Tips for Talking Effectively With Student - Using “After . . .” words

“After . . .”
You can visualize success for students and help them to do the same. Sometimes, students have difficulty visualizing themselves succeeding. Through your language, invite students to go into the future and experience what it is like to have already succeeded in what they are doing.

A woman on a plane once taught me Sudoku, saying, “After you get really good at it, you will do puzzles like these” (she showed me one that looked really complicated). She was helping me to visualize the future, seeing myself having already mastered Sudoku puzzles and working on ones that were even more diffi cult. When you say “after,” you are presupposing that the student will definitely be doing the things that come after it.
• “After you have learned this, what else might you enjoy learning?”

• “After you have done everything that you identifi ed as necessary to achieve your goals, how will you feel about having been successful?”
• “After you have achieved your dreams and even more than you ever thought possible, what will your life be like?”
• “After you have put away your materials, you will have a clean desk.”
• “After you have studied for your test, you will be able to make a good grade.”
• “After you have written your paper, you will feel really good about what you have accomplished.”
• “After you have overcome your habit of procrastinating, you will be able to do anything that you want to do in your life!”

Potential Functions for This Tip: Teaching, Planning for the Future, Responding to Objections, Encouraging Students, Influencing Students, Resolving Conflicts

“And” or “Yet”—No “Buts”
How do you feel when you hear the word “but”? You probably brace yourself for what might be coming. The other shoe is about to drop. We tend to negate everything that a person says before they say “but”; the word cancels what came before (Hall, 2004).
• “You did a really nice job, but . . .”
• “I like that, but . . .”
• “You could go out to recess, but . . .”

The next time you are tempted to use the word “but,” replace it with “and.” If “and” doesn’t fi t, use “yet.”
• “You did a really nice job, and . . .”
• “I like that, and . . .”
• “You could go out to recess, and . . .”


On the other hand, you can also use the word “but” to your advantage.
• “I don’t know how to do this.”
• “But you will learn!”
• “I am not succeeding.”
• “But you will get it soon!”
• “I can’t do this.”
• “But you did it the last time!”

Potential Functions for This Tip: Building Relationships, Teaching, Planning for the Future, Responding to Objections, Encouraging Students, Influencing Students, Resolving Conflicts.

“As . . .”
As you read this articles, you may find that you automatically think of students with whom you will use the various ideas and concepts. As you plan for tomorrow, you may notice those students applying all
that they learn and even more.

When you begin sentences with “as,” you link the first clause with the second clause. This also enables your listener to link the information in both clauses.
• “As you do this assignment, you may notice that you are learning even more.”
• “As you complete your work today, you may become aware of your growing skills and capabilities.”
• “As you read this assignment, you may notice just how quickly you are comprehending all that you read.”
• “As you move toward completing your degree, you may feel absolutely pleased with the many ways that you are progressing.”

Potential Functions for This Tip: Teaching, Planning for the Future, Responding to Objections, Encouraging Students, Infl uencing Students, Resolving Confl icts


“At This Time . . .”
Have you ever had different perceptions about the same situation at different times? We all do, depending on what we think about the situation at any given time.
You can help students realize that they will have varying views about their abilities and situations at different times. Yesterday, they might have perceived that they couldn’t do something. Today is a new day, and tomorrow is another new day. Do you recall ever thinking that you couldn’t do something that was important to you that you subsequently learned to do? Looking back now, the thought that you ever believed that you couldn’t do it seems fairly ridiculous!

Our perceptions about various events in our lives can also change from day to day. Use words about time combined with words such as “perception,” “seems,” and so on to help students realize that their perceptions are not set in stone.
• “So at that time, you had perceived that task to be difficult.”
• “So right now, you feel that you don’t yet know what to do.”
• “At that time, you believed that you couldn’t do it.”
• “So at this point in time, it seems like you don’t yet have the ability to perform the task.”

Potential Functions for This Tip: Planning for the Future, Responding to Objections, Encouraging Students, Influencing Students, Resolving Conflicts
Read More : Tips for Talking Effectively With Student - Using “After . . .” words

Tips for Talking Effectively With Student - Using “Because” and “Since” Words

“Because” and “Since”
We all want to reap the benefi ts of what we are doing, don’t we? Communicate to students that they are reaping the benefi ts of the work they are doing by using phrases such as “because” and “since.”
• “Because you worked hard, you succeeded.”
• “Since you realized the importance of learning these things, you are progressing rapidly in your studies.”
• “Because you are attending this seminar, you will gain valuable strategies to use to accelerate your success.”

• “Since you worked collaboratively in your group, you completed the project in only three days.”
• “Because you made the decision to learn and grow in many different ways, you have already brought that about in your life.”
• “Since you focused on completing this assignment, you feel really good about it.”

Potential Functions for This Tip: Teaching, Planning for the Future, Responding to Objections, Encouraging Students, Infl uencing Students, Resolving Conflicts

Becoming Someone Else
Who are some of your heroes? Who are the people who can do the things that you would like to learn to do or do even better? When we want to do something better, we can step in and become someone else. Several years ago, I wanted to learn how to get away from work when I was on vacation. A friend suggested that I think of someone who was able to do that with ease. I identified my role model, worked to be like that person, and had a wonderful holiday!

Students have many heroes in their lives, both in person and in the media. When students hesitate to believe that they can actually do something, or when they don’t quite yet have the confidence to move forward into completing a task or assignment, ask them about their heroes: “Who might be able to do this quickly and really enjoy doing it?”

