Communication is at the heart of being a good teacher, lecturer or in any other position in post-school education. The relationships you form with staff, students, parents or governors can make all the difference to your job day to day and to your career in the longer term. Make it a priority to build and develop your communication skills – listening as well as talking!

How can I improve my communication skills?
Here are some tips that can help you to improve your interpersonal communication skills.

• Asking open-ended questions is a great way to initiate communication because it shows other people that you are interested in their response.
• Take your time and know what you want to say before you start.
• Use clear and simple language.
• Vary your communication style according to who you are speaking to.
• Be positive and confident. Believe that what you have to say is worth listening to!
• Actively listen and repeat what the other person says – “so what you mean is…..” This way, you can make sure that you get the point.
• Learn from experience! Review conversations to assess whether you got your point across clearly. Could you have done anything differently?