Ever had a conversation with someone that just doesn’t seem to end? Ever had a teacher who drones on and on and on without really saying much of anything? I can’t help but think of the teacher in Ferris Buehler’s Day Off here. Ever tried to have a discussion with someone who gives you nothing back but one word answers? If you haven’t been locked up in a cave for the last few years, I’m guessing you’ve experienced all of these. What you have encountered is people who lack acceptable communication skills.
Today, just like any other time in history, strong communication skills are one of the key ingredients to success as a citizen of the world. In Shakespeare’s time, being clear and concise was key just as it is today. “Hie thee hence or lose your life!” is effective – basically get going or die. Can’t get much more clear than that. Wouldn’t it have been a tragedy to see Romeo die early in the play, simply because his good friend Benvolio failed to be clear in the message to leave the party quickly? Maybe a few of you wouldn’t see that as a loss but still, you get the point.
In Tony Wagner’s research for The Global Achievement Gap, one of the resounding characteristics that was identified as crucial for people entering the workforce was clear oral and written communication skills. Our friend Will Shakespeare had only about 50,00 – 60,000 words to play with, we now have well over a million. We now have the challenge to be concise with far more words to choose from, a task that can be quite daunting to some. To wade through this number of words and form clear concise communication becomes pivotal for our continued success.
Good teachers are well aware of this, as they always have been. Language skills are one of the real basic ingredients in our curriculum. Where we may be falling a bit short however, is in the major focus of working with communication. Firstly, a “sit and get” traditional classroom offers very little opportunity for students to practice their communication skills. Often in these settings, students are expected to write but sometimes in a simplistic formula style which enables students to pass a standardized writing test. They are not taught to write or speak with focus, energy and passion, the key ingredients to getting a message across clearly. In a classroom where students are constantly working together, good communication is practiced regularly and, as we well know, practice makes perfect.
Secondly, often too much emphasis is placed on grammar, punctuation and spelling. I am not discounting these components as unimportant , not at all. I am simply suggesting that we look at them for what they are, pieces of a much more important skill – clear communication. While we need to address grammar, punctuation and spelling in the classroom, let’s ensure that we are also teaching students to write with conviction, teaching them to focus on key meanings, and concise use of words. Let’s keep in mind the “why” students need to spell and use proper grammar, simply to use in being clear in their communication.
Keep on learning,
Dave
Be First to Comment