This course provides fundamental information, vital strategies, and opportunities to practice effective communication. The course addresses communication through writing, oral communication (including public speaking), nonverbal modes, and communication in crisis situations.
Effective communication skills are foundational to almost all successful personal, social, learning, and work activities. They are essential in:
- clarifying your thoughts.
- clarifying the meaning of others not only from their words but also their nonverbal cues.
- interacting and conversing effectively with staff, students, stakeholders and others.
- effectively conveying information, feelings, and opinions.
Oral communication involves private or group discussions; school, district, and public presentations; and planned or impromptu interactions with audiences. Most school leaders are prepared to convey basic information and opinions through short, informal communications on familiar topics, but many are challenged when presenting and analyzing complex information and issues through more sustained discussions. Specific skills, used consistently, are also required in listening and responding effectively to what others say.
School leaders who are effective in written communication not only use good grammar and appropriate language, but have the ability to write and respond to everything from brief communications expressing a few basic ideas about familiar topics, to more complex communications which analyze and explore important subjects and complex issues with significant and sometimes long-term ramifications.
The skilled communicator enhances relationships with parents and the community and helps to create an environment that values diverse cultures and welcomes staff, student, family and community engagement.
This course is aligned with the following PSEL standard:
Standard 8: Meaningful Engagement of Families and Community
Effective educational leaders engage families and the community in meaningful, reciprocal, and mutually beneficial ways to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.”
(NPBEA, 2015)
Learning Objectives:
Upon completing this course module, the learner will be able to:
- Plan for effective communication by identifying purpose; assessing the receiver(s); and selecting the medium, format, and tone.
- Recognize and assess the significance of nonverbal cues.
- Use emotional intelligence in a helping framework.
- Attend by positively engaging others, using cognitive empathy and active listening when responding.
- Establish and maintain communication patterns that signal and support common understanding.
- Effectively deal with media and crisis communication issues.
Lessons contain exercises that you will be asked to complete, and resources you can use for continuous learning. Use a personal journal to record your completed exercises and document your learning in this course. This guide can assist you with creating your personal journal. Your school district facilitator may request you submit your personal journal to show proof of course completion. Direction on where to submit your finished journal will be provided by your district facilitator, should they require it.
Select a lesson from the table of contents below to begin your learning. Lessons do not need to be completed in sequence. The pre-test and post-test are optional. If you would like to receive a certificate of completion, you must mark each lesson as complete.