Effective Verbal Communication

Here are some guidelines to follow whenever you want to verbally provide an important message or piece of information to your students.

  • Wait until your class is quiet. Don’t try to compete for their attention.
  • Use the fewest words necessary to impart the message or information.
  • Stay with what you intend to say. Avoid responding to irrelevant questions.
  • Support what you are saying with your body language. Stand up straight, don’t move about, and maintain eye contact.
  • If you see that your students are not paying attention, avoid the natural tendency to talk louder and faster. Instead, drop the level of your voice so that your students have to focus their attention in order to hear you.