Chapter 8 Building Relationships through Positive Communication ©Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Chapter 8

Building Relationships through Positive Communication

©Cengage Learning.All Rights Reserved.


Communication skills are developed early in life

• Adults influence children by… –Setting a good example for them –Encouraging them to practice

appropriate communication skills–Listening to them


Effective Listening

• Auditory physiology–Physical makeup of the ear that

enables hearing–Sounds channeled through external

auditory canal to the tympanic membrane (eardrum) and middle ear (ossicles) and then through auditory nerve to the brain for interpretation


Effective Listening (continued)

• Auditory perception–Ability to understand what has

been heard



• Osmosis– Tendency of fluids to gradually flow through

absorbent material

• Young child’s “absorbent mind”– Gradual, often unconscious mental process of

assimilating concepts – Absorbing information in a way that resembles

osmosis




• Active listening– Form of attentive listening in which one

concentrates on what is being said– Reflecting ideas back to the speaker to confirm

understanding

• Mirroring– Reflecting back the feelings expressed by

someone else– Repeating what you understood


Underlying Feelings

• Emotions may unconsciously trigger inappropriate behavior

• Feelings must be considered to provide appropriate responses to behaviors

• Adults can help children understand the motives for their misbehaviors


Addressing Underlying Feelings

• Before you can really help someone, you must understand that person’s underlying request

–Action?

–Information?

–Understanding and attention?

–Inappropriate interaction?


Remember…

• Responsive and active listening is an integral part of child guidance

• Dependency and inappropriate interaction must be firmly and respectfully redirected


Positive Instructions Versus Negative Commands

• Positive instructions are constructive, affirmative statements of desired or expected behaviors

• Negative commands are disapproving statements of what behaviors are not desired or expected

• Positive instructions are more effective than negative commands


Characteristics of Assertive Communication

• Assertive communication– Provides firm, confident statements; is

persistently positive– Is honest, but not brutal– Requires respect and empathy to be effective

• Empathy shows understanding and compassion• Concrete means specific and focused; it is the

opposite of abstract or general


Say What You Mean—Mean What You Say

• Ask a question only if the child really has a choice– “Would you like something to drink?”

• State choices if the child will be allowed to choose– “Would you rather have apple juice or milk?”

• If something must happen, do not discuss it forever– “You must take your medicine so that your cough will

get better"


Adults Influence Children

• Adults should set a good example for children

• Adults should encourage children to practice appropriate communication skills


Developing Responsibility

• Adults help children develop responsibility

–By encouraging children to talk about potential consequences of behavior


Managing the Positive Confrontation

• Adults often avoid, squelch, dismiss, or deny negative feelings

• Tactics that avoid addressing feelings are ineffective and harmful to open, honest communication

• Positive confrontation is a healthy and natural part of social interaction


Be assertive

• Assertiveness always requires respect and empathy to be effective

• Evasive tactics are ineffective and harmful to open, honest communication


Adults can assist children in developing responsibility by encouraging them to think and talk about potential consequences of their behavior


• Logical consequences that are not dangerous or unreasonable provide children useful feedback on the appropriateness of their behavior.

Exploring Consequences

Chapter 8 Building Relationships through Positive Communication ©Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Documents

interpretationcengage

themcengage learning

misbehaviorscengage

osmosiscengage learning

generalcengage learning

understoodcengage learning

heardcengage learning

redirectedcengage learning