appointed who will take care of similar issues.
2 What action would you take to stop this sort of behavior happening again at a different
cultural event?
The action that would be taken by me to stop this sort of behavior which is happening
again at a different cultural event will be through action plan. The students will be made to
participate in an activity where ‘knowing other’s culture’ is a theme. Proper information
generated by children will act as the best tool for making pupil know about the significance
of different cultures.
3 Does your school have a procedure in place to support and celebrate different festivals?
Yes, my school has a complete procedure in place to support and celebrate different
festivals. There is a separate activity committee who is responsible for providing curriculum
for functions and festivals that are to be celebrated in a school throughout the year. All
national and religious festivals are celebrated with full enthusiasm and zeal. In this way,
students come to know about better learning and understanding of each other’s culture
background.
Case study 2: preventing professional clashes
Two teaching assistants have been asked to organise the costumes for the Christmas
production. Betty has worked on this project for years. The other teaching assistant
Cheryl has only worked at the school for a short time. She comments that all the
costumes are a little worse for wear. This starts a heated argument. Betty feels
Cheryl has deliberately picked on her and criticising her work. The head teacher is
asked to intervene.
1 How could this situation have been avoided in the first place?

Unit 1 Communication and Professional Relationships with Children,
Young People and Adults
In the first place, the current situation could be avoided by using proper and effective
communication between Betty and Cheryl. Suggestions given by head teacher will be
considered so that outcomes of arguments may not affect the Christmas production.
2 How could the school prevent a situation like this arising again?
If the similar kind of situation arises again in school, following measures will be taken:
 Individual such as Bitty can be trained to maintain patience and to make use of proper channels of
communication.
 The individuals who are appointed will be trained to seek permission of approving the things
before finalization.
 There is the need for providing proper communication channels which can help to avoid
misconception and communication gap.
Activity 4 communication skills (1.2.1)
Teaching Assistants will need to understand the importance of learning skills to communicate
with adults, children and young people.
Task 1
Fill in the gaps in the following paragraph using the words from the box below.
To communicate effectively with anyone, you need to speak clearly, using
different pitch and tone to create interest . You should talk at a pace
that is neither too slow or monotonous, nor so fast that others
can’t understand. It is important to know the methods of language
development. You should also be aware that if you are working with a pupil
with special needs, their communication development will be
different; this could be for reasons such as autism, speech and language
problems, or a hearing impairment. In order to communicate effectively,
think about both verbal and non-verbal methods , formal and
informal. Remember that communication with adults has three parts:
someone speaks , someone listens and someone responds.
In general, communication with children is a two-way process: children need to know you are
listening and are interested in what they have to say
(which is not always easy when the other children want to tell you something
equally important). You should acknowledge the child at once even if you
have to say that you cannot respond straightaway.

Unit 1 Communication and Professional Relationships with Children,
Young People and Adults
slow interest stages verbal special speaks
development methods listening hearing
Task 2
In small groups, discuss how well you feel you communicate with children, young people and
adults. What communication difficulties might you come across and how can these be dealt
with?
Use your discussion to help you complete Activity 5.
Answer: Communicating with children, young people and adults generates positive feeling in
me. While talking with them, I focus on one thing at a time. Also, by using gestures or a touch
on the shoulder or by taking their hand for help to get attention helps me to feel good. However,
there are certain issues which are encountered while communicating with child, young person or
adult. They are stated as follows:
 Physical factors such as lack of speech control, difficulty in understanding spoken language or one
which is used at workplace.
 Social skills such as interacting with parents or peer group due to generation gap and lack of
confidence.
 Behavioral problems such as handling conflicts etc.
To deal with the above stated issues, various actions can be taken by the combined efforts
of all who are associated with the respective child or person. It is the responsibility of parents
whose child is facing the issue to talk. They must consult doctor or any health care center.
Secondly, child should be involved with the same age group in an order to practice social skills
through interaction. A speech pathologist is also recommended for a formal diagnosis. Thirdly,
use of visual clues using pictures, photos etc. develop their skills. Sign language such as,
makaton can also be used for expressing themselves. Young people are generally sensitive to
certain issues such as death or violence. Therefore, discussion is the best thing which can work
effectively here. Providing support while communicating with adults will be helpful so that they
would feel engaged and thereby, participate in healthy communication.
Activity 5 communication differences (1.2.2,4)
Communication
difference
Effects of difference How to support difference
ADHD  Due to physical and mental
health issues
 Lack of effective listening due
to habit of talking excessively
 Difficulties at work and
financial issues
 Treatments such as behavioural
training, therapy for individual,
self support groups,
educational support and
vocational counselling.
English as a  Inhibits success due to limited  Using effective classroom

Unit 1 Communication and Professional Relationships with Children,
Young People and Adults
second language understanding
 Lack of expressing thoughts
and ideas
 Difficulty in presenting
themselves in a group
learning techniques
 Practicing routine
communication
 Participating conversation with
English speakers
Stammering or
other speech
impairment
 Loss of speech control
 Feeling of low self esteem
 Using local language while
communication
 Joining language therapy
services
Selective mutism  Excessive shyness which limits
social communication
 Social phobia which hinders
group interaction
 Cooperation of parents and
peer group in reducing anxiety
while talking
 Implementing behavioural
therapy
 Assuring practicing non-verbal
form of communication
Autism  Poor motor skills
 Sensitiveness with loud noises
and bright lights
 Lack of inborn skills such as
language, talking, conversation
etc.
 Therapies such as behavioural,
speech and physical prove to be
supportive.
Activity 6 adapting communication (1.2.2)
It is essential to adapt your communication techniques when dealing with different situations or
speaking to different age groups when working in school.
Task 1
What strategies Teaching Assistants could use to adapt their communication skills according to
the different needs or situations described below:
1 Circumstance and situation of the communication (e.g. what lesson, which classroom).
In a situation, where teacher assistant is required to prepare lesson plans in the classroom, TA
will adopt the following strategies:

