Most teachers will tell you that they are overwhelmed and that they don’t have enough time to teach their standards, so I realize what I’m about to propose might not be well received, but hear me out… Every teacher should be teaching speaking and communication skills daily.

Here’s why.

1. Effective communication skills are crucial for our students’ future success and happiness.

For many American kids, public speaking is a required course for high school graduation. That’s good. Because no matter what career path they choose, at some point in their lives, most people will have to plan and prepare a presentation or at the very least stand up in front of a group and say a few words. And when that time comes, the ability to speak confidently and comfortably will be invaluable. For most people, however, this does not come easily. Glossophobia is one of the most common situational fears, and considering that 77% of people suffer from some level of anxiety surrounding public speaking, it only makes sense not to wait until kids are in their teens (often a very awkward and self-conscious phase) to begin teaching them to speak publicly. Instead, kids should grow up speaking publicly so that it is as natural to them as conversation.

The importance of starting early is also true for interpersonal communication skills. Because while most people will need to be able to speak publicly from time to time, everyone communicates daily–both verbally and nonverbally. It’s not an exaggeration to say that much of our happiness and success depends largely on our ability to communicate well with others. In fact, of everything schools teach, communication is by far the most frequently used skill–now and for the rest of our students’ lives. It makes no sense to relegate the explicit teaching of communication to one class in high school.

2. Communication does not fall solely under the category of “home training.”

More and more it feels like teachers are tasked with doing the job of parents, teaching kids skills and behaviors that should be learned at home. Communication, however, is not one of those skills. Both public speaking and interpersonal communication skills must be taught and reinforced at school if kids are to grow up to be effective communicators.

It’s likely difficult for most families to provide their children with frequent opportunities for public speaking, so it makes sense that that task fall to schools. But even the most diligent parents can’t give their children the same lessons in effective communication that they can get in the classroom because, as in the real world, in a classroom, students will encounter a wide variety of topics, personalities, and interest levels. Also, if schools aren’t reinforcing good communication skills taught at home, it’s likely that many kids will fall into bad habits. Ideally, for children to grow up to be effective communicators, they will be expected to communicate well at home and at school.

3. Communication skills are necessary to show mastery.

No matter the subject or how well a student can do on a test, the best way for him to show mastery is to also be able to explain his learning to others. In History, for example, a student who can list battles and dates has a working knowledge of the subject. One who can write a solid essay on the causes or ramifications of specific events has an even better grasp on the material. But a student who can intelligently and effectively discuss historical events or explain them to others has mastered the subject best of all. And being able to discuss history, literature, or scientific principles will also prove more useful (and enjoyable) in the real world than acing a test.

4. Incorporating communication skills in the classroom can be easy (and fun!)  

Teaching effective communication skills doesn’t have to mean hours and hours of extra planning and grading. Here are a few skills that are easy to incorporate into any classroom.

  • Teach kids about respectful communication by expecting them to ask for things rather than making demands. Make them say please and thank you.
  • Do not allow students to interrupt you or other students.
  • Talk to kids about nonverbal communication. Do not tolerate eye-rolling, exasperated sighs, or exaggerated yawns in the middle of a lesson. Teach them to respect personal space and to check their body language and tone of voice.
  • Teach students the difference between advocating for themselves and backtalk.
  • Host class debates over important (or silly) topics.
  • Sometimes assign presentations rather than tests or essays (often easier to grade than written work.)
  • Require students to teach a lesson to the class.
  • Make students memorize and recite poetry, speeches (or excerpts), or scenes from plays or movies.
  • Have students read picture books aloud to a group and grade them on their use of voice and expression.
  • Too often kids ignore (or appear to ignore) their teachers. Teach lessons in active listening, and give or deduct points based on their use of active listening skills during your lessons.

A learning environment for communication

Sometimes teaching good communication skills means creating a rubric and grading a speech. Other times it means fostering a lively discussion about the benefits of dogs versus cats. And still other times it is simply a matter of correcting poor listening habits or reminding them (again) not to interrupt. The important thing is that in every class every day, kids are learning how to express themselves in a variety of ways that are healthy, clear, and effective. This will creative a more positive learning environment and serve your students well the rest of their lives.

Why All Students Should Learn Speaking and Communication Skills