Being Heard in LLI Classrooms

Challenges to effectively communicating:

Every LLI instructor should know that if they don't pay attention to the classroom listening environment, many students may struggle to hear. As you think about teaching your course, be sure to focus some attention on creating a positive listening environment.

Teaching tips to enhance the listening environment in your classroom.

1. Ensure that students know you are sensitive to their hearing needs. Invite students who may have hearing issues to sit in the front of the room in seats closer to you or in seats closer to you in seminar rooms. Invite students to ask you to repeat a point if they did not hear it. Do occasional check-ins with the class asking if they can hear you.
   
   
2. Face the class as much as possible. For example, if you turn your head to look at a presentation screen and make a comment, you may lose some of your learners. If you tend to refer to a screen or whiteboard, you may want to consider repeating or rephrasing your point while turning to face your learners.
   
   
3. Rate of speech varies from person-to-person and can be as much a critical factor in being heard as strength of voice. If you are a “fast talker.” you may want to use more reflective pauses and rephrase and repeat important ideas. Slowing down your rate of speech when you're making a key point is another strategy.
   
   
4. Moving around while you talk can interfere with learners hearing your ideas clearly. It is natural to move around while one talks; however, try and face the students as much as possible when you are making critical points. Students gain additional visual information from watching your mouth and other physical nonverbal clues.
   
   
5. Where you stand is an important consideration. Moving toward the students can help some students hear what you're saying more clearly, for example when you are making a key point.
   
   
6. Use a strategic pause when making a key point and check for understanding by asking a question.
   
   
7. If a student asks a question, repeat the question before you answer it. Students will not understand your point if they did not hear the other students’ questions. LLI students ask numerous thoughtful questions. Thus, this accommodation is an essential one.
   
   Similarly, if you are going to comment on an observation made by a student, try to repeat or rephrase what the student said as it is often difficult for other students to hear their classmates’ comments in a large classroom setting.
   

Other Instructional Support Aids

1. Using a microphone in some settings is another potential accommodation. If you think this may help you, contact the instructional support committee to let them know of your interest (Jerry Niles, niles@vt.edu). If there is a microphone in your classroom, use it. Often presenters overestimate how well their voices are heard by older learners.
   
   
2.  Class assistants can be a valuable resource for enhancing the listening environment in your classroom. Ask for their feedback on whether they think students are hearing you well enough. You might invite the classroom assistant to remind you to repeat questions from students for example.