Unit 1 Communication and Professional Relationships with Children,
Young People and Adults
 The lesson plan will comprise teaching resources which are inclusive of both audio visual and
book resources.
 The demonstration will be provided by using techniques which is inclusive of both verbal and non
verbal methods
 The lesson planning will be inclusive of techniques that are not so tough and difficult to be
understood by the students of all level in class.
2 Style of communication
There are various strategies which will be implemented for adopting different
styles of communication. The style of communication should be defined on the basis of
different types of people. These are inclusive of controller, analyzer, supporter and
promoter. It will depend on the situation which defines the step of communication.
Task 2
How could a TA adapt what is said and the tone that is used to express that they are not
pleased with the behavior of:
a) five-year-olds?
For a five year old child in school, TA has to plan some actions that are related to
classroom based behavioral strategies and interventions. The following techniques can be
used:
 Use of integrated technology while teaching in classroom.
 Providing cooperative structure of learning to every student.
 Imparting differentiated instructions for behavioral aspect of TA to maintain tone, pitch etc. in the
classroom.
 Planning of goal setting activities in the class and at playground.
 Developing cross curriculum teaching for all students in the school as per level.
 Learning assessment should be provided in teams so that behavioral learning can be imparted.
b) nine-year-olds?
TA has to adopt various strategies regarding use of tone and other related aspects while
communication. Given below are some ways by which measures can be adopted for
effective communication and behavioral change:
 Use of students centered approaches of learning and communication at school.
 Effective activities such as interacting games, art-craft work, brain storming puzzles, speaking
competitions, curricular modules related to communication skills etc.
 Demonstration learning for different tones and behavior of communication with different people.
 Use of media for teaching effective and competent learning.
c) 16-year-olds?

Unit 1 Communication and Professional Relationships with Children,
Young People and Adults
 Model and planning a good conversation so that effective learning of behavioral aspects can be
worked upon.
 Encouraging use of physical cues such as SLANT (Sit up straight. Listen. Answer and ask
questions. Nod to show interest. Track the speaker). This will help to make students interested and
engaged for participating in communication.
 Developing habit of asking open ended questions with teachers and class mates.
 Arranging the activities where curiosity for students can be developed.
 Having formal chats with proper eye contacts by conducting general class or group discussion
regarding any topic.
 Motivating them to speak and listen in front of and with all in the class.
Activity 7 communication styles (1.2.3,4)
It is important that Teaching Assistants are able to adapt their verbal and non-verbal
communication techniques when speaking to adults, children and young people.
Consider the types of situations in which you may be communicating with adults and pupils.
Complete the table to show how you would use both verbal and non-verbal communication. An
example has been completed for each.
Communicating with adults
Situation Verbal communication Non-verbal communication
Team meeting Using a professional tone,
sharing ideas when relevant
Making eye contact, showing that you
are listening carefully, waiting your
turn to speak without interrupting
Giving presentation Using a loud and audible
voice
Oral communication by using
proper clarity of speech,
pitch, volume and sound.
Making different facial expressions
and body movements to show
contents of the slide.
Office party Using soft and welcoming
tone.
Face to face interaction to
honour guests
Decent use of behaviour and smile
with every guest individually.
Proper dressing and artifacts to
convey message of conformity,
rebellion and status in front of guests.
Delegating work Using phones, mails, memo
etc. for assigning work to be
carried out.
Facial expression, voice tone and
body gestures such as pointing
fingers.
Communicating with pupils

Unit 1 Communication and Professional Relationships with Children,
Young People and Adults
Situation Verbal communication Non-verbal communication
A pupil has fallen over in
the playground
Using a sympathetic tone of
voice and positive words to
recognise that they are brave,
outlining first aid treatment
Making eye contact, talking to them at
their level, frowning to show that you
feel sorry for them
Pupils asked teacher for
making them understand
about the subject content in
classroom.
Vary the speed and tone of
voice,
Scheme voice so that it can
be easily heard, pause to gain
attention, emphasize changes
in material and let pupils give
the opportunity to digest
information
Uphold eye contact with the students
and stand up straight to project
confidence.
Smile to communicate
Use movement to convey energy and
enthusiasm. However, avoiding
excessive gesturing because they can
deflect attention from message.
Project excitement and energy to
capture student’s attention.
A pupil is feeling guilty for
his mistake
Using positive and
motivating words for the
spirit shown by him in front
of all.
Reward him with motivating
words
Pat his back for taking initiative
Smile and frown to express his good
deed among all.
Appreciating pupil in the
classroom for higher grades
in the class
Voice should be audible to
every student in the class
Hand clap for appreciation
Thumbs up gesture to show a mark of
well done performance
Activity 8 managing disagreements (1.2.5)
Dealing with situations appropriately is extremely important for a Teaching Assistant. Children
need to learn how to diffuse situations on their own; however, support is needed when a situation
may become dangerous or out of control. The way in which you deal with situations with young
people and adults may be different again.
Consider the best ways of dealing with each of the situations in the left-hand column. In the
right-hand column write an appropriate way of resolving the situation.
Situation Possible resolution/response