This technique helps students move from having no idea what to do, to thinking about how a powerful person in their lives might go about doing something, to actually becoming the person who can do it.
• “What might _______ do in this situation?”
• “What are your thoughts as to how _______ might go about completing this assignment?”
• “What steps might _________ follow in the process of doing this?”

• “If you were _________, what might be some of your thoughts about how to do this?”
• “Step in and become ___________. Notice what you are doing as you complete this project.”

Potential Functions for This Tip: Planning for the Future, Responding to Objections, Encouraging Students, Influencing Students, Resolving Conflicts

"Before Friday” Instead of “By Friday”
What does it mean when someone asks you to do something “by Friday”? Most people visualize themselves completing the task on Thursday evening, stressed out because they are doing it at the last minute. What do you visualize when someone says, “Please do this before Friday”? This change in wording allows the listener to focus on the time before Friday, perhaps even the entire week that precedes Friday.

Frequently, we ask students to have something completed “by Friday.” Instead, use the term “before Friday” to help students envision the whole process of completing the assignment, and they will be more likely to focus on the time during the prior week, according to C. Hall (personal communication, May 2006).
• “Please complete your project before spring break.”
• “Papers will be due before the end of the day on Wednesday.”
• “Please turn in your work before the end of class tomorrow.”
• “Papers are due before 3 p.m. today.”

Potential Functions for This Tip: Teaching, Planning for the Future, Influencing Students, Resolving Conflicts


“By Doing X . . .” 
By teaching, we affect the future. By focusing on encouraging students, we help them to be powerful learners who will encourage others. By encouraging others, your students will powerfully influence the world! By beginning a sentence with “By doing X,” we imply that the student is defi nitely going to be reaping certain benefits as a result of doing something.
• “By studying the material every night after class, you will almost guarantee that you will do well on the fi nal exam.”
• “By participating in class, you will build relationships with your colleagues that can last a lifetime.”
• “By coming to class every day and taking notes, you will ensure that you do well in the class.”
• “By walking quietly down the hall between classes, you enable students in other classes to continue studying.”
• “By being willing to take risks and do new things, you will grow more than you ever dreamed would be possible!”

Potential Functions for This Tip: Teaching, Planning for the Future, Responding to Objections, Encouraging Students, Influencing Students, Resolving Conflicts
Read More : Tips for Talking Effectively With Student - Using “Because” and “Since” Words

Tips for Talking Effectively With Student - Acknowledging Learners’ Current Experience

Acknowledging Learners’ Current Experience 
Have you ever felt reluctant about a new learning situation, like a weekend workshop? Perhaps you had things you would rather do than attend the class. Maybe you were preoccupied by things going on in your family. We’ve all been there. What if the instructor verbally acknowledged that you were choosing to give up a weekend in order to continue growing professionally? You would relax, knowing that the instructor understood!

It is important to acknowledge your students’ current experience. You might say, “It may have been a little bit difficult to leave home this morning, as you had things on your mind. Thank you so much for coming. I’d like to invite you to set those things aside and focus entirely on these experiences so that you can benefit from our time together.”

After summer vacation, you might say, “I am sure that you had a wonderful summer vacation and that you were doing many fun and exciting things with your families and friends. The weather was lovely, and I understand that you may be missing it a little bit. We will be outside doing projects so that we can continue enjoying the good weather. We will also be doing a lot of physical activities outside, and you will continue to be with your friends. Thank you for being here.”

Potential Functions for This Tip: Building Relationships, Teaching, Planning for the Future, Responding to Objections, Encouraging Students, Resolving Conflicts

Adverbs
What is it about the ability of words that end in -ly to convey positive things even more powerfully? Use words that end in -ly to increase the intensity of your students’ experience and help students to feel excited about what you are discussing. It’s amazing how using these words will not only encourage students but make you feel good as well!
We can use adverbs such as the following:
• absolutely
• beautifully
• completely
• confi dently
• continually
• delightfully
• easily
• elegantly
• enthusiastically
• excitedly
• friendly
• fully
• gladly
• gratefully
• happily
• heartily
• hopefully
• intensely
• internally
• joyfully
• lovely
• possibly
• powerfully
• probably
• quickly
• rapidly
• readily
• skillfully
• spontaneously
• steadily
• strategically
• successfully
• totally
• warmly
• wonderfully

Here are some examples of such adverbs in practice:
• “You will be surprised and delighted at just how quickly you are learning the material.”
• “As you are working steadily, you may notice just how delightfully you are progressing.”
• “As you are continually progressing toward your goal of ____, you may notice just how instinctively you are applying your new learnings and understandings.”
• “In the process of completing your assignments, you may be pleased with just how spontaneously you are doing the work.”
• “As you complete this class, you may be noticing just how rapidly you have internalized your insights and understandings in order to bring about lasting changes in your life and in the lives of others.”
• “I’m sure you are pleased as you realize how steadily you have been progressing toward your goals.”
• “In what ways might you skillfully and enthusiastically apply all of the exciting things that you are learning?”
• “This is absolutely the hardest-working group of learners that I have seen in my 20-year career!”
• “As you fully involve yourself in the process of learning, you may notice just how quickly and easily you are grasping these concepts!”

Potential Functions for This Tip: Building Relationships, Teaching, Planning for the Future, Responding to Objections, Encouraging Students, Influencing Students, Resolving Conflicts
Read More : Tips for Talking Effectively With Student - Teacher Guide