HPC3O:

COMMUNICATION

What is happening?

• A young child points to a bowl of grapes and says, “dapes”

• An eight-month-old girl sitting in her high chair stares at the toy train on the floor and then stares at her father

• While standing in line at a grocery store check-out, you suddenly hear a woman screaming at a child in a nearby line

• You awake to hear your five-month-old baby babbling in the next bedroom

• An early years center teacher is reading to a young child. She asks the child questions about the story that they are reading

Communication is…

• An exchange of information: verbally, non-verbally, or with both verbal and non-verbal symbols and signals.

Verbal Non-Verbal

Communication is…Either:

One way: one person sends out a message, but receives no response.e.g. lectures, radio broadcast, message on answering machine.

OR

Two way: message is send and response is given. The tone of the communication is very important: particularly when children are learning appropriate listening skills and feedback styles.

Mixed Messages

• A child can receive mixed messages if verbal and non-verbal forms of communication do not match.

– i.e. VERBAL NON-VERBAL

- “Congratulations!” -Sad look

- “Go to your room!” -Smiling

- “Everything’s fine…” -Anxious look

Mixed Message1) In groups, create a skit that demonstrates the concept of “mixed

messages” and the importance of good communication. 2) Groups should be made up of 3-4 people3) You will present your skit to the class twice. The first time, your

verbal and non-verbal message should match. The second time, they should not.

4) Example topics / scenes (each group should be different): -a birthday party, -a graduation ceremony, -a “break-up”-a baby being born

-Disciplining a child for putting makeup all over their face

Passive

• involves the inability or unwillingness to express thoughts and feelings

• make up an excuse rather than say how you feel

Assertive

• involves standing up for oneself while remaining calm and respectful

• assertive people: – match body language to tone– use short clear messages– are honest– use “I – messages”

Aggressive

• involves overreaction, blaming and criticizing

• Try to get their way though intimidation and being loud– Have a hard time considering the rights of

others– Sometimes attack a person’s character

instead of addressing a specific issue

Passive-Aggressive• This style uses passive communication that is really acting out

anger in an indirect, or behind-the-scenes way • Passive-Aggressive communicators will often: • mutter to themselves rather than assertively confront the issue • use facial expressions that don't match how they feel• deny there is a problem• appear cooperative while purposely doing things to annoy and

disrupt• use subtle sabotage to get even• - passive-aggressive people may act in these ways:

– Act sad or sullen even though they say they are OK– Perform a task poorly to show that they don’t like the task or they think

you should do it– “Forget” things on purpose– Allow you to make a mistake and then tell you that they know it was

wrong all along