Whitney Westrope
Professional Portfolio
Plan for and implement effective teaching and learning
3.5 Use effective classroom communication
Demonstrate a range of verbal and nonverbal communication strategies to support student engagement.
In our Kindergarten classroom, we use a lot of songs, rhymes and actions to complement our learning. As a way of accompanying a song or rhyme, actions help the students to remember the concept that has been taught in a non-verbal way that helps to stick in their long term memory. The actions and songs are also repeated daily in some form which also allows engagement and a sense of achievement as those children who might struggle at the beginning, have been given the opportunity to practice the skills over time.
In the morning and afternoon, we sing our Morning and Goodbye songs as a way to bring our class together at the beginning and end of the day. The students also copy actions that relate to each phrase of the song which allows them to follow along even if they don't know the words or don't feel comfortable join in with some some parts.
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When a phonics sound is explored, as part of the intentional teaching session that takes place, actions and mouth movements are also modelled to allow all students to participate. Children can verbally say the sound or they can physically complete an action related to the sound.
We also sing a Jolly Phonics song connected to the sound and as the children sing the song, they also complete a hand action that connects to the song and gives them another opportunity to connect the sound to their long term memory.
To gain the students attention when it is time to transition to another activity, pack away or if sometime needs to be said, various strategies are used. These include:
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Shaking a tambourine/shaker/bongo clapper
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Asking the children to copy a clap beat
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The children repeat a rhyme (Everybody stop...Hands on top, bop diddi bop bop... bop bop)
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Hands on heads
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Twinkle fingers in the air
These strategies are both verbal and non-verbal in nature and allow me to gain the students attention before giving them a set of instructions. It is important to maintain eye contact with the students and ask them to do the same so that the instructions are clear and they are given time to process them. At times, I also ask the students to repeat back the instructions so that if they need to be repeated or they are not understood, I am able to do this at the point of need.
At the front of the classroom, there is a set of 'Whole Body Listening' poster which is used to prompt the children with reminders when they are sitting on the mat. I am able to point to it as needed for a visual clue rather than verbally tell the students each time.
EYLF Outcomes: 1.1.2, 1.2.9, 4.1.2
NQS Quality Areas: 1, 3, 4 & 5
Domains: Physical, social, cognitive, creative
