Effective communication skills are one of the most profound skills for success. They help an individual to express himself confidently and clearly. These skills consist of verbal communication and non-verbal gestures in the form of body language. The best time to start working on communication skills is during childhood.
Here are some ways with which communication skills among kids can be improved:
- Avoid Over-Correction: Resist the temptation of over-correcting your child. Practice patience and understand that every skill takes time to develop and is based on trial and error. Correct sparingly and encourage your child to speak more irrespective of mistakes.
- Be A Role-Model: Children learn by example, so set an example of what you want their communication style to be like. Watch your tone, pronunciation, speed and words used as that is what they will mimic.
- Read More: Read as much as you can with your child as this will introduce new vocabulary and expand his horizons. Do not limit reading to books only but explore everything around you for something to read. This could be a written manual, a cereal box, the newspaper, a poster, etc.
- Praise Often: Praise your child for talking but do not overdo it. When they are younger, try praising them often throughout the day and when they are older, praise them sparingly for things like using a new word. Praise just enough to keep your child motivated and eager to get better.
- Ask Open Ended Questions: This does not mean that you overwhelm your child with a stream of endless questions. Try to be an interesting conversation partner without sounding too interrogative. For example, ask questions like, “What did you do with your friends today?”, “What is it that you like about this book?”, etc.
- Avoid Gadgets: Keep gadgets like phones, televisions, video games, etc. away when communicating with a child; there should be minimum distractions. It will help in strengthening communication skills, expanding imagination and encouraging conversations.
- Work On Body Language: Teach your child about non-verbal cues as a form of communication. Explain the meaning of different body movements and the emotions they convey. Encourage your child to observe people and try to understand what their movements convey.
- Other Tips: Apart from the above-mentioned tips, good communication skills can be achieved by practicing how to make eye-contact while talking to others, asking relevant questions, pausing to think, learning the importance of taking turns during a dialect, active listening, etc.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Texas offers a safe and secure environment for kids to socialize and build communication skills. The clubs organize various life skill development activities for kids. To know more tips for developing communication skills among kids in Killeen, visit 703 N 8th St.
Killeen, TX – 76541 or call at (254) 699 – 5808.